MD & DO So it looks like I'll be reapplying and I'd love your input

[rkearl27]

Currently I have a grand total of 0 interview invites and while I haven't given up hope of getting in this year, I've begun to prepare my app for this summer. My problem is that I feel like I did a pretty good job of applying to schools that 1) I had a shot at stats-wise 2) seemed like a good fit and 3) I would love to attend but after looking at other reapplicant's success at schools they previously sent their apps to, I definitely need to pick a decent number of new schools and I need SDN's insight into where I'll have the best shot as well as what else I can do to strengthen my application.

To begin: Dual Degrees in Chemistry and Biology with a math minor and a 1 year certificate in Automotive Technology from a public university (graduating this spring yay). cGPA/sGPA 3.94.

MCAT 31=12/10/9 (BS/PS/VR) I am open to retaking but obviously I'd rather not.

Primary submitted 7/25, Verified 9/19, Secondaries all finished by October. - I really think the later submission plus the AMCAS backup hurt me.

My, average at best, EC's including the new ones that were not included on this cycle's app:
Food Bank volunteer, 6 months-sporadic
Hospice volunteer, 1 year-weekly
ER volunteer, 6 months-weekly (new)
Academic tutor at university, 1 year- 5 days a week (new)
Private tutor (very different from the university tutoring but ill probably list them together), 1 year (new)
Received institutional endorsement for a prestigious scholarship,
Pianist for 15 years
Academic merit scholarship and Dean's List-11 consecutive semesters(I went to high school at the university so thats why its kinda long)
Competed in a "scholarship" pageant and got one for parading around in a bunch of outfits yay!
Research Assistant- no publications but hopefully an app for IOS!! 1.5 years
Chemistry Lab instructor, 1 semester
Served in various club presidencies for multiple years, 2 years for each
Held leadership position in my religious organization, 1 year
Shadowed a bunch of physicians, 50+ hours

I had strong letters and a decent personal statement that I really liked but I will be rewriting it.

Now finally, The schools I applied to this cycle:
Albany
Creighton
U of Colorado
Loma Linda
Loyola
U of Vermont
Medical College of Wisconsin
Tufts
Brown
USUHS
Drexel
Penn State
Temple
U of Nevada

I have a rejection from Brown (no surprise there), a pre-interview hold from Penn State and silence from everyone else.
I am a Utah resident and I'll definitely be applying there. I would also like to add some DO schools to my list.
(I will be in a chemistry masters program next year if I don't get in so I'll also have that to talk about on my app.)

Thank you in advance, I don't know what I'd do without SDN!!!

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[Catalystik]

Currently I have a grand total of 0 interview invites and while I haven't given up hope of getting in this year, I've begun to prepare my app for this summer. My problem is that I feel like I did a pretty good job of applying to schools that 1) I had a shot at stats-wise 2) seemed like a good fit and 3) I would love to attend but after looking at other reapplicant's success at schools they previously sent their apps to, I definitely need to pick a decent number of new schools and I need SDN's insight into where I'll have the best shot as well as what else I can do to strengthen my application.

To begin: Dual Degrees in Chemistry and Biology with a math minor and a 1 year certificate in Automotive Technology from a public university (graduating this spring yay). cGPA/sGPA 3.94.

MCAT 31=12/10/9 (BS/PS/VR) I am open to retaking but obviously I'd rather not.

Primary submitted 7/25, Verified 9/19, Secondaries all finished by October. - I really think the later submission plus the AMCAS backup hurt me.

My, average at best, EC's including the new ones that were not included on this cycle's app:
Food Bank volunteer, 6 months-sporadic
Hospice volunteer, 1 year-weekly
ER volunteer, 6 months-weekly
Academic tutor at university, 1 year- 5 days a week
Private tutor (very different from the university tutoring but ill probably list them together), 1 year
Received institutional endorsement for a prestigious scholarship,
Pianist for 15 years
Academic merit scholarship and Dean's List-11 consecutive semesters(I went to high school at the university so thats why its kinda long)
Competed in a "scholarship" pageant and got one for parading around in a bunch of outfits yay!
Research Assistant- no publications but hopefully an app for IOS!! 1.5 years
Chemistry Lab instructor, 1 semester
Served in various club presidencies for multiple years, 2 years for each
Held leadership position in my religious organization, 1 year
Shadowed a bunch of physicians, 50+ hours

I had strong letters and a decent personal statement that I really liked but I will be rewriting it.

Now finally, The schools I applied to this cycle:
Albany
Creighton
U of Colorado
Loma Linda
Loyola
U of Vermont
Medical College of Wisconsin
Tufts
Brown
USUHS
Drexel
Penn State
Temple
U of Nevada

I have a rejection from Brown (no surprise there), a pre-interview hold from Penn State and silence from everyone else.
I am a Utah resident and I'll definitely be applying there. I would also like to add some DO schools to my list.
(I will be in a chemistry masters program next year if I don't get in so I'll also have that to talk about on my app.)

Thank you in advance, I don't know what I'd do without SDN!!!

Maybe you could star the ECs you've added since last applying(***)?

Unless you didn't mention everything, even with the extra year of activities, I don't see that you have the substantive humanistic involvement that Utah, Loma Linda, Creighton, and Loyola find appealing. Colorado has higher expectations for clinical experience than any other schools (like 400 hours last I heard). UNevada has historically been unfriendly to OOSers; has that changed?

 

[rkearl27]

Maybe you could star the ECs you've added since last applying(***)?

Unless you didn't mention everything, even with the extra year of activities, I don't see that you have the substantive humanistic involvement that Utah, Loma Linda, Creighton, and Loyola find appealing. Utah and Colorado have higher expectations for clinical experience that any other schools. UNevada has historically been unfriendly to OOSers; has that changed?

Nevada is a little nicer to neighboring states but overall still relatively unfriendly. Could you expound on what you mean by substantive humanistic involvement? Thank you so much for your comments!

 

[Catalystik]

Could you expound on what you mean by substantive humanistic involvement? Thank you so much for your comments!

To me it means 1.5+ years of hands-on community service that helps the poor, possibly taking on a leadership role eventually. Working in a food bank is an excellent example of an ideal location.

Per Utah's website: http://medicine.utah.edu/admissions/criteria/index.php#community (which no longer states the more extensive clinical experience requirements that I recalled, BTW)

• The average applicant devotes 48 hours during each of the 4 years prior to entering medical school.

• The average applicant has 3 different leadership experiences each lasting 3 months during the 4 years prior to matriculation

 

[Lya]

I would probably add Rosalind Franklin, new schools like Western Michigan and Quinnipiac, TCMC, SLU, and other low- and mid-tier schools.

Brown heavily favors IS students. So does UNevada. I would look into other threads with similar stats as yours and adjust the school list.

 

[Catalystik]

With the improvements you will have made to your application, an early submission, your current stats, the strong LORs, including your automotive interests as an activity, a rewritten PS, and perhaps a friendly eye looking over all your Experiences descriptions and Secondary essays (maybe a premed advisor or English teacher), you should be well positioned for success on your next round.

 

[Mmedran]

I'll preface by saying I applied to medschool 3 times (talk about a learning curve!) and between this cycle and last, all I did was add a new volunteer activity (direct-patient contact) and submitted my AMCAS within the first 5 minutes.
So as previously mentioned, add a humanistic activity and apply early!!! In tune with the "apply early" part, pre-write those secondaries. Many stay the same or change very little.
For the DO route, most schools require a rec letter from a DO, so if you havent shadowed yet -- make it happen.
Finally, see if you can talk to someone at one of the schools you applied to -- they may be able to give you more insight as to how your app was perceived.
Good luck!

 

[rkearl27]

Just a quick little update and also a question. So I'll be starting the above mentioned grad program this summer with just some research and I've noticed that some schools want letters from grad advisors, professors, etc. I will not have had any classes at the time of application submission and so would these extra letters be necessary or is it really just going to depend school by school? I am trying to keep the fact that I am applying to med school on the down low because I am in a PhD program and they won't be too happy to have me leave with a masters.

 

[Catalystik]

MD programs don't like to poach grad students. One purpose of the grad advisor LOR is to assure that you are on track to graduate before med school matriculation, or have an otherwise approved plan.

 

[rkearl27]

Here is my list so far

MD Schools
Utah
Hofstra
Iowa
Miami
Rosalind Franklin
Rush
Oakland Beaumont
Arizona(both campuses)
Quinnipiac
USF Morsani
Saint Louis U
Virginia Commonwealth

DO Schools
AT Still AZ
Midwestern AZ
Des Moines
Nova
Rocky Vista
Touro NY

 

[Goro]

Decent list

goro's list

Utah
U CO (maybe)
U AZ (both)
Hofstra
Miami
Rosalind Franklin
Rush
MCW
SLU
Oakland Beaumont
Quinnipiac
USF Morsani
Saint Louis U
Virginia Commonwealth
VA-Teach
EVMS
Wake Forest
Drexel
Jefferson
Temple

DO Schools
AT Still AZ
Midwestern AZ
Des Moines
Nova
Rocky Vista
Touro NY
Why Touro-NV, which is relatively near to you? Ditto Western, TUCOM-CA, Pacific NW or Western-OR?

 

[rkearl27]

Decent list

goro's list

Utah
U CO (maybe)
U AZ (both)
Hofstra
Miami
Rosalind Franklin
Rush
MCW
SLU
Oakland Beaumont
Quinnipiac
USF Morsani
Saint Louis U
Virginia Commonwealth
VA-Teach
EVMS
Wake Forest
Drexel
Jefferson
Temple

DO Schools
AT Still AZ
Midwestern AZ
Des Moines
Nova
Rocky Vista
Touro NY
Why Touro-NV, which is relatively near to you? Ditto Western, TUCOM-CA, Pacific NW or Western-OR?

I still need to look more closely at the DO schools but I will certainly pay extra attention to the ones you suggested. And thank you for your input!!


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