WAMC/School List 3.48 cGPA/3.23 sGPA 515 MCAT

[deleted1162070]

Background:

I'm a senior graduating very soon troubled with deciding between applying now and applying next year. I'm low SES so getting into a medical school (hopefully) sooner than later is the #1 goal.

I'm a URM, my father is Somali and my mother is African American.

I lived in North Carolina for a lot of my childhood but started and completed HS/College in Seattle, WA.

Stats
- 3.48 cGPA/3.23 sGPA (Upward trend from the end of junior year to now, low sGPA from my physics major the first two years of school - currently in an IT degree)

- 514 MCAT (129/129/127/129)

- 110 hours of clinical volunteering (FM, optho, anesthesiology)

- 300+ hours of non paid volunteering with an early childcare non-profit over 5 years
- 50 hours of volunteering at my local house of worship (think parking duty)

Other extracurriculars: co-owner of a small business, astronomy club, math club, BSU. Been involved with all of these for years.

Important info:
I've yet to complete Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry. I know this is really bad but I haven't started to complete my prereqs until last year. If I was to apply this cycle, I'd have all of Bio, GenChem, Physics, and Psych/Soc completed but not BC or OC.

My content review for Bio, GC, Phys, and PS were light and mostly via KhanAcademy, UWorld, Kaplan, and Anki. I relied on AK Lectures, MIT OCW, and course textbooks to study BC and OC concepts. I imagine if I had taken these courses I'd have had an easier time lol.

I've been told not to apply because I'm missing pre-reqs, but aren't these course requirements examined when you matriculate?

Knowing all this, would I be competitive to apply MD this year? My absolute dream school is the University of Washington SOM. What should my school list look like?

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[theoceanman]

Most medical schools require a conferred degree or completion of all pre-requisites prior to matriculation so as long as you have them completed by then, it should not be a problem.

The issue is this: do you have any community service? 50 hours non-clinical is extremely low and will get you screened out at most, if not all, MD and DO schools, including your dream school. Having no community service also ruins any chance at most MD schools and lowers your chances for DO schools even more significantly.

I’m also assuming childcare is clinical?

 

[GoSpursGo]

Moving to WAMC.

It would be a mistake to apply without pre-reqs, especially since any prospective schools will be wary about your GPA.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I've been told not to apply because I'm missing pre-reqs, but aren't these course requirements examined when you matriculate?

The competitiveness of the applicant pool is such that you should have all prereqs by the time you apply. Perhaps one prereq could be in progress in the fall, but most everyone else who gets tapped for interviews will likely have taken all the prereqs and shown a solid MCAT along with service orientation and mission fit.

Yes, we examine your prerequisites when we do final file deliberations. Nothing says "hold" (low priority waitlist) like not having all your prereq grades available for the adcom.

 

[Faha]

You need to accumulate 50 hours of in person physician shadowing (including primary care) before you apply. You also need 200+ hours of clinical volunteering with patient contact. Finish your prerequisites in the coming year and apply in June 2024.
I suggest these schools when you apply:
U Washington
Washington State
Howard
Meharry
Morehouse
UCLA Drew
Kaiser
St. Louis
Miami
Emory
Duke
Georgetown
Jefferson
Pittsburgh
Einstein
Mount Sinai
Dartmouth
Brown
Boston University
Tufts
Cincinnati
Case Western
Northwestern
Tulane

 

[ahnonemoose]

I'm in a similar position. I have a 4.0 and one course left - organic chem 2. I'm registered to start it next month. I have 2 options. Take it now and delay studying for the MCAT until finishing ochem 2 in December. The other option is start studying for the MCAT now and take ochem 2 after the April MCAT. It would be completed by July or August.

For those who think I need ochem 2 before taking the MCAT, I was a research assistant to an organic chemistry professor after graduation. I'll do fine on the MCAT with my current knowledge of organic chemistry.

From my uninformed perspective, having more time to prepare for the MCAT seems more prudent than taking ochem 2 now.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm in a similar position. I have a 4.0 and one course left - organic chem 2. I'm registered to start it next month. I have 2 options. Take it now and delay studying for the MCAT until finishing ochem 2 in December. The other option is start studying for the MCAT now and take ochem 2 after the April MCAT. It would be completed by July or August.

For those who think I need ochem 2 before taking the MCAT, I was a research assistant to an organic chemistry professor after graduation. I'll do fine on the MCAT with my current knowledge of organic chemistry.

From my uninformed perspective, having more time to prepare for the MCAT seems more prudent than taking ochem 2 now.

You can go to the MCAT forum for advice or testimonials, but as long as you focus on MCAT study on high-yield items relevant for aromatic compounds (usually covered in Org2), you won't need "the whole class" before taking the MCAT. (Ideally, you should to avoid splitting focus.)

Have you taken any practice MCAT's or even practice OC MCAT questions?

Back in the pre-computer times, we had to take the MCAT in April or August. Org2 wasn't available except in the spring semester, so we had mostly covered Org2 by the time we took the MCAT in April. We survived.