29 mcat, 3.8 gpa

[yaffe]

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I got a 29 on my MCAT, a 3.8 overall GPA, and a roughly 3.7 science GPA. I have a 2-month combined research-clinical internship in which I did research and presented a powerpoint on my results and roughly 5 months of emergency department volunteering. I did a national debate conference in high school that may or may not be useful to put on my app. Where can I go, and what are my chances? Your comments are appreciated.

Yaffe

 

[Catalystik]

Your stats are reasonable, but if you apply at this time, your chances will be poor. Beyond the lateness of the cycle, your ECs will pale in comparison with your competitiion's. I'm glad to see you at least tried some research and it's great that you gave a presentation on it. But five to seven months of clinical experience is well below average. You didn't mention shadowing, leadership, teaching, or nonmedical community service. It would be nice to see some longevity in some of your activities.

HS activities have little value on a med school application unless the activity continued into the college years.

 

[yaffe]

Is there any hope at all, to go anywhere at all?

 

[yaffe]

The chair of the biology department at my school tells me that I have overwhelmingly high chances of getting in at least somewhere, and he normally doesn't say that. But he could be wrong.

 

[turkaglew]

are you an underrepresented minority? If not your chances are 68% according to AAMC. If so, your chances are more like 88%

 

[yaffe]

I am Asian Indian. There are a good number of us in medicine, so I don't know if my minority status would help much.

 

[Catalystik]

I am Asian Indian. There are a good number of us in medicine, so I don't know if my minority status would help much.

You are right. You'd be considered an over-represented minority.

 

[yaffe]

Regardless, I'll give it my best shot. Any constructive advice is always appreciated.

 

[Catalystik]

If you are set on applying this cycle, which I don't recommend (though I acknowledge that your Bio chair may know something about you that we do not), it would be judicious to start mending the holes in your application for the sake of future update letters, interview conversations, and to have an improved application if you need to reapply.

 

[yaffe]

I am still volunteering and will do so indefinitely if need be. I can try to obtain additional internships and get a permanent lab job in case I do not make it this cycle. Does this agree with your advice? Is their anything you would like to add to this? I appreciate your help.

 

[Catalystik]

Besides consistent weekly clinical volunteering and continuing with your research, plan to get in a minimum of 50 hours of physician shadowing (60-80 hours is better, split among 2-3 docs, of which one is in primary care), start some nonmedical, noncampus community service, even if only for 2 hours every other week (but weekly is bettter), and look for a leadership and/or teaching role.

 

[yaffe]

Thank you.

 

[yaffe]

Besides consistent weekly clinical volunteering and continuing with your research, plan to get in a minimum of 50 hours of physician shadowing (60-80 hours is better, split among 2-3 docs, of which one is in primary care), start some nonmedical, noncampus community service, even if only for 2 hours every other week (but weekly is bettter), and look for a leadership and/or teaching role.

Dear Catalystik,

Thank you for your advice and help! I involved myself in these activities and incorporated them in application updates that I sent to the schools that I had applied to. As a result, I was accepted! Thanks so much for the help!

 

[Catalystik]

I am happy to hear that your proactive attitude had positive results. Congrats!