MD & DO 3.62 GPA 29 MCAT (9/11/9) and 28 mcat (10/7/11), w/ good ECs. really want MD school admission

[mrh125]

---

Members don't see this ad.

edited

 

[bearded frog]

​

 

[mrh125]

The lower MCAT score might be a red flag. I don't think anyone picks and chooses from each MCAT for each section.

I scored better in the two other sections though on the second try and got an 11 in the verbal the first try. Wouldn't that demonstrate something positive, excluding the fact that I had a bad day on the second verbal?

 

[bearded frog]

​

 

[gyngyn]

I scored better in the two other sections though on the second try and got an 11 in the verbal the first try. Wouldn't that demonstrate something positive, excluding the fact that I had a bad day on the second verbal?

This happens quite often. Sometimes the first test is actually a lucky outcome that you don't realize except in retrospect. No, we are going to think that you overestimated your strengths and underestimated the test, that after 2 months of study (having seen one iteration of the exam) you did no better. It's not the end of the world, but it certainly doesn't help. You are still a decent candidate for the schools where you were a pretty good candidate before!

Your list is way too long. If you are actually going to write good secondary responses to all those schools you'd better start now.

 

[mrh125]

edited

 

[gyngyn]

Going from an 11 to a 7 would seem like a big fluke, but if that's the way it's interpreted, I'll roll with it. Each mcat is different though..

An equally plausible explanation is that the 11 was a fluke!

 

[mrh125]

edited

 

[bearded frog]

​

 

[bearded frog]

​

 

[WillburCobb]

As was mentioned in your thread in pre-all yesterday pretty much 0% (and that's a pretty hard 0) at Arkansas, Oregon, Tulane, Hawaii, SD, MN, and U of WI (who wants to be a Gopher or a Badger anyway?). They may send you a secondary but that'll pretty much just be to accept your charitable donation of your secondary fee.

 

[mrh125]

As was mentioned in your thread in pre-all yesterday pretty much 0% at Arkansas, Oregon, Tulane, Hawaii, MN, and U of WI (who wants to be a Gopher or a Badger anyway?). They may send you a secondary but that'll pretty much just be to accept your charitable donation of your secondary fee.

ok that leaves around 54 schools. Any recommendations about the others?

 

[WillburCobb]

ok that leaves around 54 schools. Any recommendations about the others?

I'm on my phone and will check when I get home. Also, don't bother with Texas. For DO schools you're fine at any. I'd recommend the more established ones (DMU, KCUMB, CCOM, ATS-KCOM, PCOM). I've met grads from all of the them who are outstanding physicians who've gotten into residencies, specialties, academic, and admin positions that are generally considered off limits per the SDN consensus. Also, any DO schools where you may have a regional interest are fine to consider applying to.

 

[mrh125]

I'm on my phone and will check when I get home. Also, don't bother with Texas. For DO schools you're fine at any. I'd recommend the more established ones (DMU, KCUMB, CCOM, ATS-KCOM, PCOM). I've met grads from all of the them who are outstanding physicians who've gotten into residencies, specialties, academic, and admin positions that are generally considered off limits per the SDN consensus. Also, any DO schools where you may have a regional interest are fine to consider applying to.

That's great, even surgical specialities? I remember asking and reading that becoming any type of surgeon as a DO is very complicated and way trickier than for MD counterparts. I really want to specialize and have as many opportunities open for me as possible for a speciality.

 

[sobored]

Why is "took the LSAT" an EC for you? Do you want to be a lawyer or a doctor?

 

[mrh125]

Why is "took the LSAT" an EC for you? Do you want to be a lawyer or a doctor?

why not? it shows I explored an option and went through it on top of a full course bc I was thinking of it w/ medicine. It can easily be replaced with anything else I did. Got something to say about the schools though?

 

[sobored]

why not? it shows I explored an option and went through it on top of a full course bc I was thinking of it w/ medicine. It can easily be replaced with anything else I did. Got something to say about the schools though?

No comment about the schools, they look fine. But your LSAT tidbit as an EC would raise my eyebrow if I was reading your app (unless you were a career change from law). Lots of people explore options, but they decide on something and highlight the pertinent qualities.

 

[mrh125]

No comment about the schools, they look fine. But your LSAT tidbit as an EC would raise my eyebrow if I was reading your app (unless you were a career change from law). Lots of people explore options, but they decide on something and highlight the pertinent qualities.

fair enough it's going to be replaced with more clinical experience I did with an OBGYN.

 

[sobored]

fair enough it's going to be replaced with more clinical experience I did with an OBGYN.

I think that's a good move.

 

[mrh125]

I'm on my phone and will check when I get home. Also, don't bother with Texas. For DO schools you're fine at any. I'd recommend the more established ones (DMU, KCUMB, CCOM, ATS-KCOM, PCOM). I've met grads from all of the them who are outstanding physicians who've gotten into residencies, specialties, academic, and admin positions that are generally considered off limits per the SDN consensus. Also, any DO schools where you may have a regional interest are fine to consider applying to.

Let me know 🙂. I'm really at a loss about what schools to apply to even with the data I got. I will apply to those DO schools you recommended though.

 

[ciestar]

You're so broad! Oh man. When I'm looking through schools (no MCAT, so no real judgment), I look at their location and decide if it's a place I could see myself being for 4 years. I know you really want to get in med school (don't we all?) but maybe narrow it down a bit with that too. It might help bring that number down, especially with schools more towards the "reach" end.

 

[WillburCobb]

That's great, even surgical specialities? I remember asking and reading that becoming any type of surgeon as a DO is very complicated and way trickier than for MD counterparts. I really want to specialize and have as many opportunities open for me as possible for a speciality.

I'll answer the school question first (mind you my previous post stands - you have absolutely no chance at those schools):

No Chance at the following:

U Conn

All Florida Schools Except Miami-Miller

All GA

U Illinois

Indiana U

Kansas

Maryland

Michigan State

Wayne State

Missouri Columbia

Nebraska

Honestly, after "N" I said f-it. Srsly read the MSAR, look at this https://www.aamc.org/download/321442/data/2013factstable1.pdf . I realize being a CA applicant sucks, but so does reality (edit - sorry that wasp retty harsh. It was late and I was pretty tired when I wrote this. A shotgun approach is absolutely worthless, but a strategic one is not - I cannot emphasize that enough. Apply to CA schools and OOS schools where you genuinely have a fair and reasonable shot (not an outlier's chance). My DO advice stands as is. In addition to the DO schools I suggested previously, I'd add the CA ones as well, if that's where you want to stay. I live in one of the most DO sparse parts of the country, yet the DOs I've encountered tend to be the exceptions according to the pre-med SDN populous . I currently work at a level 1 trauma center. Our "go to" interventional cardiologist is a DO (she/he does TAVR, Stents, Left atrial appendages, congenital defects, and will soon be doing minimally invasive mitral repairs, among other procedures), the head vascular and wound surgeon is a DO, we have two other DO cardiologists, and 2 GI DOs. A DO I shadowed is the director of a level 1 trauma ER and will soon become an associate dean at an MD school within a few months. I used to work with a DO neurosurgeon who did a fellowship in vascular and minimally invasive procedures. Personally, I was going to attend a DO school over two MD schools I had been accepted to, had I not been accepted to my top choice, because the DO school was a MUCH better fit and cheaper ( I realize pretty much any pre-med would give anything to be accepted, but this latter point becomes much more salient when you've reached your goal and you're faced with the reality of what it costs). There are many (well, some) pre-med classmates I've encountered who've chosen DO over MD, as well as SDNers (MadJack and NontradCA to name a few). Just Remember, only you limit yourself, not your credentials.

I know this has ben very preachy, but I want to leave you with this. DOs face the most discrimination when it comes to surgical subspecialties - however these are almost nearly as difficult for MD students. Anecdotal, but none the less. I personally know someone, who had a 260+ on both step I and II, made AOA her/his third year, had several publications and poster presentations, solid LORs, an awesome personality, and a legit interest in ENT (had lifelong ENT issues), who applied, interviewed, and ranked VERY broadly as an MD student this past match. She/he only landed a pre-lim surg spot. When it come to the Über competitive specialties, having an MD can only do so much...

 

[ciestar]

Also, why not Drexel?

And to add, based on what I've read on here, Washington isn't easy to get into OOS, neither is UNC. Even if their OOS acceptances is greater than 20%, usually they have stellar stats that grants them an interview/acceptance.

Meharry is also a HBC, is it not? I wouldn't apply there if that doesn't apply to you.

As for Cooper, I wouldn't want to apply and then live in Camden. It's not the nicest of cities….
Like I said, you can narrow it down in so many ways.

 

[ciestar]

Ahh, yes. Florida schools have a HEAVY IS bias.

 

[mrh125]

Also, why not Drexel?

And to add, based on what I've read on here, Washington isn't easy to get into OOS, neither is UNC. Even if their OOS acceptances is greater than 20%, usually they have stellar stats that grants them an interview/acceptance.

Meharry is also a HBC, is it not? I wouldn't apply there if that doesn't apply to you.

As for Cooper, I wouldn't want to apply and then live in Camden. It's not the nicest of cities….
Like I said, you can narrow it down in so many ways.

I put drexel there. Meharry - I'm not sure if that ones the historic black college or mercer I keep mixing that up. I think I just put mercer on and took meharry off. thanks for the feedback 🙂 (mercer is now off too).

 

[mrh125]

edited

 

[ciestar]

Thanks I appreciate the feedback with that data I'm now down to 46 MD schools, but out of curiosity how were you eliminating other schools aside from percentages? I cut out everything less than 20% OOS matriculated based off of the awesome. Your post about DOs really makes me happier, now I just need to figure out how to cut out some more of the remaining MD schools so i'm not just tossing cash down the drain and filling out secondaries that aren't screened.

My CA choices are just gonna be the DO schools, UC Riverside, UC Davis (dream school), and Loma Linda. The other ones I think would be a total waste except for maybe UC Irvine (I think that has a 30 cutoff though).

I said something to this earlier, that a lot of those schools with the OOS acceptance percentages you mentioned, those OOS people accepted had stellar, way above average stats to even be considered. I think that's probably why he told you to remove those from your list.

 

[WillburCobb]

Thanks I appreciate the feedback with that data I'm now down to 46 MD schools, but out of curiosity how were you eliminating other schools aside from percentages? I cut out everything less than 20% OOS matriculated based off of the awesome. Your post about DOs really makes me happier, now I just need to figure out how to cut out some more of the remaining MD schools so i'm not just tossing cash down the drain and filling out secondaries that aren't screened.

My CA choices are just gonna be the DO schools, UC Riverside, UC Davis (dream school), and Loma Linda. The other ones I think would be a total waste except for maybe UC Irvine (I think that has a 30 cutoff though).

I said something to this earlier, that a lot of those schools with the OOS acceptance percentages you mentioned, those OOS people accepted had stellar, way above average stats to even be considered. I think that's probably why he told you to remove those from your list.

I used percentages, what I gained from the school websites, and what I knew about the schools from SDNers and people I know who have applied. It's not just people with stellar stats contributing to OOS %s (in fact they're by far the exception). It's people who have STRONG ties to those states (I've defined strong for you before and many of those schools' websites do as well) or fit their mission statement (i.e., schools that have INMED programs, HBCs, schools aimed at those with a strong connection to Hispanic communities, etc.). My initial list wasn't as extensive as yours, but I went through the same realizations. Your best bet is with CA schools, private schools with lower stats, and DO schools. If you truly want to be a physician, and you're truly dedicated to that, it will work out.

 

[deanthedream17]

3.62 gpa. two mcat scores: january 22nd 2014: 29 (9/11/9)
march 22nd 2014: 28 (10/7/11)
non-URM.
My ECs are:
1) scribed for a gi doc for around 500 hrs. Did misc nurse work and other filing work. Also other paper work. Observed surgeries.
2) worked under a cosmetic dentist for 300 hrs. Helped her out with patients, scheduled appointments, and helped her set up equipment.
3) worked at a global health organization for a couple hundred hours min. Worked on their website to bring attention to them and handled social medias. Researched causes for them and ways they could help including food purification methods to remove aflatoxin from food in Africa and bring solar panels to Africa. I also put together their grant proposals but wasn't credited.
4) 200 hrs researching under a prof about the New York water supply and whether or not the state had bio sustainable treatments and land acquisition instead of building another filtration plant. Was going to be published, didn't happen.
5) mentored 12 different students at a school where students who were expelled from regular schools were given a last chance. These students had broken home lives, were exposed to gang violence and had no support systems. I helped raise 10,000 dollars for them to receive the teaching they needed as well as laptops, personally acted as their advocate, and organized a fieldtrip to a university to motivate them. Each one of them succeeded and was able to do well in regular school afterwards. This was done for over a year.
6) tutored students for free across the Bay Area in sciences, languages (Arabic, Farsi, German, and Italian)
7) play tennis and jazz piano. Teach myself languages such as Arabic and Farsi so I have more of a cultural understanding and linguistic understanding.
8) shadowed a cardiologist, anesthesiologist, and a psychiatrist
9) received chancellors recognition and a special honor/speech during my graduation for my inspirational success story (I went from a failing student to my good which you say is avg gpa)
10) worked a hundred hrs a convenient store and over a hundred as a caterer and bartender at a winery
11) did generic plant bio research for 50 hrs.
12) misc non profit and volunteering work. Including toys for tots, some leukemia foundation. Some other stuff
13) took the LSAT. Shadowed two very prestigious lawyers when I was looking at law as well.

In progress: Going to be in a prestigious surgical internship at my uni
Working for a radiologist w/ a focus on ultrasounds

For my MD school list I pretty much took every MD school on 2013 that has a 20%+ OOS interviewed and my stats are okayish in (all this schools include under 30 mcat scores in their ranges). I have no idea about what schools require state ties and I'm just following msar data, so if anyone knows more about that than I do please chime in. Also how common is it for medical schools to take the best score from each on the mcats you take, so my score would be considered a (10/11/11) 32 if a school did. Here's my list. I would appreciate any help w/ it anyone could provide or a better more concise list. I don't want to spend a fortune, but at the same time I'm willing to put a lot in to get into a MD school:

44 now:
university of arizona tucson college of medicine, university of arizona college of medicine, UC davis (my dream school, where I went to undergrad), loma linda (i'm fine w/ a code of conduct), UC riverside, frank h. netter, university of connecticut, university of colorado, George washington university, florida atlantic, florida international, university of illinois, USF morsani, university of central florida, chicago rosaland franklin, loyola, rush, iowa carver, university of kentucky college of medicine, maryland, central michigan, oakland university,creighton, cooper at rowan uni, albany, new york medical college, buffalo , chapel hill, wake forest, toledo, wright, drexel, jefferson, Penn state uni at hershey, university of south carolina, south carolina greenville, university of utah, vermont, eastern virginia, virginia commonwealth, marshall uni, western virginia, medical college of WI, uni of wi


What DO schools should I apply to as safeties also? I really want to go into a MD school and I'm willing to take a few hits just to get that MD school admission Any advice would be appreciated. I did make an account of the DO applications site, so I'm ready for that. I'm also not too certain about whether or not it's worth applying texas MD schools (going through TSDMAS or whatever seems like an added hassle and i'm not sure if it'll pay off).

Retake increase to 30 or above with no score below a 9, but your GPA is not this highest either so you should shoot for 32-33 or expect lots of denials. Academic factors >>> everything else unless you are a URM (which you said you are not)

 

[mrh125]

edited

 

[deanthedream17]

I would retake if there was any point to it and I could actually expect to get over a 30, but that doesn't seem like it's gonna happen in my case. The mcat is a total crapshoot/gamble for me and I already reached my peak studying for it. I've gone through all the study materials available, was pulling around 8-10 hr study days, tightened anything I don't know in sciences before the second time around. It'd be 100% luck to improve. I'm sick of that stupid test and when I don't get the 30+ (which requires a lot of luck) then i'll have to hear about how I got 3 sub 30 scores.

Fair enough assessment then. Apply to a few local MD schools with low stats and DO schools and be open if you need to go osteopathic.

 

[ciestar]

I would just remove Loma Linda. You say you're fine with a code of conduct, hell if it meant med school or no med school I'd be at city hall tomorrow.
However, if I was an ADCOM, if I didn't see an applicant adhering to the same code of conduct and not being involved with the church prior to applying, I wouldn't accept them. You know what I'm saying? They likely want people who truly believe what they believe, not just "willing" to do a few things for admission. I just wouldn't bother there.

 

[Goro]

Is the last MCAT still good? They have expiration dates, y'know. 29 is well below the national avg of 33, but not lethal. Your ECs are stunning.

3.62 gpa. two mcat scores: january 22nd 2014: 29 (9/11/9)
march 22nd 2014: 28 (10/7/11)

Leave this out. It will NOT impress us.

13) took the LSAT. Shadowed two very prestigious lawyers when I was looking at law as well.


MSAR Online is your friend, but you have to apply strategically. Firstly, forget all OOS public schools as they prefer the home team. One has to be > avg for them.


For my MD school list I pretty much took every MD school on 2013 that has a 20%+ OOS interviewed and my stats are okayish in (all this schools include under 30 mcat scores in their ranges). I have no idea about what schools require state ties and I'm just following msar data,

Don't know...this varied from school to school, and more schools seem to avg (like mine) than take the last best, or best composite score. You should do some showwork and contact schools to find out,.

Also how common is it for medical schools to take the best score from each on the mcats you take, so my score would be considered a (10/11/11) 32 if a school did.


goro's list

ALL DO schools
Your state school (except CA).
loma linda
George washington university,
chicago rosaland franklin,
loyola,
rush,
central michigan,
oakland university,
creighton,
cooper at rowan uni,
albany,
new york medical college,
buffalo ,
wake forest,
drexel,
jefferson,
Penn state uni at hershey,
eastern virginia,
virginia commonwealth,
marshall uni (maybe, 30% of thier accepttes are from their UG school)
medical college of WI
tufts

All/any of them, except LUCOM

What DO schools should I apply to as safeties also?

TX is highly competitive, and also favors TX residents, so skip those.

I'm also not too certain about whether or not it's worth applying texas MD schools (going through TSDMAS or whatever seems like an added hassle and i'm not sure if it'll pay off).

 

[mrh125]

edited

 

[WillburCobb]

The question I have is if I will be prescreened out at MD schools because of my 7 in verbal even though I get a 11 in verbal before (people above said some might think of it as a fluke, but prescreening out should be different).

Best way to find out is to check school websites and/or contact the schools yourself.

 

[Goro]

Concur.

Best way to find out is to check school websites and/or contact the schools yourself.

 

[Goro]

Another interpretation is what we call "knowledge decay". I think that's self-explanatory.

Going from an 11 to a 7 would seem like a big fluke, but if that's the way it's interpreted, I'll roll with it. Each mcat is different though.

As for schools, I have no idea what schools to take off this list. I don't want to be overloaded or waste money on schools I won't get into, yet at the same time I want to max my chances of getting into a MD school. I really have no idea what MD schools I'd even be competitive at with my stats honestly, I just followed the msar. I don't have any preference towards rural, urban or research. If you had any more feedback about any of the schools let me know.

 

[mrh125]

Another interpretation is what we call "knowledge decay". I think that's self-explanatory.

Makes sense, do you have recommendations for schools I should apply to?

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Wow, I got to see the original post about the OP were he stated he did' nurse staff's as a scribe. 1. I very much take offense to that as an RN, scribes job of entering stuff for computer impaired doctors is NOT even close to being a nurse. You have neither the education or training or license to make that claim.
2. I very much doubt that a medical school admissions board composers of physicians doesn't know the difference between a scribe and a RN. If you put that you did nursing duties as a scribe, well, you lied or you practiced without a license. You decide if either of those is positive.

 

[el_duderino]

Very frustrating and selfish to go back and erase your posts in this thread, thus removing any context from the responses that could help other people.