Which med schools to apply to?

[3rdarmageddon]

I'm currently a biology major-neuroscience track at Carnegie Mellon University. I'm starting to put my application together and was hoping for some advice as to where to apply and what my relative chances are at those schools.

GPA: 3.83
MCAT: VR-10 PS-12 BS-14 CM-36Q

ECs:
Fencing - competitive for 6 years, served as the CMU club's VP for two years and coached a little on the side.
Research - immunology and cancer research for a little over a semester (will continue into the summer)
Shadowing - approximately 60hrs with a general practitioner, colorectal surgeon, GI specialist, and a plastic surgeon
Taught english in China for a month before the Beijing Olympics
Attended the 5th Grand Vittachi Conference on Education as one of Hawaii's youth delegates in 2005.
Played violin for 11 years

Schools I'm applying to:
University of Hawaii (in state)
Harvard (reach, but why not)
Hopkins
UCSF (dream school, but I'm out of state)
Chapel Hill
University of Pittsburgh
Tufts

Thanks for any help.

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[dartmed]

Stats wise - you are good...add WashU. It's a score *****. It will make love to your application.

EC wise- you are definitely lacking.

Add volunteer work ASAP - clinical and non-clinical...will be at a severe disadvantage if you don't.

Peer mentorship would also be good.
Any leadership? Maybe organize a conference?
Any grants for your research that you have written?
Publications?
Public health work?
Any work in ethics?
Clinical research?
Awards or honors?

I am giving things to think about...something outside of the box. Doesn't necessarily have to be for your application, but more so to gain a breadth and width so you can come across as an interesting individual in your interviews. Obviously, you don't have to do everything that I started, but definitely think about adding things on your plate.

 

[3rdarmageddon]

Thanks for the advice. I forgot to mention that I've been on the Dean's list for 2 years, have been receiving the Van Wart Undergraduate scholarship for science students for two years.

As for leadership, the only real experience I have is as the VP/coach of my school's fencing club. As for grants, the closest I'll probably have is HHMI funding this coming semester. I don't have any publications yet, but it's very possible that I'll have one by the end of the semester or upcoming summer. I'll also probably be invited to present my labs research at a conference in Hawaii in March 2013, but that may be a little late to matter.

I agree. Community service is a weak-point in my application, however my current research/fencing/academic schedule will probably prevent me from doing much more before I apply.

 

[dartmed]

Thanks for the advice. I forgot to mention that I've been on the Dean's list for 2 years, have been receiving the Van Wart Undergraduate scholarship for science students for two years.

As for leadership, the only real experience I have is as the VP/coach of my school's fencing club. As for grants, the closest I'll probably have is HHMI funding this coming semester. I don't have any publications yet, but it's very possible that I'll have one by the end of the semester or upcoming summer. I'll also probably be invited to present my labs research at a conference in Hawaii in March 2013, but that may be a little late to matter.

I agree. Community service is a weak-point in my application, however my current research/fencing/academic schedule will probably prevent me from doing much more before I apply.

Drop something and get clinical experience. It will hurt you if you don't. It's hard for admissions committee to determine whether you have considered medicine seriously if you don't have prolonged clinical experience (do at least 2 hours a week from now).

 

[Catalystik]

Community service is a weak-point in my application, however my current research/fencing/academic schedule will probably prevent me from doing much more before I apply.

You might then give consideration to waiting a year before you apply, which would also give you time to beef up the leadership and research components that top schools find appealing.