3.9/511 Re-applicant, WAMC?

[dramanaut9518]

Re-applicant who got two IIs, which led to one R (UNC) and one WL (GW). Here are my credentials:

• State/Country of Residence: NC
• Ties to other States/Regions: VA
• URM? (Y/N): ORM
• Year in School: Graduated in May 2020
• Undergraduate Major(s)/Minor(s): BME
• Cumulative GPA: 3.90
• Science GPA: 3.98
• MCAT Score: 511 (129/124/129/129)
• Research Experience: 1150 hours total. 400 hours in breast oncology research; 350 hours medical device design; 250 hours on undergraduate thesis relevant to medicine; 150 hours of basic lab chemistry research. No pubs
• Clinical Experience (paid): 1,600 hours as a medical assistant. Another projected 1,600 hours as an ED scribe, which I will begin in May.
• Physician Shadowing: 50 hours in OB/GYN, ortho, oncology, and general surgery
• Non-Clinical Volunteering: 380 total hours; 250 hours serving the disabled; 50 hours working on a horse farm; 30 hours as an ESL tutor; 50 hours at The Red Cross
• Other Relevant ECs: 150 paid tutoring hours; 40 hours as a TA for a biomedical engineering course

So, what went wrong this past cycle? A few things come to mind: I had no clinical experience prior to working as an MA, 124 CARS, my school list was ****, zero clinical volunteering hours (thanks COVID). My writing and PS and writing were decent, but could be better.

I will be working as an ED scribe for this upcoming cycle and will look for clinical volunteering opportunities as free clinics begin to open up. Any advice on how to improve my application, and school list help (aiming MD) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

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[GoSpursGo]

So, what went wrong this past cycle? A few things come to mind: I had no clinical experience prior to working as an MA, 124 CARS, my school list was ****, zero clinical volunteering hours (thanks COVID). My writing and PS and writing were decent, but could be better.

So how many clinical hours did you actually have banked when you submitted your app? "Projected" hours are basically taken with an entire salt shaker--they mean nothing, as understandably "stuff happens."

All of that to say that if your app last year showed that you had literal zero clinical experience, that's your problem. Reapplying with 1600 hours should fix the problem. Would also certainly carefully analyze your school list and make sure you're applying to a wide range.

 

[Faha]

I suggest these schools if you are not accepted at GW:
East Carolina
UNC
Wake Forest
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
George Washington
Georgetown
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
Seton Hall
New York Medical College
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
NOVA MD
Tulane
TCU-UNT
Creighton
St. Louis
Loyola
Rush
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State

 

[dramanaut9518]

So how many clinical hours did you actually have banked when you submitted your app? "Projected" hours are basically taken with an entire salt shaker--they mean nothing, as understandably "stuff happens."

All of that to say that if your app last year showed that you had literal zero clinical experience, that's your problem. Reapplying with 1600 hours should fix the problem. Would also certainly carefully analyze your school list and make sure you're applying to a wide range.

I started by job in June 2020, so I literally had zero when I submitted my primary. I definitely see how that didn't help. I was able to talk about it on my secondaries though.

Any recommendations for schools?

 

[dramanaut9518]

I suggest these schools if you are not accepted at GW:
East Carolina
UNC
Wake Forest
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
George Washington
Georgetown
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
Seton Hall
New York Medical College
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
NOVA MD
Tulane
TCU-UNT
Creighton
St. Louis
Loyola
Rush
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State

Thank you! I had a few other schools I was considering, what are your thoughts on:
Albert Einstein
Cal Northstate
Hofstra
Emory
Dartmouth
Geisenger
Virginia Tech
Illinois
Maryland
State University of NY
AZ-Tuscon

 

[Faha]

Thank you! I had a few other schools I was considering, what are your thoughts on:
Albert Einstein
Cal Northstate
Hofstra
Emory
Dartmouth
Geisenger
Virginia Tech
Illinois
Maryland
State University of NY
AZ-Tuscon

Several of those schools have a strong instate bias and accept few non residents with your MCAT and no connection to the state.
You could try Einstein, Hofstra and Dartmouth as reaches.

 

[Banco]

Yeah I would apply early to a strategic list this time around. All your new clinical hours will 100% help you if you need to reapply. Listen to Faha about the list.