3.97 cGPA, 3.94 sGPA, 39 MCAT (school list)

[qwg]

Hi all,

I'm new to this site by many standards, but I'd love some help editing my school list.

23 y/o white male
AZ resident
B.S., Chemistry (2013)
3.97 cGPA
3.94 sGPA
39 MCAT (14 PS, 11 VR, 14 BS)

Experience:
*2000 hours as clinical research coordinator - lots of time with physicians who conduct pharmaceutical/device research in their private practices, lots of patient contact. This is my current job - planning to continue until summer 2015

1500 hours as resident advisor - both in freshman dorms and junior/senior apartments

*1100 hours in undergraduate chemistry research - poster at one national and one regional conference, but no publications (was acknowledged in one paper). Received several institutional research grants/fellowships throughout undergraduate career (~$15000)

600 hours of leadership at homeless outreach nonprofit - coordinated relief for homeless outside of weekly meetings as well as directed other volunteers

60 hours of chemistry club leadership

40 hours in clinic on medical trip to foreign country - spent 3 weeks in low-income area of foreign country observing and assisting with ophthalmic and plastic surgeries. Also spent time in local school conducting health education programs

40 hours in low-cost clinic - volunteered with nursing staff and performed basic medical procedures under physician guidance

40 hours as physical chemistry lab teaching assistant

40 hours as general chemistry, physics, calculus tutor - was on chemistry department payroll for a while, switched to private tutoring

*Most significant. Still trying to decide the third most significant experience.

Schools (sorted somewhat geographically)
UCSD
UCI
USC
UCLA
Stanford
UCSF
UCD?
OHSU
UW? Not OOS-friendly, according to MSAR online. Removed from list (see below)
UA Phoenix
UA Tucson
Colorado
Mayo
Pritzker
Northwestern
Vanderbilt
UNC
Duke
Wake Forest
Cornell
NYU
Mount Sinai
Columbia
Tufts
Harvard

Two questions:
1) As a clinical research coordinator I have worked with 5 different PIs. Would I need a letter from each of them (for example, in my application to Harvard)? My gut says no because the work we do isn't really independent research - we follow protocols written by pharmaceutical companies.

2) Does my lack of shadowing hurt my application? I'm remembering as I write this that UW prefers (needs?) to see at least 40 hours of shadowing... so we can scratch that one out.


Please feel free to give me feedback on this list. Is it too top-heavy?
Also, please don't quote this post. Thanks!

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[tarheel1408]

3.9+ GPA, 39 MCAT, Leadership with homeless outreach? You're pretty much accepted already...

In all seriousness, there's no ceiling to your application. In my mind it would be impossible to exit this cycle without an acceptance.

 

[bearded frog]

​

 

[Goro]

This is the one thing that worries me:
40 hours in low-cost clinic - volunteered with nursing staff and performed basic medical procedures under physician guidance

Not enough patient contact might be an issue. However, start now by aiming high and seeing how an app cycle goes. If you're shut out (and I've seen it happen) then youknow what to fix.

Suggest considering Pitt, Baylor, U NV, BU, Emory as well.

Hi all,


Schools (sorted somewhat geographically)
UCSD
UCI
USC
UCLA
Stanford
UCSF
UCD?
OHSU
UA Phoenix
UA Tucson
Colorado
Mayo
Pritzger
Northwestern
Vanderbilt
UNC
Duke
Wake Forest
Cornell
NYU
Mount Sinai
Columbia
Tufts
Harvard

Two questions:
1) As a clinical research coordinator I have worked with 5 different PIs. Would I need a letter from each of them (for example, in my application to Harvard)? My gut says no because the work we do isn't really independent research - we follow protocols written by pharmaceutical companies.

2) Does my lack of shadowing hurt my application? I'm remembering as I write this that UW prefers (needs?) to see at least 40 hours of shadowing... so we can scratch that one out.


Please feel free to give me feedback on this list. Is it too top-heavy?
Also, please don't quote this post. Thanks!

 

[qwg]

This is the one thing that worries me:
40 hours in low-cost clinic - volunteered with nursing staff and performed basic medical procedures under physician guidance

Not enough patient contact might be an issue. However, start now by aiming high and seeing how an app cycle goes. If you're shut out (and I've seen it happen) then youknow what to fix.

Suggest considering Pitt, Baylor, U NV, BU, Emory as well.

Thanks for the feedback!

To clarify, at least 600-800 hours of my time as a clinical research coordinator has been spent in the room with patients. I explain all study procedures and obtain informed consent (deferring to the physicians when a question is over my head), collect medical history and concomitant medications, administer questionnaires, facilitate interactions with the physicians, draw blood samples (if applicable), obtain vitals, etc

I'll check out those other schools in the MSAR later tonight.

 

[Goro]

Skies the limit for you!

Thanks for the feedback!

To clarify, at least 600-800 hours of my time as a clinical research coordinator has been spent in the room with patients. I explain all study procedures and obtain informed consent (deferring to the physicians when a question is over my head), collect medical history and concomitant medications, administer questionnaires, facilitate interactions with the physicians, draw blood samples (if applicable), obtain vitals, etc

I'll check out those other schools in the MSAR later tonight.

 

[snowflakes]

OP, I think you're obviously set for a great cycle. I think your third most significant experience should by your volunteer work/leadership role with homeless outreach, since you're other two are more research/clinically based.

Also, make sure you apply to schools that are known for giving out lots of scholarship moneys. You are the foundations for a very strong app, so with good LORs, good essays, and a good interview, you could be competitive for some. These schools include UCLA (30+ full tuition + living expenses scholarships), Penn (35 full tution), WashU (at least 18 full tuition), UChicago (lots of full tuition, not sure how many), Michigan, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, and Duke (fewer than the others, but still some). I think there are more, so you might want to look up old SDN threads on the topic. (I think you already had most of these on your list, but it's worth double checking.)

Good luck, and best wishes for a good cycle!

 

[qwg]

OP, I think you're obviously set for a great cycle. I think your third most significant experience should by your volunteer work/leadership role with homeless outreach, since you're other two are more research/clinically based.

I appreciate this input! I was heavily considering discussing the homeless outreach as my 3rd most significant experience but was waiting for feedback from my premed advisor. Now I think I'll just go for it.

Also, make sure you apply to schools that are known for giving out lots of scholarship moneys.

Had not even considered this as a possibility. Thank you for the advice!

 

[baltimoreman]

I appreciate this input! I was heavily considering discussing the homeless outreach as my 3rd most significant experience but was waiting for feedback from my premed advisor. Now I think I'll just go for it.



Had not even considered this as a possibility. Thank you for the advice!

I agree with this. I had similar stats and was offered two substantial scholarships. If cost is important to you in choosing a school, I would do a quick search on which schools offer merit scholarships.

 

[baltimoreman]

This guy's pages are an example of some schools to consider.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/johns-hopkins-v-nyu-with-full-coa-scholarship.1068913/
http://mdapplicants.com/profile.php?id=26818

 

[ProbablyAPenguin]

We seem to have similar stats (though I don't have a clinical research coordinator position), and I am also working on my school list.
You should probably look at Wash U and UVA
If I may ask, what schools do you consider your mid-tiers and/or safeties? I'm having a hard time viewing any school as a safety...

Hi all,

I'm new to this site by many standards, but I'd love some help editing my school list.

23 y/o white male
AZ resident
B.S., Chemistry (2013)
3.97 cGPA
3.94 sGPA
39 MCAT (14 PS, 11 VR, 14 BS)

Experience:
*2000 hours as clinical research coordinator - lots of time with physicians who conduct pharmaceutical/device research in their private practices, lots of patient contact. This is my current job - planning to continue until summer 2015

1500 hours as resident advisor - both in freshman dorms and junior/senior apartments

*1100 hours in undergraduate chemistry research - poster at one national and one regional conference, but no publications (was acknowledged in one paper). Received several institutional research grants/fellowships throughout undergraduate career (~$15000)

600 hours of leadership at homeless outreach nonprofit - coordinated relief for homeless outside of weekly meetings as well as directed other volunteers

60 hours of chemistry club leadership

40 hours in clinic on medical trip to foreign country - spent 3 weeks in low-income area of foreign country observing and assisting with ophthalmic and plastic surgeries. Also spent time in local school conducting health education programs

40 hours in low-cost clinic - volunteered with nursing staff and performed basic medical procedures under physician guidance

40 hours as physical chemistry lab teaching assistant

40 hours as general chemistry, physics, calculus tutor - was on chemistry department payroll for a while, switched to private tutoring

*Most significant. Still trying to decide the third most significant experience.

Schools (sorted somewhat geographically)
UCSD
UCI
USC
UCLA
Stanford
UCSF
UCD?
OHSU
UW? Not OOS-friendly, according to MSAR online. Removed from list (see below)
UA Phoenix
UA Tucson
Colorado
Mayo
Pritzker
Northwestern
Vanderbilt
UNC
Duke
Wake Forest
Cornell
NYU
Mount Sinai
Columbia
Tufts
Harvard

Two questions:
1) As a clinical research coordinator I have worked with 5 different PIs. Would I need a letter from each of them (for example, in my application to Harvard)? My gut says no because the work we do isn't really independent research - we follow protocols written by pharmaceutical companies.

2) Does my lack of shadowing hurt my application? I'm remembering as I write this that UW prefers (needs?) to see at least 40 hours of shadowing... so we can scratch that one out.


Please feel free to give me feedback on this list. Is it too top-heavy?
Also, please don't quote this post. Thanks!

 

[qwg]

We seem to have similar stats (though I don't have a clinical research coordinator position), and I am also working on my school list.
You should probably look at Wash U and UVA
If I may ask, what schools do you consider your mid-tiers and/or safeties? I'm having a hard time viewing any school as a safety...

Hello! I was actually browsing your thread yesterday and have been pondering the mid-tier/safety question. As of now, I don't think any school can really be considered a safety. baltimoreman's post above links to someone who was accepted at quite a few top-tiers (and offered scholarships). Here is the original "What are my chances?" post with some helpful info.

I'll look at Wash U and UVA now! Have you considered USC or UCSF?

 

[ProbablyAPenguin]

Hello! I was actually browsing your thread yesterday and have been pondering the mid-tier/safety question. As of now, I don't think any school can really be considered a safety. baltimoreman's post above links to someone who was accepted at quite a few top-tiers (and offered scholarships). Here is the original "What are my chances?" post with some helpful info.

I'll look at Wash U and UVA now! Have you considered USC or UCSF?

I have considered USC and USCF, but from what I can tell, they accept very few OOS (if this is wrong I might consider them) and I have absolutely no ties to california. Meanwhile, I have Family and S/O ties along the east coast. And I go to school in Texas (hence Baylor).

 

[TheRealKobeBryant]

Have you considered applying to washington university in st. louis?

 

[qwg]

Have you considered applying to washington university in st. louis?

Yes, per ProbablyAPenguin's recommendation. I will likely apply there, as well.