School List Help Please! 3.99/517

[boulderb]

Hey guys, I'm in need of some help with WAMC and particularly finalizing a school list. I am unsure of whether I have too many reach schools with my somewhat low EC's (especially due to COVID this past year and the fact that I'm 20 and graduating early), and also not sure whether it's worth completing TMDSAS (I understand TX doesn't like OOS but the low tuition is desirable).

• State/Country of Residence: CO
• Ties to other States/Regions: have family in MA and GA
• URM? (Y/N): Y (Hispanic)
• Year in School: Senior
• Undergraduate Major(s)/Minor(s): BA in Integrative Physiology, Certificate in Public Health
• Graduate Degrees (if applicable): NA
• Cumulative GPA: 3.99
• Science GPA: 3.97
• MCAT Score(s): 517 (129,128,129,131)
• Research Experience: Psychology & Neuroscience Language Lab - Computational Thinking in Children = 250 hours (possibly 500 by matriculation)
• Publications/Abstracts/Posters: None
• Clinical Experience (paid or volunteer): Surgery Reception in Hospital = 100 hours (possibly 350 by matriculation)
• Physician Shadowing: In-person = 80 hours in 5 specialties
• Non-Clinical Volunteering: Through university organizations (Pre-med clubs, Doctors Without Borders, etc.) = 150 hours/ongoing; volunteer for county public health department to asses COVID safety measures across county = 50 hours; Supervised and Tutored High Poverty Elementary Students = 100 hours; Leader for Outdoor Education School for Elementary Students = 100 hours; Food packing and distribution for homeless = 25 hours
• Extracurricular Activities: Physiology TA = 50 hours (ongoing); Club Swimmer = 600 hours; Peer Advisor = 50 hours;
• Employment History: Delivery Driver for DoorDash = 300+ hours; Event Staff for Education Conferences = 100 hours; Lifeguard and Swim Instructor = 750 hours

• School List (really need help cutting a bunch and possibly adding better fits):
  • University of Colorado (in state)
  • UCLA
  • Emory
  • Cincinnati
  • Hofstra
  • UT San Antonio, UTSW, Baylor, etc? (not sure whether to apply to TX)
  • Pittsburgh
  • UMichigan
  • UCSF (not worth applying OOS?)
  • Boston
  • Sinai
  • Case Western
  • Stanford
  • Duke
  • UVA
  • Northwestern
  • WashU
  • Vanderbilt
  • Chicago Pritzker
  • NYU
  • Mayo
  • USF Morsani
  • Kaiser
  • Einstein
  • UA Phoenix
  • Tufts
  • Miami
  • Quinnipiac
  • Wake Forest
  • Creighton
  • Georgetown
  • GWU
  • Eastern Virginia, VCU?
  • Oregon Health & Science
  • UA Tucson

I appreciate any help cutting down this list or substituting! I personally really prefer the Western US, but I understand many med schools are back East so may not be able to be too picky. THANK YOU!

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[Banco]

Is the surgery reception work really clinical?

If you're looking to cut, I think WashU, NYU are kind of far reaches.

Rochester is a good one to look into.

 

[candbgirl]

I wondered about the surgical waiting room too but...
so you are applying with 110 hours? Projected hours can certainly be noted but they are just that-PROJECTED. And we all know that projected hours might not get done. You have enough shadowing IF you have some with a Primary Care Doc.
Are you fluent in Spanish? What Hispanic group are you representing?

 

[boulderb]

Is the surgery reception work really clinical?

If you're looking to cut, I think WashU, NYU are kind of far reaches.

Rochester is a good one to look into.

Thanks for the reply! I believe the surgery reception is clinical because I take patients back, help with dressing and gowns, collect urine samples, etc. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I consider it clinical as the majority of my responsibilities deal with patient interaction.

 

[Banco]

Thanks for the reply! I believe the surgery reception is clinical because I take patients back, help with dressing and gowns, collect urine samples, etc. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I consider it clinical as the majority of my responsibilities deal with patient interaction.

Yeah thats clinical for sure.

 

[boulderb]

I wondered about the surgical waiting room too but...
so you are applying with 110 hours? Projected hours can certainly be noted but they are just that-PROJECTED. And we all know that projected hours might not get done. You have enough shadowing IF you have some with a Primary Care Doc.
Are you fluent in Spanish? What Hispanic group are you representing?

Thank you for reading over my info. Yes, I’m planning on applying with a little more than 100 hours from the hospital volunteering. I was set to begin a different hospital internship last year when COVID began. I’m unsure whether I should mention that when applying. I am also considering an MA position for my gap year this upcoming year, however I understand I won’t have much time to build hours for that before applying.

I have shadowed 1 doctor in primary care and plan to shadow another in pediatrics in a few weeks.

My family and I are Hispanic, I’m unsure the origin but my grandmother only speaks Spanish and lived most of her life in New Mexico; I wouldn’t consider myself fluent though.

 

[boulderb]

Yeah thats clinical for sure.

Do you think that I’ll have issues with only having 100 hours clinical volunteering thus far? As I mentioned in another post, I was set up with a clinical internship at a hospital last year but it was cancelled due to COVID, which I could mention if that would be helpful. Do you see it as being beneficial to my application to get an MA or phlebotomy position even if the start is technically after I submit my application?

Thank you!

 

[Banco]

Do you think that I’ll have issues with only having 100 hours clinical volunteering thus far? As I mentioned in another post, I was set up with a clinical internship at a hospital last year but it was cancelled due to COVID, which I could mention if that would be helpful. Do you see it as being beneficial to my application to get an MA or phlebotomy position even if the start is technically after I submit my application?

Thank you!

It's on the lowish side but what's important is that you can talk/write intelligently about "why medicine." It's good that you have lots of shadowing. Continue to do the activity and come interview time you can tell that you've stuck to it. You don't need to get a second clinical job unless you want to.

 

[boulderb]

It's on the lowish side but what's important is that you can talk/write intelligently about "why medicine." It's good that you have lots of shadowing. Continue to do the activity and come interview time you can tell that you've stuck to it. You don't need to get a second clinical job unless you want to.

Thank you! One last question, I’ve gone back and forth on whether to complete TMDSAS. Given my stats, do you think I have a chance at any Texas schools, or given that they prefer in state so much, is there little point in applying? I don’t have family in Texas but I have visited nearly every year and have grown to really like the state. I might end up considering it only if I have extra time next month.

 

[Banco]

Thank you! One last question, I’ve gone back and forth on whether to complete TMDSAS. Given my stats, do you think I have a chance at any Texas schools, or given that they prefer in state so much, is there little point in applying? I don’t have family in Texas but I have visited nearly every year and have grown to really like the state. I might end up considering it only if I have extra time next month.

I'm not too familiar with the TX schools honestly. Isn't Baylor also thru AMCAS?

 

[boulderb]

I'm not too familiar with the TX schools honestly. Isn't Baylor also thru AMCAS?

Unfortunately, to my knowledge they just switched to TMDSAS this cycle.

 

[candbgirl]

Thank you! One last question, I’ve gone back and forth on whether to complete TMDSAS. Given my stats, do you think I have a chance at any Texas schools, or given that they prefer in state so much, is there little point in applying? I don’t have family in Texas but I have visited nearly every year and have grown to really like the state. I might end up considering it only if I have extra time next month.

The thing with Texas schools is they are mandated by law for each class to be 90% instate. Like @Banco, I don’t know much at all about the Texas system but you certainly have excellent stats. I don’t have any idea if it’s worth applying. Good luck.