3.6 cGPA, 3.5 BPCM, 34T in TX

[DrDrummer]

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I'm applying three years out of college-- I put off applying to do Teach for America, where I taught chemistry and physics in a low-income part of Texas for two years, and am continuing to teach for a third year while I apply. I grew up and went to undergrad. in Illinois, so I'm hoping my "affiliation" will get me some love at the Chicago and IL state schools. We'll see.

I'm hoping that people can help me with two things. 1.) Narrow down my list of schools to apply to, or suggest some I hadn't thought of, and 2.) Let me know if they have ideas for emphasizing how my time in TFA and teaching has helped me overcome time management issues that led to more Bs than As in my pre-req science coursework (or how to emphasize that my MCAT score reflects my intelligence more than my GPA).

My ECs are pretty standard, except for TFA: Shadowing x 100+ hours in multiple depts, Habitat for Humanity, work in Africa and South America in clinics, campus women's center, two years research in a neuroscience lab, etc.

Are there any schools I'm leaving out that are more forgiving of lower GPAs, interested in non-trads or those with a specific (and demonstrated) interest in providing primary care/improved access to underserved communities?

My list: All the schools in TX +

Drexel
SIU
Loyola
Tufts University
Rush University
Temple University
George Washington U.
Jefferson Medical College
Emory University
OHSU
University of Minnesota
Creighton University
Medical College of Wisconsin
UIC
Tulane University
Rosalind Franklin
The Commonwealth SoM
Florida International University

 

[DrDrummer]

Aw, no love?

I was hoping someone with the low cGPA and BPCM grades would tell me they got into every single one.

 

[UNMorBUST]

I digg your EC's.

 

[caseofthemndays]

Throw USC an app, I got an interview with similar stats. Tulane's gonna love the TFA experience and high MCAT. Try BU and NYMC, you're in their stat range. So, are you a Texas resident or an Illinois resident? If you're not a TX resident I wouldn't even bother.

 

[Catalystik]

SIU takes no OOSers. Emory is a bit of a reach, but it's OK to have some dream schools. OHSU tends to prefer regional applicants and MD/PhD.

Could you be more specific about your clinical experience? Your shadowing looks great, and I see that you have international clinic experience of unspecified duration, but what about US clinical experience where you interacted with sick people? Was the campus womens center a clinical environment?

 

[DrDrummer]

Throw USC an app, I got an interview with similar stats. Tulane's gonna love the TFA experience and high MCAT. Try BU and NYMC, you're in their stat range. So, are you a Texas resident or an Illinois resident? If you're not a TX resident I wouldn't even bother.

Thanks for the USC recommendation-- I'll check it out. Ditto for BC (which was on my list, I don't know why I didn't include it), and I'll check out NYMC.

I'm a TX resident-- I'll have lived here for three years before matriculating, paying taxes and all that, so I figure TMDSAS is my best shot at going somewhere economically. Since I was born and raised in IL, and went to school at SIU (hence the application there), I'm hoping I'll have some "affiliation" with those schools and they'll be somewhat more flexible with respect to my residency status. I know some schools preferentially admit those who have a strong investment in the state, even if they moved away-- and hopefully they're especially understanding about people who move away for a service project.

 

[DrDrummer]

SIU takes no OOSers. Emory is a bit of a reach, but it's OK to have some dream schools. OHSU tends to prefer regional applicants and MD/PhD.

Could you be more specific about your clinical experience? Your shadowing looks great, and I see that you have international clinic experience of unspecified duration, but what about US clinical experience where you interacted with sick people? Was the campus womens center a clinical environment?

Thanks for the advice about OHSU. I think I'll probably drop it off the list and replace it with a non-state school that's a little further up-- same with Emory, since I don't really want to move to that region anyways. I may as well add a reach that's in a geographically desirable location, or somewhere I really am interested in the curriculum design.

RE: My clinical experience, it's probably one of the weaker parts of my application, especially domestically. I come from a family of health providers, MDs, NDs, nurses, etc... I've got 100+ hours in an inner-city ER, observing and helping out, shadowing multiple specialties and also medicine docs who are rounding on patients. Here in TX, since I've been so busy with the whole TFA thing, my shadowing has dwindled. I've volunteered in a clinic and work extensively with public health-ish initiatives in my school (e.g. pregnant kids and health ed. programs), but I'm definitely lacking in sick people experience over the last couple years.

The international stuff is well and good, but it was years ago and I need to show commitment to domestically underserved populations in a medical way. This summer I'm going to focus on clinical volunteer experience so I'll have recent stuff to talk about in interviews, and that I can put under "planned activities" in my app. Hopefully I'll get to shadow some residents, too, so I can talk about being familiar with the training process and life as a resident. Any other advice for addressing that shortcoming?

 

[Catalystik]

For AMCAS. one doesn't list "planned" activities on the application, though sometimes it's requested on Secondaries, but it's fine to advise schools via a letter when you've gotten a few months in a new clinical gig. But it sounds to me like you'll be fine with the local clinic and health-ed programs you've been involved in, along with the international work. And of course, Teach for America participants are very highly regarded in the application process. I think you'll be fine.

 

[peripherin]

Greetings from a fellow '08 TFAer!

Your GPA isn't that low. You will do fine!

Your IL affiliation WILL get you love from Midwest schools, especially if you have family there and wish to move back now that your TFA commitment is over. I was in the same situation as you, but was placed in CA.

You have good clinical experiences. I've only had one interviewer ask me about the lack of clinical experiences during TFA. Most people tend to be very understanding that as a CM, your primary responsibility is providing a good education for your students and that, especially during your first two years, takes up a lot of time. During your third year, however, you should have plenty of time to volunteer and shadow.

As a TFA alum, you'll have lots of great experiences to talk about during interviews. Exposure to different cultures, achievement gap, national healthcare crisis, improved time management, leadership, ability to act under immense pressure, etc. Save up those sick days for interviews and good luck! 🙂

 

[hopki099]

Your list looks good. Keep in mind that Minnesota gives strong preference to in-state. However, they really like to look at ECs and you as an applicant, not just stats. Hopefully your unique app will get you in somewhere

 

[DrDrummer]

Greetings from a fellow '08 TFAer!

Your GPA isn't that low. You will do fine!

Your IL affiliation WILL get you love from Midwest schools, especially if you have family there and wish to move back now that your TFA commitment is over. I was in the same situation as you, but was placed in CA.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement. I am planning on volunteering and getting more clinical exposure this coming summer (not teaching summer school this year) and in the fall, so I'll have recent clinical exp. to discuss in interviews and hopefully some experience in the Houston medical center that I've thus far missed out on during the insanity of my first two years. Congrats on finishing the two years and on your acceptance at Case!