3.93 gpa, 35 mcat, CT (MD/PhD and MD)

[ohnoreilly]

I would really appreciate some input as to which secondary applications I should pursue, which would be too far out of reach and any schools I should add as safeties. Don't be afraid to be critical!

I'm applying to MD/PHD programs this cycle, with the option of MD consideration for most, so my background is pretty research heavy with less volunteering than I would like.

Twenty years old, 3.93 cGPA, 3.9 sGPA, 35 MCAT (11P, 12V, 12B)
BS: Molecular + Cell Biology, MS: Cellular and Development Biology (Concurrently at state school)

Research

• 3 years salaried research experience in an Immunology lab (poster presentation in Shaghai, China)
• 1 year research volunteer/shadowing (100 hours) in pediatric ED
• 2 years research for translational diabetes prevention study in underserved areas

Employment/EC's

• College IT support (2 years), secretarial (2 years), grocery store (4 years)
• Shadowing: 40 hours split between, Chief of Pulmonary + Chief of Cardiac Medicine (MD/PhD)
• Acappella group (acting president)
• Creative science writing (2 journal publications)
• Solid personal statement/LOR's

School List (all MD/PhD, some with possibility of MD)

• Reach: Harvard, Columbia, JHU, NYU, Penn State, Yale, Tri, Tufts, UPenn, UPitt
• Goal: Albert Enstein, UConn, UMass, Rochester
• Safety: SUNY Upstate, Stony Brook

Thank you so much for your input!

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[Whatyousay]

• Reach: Harvard, Columbia, JHU, NYU, Penn State, Yale, Tri, Tufts
• Goal: Albert Enstein, UConn, UMass, UPenn, UPitt, Rochester
• Safety: SUNY Upstate, Stony Brook

Thank you so much for your input!

I don't have any particular comments for your app, but I'm a little confused about why you consider NYU/Penn State/Tufts a reach while UPenn and UPitt are not.

 

[ohnoreilly]

Because I wasn't paying attention and listed all the U prefix schools together! Thanks for catching that

 

[Medbits]

Welll...mayo has a very cheap application, you hould look into that...and with your stats, that could look promising.

 

[ps9891]

UChicago (Pritzker) is also a really good, research-heavy school that you might be interested in.

I'm also applying MD/PhD this cycle and I've heard/read that for MD/PhD, it's important to look at the faculty at that school - i.e. the people who could potentially be your mentor during your PhD years. If there isn't anyone whose lab you would be interested in joining/contributing to, then it really doesn't matter how good or bad of a school it is. You might know this already, but if you don't, you should definitely do at least some cursory research on the schools' websites. Looking up people you might want to work with could also help you think of some more schools to apply to.

Otherwise, IMO, your school selections look good!

 

[Missorleans]

I agree, consider Mayo, they seem to like a lot of research, as well as Wash U STL.