MD WAMC: 4.0 cGPA/sGPA, 517 MCAT

[Sai2]

Hi! I’ve come up with a tentative school list but I’ve been a little unsure about how competitive I am as an applicant for many of them and how to look for more. Feel like I was overly confident when applying to undergrad so I want to make sure I don’t make the same mistakes for medical schools. Do not have much shadowing experience so I am a little worried about how that will affect my chances too. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

1. cGPA: 4.0, sGPA: 4.0
2. MCAT score: 517 (131/130/130/126)
3. State of residence: AZ, ties in TX (do not count as TX in-state)
4. Ethnicity and/or race: Asian male
5. Undergraduate institution or category: Public university, graduated Spring 2023 w/ double major in Biochemistry and Systems Engineering
6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer): 110 hrs COVID vaccine point of distribution, 30 hrs hospice volunteering, 165 hrs paid clinical caregiver for disabled patient
7. Research experience and productivity: 640 hrs dry lab, 630 hrs wet lab (incl. senior thesis), 315 hrs summer program (somewhat unrelated research in nanofabrication), 2 publications from dry lab
   1. Started in dry lab, decided I wanted to switch to wet lab
8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented: Minimal shadowing hours, probably won't include in AMCAS
9. Non-clinical volunteering: 80 hrs vaccine hesitancy workshop coordinator
10. Other extracurricular activities):
    1. 120 hours private tutoring (AP Physics C)
    2. 550 hours teaching as peer advisor for pre-health preparation colloquium class (student-led 1 credit class to help guide incoming pre-health students; school had thousands of pre-health kids with only 4 advisors so course was basically a structured peer mentoring environment)
    3. 250 hours health advocacy club (on executive board, led one of the sub-committees focused on nutrition; organized multi-cultural food festival and cooking classes for students focused on using college-life friendly ingredients)
    4. Planning on scribing or other clinical job during gap-year
11. Relevant honors or awards: dean’s list, summa cum laude, Team Leadership award for senior capstone engineering program (awarded to 2 students among 113 teams), engineering departmental excellence award (awarded to one student among all students graduating)
12. Anything else not listed you think might be important: was team lead for senior engineering capstone program (not too sure how to find schools that might appreciate engineering background)

Including a few Texas schools since family is there, but know out-of-state chances are pretty slim. Also considering a few (3-4) MD-PhD in my chosen research field, but worried my research hours are also on the low side for that. Thinking ~20-25 schools total at the moment.

School List:
JHU
UArizona - Tucson
UArizona - Phoenix
Tulane
Northwestern
VCU
Duke
SUNY Downstate
Kaiser
Stanford
Boston
U Miami
Mayo
UCSD


UT McGovern
UT San Antonio
UHouston

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[wysdoc]

Apply to more TX schools while you're at it (TMDSAS includes all their schools for one application fee).
Your stats are high so you will get fair consideration as an OOS student.
Add Baylor, UTSW at the least.
Good luck!

 

[Sai2]

Apply to more TX schools while you're at it (TMDSAS includes all their schools for one application fee).
Your stats are high so you will get fair consideration as an OOS student.
Add Baylor, UTSW at the least.
Good luck!

That makes sense, thank you!

 

[Faha]

Your complete lack of shadowing and low non clinical volunteering hours will limit your chances for interviews, especially at top tier schools and schools that value service to others. I suggest these schools with your stats and ECs:
UArizona - Tucson
UArizona - Phoenix
Northwestern
VCU
Kaiser
U Miami
Mayo
Carle Illinois
USF Morsani
NOVA MD
Wake Forest
George Washington
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
Rochester
Hackensack
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Cincinnati
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin

 

[wysdoc]

Your complete lack of shadowing and low non clinical volunteering hours will limit your chances for interviews, especially at top tier schools and schools that value service to others. I suggest these schools with your stats and ECs:
UArizona - Tucson
UArizona - Phoenix
Northwestern
VCU
Kaiser
U Miami
Mayo
Carle Illinois
USF Morsani
NOVA MD
Wake Forest
George Washington
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
Rochester
Hackensack
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Cincinnati
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin

I didn’t catch the no shadowing
OP you need to get 40 hours minimum before you submit.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer): 110 hrs COVID vaccine point of distribution, 30 hrs hospice volunteering, 165 hrs paid clinical caregiver for disabled patient

Shadowing experience and specialties represented: Minimal shadowing hours, probably won't include in AMCAS

Planning on scribing or other clinical job during gap-year

I join the other experts: consider applying after you have done at least 6 months of full-time work as a scribe or another appropriate clinical position (such as a medical assistant). Planning means nothing if you submitted today. Do a LOT more hospice hours if you have maintained that connection.

Non-clinical volunteering: 80 hrs vaccine hesitancy workshop coordinator

You also need a significant boost here. 150 hours avoids getting screened out due to few hours. But with your metrics, you should go for at least 300 hours in a service-orientated (as per AAMC definition on alleviating others' distress) activity like food distribution, shelter volunteering, job placement services, housing rehabilitation, or transportation services. Get off of campus, and stay away from clinical-adjacent activities (you have plenty of that with COVID vaccination-related activities). No more tutoring.

How important is your research background in your vision as a physician? You said you were interested in MD/PhD programs so how does that fit in?