MD & DO What are my chances?

[az345]

I plan on applying next spring 2016. I transferred from a California CC to a UC Davis (top 10 public school) as a Physiology major. I transferred with a 3.28 CC gpa in 3 years of course work. My GPA was really low because I was working 30-35 hours per week the whole time. I got a C in Gen chem2, Physics1, Ochem2 and Gen Bio2. I then earned a 3.89 GPA during my 2 years at UC Davis. I received solid A's in all but 3 of my upper division Bio courses. After graduating, I retook Ochem, Phys1, and Genchem2 after transferring and earned A's in all of them. Took anatomy as well at a CC after I graduated. Here are my stats:

-3.6 Overall GPA
** steep upward trend. 3.28 at CC, 3.89 at UC Davis.
-Graduated with high honors at UC Davis
-518 MCAT
-Received a Department Citation in the Physiology Department
-Deans List 4 out of 6 possible quarters(Earned a 4.0 GPA in all quarters/summer sessions except Fall2015)
-1st generation college student, disadvantaged URM (Father is mexican)
-300 hours of medical internship/volunteering (40 hours in GI, 260 in ER/Trauma)
-200 hours volunteering at Soup Kitchen
-100 Hours of volunteering: delivered leftover food from the school cafeteria to the homeless shelter
- Currently working as an E.R. Scribe (13 months in counting)
-1 year and 4 months of research in a Plant Biology and Molecular Biology Lab (no Publication or Poster)
-CPR Certified
- 120 hours of shadowing (70 hours in orthopedic, 30 in family medicine, 20 in pain medicine)
-Tutored Gen chem and Introductory Biology at my CC for 1 year
-Worked various fulltime jobs (McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Walgreens) during my 3 years at CC

My LOR's are okay. I have one from the surgeon that a shadowed (strong letter), Post-Doc (strong), from 2 science professors (1 average, 1 above average), and a writing professor (above average)

I plan on applying to some DO schools and MD schools. My main goal is to stay in CA. Here is my List:

UCSF
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UCLA
UCSD
UC Irvine
UC Riverside
Touro-CA
Western U
USC
Rosalind Franklin
Temple
U Missouri
Albany
NYMC
OHSU
U Michigan
NYU
Boston U
Drexel
Dartmouth
Ohio State
U New Mexico

What are my chances at the UC's? I'm worried that my sub-par GPA and lack of pubs might hinder my chances. Any schools that I should consider adding? Thanks for the input

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[Doug Underhill]

The school list needs a little work. Ditch the University of Missouri and New Mexico- they have heavy in-state bias. I would also ditch maybe one or two of the low-yields: a URM applicant with a 518 and a decent GPA is very competitive for mid-tier and I feel like you may get yield protected there. If you want to stay in CA, I would add Stanford as a reach instead of NYU or Michigan. It's certainly possible that you could get in there, although your lack of research productivity (no posters or pubs) may hurt you a little there.

How's your Spanish? Spanish-speakers are highly valued in the clinic and fluency is one reason why Mexican-Americans are highly sought after.

 

[az345]

The school list needs a little work. Ditch the University of Missouri and New Mexico- they have heavy in-state bias. I would also ditch maybe one or two of the low-yields: a URM applicant with a 518 and a decent GPA is very competitive for mid-tier and I feel like you may get yield protected there. If you want to stay in CA, I would add Stanford as a reach instead of NYU or Michigan. It's certainly possible that you could get in there, although your lack of research productivity (no posters or pubs) may hurt you a little there.

How's your Spanish? Spanish-speakers are highly valued in the clinic and fluency is one reason why Mexican-Americans are highly sought after.

I'll consider adding Stanford. Will schools consider that I made a huge improvement from CC to university? Working long hours really hindered my performance at CC. Also, my Spanish is good. I can speak it fluently

 

[shopsteward]

Reading between the lines in your post, I'd consider the lower grades in CC to be a consequence of you having to bootstrap your way out of a disadvantaged URM background, and that once you had made the leap to Davis your grades proved that you belonged at the top of a top public school. I'm betting Adcoms can read the same story.

 

[az345]

Thanks for the input guys. What would you say my chances are at the UC's? My dream school is UCSF but I'd attend any UC school in a heartbeat...

 

[GrapesofRath]

You said your father is mexican.....are you Mexican or just considered half mexican? Do you have service to the Mexican community?

A 3.6/36 is plenty competitive URM status or not, but it still is important to clarify on this.

 

[az345]

You said your father is mexican.....are you Mexican or just considered half mexican? Do you have service to the Mexican community?

A 3.6/36 is plenty competitive URM status or not, but it still is important to clarify on this.

I'm half-mexican which still makes me a URM. I do have some service to the mexican community and speak Spanish. Sorry but forgot to add that I was a part of this elementary school program where I helped underprivileged Mexican children with their school work. I did this for roughly 6 months