3.68/515 - TX, need help choosing schools

[bugleoutloud]

Hi, I have been wondering if I should broaden my school list to beyond TX schools. Looking through the MSAR and some other posts, I'm unsure if I should be worried about my GPA or clinical experience in considering schools. I am taking a gap year.

GPA/sGPA: 3.68 / 3.52
MCAT: 515 (129/127/128/131)

Filipino American, TX resident, attended a large TX state school

Clinical experience:
- volunteered in a dermatology office ~150 volunteer hours over 4 months.
- Volunteered at a hospital working with children through arts and crafts ~50 hours.
- Volunteered in two medical mission brigades to Central America~ 100 hours in total for the brigades, but I would say ~30-40 hours of being specifically in a medical setting.

Research experience:
- Worked as a research assistant in a lab about cardiac function, performed surgery on mice. ~500 hours over 3 years.
- Interned with my local public health department and assessed my precinct's health infrastructure & disparities - presented at an intern research poster presentation and won best poster ~ 64 hours
- Completed a research practicum for my Spanish minor, working at a local clinic by providing Spanish-language brochures and education about heart disease prevention; helped organize free community health screening ~44 hours

Shadowing: Total ~57 hours
- Cardiovascular surgeon- observed surgery in both hospital and private practice ~7 hours
- PA-C in the Pediatric Critical Care unit of hospital- 10 hours
- ICU - 10 hours
- Primary care doctors - 30 hours

Non-Clinical Volunteering: total ~500 hours
- Interned/volunteered for a nonprofit working with refugees & immigrants ~200 hours
- President of my student group and organized community service projects -> won awards for our achievement ~220 hours
- mentored refugee students at a local middle school ~30 hours
- volunteer for a local Filipino cultural group as a photographer and help plan events ~30 hours
- organized voter registration booths for my university ~20 hours

Other: EMT-Basic certification (never used it), was part of a cultural choir, member of a orchestra club, helped lead a meditation group on-campus; worked as a grant-writer for the refugee nonprofit for a semester (plan to continue after the summer)
- I also am planning on getting an MPH during or after med school, because I hope to work in community health in the future.

School list thus far:
every TX school
Georgetown University School of Medicine - only because I have family near here
Johns Hopkins - extreme reach


Thank you! Any advice is greatly appreciated!

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[Saturday’s Child]

Hi, I have been wondering if I should broaden my school list to beyond TX schools. Looking through the MSAR and some other posts, I'm unsure if I should be worried about my GPA or clinical experience in considering schools. I am taking a gap year.

GPA/sGPA: 3.68 / 3.52
MCAT: 515 (129/127/128/131)

Filipino American, TX resident, attended a large TX state school

Clinical experience:
- volunteered in a dermatology office ~150 volunteer hours over 4 months.
- Volunteered at a hospital working with children through arts and crafts ~50 hours.
- Volunteered in two medical mission brigades to Central America~ 100 hours in total for the brigades, but I would say ~30-40 hours of being specifically in a medical setting.

Research experience:
- Worked as a research assistant in a lab about cardiac function, performed surgery on mice. ~500 hours over 3 years.
- Interned with my local public health department and assessed my precinct's health infrastructure & disparities - presented at an intern research poster presentation and won best poster ~ 64 hours
- Completed a research practicum for my Spanish minor, working at a local clinic by providing Spanish-language brochures and education about heart disease prevention; helped organize free community health screening ~44 hours

Shadowing: Total ~57 hours
- Cardiovascular surgeon- observed surgery in both hospital and private practice ~7 hours
- PA-C in the Pediatric Critical Care unit of hospital- 10 hours
- ICU - 10 hours
- Primary care doctors - 30 hours

Non-Clinical Volunteering: total ~500 hours
- Interned/volunteered for a nonprofit working with refugees & immigrants ~200 hours
- President of my student group and organized community service projects -> won awards for our achievement ~220 hours
- mentored refugee students at a local middle school ~30 hours
- volunteer for a local Filipino cultural group as a photographer and help plan events ~30 hours
- organized voter registration booths for my university ~20 hours

Other: EMT-Basic certification (never used it), was part of a cultural choir, member of a orchestra club, helped lead a meditation group on-campus; worked as a grant-writer for the refugee nonprofit for a semester (plan to continue after the summer)
- I also am planning on getting an MPH during or after med school, because I hope to work in community health in the future.

School list thus far:
every TX school
Georgetown University School of Medicine - only because I have family near here
Johns Hopkins - extreme reach


Thank you! Any advice is greatly appreciated!

How badly do you want to get out of Texas? You have strong EC’s and good stats, but your stats may not be quite high enough to gain traction at many OOS schools. Supposedly, they see TX residents and generally assume they’ll stay in state due to the incredible tuition.

I have to imagine you’re good enough for at least 1 TX school, if not several, so unless you genuinely want to leave and pay more money elsewhere, I wouldn’t worry about broadening your list too much beyond its current form.

 

[Faha]

You should receive several interviews from your Texas schools. The only reason to apply to OOS schools would be if you want to leave Texas for some reason.

 

[Goro]

Based upon historical norms, OOS MD schools know that you're most likely to stay in TX for that nice low tuition,