WAMC/School List 4.0 w/ 523, CA Trad ORM

[bigbangers]

Hi everyone! Just got my MCAT back two days ago, so I have decided to apply this cycle. Everything below is completed hours, but I will be continuing a majority of these activities into my senior year. I would really appreciate some help with crafting a school list! Thank you so much!

1. cGPA: 4.0
2. MCAT: 523

• C/P: 131
• CARS: 129
• B/B: 131
• P/S: 132

3. State of Residence: CA
4. Undergraduate Institution: state school w/ Life Science Major, History Minor
5. Demographic: Asian male
6. Clinical Experience:

• Certified Medical Assistant: 400 hrs
• ER Volunteer: 150 hrs
• Performing magic at pediatrics unit (founded magician volunteer program): 250 hrs
• Volunteer for club doing health fairs for underserved groups: 100 hrs
• Medical Mission: 50 hrs

7. Research:

• Radiation Oncology wet lab: 1000 hrs
• potentially middle author pub by May but assume no pubs
• 3 poster presentations
• PI will write an great letter of rec

8. Shadowing:

• Internal Medicine: 50 hrs
• Cardiology: 80 hrs
• Urology: 16 hrs
• Anesthesiology: 4 hrs

9. Non-Clinical:

• Homeless Shelter Volunteer: 150 hrs
• Paid Boy Scout Summer Camp Counselor (former Eagle Scout): 200 hrs

10. Leadership:

• Co-founder of chapter of non-profit org providing free consulting projects and zero-interest microloans for small businesses/startups: 600 hrs
• President of magic club: 300 hrs
• Human bio/physiology tutor: 200 hrs

11. Extracurriculars:

• Club Tennis: 500 hrs
• Tennis Coach at school rec center: 100 hrs

School List:
Stanford
UCSF
UCLA
Duke
Johns Hopkins
Harvard
Yale
Columbia
UPenn
NYU
WashU
Vanderbilt
UCSD
Cornell
Mayo
Northwestern
UChicago
Mt. Sinai
UMich
Pittsburgh
USC
UCI
Emory
Case Western
Dartmouth
Boston
Georgetown
Hofstra
Rochester
Einstein
Wake Forest
Kaiser
UA Phoenix

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Faha]

Remove Wake Forest since they will "yield protect" with your stats. You should receive several interviews from the other schools on your list.

 

[atriablack]

Medical Mission: 50 hrs

I would be a little leery/careful of how you present your medical mission trips. If you actually went overseas make sure you stick to emphasizing ethical engagement. Unless you have strong interest in global health and had impactful experiences associated with this trip I would consider what the pros and cons are for mentioning this experience.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Clinical Experience:

• Performing magic at pediatrics unit (founded magician volunteer program): 250 hrs
• Volunteer for club doing health fairs for underserved groups: 100 hrs

What was your role in these activities? I don't think they would be classified as clinical, though other experts may correct me. You founded a program so how many hours is involved with admin versus time with patients? How about your time with magic club?

With those tweaks In mind, network with students and admissions officers and make the schools want you. Work on secondaries now, apply early and stay organized.

 

[bigbangers]

I would be a little leery/careful of how you present your medical mission trips. If you actually went overseas make sure you stick to emphasizing ethical engagement. Unless you have strong interest in global health and had impactful experiences associated with this trip I would consider what the pros and cons are for mentioning this experience.

Thank you for the warning! For the medical mission, I did go overseas to a country that my parents had ties to and helped translate for patients there, so I feel that there is something somewhat impactful there. However, I didn't end up doing anything out of the scope of a CMA and definitely do not plan to include any of that in my application even if I did. I am worried about having the connotations of voluntourism, how would you recommend I avoid that notion?

 

[bigbangers]

What was your role in these activities? I don't think they would be classified as clinical, though other experts may correct me. You founded a program so how many hours is involved with admin versus time with patients? How about your time with magic club?

With those tweaks In mind, network with students and admissions officers and make the schools want you. Work on secondaries now, apply early and stay organized.

I would say for the magic program, maybe 30 hours helping onboard volunteers and constructing the details of the program with the volunteer department. The vast majority of it is hands on volunteering where I keep kids company with play and magic tricks. The hours with the magic club are solely for magic club activities such as our workshops and shows and although the volunteer program is affiliated with it, I am keeping the two activities separate. I would say that the spread for magic is maybe 80 admin, 220 performing/jamming with other magicians. With the volunteer club, I helped translate for patients, guided them around the facility, and took vitals. I would definitely agree with you that those two activities don't feel truly clinical, as although I spend quite a lot of time interacting with patients, it is not in the traditional sense. Thank you for the tips! I've just finished my primary and am currently having that reviewed, starting on secondaries very soon!

 

[atriablack]

Thank you for the warning! For the medical mission, I did go overseas to a country that my parents had ties to and helped translate for patients there, so I feel that there is something somewhat impactful there. However, I didn't end up doing anything out of the scope of a CMA and definitely do not plan to include any of that in my application even if I did. I am worried about having the connotations of voluntourism, how would you recommend I avoid that notion?

Depends on what exactly you found most meaningful and which parts you write about. I'm not sure how much my experiences will apply here because my overseas works was sustained, over many years and in a community I was a part of (which sounds like you might be also if this is a country your parents have ties to?). I was asked in a couple interviews to weigh whether my work was benefiting the community or me more (along the lines of white saviorism even though I am not white).
Happy to discuss further in PMs.

 

[LunaOri]

Love the volunteer magician thing; it’s definitely unique! I’d consider it non-clinical.

 

[bigbangers]

Depends on what exactly you found most meaningful and which parts you write about. I'm not sure how much my experiences will apply here because my overseas works was sustained, over many years and in a community I was a part of (which sounds like you might be also if this is a country your parents have ties to?). I was asked in a couple interviews to weigh whether my work was benefiting the community or me more (along the lines of white saviorism even though I am not white).
Happy to discuss further in PMs.

Of course! Could I PM you my activity description and further details?

 

[bigbangers]

Love the volunteer magician thing; it’s definitely unique! I’d consider it non-clinical.

Could I PM you about how to present the magician volunteer program amongst the rest of my clinical activities?

 

[LunaOri]

Could I PM you about how to present the magician volunteer program amongst the rest of my clinical activities?

Okay

 

[atriablack]

Of course! Could I PM you my activity description and further details?

Sure

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Are you from SoCal? I see UCI but not UCD. You may be yield protected at schools like UCI and Hofstra.

 

[bigbangers]

Are you from SoCal? I see UCI but not UCD. You may be yield protected at schools like UCI and Hofstra.

Yes, I'm a SoCal native! Thank you for the info, I'll keep that in mind.

 

[atriablack]

Yes, I'm a SoCal native! Thank you for the info, I'll keep that in mind.

Cali schools are all insanely competitive even with stats like yours. I'd keep UCI on your list since they might figure the lure of in state tuition might entice you to stay if they are your only California option. Hofstra, as long as you like the school (maybe listen to the relevant episode on Case's All Access: Med School Admissions podcast) it could be good safety/target. They like to interview high stats applicants and have high average despite their ranking.

 

[Angler]

I'd keep UCI on your list since they might figure the lure of in state tuition might entice you to stay if they are your only California option.

Agree. UCI won't yield protect high stat CA residents since many want to stay in this intensely competitive state.