MD & DO WAMC- Low MCAT, Mid-Range GPA/ ECs

[lolabean]

Hi everyone! Long time lurker, received my MCAT scores today and am looking for a little bit of help.

I'm feeling a bit discouraged about my chances of acceptance after receiving my MCAT score today, but I also don't think an MCAT retake would help (I don't think I could realistically do any better after 7 practice FLs). I would really appreciate any help w/ my school list, thanks!!

1. cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS
- Major: Health Sciences, Minor: Biological Sciences
- cGPA: 3.83
- AMCAS sGPA (BCMP): 3.77
- AACOMAS sGPA: 3.73

2. MCAT score(s) and breakdown
502 (125/126/125/126)
7 practice FLs (4 Kaplan: 492, 499, 501, 502; 3 AAMC: FL1 502, FL 2 501, FL 3 508).

3. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
- Connecticut
- (Undergrad in PA)

4. Ethnicity and/or race
- Biracial: SE Asian and white (I am a first-generation American)

5. Undergraduate institution or category
- Large, private STEM-focused university

6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
Volunteer:
- 300+ hours in hospital

Non-volunteer:
- 1000+ hours as Medical Scribe in ED
- 100+ hours as Clinical Research Assistant in ED
- 500+ hours as Medical Assistant at Chiropractor's Office

7. Research experience and productivity
- 3rd author on published paper (psychology). 1 poster presentation, 2 upcoming presentations this year (1 domestic, 1 international).

8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
- OB/GYN: DO
- ED: MDs and DOs
- Pediatrics: NP, MD and DO residents
- OB/GYN: MDs (Portugal)

9. Non-clinical volunteering
- 50+ hours w/ American Red Cross
- 100+ hours w/ community service organization at university
- 50+ hours w/ local soup kitchen (anticipated, starting this week, will be doing 3- 6 hours/week)

10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
- Resident Assistant for 2 years at university
- Undergraduate tutor for 1 year in gen chem, o chem, bio, a&p, statistics
- 9-month leadership program w/ college of health professions
- President for 2 years of national honor society
- Founding class member of pre-health sorority

11. Relevant honors or awards
- N/A

12. Anything else not listed you think might be important
- I want to specialize in primary care (OB/GYN or family medicine), and want to work w/ disadvantaged/ rural populations.
- Prefer the DO philosophy, not tied to MD only

13. LORs
- University committee letter
- 2 MD, 1 DO
- 1 science professor

Schools planning on applying to:
MD-
UCONN (state school)
Quinnipiac
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University

DO-
UNECOM
LECOM-FL
PCOM- GA
VCOM- all
BCOM
NYIT COM

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[Dr. Meliodas]

For MD take out Rowan (high in-sate bias).

Your MCAT is very low for MD and it is very unlikely. That being said I would send apps to
State Schools
Loma Linda
Rosalind Franklin
Oakland Beaumount
St Louis University
Loyola Chicago
Medical College of Wisconsin
Penn State
West Virginia

Do your research and see which schools consider SE Asian as a URM.I believe certain SE Asians are considered URM but I am not too familiar with this. If your MCAT is no lower than 2pts bellow their reported 10th percentile for either accepted/matriculants then apply to those schools.

You should add more DO schools as well

The adcoms here could give you the best advice @Goro @Faha

 

[lolabean]

For MD take out Rowan (high in-sate bias).

Your MCAT is very low for MD and it is very unlikely. That being said I would send apps to
Loma Linda
Rosalind Franklin
Oakland Beaumount
St Louis University
Loyola Chicago
Medical College of Wisconsin
Penn State
West Virginia

Do your research and see which schools consider SE Asian as a URM.I believe certain SE Asians are considered URM but I am not too familiar with this. If your MCAT is no lower than 2pts bellow their reported 10th percentile for either accepted/matriculants then apply to those schools.

You should add more DO schools as well

The adcoms here could give you the best advice @Goro @Faha

Thank you! I really appreciate your input. I have been looking at more DOs but am definitely applying to those listed. Should I even bother buying the MSAR if my chances for MD are so low?

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

Happy to help!

I would always encourage to do your own research as well and the MSAR is the best resource available for that. I think it cost around $20 which isn't too bad. If you come from a low income family also look into the AAMC Fee Assistance Program to help you cover expenses (16 free primary apps and all secondaries free).

Hopefully, some of the adcoms I tagged will answer and help give you a more expansive list for DO schools.

Wish you the best of luck with the coming cycle.

 

[Goro]

Hi everyone! Long time lurker, received my MCAT scores today and am looking for a little bit of help.

I'm feeling a bit discouraged about my chances of acceptance after receiving my MCAT score today, but I also don't think an MCAT retake would help (I don't think I could realistically do any better after 7 practice FLs). I would really appreciate any help w/ my school list, thanks!!

1. cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS
- Major: Health Sciences, Minor: Biological Sciences
- cGPA: 3.83
- AMCAS sGPA (BCMP): 3.77
- AACOMAS sGPA: 3.73

2. MCAT score(s) and breakdown
502 (125/126/124/126)
7 practice FLs (4 Kaplan: 492, 499, 501, 502; 3 AAMC: FL1 502, FL 2 501, FL 3 508).

3. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
- Connecticut
- (Undergrad in PA)

4. Ethnicity and/or race
- Biracial: SE Asian and white (I am a first-generation American)

5. Undergraduate institution or category
- Large, private STEM-focused university

6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
Volunteer:
- 300+ hours in hospital

Non-volunteer:
- 1000+ hours as Medical Scribe in ED
- 100+ hours as Clinical Research Assistant in ED
- 500+ hours as Medical Assistant at Chiropractor's Office

7. Research experience and productivity
- 3rd author on published paper (psychology). 1 poster presentation, 2 upcoming presentations this year (1 domestic, 1 international).

8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
- OB/GYN: DO
- ED: MDs and DOs
- Pediatrics: NP, MD and DO residents
- OB/GYN: MDs (Portugal)

9. Non-clinical volunteering
- 50+ hours w/ American Red Cross
- 100+ hours w/ community service organization at university
- 50+ hours (anticipated, starting this week, will be doing 3- 6 hours/week)

10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
- Resident Assistant for 2 years at university
- Undergraduate tutor for 1 year in gen chem, o chem, bio, a&p, statistics
- 9-month leadership program w/ college of health professions
- President for 2 years of national honor society
- Founding class member of pre-health sorority

11. Relevant honors or awards
- N/A

12. Anything else not listed you think might be important
- I want to specialize in primary care (OB/GYN or family medicine), and want to work w/ disadvantaged/ rural populations.
- Prefer the DO philosophy, not tied to MD only

13. LORs
- University committee letter
- 2 MD, 1 DO
- 1 science professor

Schools planning on applying to:
MD-
UCONN (state school)
Quinnipiac
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University

DO-
UNECOM
LECOM-FL
PCOM- GA
VCOM- all
BCOM
NYIT COM

Apply broadly to DO schools. I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, Wm Carey, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide.

I can't recommend MD. Even for U CT, your MCAT score is < 10th %ile.

Unless you're Hmong, SE Asians are not URM.

 

[lolabean]

Apply broadly to DO schools. I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, Wm Carey, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide.

I can't recommend MD. Even for U CT, your MCAT score is < 10th %ile.

Unless you're Hmong, SE Asians are not URM.

Hello Goro, thank you very much for your input! I really appreciate your feedback. With my stats, applying early and completing secondaries in a timely manner, do you think I have a shot at DO interview?

 

[Faha]

Add several more DO schools to your list .For MD schools you have a chance for an interview at these schools so apply to all of them:
UConn
Quinnipiac
Vermont
New York Medical College
Albany
Seton Hall
George Washington
NOVA MD
Oakland Beaumont
Rosalind Franklin
California University (new school)

 

[Goro]

Hello Goro, thank you very much for your input! I really appreciate your feedback. With my stats, applying early and completing secondaries in a timely manner, do you think I have a shot at DO interview?

Heck yeah

 

[sunshine859]

OP, is your plan to have 3 physician letters of rec? You mention "2 MD, 1 DO."

 

[lolabean]

OP, is your plan to have 3 physician letters of rec? You mention "2 MD, 1 DO."

Yes, that is correct.

 

[lolabean]

Add several more DO schools to your list .For MD schools you have a chance for an interview at these schools so apply to all of them:
UConn
Quinnipiac
Vermont
New York Medical College
Albany
Seton Hall
George Washington
NOVA MD
Oakland Beaumont
Rosalind Franklin
California University (new school)

Thank you very much for your advice Faha! I really appreciate your feedback. I have a question-- you mention GW, Vermont, and Albany, but my MCAT is not in their range per the MSAR. Is there a reason to apply to these schools?

 

[Faha]

Vermont and Albany seem to have a slight regional preference so are worth applying to.

 

[gyngyn]

Yes, that is correct.

The DO letter is great for the DO schools.
Most MD schools do not need (or want) a physician letter.
Be sure to check the specific requirements for each school before cluttering your application with physician letters.

 

[lolabean]

The DO letter is great for the DO schools.
Most MD schools do not need (or want) a physician letter.
Be sure to check the specific requirements for each school before cluttering your application with physician letters.

Will do, thank you for the heads up!

 

[premed_101]

Hi everyone! Long time lurker, received my MCAT scores today and am looking for a little bit of help.

I'm feeling a bit discouraged about my chances of acceptance after receiving my MCAT score today, but I also don't think an MCAT retake would help (I don't think I could realistically do any better after 7 practice FLs). I would really appreciate any help w/ my school list, thanks!!

1. cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS
- Major: Health Sciences, Minor: Biological Sciences
- cGPA: 3.83
- AMCAS sGPA (BCMP): 3.77
- AACOMAS sGPA: 3.73

2. MCAT score(s) and breakdown
502 (125/126/125/126)
7 practice FLs (4 Kaplan: 492, 499, 501, 502; 3 AAMC: FL1 502, FL 2 501, FL 3 508).

3. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
- Connecticut
- (Undergrad in PA)

4. Ethnicity and/or race
- Biracial: SE Asian and white (I am a first-generation American)

5. Undergraduate institution or category
- Large, private STEM-focused university

6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
Volunteer:
- 300+ hours in hospital

Non-volunteer:
- 1000+ hours as Medical Scribe in ED
- 100+ hours as Clinical Research Assistant in ED
- 500+ hours as Medical Assistant at Chiropractor's Office

7. Research experience and productivity
- 3rd author on published paper (psychology). 1 poster presentation, 2 upcoming presentations this year (1 domestic, 1 international).

8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
- OB/GYN: DO
- ED: MDs and DOs
- Pediatrics: NP, MD and DO residents
- OB/GYN: MDs (Portugal)

9. Non-clinical volunteering
- 50+ hours w/ American Red Cross
- 100+ hours w/ community service organization at university
- 50+ hours w/ local soup kitchen (anticipated, starting this week, will be doing 3- 6 hours/week)

10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
- Resident Assistant for 2 years at university
- Undergraduate tutor for 1 year in gen chem, o chem, bio, a&p, statistics
- 9-month leadership program w/ college of health professions
- President for 2 years of national honor society
- Founding class member of pre-health sorority

11. Relevant honors or awards
- N/A

12. Anything else not listed you think might be important
- I want to specialize in primary care (OB/GYN or family medicine), and want to work w/ disadvantaged/ rural populations.
- Prefer the DO philosophy, not tied to MD only

13. LORs
- University committee letter
- 2 MD, 1 DO
- 1 science professor

Schools planning on applying to:
MD-
UCONN (state school)
Quinnipiac
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University

DO-
UNECOM
LECOM-FL
PCOM- GA
VCOM- all
BCOM
NYIT COM

Do not be so hard on yourself!! You are very competitive aside from your MCAT. Look at the sections you struggled in, get tutoring/help/practice those sections, and retake the damn thing! You are clearly a good student and have a great chance of being accepted into medical school, so just TRY the MCAT once more. I definitely think you will surprise yourself.
That being said, consider D.O. schools. In 2017, the average MCAT score was a 503.5 (from the AACOM website). So you have a VERY good chance of being accepted into a D.O. school right now. But if you want to go M.D., then retake the MCAT.