WAMC Career-changer nontrad, cGPA 3.8/sGPA 3.97

[gsweet]

A big thank you in advance for any advice!

cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS
cGPA: 3.80
sGPA: 3.97

Undergrad GPA: 3.73
Postbacc GPA: 3.97

MCAT score(s) and breakdown
I’m scheduled to take the MCAT in March. My practice tests so far have been in the 505-509 range. I’m confident I can raise that.

State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
NY

Ethnicity and/or race
White

Undergraduate institution or category
T30, private urban university

Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
EMT - 310 hours

Research experience and productivity
None - this is a tough one. I had a research position that didn’t end up happening due to COVID. Zero luck in applications since then, but I’m still trying.

Shadowing experience and specialties represented
EM in-person shadowing - 15 hours (scheduled upcoming)
eShadowing - 10 hours

I don’t have family or friend connections with physicians, so this area has been difficult. I can happily do more eShadowing, not sure if that is considered as beneficial.

Non-clinical volunteering
Neighborhood mutual aid (grocery packing & delivery, scheduling COVID appointments) - 150 hours
Patient outreach for cancer foundation - 215 hours
Coordinated fundraiser for Make-A-Wish - 25 hours

Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
Resident Assistant - 2,000 hours
Postbacc Mentor - 35 hours
Cello
Soccer

Relevant honors or awards
Dean’s List
Honors track in undergrad

Anything else not listed you think might be important
Grew up in a rural, medically underserved area. Moved to NYC at 18 for college.

I am a career-changer nontrad. Social science/Spanish major in undergrad, then worked in entertainment for 6 years before coming back to school as a premed student.

My father was diagnosed with cancer when I was 25, and I was his primary caretaker (only child, parents divorced, no other family nearby). This was a large deciding factor for me returning to school.

I’ve supported myself financially through undergrad and postbacc - I do feel this has affected my hours for extracurriculars. I worked ~25 hours a week of paid non-clinical positions throughout my recent postbacc program.

The biggest focus within my extracurriculars is hands-on work with folks in my neighborhood (like within 1-2 miles of my own apartment). I live in NYC and much of my EMT and mutual aid experience has involved working with immigrant and homeless populations.

I’ll be 31 or 32 when I matriculate into med school. Would love advice on schools that are welcoming to non-trads (or schools that are especially not welcoming).


School List:
Albany
Drexel
GW
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest
Hackensack
Rutgers - RWJ
Rutgers - NJMS
SUNY Downstate
SUNY Upstate
SUNY Stonybrook
Rochester
Hofstra
Vermont
NYMC
Tufts
Albert Einstein
Dartmouth
UMass
Boston University
Mt Sinai

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[Mr.Smile12]

Good luck on the MCAT. Let us know what you get.

What support does your postbac program provide?

I think you need more in-person clinical and something not related to Emergency Medicine. Virtual doesn't really help.

I would consider DO schools, especially those close to you until we get an MCAT.

 

[gsweet]

Appreciate the response!

My postbacc program offers linkage to a few NY and NJ schools, so I’ll know by May if I have any success with the school I applied to, but otherwise I want to be prepared to submit for the regular application cycle in June. My program doesn’t give any MCAT prep sadly.

Do you have any recommendations for in-person clinical positions other than scribing or hospice? I do have an interview next week to volunteer at my local hospital, though I’ve heard stories that many of those positions don’t involve meaningful patient contact.

I will do more research on DO programs!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If you haven't gotten hospice experience, you can go for that. It's different from what you have done though it could tie some of your activities together. Scribing can count for shadowing. I'm surprised your postbac program hasn't been able to find more opportunities for you.

You can see what the hospital volunteer position is about. You seem to be doing what you can with your community so it can only help you depending on what you are asked to do, IMO.

 

[gsweet]

Thank you. I'll update once I have my official MCAT score.

 

[newolduser]

Hey friend! I'm a non-trad career-changer as well (will be starting med school at 34 years old this year) and the schools I've received interviews at were:

• my closest state school
• TCU
• UCLA
• Mayo (if you can get that MCAT over 508)
• Albany
• Drexel
• U. Vermont
• Carle Illinois (if you've taken up thru Calc 3 and are into STEAM)

MCAT 506 (first time) ->511 (on retake) and lower GPAs than you across the board.

Feel free to PM with any questions. SDN was a lifeline when trying to put my list together.