3.84 GPA 36 MCAT PhD student

[Ttoille]

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[Ttoille]

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[halfwaycrooks]

Your research looks on point so I think you have a good shot at the upper tier schools. I'd take off brown though, they strongly prefer their own undergrads.

 

[Ttoille]

Thanks, I appreciate the input.

 

[Ttoille]

Bump. Any other advice on my list?

 

[Ace-Co-A]

Current School List: Are any of these too much of a reach?
MUSC
USC-Columbia
UF
UCF
UMiami
FAU
FIU
USF
Wake Forest
UNC
Johns Hopkins
UPenn
Columbia
Duke
Vanderbilt
Cornell
Emory
Mayo
BU
Brown
Dartmouth
Tufts
UCSF
Stanford

Sub out UCSF for Stanford... 'cause it's Stanford.

Applying to UCSF instead of Stanford was a mistake for me this application cycle. Maybe one or two more schools in the NYU/Sinai/Pitt/Case range?

Solid app overall. Goro is usually pretty helpful with these questions.

P.S. -- How do you do the strikeout feature on SDN?

 

[snowflakes]

-Shadowing:

• Radiology: ~4hrs
• Derm: ~10hrs
• Ortho: ~50hrs

I plan to add more shadowing as time permits, probably ICU and a couple others. I worked for the Ortho doctor as a pseudo-hired help/shadow.

Actually, I'd suggest having your additional shadowing at a primary care provider, just to see that side as well. I think I read somewhere here that schools like you to have some primary care exposure as well.

 

[gyngyn]

Actually, I'd suggest having your additional shadowing at a primary care provider, just to see that side as well. I think I read somewhere here that schools like you to have some primary care exposure as well.

I will agree that OP's is a rarefied list of specialty exposure, none for which anyone recruits. It doesn't look like he's painting a picture of himself as a primary care provider, though.

 

[Ttoille]

Sub out UCSF for Stanford... 'cause it's Stanford.

Applying to UCSF instead of Stanford was a mistake for me this application cycle. Maybe one or two more schools in the NYU/Sinai/Pitt/Case range?

Solid app overall. Goro is usually pretty helpful with these questions.

P.S. -- How do you do the strikeout feature on SDN?

I actually don't recall how to do the strike-out feature. But thanks for the help. Are there other school in the NYU, Pitt, etc. range that are not too far north. I really don't see myself moving somewhere cold.

 

[Ttoille]

I will agree that OP's is a rarefied list of specialty exposure, none for which anyone recruits. It doesn't look like he's painting a picture of himself as a primary care provider, though.

Yeah, I am planning on being a physician-scientist. Hopefully at a large teaching hospital. I am leaning towards immunologist since my PhD work has been solely based in that field.

Is not shadowing a primary care physician a deal breaker?
Is everything else on the up and up?

 

[gyngyn]

Yeah, I am planning on being a physician-scientist. Hopefully at a large teaching hospital. I am leaning towards immunologist since my PhD work has been solely based in that field.

Is not shadowing a primary care physician a deal breaker?
Is everything else on the up and up?

Not a deal breaker.

As long as you can demonstrate that you know what you are getting into, even shadowing, as such, is not necessary.

In general, I recommend primary care clinical involvement because it is the basis for all other training and does show a validated interest in some of the most challenging aspects of medicine. It is arguably the area in which we, as educators, are failing the public most.

Your situation is somewhat different.

 

[Ace-Co-A]

I actually don't recall how to do the strike-out feature. But thanks for the help. Are there other school in the NYU, Pitt, etc. range that are not too far north. I really don't see myself moving somewhere cold.

Emory, Duke, and Vandy come to mind, but there are already on your list. Baylor? UVA*?

*I admit bias. Still, though, objectively a great school.

 

[Ttoille]

Emory, Duke, and Vandy come to mind, but there are already on your list. Baylor? UVA*?

*I admit bias. Still, though, objectively a great school.

Just checked out your MDapps. (not being too stalker-ish). But I saw a lot of schools I had applied to on your list. It seems like you may have even had better stats than me. Were those rejections because you didn't finish AMCAS until August. I don't mean to pry, I'm only concerned that maybe they thought that you were applying as safety schools

 

[Ace-Co-A]

Just checked out your MDapps. (not being too stalker-ish). But I saw a lot of schools I had applied to on your list. It seems like you may have even had better stats than me. Were those rejections because you didn't finish AMCAS until August. I don't mean to pry, I'm only concerned that maybe they thought that you were applying as safety schools

That's the million dollar question. Our stats are the same in the eyes of any admissions committee.* My advice to you is to submit AMCAS as early as possible.

*On the other hand, I don't have a PhD.

 

[gyngyn]

That's the million dollar question. Our stats are the same in the eyes of any admissions committee.* My advice to you is to submit AMCAS as early as possible.

*On the other hand, I don't have a PhD.

You are right, a PhD is just another EC to admissions.
And, congrats btw!

 

[Ttoille]

Not a deal breaker.

As long as you can demonstrate that you know what you are getting into, even shadowing, as such, is not necessary.

In general, I recommend primary care clinical involvement because it is the basis for all other training and does show a validated interest in some of the most challenging aspects of medicine. It is arguably the area in which we, as educators, are failing the public most.

Your situation is somewhat different.

Yeah I didn't mean that I did not want to do. I am applying now. I thought it would look disingenuous to do that shadowing so late. My school doesn't have a PCP for shadowing contacts, so I am not certain I can confirm a shadow with them. The shadowing at the MICU was just to update my experience since the others were 5 yrs ago and medicine has obviously changed since then. As well that the MICU physician is collaborating with our lab.

I know as a non-traditional, my requirements are the same but less held too (or least I got that impression).

Do you think that my total lack of clinical volunteering is a problem? Should I suggest that I would pursue that when I have more free time (and follow through obviously)?

Thanks.

As far as lack of primary care, I understand the difficulties. The high cost of education seems to drive people into more "lucrative" fields and avoid primary care. I am not avoiding per se but I really do want to pursue immunology.

 

[Ace-Co-A]

You are right, a PhD is just another EC to admissions.

I was being sincere. A PhD is a hell of an accomplishment.

No offense was intended to the OP, gyngyn.

 

[gyngyn]

Yeah I didn't mean that I did not want to do. I am applying now. I thought it would look disingenuous to do that shadowing so late. My school doesn't have a PCP for shadowing contacts, so I am not certain I can confirm a shadow with them. The shadowing at the MICU was just to update my experience since the others were 5 yrs ago and medicine has obviously changed since then. As well that the MICU physician is collaborating with our lab.

I know as a non-traditional, my requirements are the same but less held too (or least I got that impression).

Do you think that my total lack of clinical volunteering is a problem? Should I suggest that I would pursue that when I have more free time (and follow through obviously)?

Thanks.

As far as lack of primary care, I understand the difficulties. The high cost of education seems to drive people into more "lucrative" fields and avoid primary care. I am not avoiding per se but I really do want to pursue immunology.

Clinical experience and evidence of altruism are important in every application. How you do it is an individual choice.

 

[gyngyn]

I was being sincere. A PhD is a hell of an accomplishment.

No offense was intended to the OP, gyngyn.

Me too!

 

[Ace-Co-A]

Me too!

 

[gyngyn]

Uh oh. I guess a clarification is in order. A PhD is a great accomplishment.
For an MD application, however, it is not an independent boost to the overall portfolio.
When I indicated that it is just another EC, I was not being sarcastic. You will be accepted (or denied) on the basis of your overall application. Yes, the research box is emphatically checked, but it will not make up for failings in other areas (integrity, reliability, service, social skills, adaptability, communication skills...).

 

[Ace-Co-A]

Uh oh. I guess a clarification is in order. A PhD is a great accomplishment.
For an MD application, however, it is not an independent boost to the overall portfolio.
When I indicated that it is just another EC, I was not being sarcastic. You will be accepted (or denied) on the basis of your overall application. Yes, the research box is emphatically checked, but it will not make up for failings in other areas (integrity, reliability, service, social skills, adaptability, communication skills...).

Oh! I got ya. Sorry about the confusion, all. I still like this smiley as a way of saying 'no harm no foul' tho:

 

[gyngyn]

Oh! I got ya. Sorry about the confusion, all. I still like this smiley as a way of saying 'no harm no foul' tho:

I've got to take a smiley course!

 

[Ttoille]

Thank you for the help guys!!! Here's to a successful cycle for all those trying.

 

[Ttoille]

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