Hello everyone! I’ve had some difficulty crafting a med school list due to my sub-average GPA and higher MCAT score. I also have a lot of research experience that would probably be looked favorably by high-stat schools, but I just don’t think I would be competitive due my GPA. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much!
- State: TN
- Ties to other States/Regions: N/A
- URM? (Y/N): N
- Year in School: Graduated undergrad in December of 2019
- Undergraduate Major(s)/Minor(s): Double major in Biology and Neuroscience, Minor in Religious Studies
- Cumulative GPA:3.65/4.0
- Freshman = 3.89
- Sophomore = 3.34
- Junior = 3.39
- Senior = 3.93
- PB = 4.0 (this was just one class. A re-take of Orgo II from a D+ my sophomore year to an A spring of 2021)
- Science GPA:3.47/4.0
- Freshman = 3.83
- Sophomore = 2.72
- Junior = 3.05
- Senior = 3.93
- PB = 4.0 (this was just one class. A re-take of Orgo II from a D+ my sophomore year to an A spring of 2021)
- MCAT Score(s):
- 2018 = 508 (126/130/125/127)
- 2020 = 518 (129/128/130/131)
- Research Experience:
- 5/2016 - 4/2018 (500 hours): Clinical research assistant at a fertility clinic investigating a new algorithm for the evaluation and treatment of multiple miscarriages.
- 5/2017 – 4/2018 (740 hours): Clinical research assistant for a population health program at a teaching hospital. Assisted in conducting data analyses for a project that explored the relationship between long-acting reversible contraceptives and STD acquisition by looking at Medicaid claims of over 62,000 female adolescents.
- 8/2017 – 4/2019 (300 hours): Basic science research assistant at my undergrad. Identified populations of neurons in the brain that produce signaling molecules involved in aggressive and sexual behaviors using lizard model systems.
- 10/2020 – 8/2022 (1,320 hours past, 2,440 hours projected): Clinical and translational research assistant at a teaching hospital. Working on two studies:
- NIH-sponsored project aimed at making telehealth more equitable for vulnerable and non-English speaking patients at the pediatric clinic.
- Pediatric obesity research. I serve as a data collector and virtual health coach, meeting one-on-one with parent-child dyads to help build sustainable healthy behavior skills.
- Publications/Abstracts/Posters (include how you were credited e.g. first author, second author, etc.): Two publications (one as first author and the other as mid-author). My current PI and I are working on submitting three papers this year for publication. I presented a poster at an international research conference. I currently have an abstract on social determinants of health submitted to a national conference this fall.
- Clinical Experience (paid or volunteer): 520 total hours volunteering at two hospitals and at a clinic that provides care to refugees and the uninsured.
- Physician Shadowing: 245 hours in the US – various specialties, including primary care. 85 hours abroad – ED, OR, and primary care.
- Non-Clinical Volunteering: 760 hours – 660 past, 100 projected with the American Red Cross Disaster Action and Latino engagement team
- Other Extracurricular Activities:
- President of my undergrad’s bio honor society for two years (165 hours)
- Member of my undergrad’s Spanish medical club (180 hours). Aside from attending meetings, I volunteered as a clinic translator and provided Spanish speaking patients and their families with company
- I listed “Gardening – Club Member and Volunteer” as a hobby on my app: I was a member of my undergrad’s environmental services club where we worked to expand urban gardens at local elementary schools (120 hours). I currently serve as a volunteer gardener for a botanic garden (250 hours).
- Other Employment History:
- Student employee promoted to employer relations coordinator of my undergrad’s Career Services (2,000 hours)
- Humanities and Bio Tutor (95 hours)
- Immediate family members in medicine? (Y/N): N
- Medical School List:
- Rush Medical College
- Chicago Med at Rosalind Franklin University
- Drexel
- Medical College of Wisconsin
- Wake Forest
- Georgetown
- Western Michigan University Homer Stryker
- Tufts
- Boston University
- East Tennessee State University James H. Quillen
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple
- University of Miami
- Warren Alpert at Brown University
- University of Massachusetts
- Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
- University of Cincinnati
- University of TN Health Science Center
- Virginia Commonwealth
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of Michigan
- USF Health Morsani
- Case Western
- Ohio State
- Duke
