WAMC - 3.55 / 502 (DO)

[nocturnal1941]

Hello all,

Thank you for the input ahead of time. I really do appreciate it.

1. 3.55c / 3.38s. (perhaps a *tiny* bit lower because I retook gen chem which was a D and received an A after)
2. 496 first attempt

502 second attempt. 127/122/126/127
3. ORM
4. Undergrad was done at the University of South Alabama

5. Clinical experience:
- 60 or so hours doing EMT clinical (non paid just to be clear) in a trauma ER.
- PCA in pediatric emergency medicine. Been working since late Jan up until I apply which will easily be around 1000 hours if I don't include future.


6. Research:
Did paid research at USA in organic chemistry. Made a poster and presented it. No significant findings.
~ 200 hours

7. Shadowing:
- MD plastic surgeon. around 30 or so hours (letter)
- DO Pediatric Emergency medicine. Hopefully around 10 or so (no letter but hoping to obtain)
- Possibly anesthesia. Hoping to get 10+ but not done yet

8. Non-clinical volunteering
- 20 hours ushering patients / helping get paperwork for COVID vaccine. Not much patient interaction, wouldn't consider clinical
- ~30 hours being a COVID screen at a cancer institute.
- ~50-60 hours at a local food bank since last year August. I go randomly and still plan to go randomly so hoping to apply with 100+ hours total.


9. Other activities:
- Licensed EMT so good leadership opportunities
- Did a good amount of tutoring (chem), easily hundreds of hours

School list (rough):
William Carey
Kentucky
Arkansas
DeBusk
Liberty
Oklahoma
Lake Erie
ACOM
New England
Incarnate
West Virginia
Nova
Pacific northwest
Burrell
A.T. arizona / Kirksville
PCOM
Touro
VCOM
Rocky Vista
NY
ICOM

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[deleted1139416]

List looks pretty good. Are you applying for Fall 2024? If you are up for it, give the MCAT a third shot after a solid 3-4 weeks of studying. A 502 is at the lower end of many reputable DO schools, but is also very amenable to improvement. Try to get the DO letter. An MD letter is fine if it comes from primary care or something primary-care adjacent but I'm not sure what kind of reaction a plastic surgeon letter will get you....

@Goro is the DO expert, so I will defer to him to comment on the MD plastic surgeon letter

 

[nocturnal1941]

List looks pretty good. Are you applying for Fall 2024? If you are up for it, give the MCAT a third shot after a solid 3-4 weeks of studying. A 502 is at the lower end of many reputable DO schools, but is also very amenable to improvement. Try to get the DO letter. An MD letter is fine if it comes from primary care or something primary-care adjacent but I'm not sure what kind of reaction a plastic surgeon letter will get you....

@Goro is the DO expert, so I will defer to him to comment on the MD plastic surgeon letter

Thank you much!
I am applying for Fall 2024.

Part of me really wants to take the MCAT again since my sciences are decent, but man that test destroyed my mental. I went through a dark place to get that score if you know what I mean. 3-4 weeks of studying is scary especially for all that would be riding on a 3rd time.
Again, all to say that I think it would be wise if I could work up the courage.

Also, thank you for the referral! I'd be interested to hear their thoughts on the MCAT situation as well. More-so if it's needed as I know it would definitely help. Hard to say I feel like!

 

[Faha]

Oklahoma admits few non residents and Pacific and New England have regional preferences. Your MCAT is too low for Touro-NY, AZCOM. Add MU-COM. You should receive several interviews from the other schools on your list.

 

[Goro]

Hello all,

Thank you for the input ahead of time. I really do appreciate it.

1. 3.55c / 3.38s. (perhaps a *tiny* bit lower because I retook gen chem which was a D and received an A after)
2. 496 first attempt

502 second attempt. 127/122/126/127
3. ORM
4. Undergrad was done at the University of South Alabama

5. Clinical experience:
- 60 or so hours doing EMT clinical (non paid just to be clear) in a trauma ER.
- PCA in pediatric emergency medicine. Been working since late Jan up until I apply which will easily be around 1000 hours if I don't include future.


6. Research:
Did paid research at USA in organic chemistry. Made a poster and presented it. No significant findings.
~ 200 hours

7. Shadowing:
- MD plastic surgeon. around 30 or so hours (letter)
- DO Pediatric Emergency medicine. Hopefully around 10 or so (no letter but hoping to obtain)
- Possibly anesthesia. Hoping to get 10+ but not done yet

8. Non-clinical volunteering
- 20 hours ushering patients / helping get paperwork for COVID vaccine. Not much patient interaction, wouldn't consider clinical
- ~30 hours being a COVID screen at a cancer institute.
- ~50-60 hours at a local food bank since last year August. I go randomly and still plan to go randomly so hoping to apply with 100+ hours total.


9. Other activities:
- Licensed EMT so good leadership opportunities
- Did a good amount of tutoring (chem), easily hundreds of hours

School list (rough):
William Carey
Kentucky
Arkansas
DeBusk
Liberty
Oklahoma
Lake Erie
ACOM
New England
Incarnate
West Virginia
Nova
Pacific northwest
Burrell
A.T. arizona / Kirksville
PCOM
Touro
VCOM
Rocky Vista
NY
ICOM

Of your list, I can't recommend the following for several different reasons:

Arkansas
DeBusk
Liberty
Oklahoma (Most students seem to be from OK or the Plains states)
New England (Most students seem to be from the NE of the US)
Rocky Vista
ICOM
AZCOM (likes high MCATs)

ADD:
CUSOM
MUCOM
NYITCOM.AR
U AB
U South AL

 

[nocturnal1941]

Of your list, I can't recommend the following for several different reasons:

Arkansas
DeBusk
Liberty
Oklahoma (Most students seem to be from OK or the Plains states)
New England (Most students seem to be from the NE of the US)
Rocky Vista
ICOM
AZCOM (likes high MCATs)

ADD:
CUSOM
MUCOM
NYITCOM.AR
U AB
U South AL

Oklahoma admits few non residents and Pacific and New England have regional preferences. Your MCAT is too low for Touro-NY, AZCOM. Add MU-COM. You should receive several interviews from the other schools on your list.

Thank you both very much!

Made those changes in a heartbeat.

 

[forestbunny]

Of your list, I can't recommend the following for several different reasons:

Arkansas
DeBusk
Liberty
Oklahoma (Most students seem to be from OK or the Plains states)
New England (Most students seem to be from the NE of the US)
Rocky Vista
ICOM
AZCOM (likes high MCATs)

ADD:
CUSOM
MUCOM
NYITCOM.AR
U AB
U South AL

any reason why Liberty and RVU should be taken off the list? Thanks.

 

[Goro]

any reason why Liberty and RVU should be taken off the list? Thanks.

: I have a profound distaste for the politics of their parent organization; they’re disingenuous about whether their strict lifestyle rules apply to medical students (they do); and their Faculty make blatant attempts to twist facts to match their theology. In the midst of the COVID19 pandemic, Liberty president Jerry Falwell Jr insisted that the campus stay open! This was in violation of state lawBlack Liberty University alums rebuke Jerry Falwell after blackface tweet

And read this, while you’re at it:

https://slate.com/culture/2020/08/l...football-sports.amp?__twitter_impression=true


I find for profit schools to be distasteful to medical education, but this is outright disgusting behavior:
No matter what RVU tells you, don’t apply Caribbean

 

[forestbunny]

: I have a profound distaste for the politics of their parent organization; they’re disingenuous about whether their strict lifestyle rules apply to medical students (they do); and their Faculty make blatant attempts to twist facts to match their theology. In the midst of the COVID19 pandemic, Liberty president Jerry Falwell Jr insisted that the campus stay open! This was in violation of state lawBlack Liberty University alums rebuke Jerry Falwell after blackface tweet

And read this, while you’re at it:

https://slate.com/culture/2020/08/l...football-sports.amp?__twitter_impression=true


I find for profit schools to be distasteful to medical education, but this is outright disgusting behavior:
No matter what RVU tells you, don’t apply Caribbean

Thank you for confirming this with legit info! Glad I decided not to include LUCOM at first, I think for religious reasons

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If you are not sending an application until a bit later this summer to AACOMAS, just be aware to get plenty of volunteering hours at the food bank. Get it close to 100 by submission. If you are applying next spring, you need to get that up to 150 hours. Do as much networking with the schools you want to attend until you apply.