3rd time reapplicant help please :)

[aeina]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi beautiful community of SDN

I am going to a 3rd time applicant this upcoming cycle and I would LOVE some advice as to what I can improve so that my apps are more solid this year. A little bit about myself

top/mid tier UC undergrad (3.75) and same UC school Grad (3.96) with a research/thesis based degree- majored in chemistry (BS and MS). Graduated from undergrad in 2015 and grad in 2017.
MCAT 512 with a 124 CARS subscore on second attempt. Founded a Honors Greek organization on campus and have been part of it for about 5 years while holding various leadership positions. Worked multiple part time jobs including tutoring, orientation leader and various student assistants. Changed my career path to medicine from pharmacy last year of college. Was a TA and grad student for 2 years.

First year- I was naïve. I applied late with no clinical experience so definitely blaming myself there. No interviews. Attempted high tier schools thinking I would get in (I learned my lesson haha) and applied to 30 schools.

Second time- I started scribing the May before the cycle started. Submitted first day. Applied to a wide range of schools- reach schools were UCLA/Dartmouth and every other school's matriculate stats are around my MCAT/GPA or lower. Throughout my apps cycle, I have been tutoring HS students and working as chemistry instructor at a vocational school (nurses, dental hygiene assistants and etc.) while working as a medical scribe (30 hour a week). In the interim, I was also published but was a bit too late in the cycle (early Feb). Had one interview (CCOM) but got rejected 🙁.

LOR: I had 3 professor letters and added an MD letter in early September (4 total). I think 3/4 of the four are strong and the last one is a bit more generic (organic chem professor, probably had too many letters to write so she used a template).

Any input is sooo appreciated!!! I would love to get in contact with someone who can provide me with some pointer. I really want to go to medical school and I guess I hope third time is the charm?

Thank you all!

 

[aeina]

To Supplement: ORM, California resident

 

[SpoiledMilk]

You might not like to hear this, but I suggest that you wait a year to reapply a 3rd time. You correctly identified your lack of clinical experience as the major hole during your first app. This was not rectified in your 2nd app. While working as a medical scribe does count as clinical experience, there needs to be more than that. I'm thinking about volunteering for hospice, ER, as a NICU cuddler, etc.

I feel that if you reapply again so quickly without significant improvement, you will lose the time, $$, and be a 4th time applicant. There is no rush, medical schools will be there. So take a year to shore up your clinical volunteering, rewrite your PS, activities, work on your interviewing skills, and see if you can get another strong LOR and dump the generic one.

The 124 CARs will not hinder you from getting into a school (MD or DO) because the subsection is given the most leniency. As long as your MCAT is not in danger of expiring, take an extra year and apply when you have the holes plugged.

GL!!!

 

[aeina]

You might not like to hear this, but I suggest that you wait a year to reapply a 3rd time. You correctly identified your lack of clinical experience as the major hole during your first app. This was not rectified in your 2nd app. While working as a medical scribe does count as clinical experience, there needs to be more than that. I'm thinking about volunteering for hospice, ER, as a NICU cuddler, etc.

I feel that if you reapply again so quickly without significant improvement, you will lose on on time, $$, and be a 4th time applicant. There is no rush, medical schools will be there. So take a year to shore up your clinical volunteering, rewrite your PS, activities, work on your interviewing skills, and see if you can get another strong LOR and dump the generic one.

The 124 CARs will not hinder you from getting into a school (MD or DO) because the subsection is given the most leniency. As long as your MCAT is not in danger of expiring, take an extra year and apply when you have the holes plugged.

GL!!!

Thank you so much! I really appreciate the feedback. Currently, I have approximately 800-900 hours of scribing under my belt and started volunteering at a hospice (about 30 hours so far). I will have 3 new LOR from 3 physicians I am working with and they have all agreed to write me a good letter.

Definitely appreciate your feedback!!

 

[kristysmiles]

I would call the admissions office of schools that have denied you in the past and ask if they will give you an idea where your application is lacking. Your stats look good on the surface, so I imagine it might be some of your letters not being as positive as you think or not having enough substance in your essays/personal statement. Ensure these aren't generic, and have someone with experience read them over. Also weigh whether a competitive school is more important to you then going to medical school. You can always apply to less competitive schools or apply DO.

When I did my applications a lot of the questions had to do with how I would contribute to the diversity of the school. So that's also something to consider.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

Unless the schools require a LOR from a doctor (DOs might require one), physician LORs are not given much weight by Adcoms. I suggest getting a strong LOR from another professor or a PI or a volunteering supervisor.

Be sure to get about 250+ of hospice hours or cumulative clinical volunteering hours in before your next app. Your hurdle is being a 3X applicant, so getting standout hours are important.

 

[KEPT]

Wow you didn't get in anywhere with your stats? Reading this is making me lose hope lol

 

[Faha]

Which schools did you apply to this cycle?

 

[aeina]

Which schools did you apply to this cycle?

Hi Faha,

There's my school list 🙂 Thank you!

Albany Medical College
California Northstate University College of Medicine
Chicago Rosalind Franklin
Emory
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
George Washington School of Medicine
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Mayo Clinic School of Medicine (arizona and minnesota)
MCW
New York Medical College
Oakland University Wiliam Beaumont School of Med
Rush Medical College of Rush University
Saint Louis University School of Medicine
State University of New York Downstate Medical Center
Stonybrook
Tufts University School of Medicine
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UCLA Geffen
UC Riverside
University of Illinois College of Medicine
USC
Wayne State
Western Michigan Univeristy Homer Stryker MD
Howard Univerisity of Medicine
Tulane University
University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine
University of Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
University of Iowa Roy J and Lucille Caver
Case Western

 

[Faha]

I am surprised that you did not receive any MD interviews from that list. The next time you apply include at least 8 DO schools and you are competitive for all DO schools. For MD schools I suggest these:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
New York Medical College
Hofstra
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
George Washington
West Virginia
Eastern Virginia
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Creighton
Loma Linda
Seton Hall
NOVA MD
California University
any new schools that may open for 2019 (Kaiser, Roseman)

 

[BuckStrickland]

I would agree with the poster above that, if you insist on only doing MD, to take another year before applying your third time. This might be the last time for many of the schools as they often have rules against third time reapplicants. From what I understand, the fact that you are a triple applicant may itself be a redflag and you have to make sure that you have something very, very substantial to explain to ADCOMs why you think you were rejected and how you rectified the weakness in the app.

If you don't have a lot of service/voluteering I would recommend considering a year in an Americorps position. You could even leave California to go somewhere across the country if you find something interesting. It is something that could really round out your application as you have the stats and the clinical experience. Of course, it depends on your financial situation, but most programs pay a stipend, and I think if it is your last try it may be worth trying.

 

[calivianya]

Was this last app cycle the current cycle?

I wanted to point out that California University is still accepting primary applications - they just opened for applications in AMCAS in late February. Might be worth a shot to throw an app their way.

 

[aeina]

Was this last app cycle the current cycle?

I wanted to point out that California University is still accepting primary applications - they just opened for applications in AMCAS in late February. Might be worth a shot to throw an app their way.

This is the current cycle. I tossed my app in and got an interview! Will be attending if I get in so fingers crossed. Thank you!

 

[Goro]

Here is a more realistic list:
Duke (maybe)
U Cincy (maybe)
U VM
Pitt
Mayo
Miami
St. Louis
Albany
Albert Einstein
Rochester
Rush
Rosy Franklin
BU
MCW
Hofstra
NYMC
VCU
EVMS
Wake Forest
Jefferson
Temple
Drexel
Creighton
George Washington
Georgetown
Emory
Tufts
USC/Keck
Tulane
Dartmouth
Loyola
Netter
Oakland-B
Nova MD
Cali U Med
UCD
UCI
UCR IF you're from the Inland Empire
UCLA
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Any DO school. I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova or LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM is suspect given the details of the Larry Nassar case.

Get into non-volunteer hours in service to others less fortunate than yourself
Rewrite all essays
Work on interview skills
You may have a lethal LOR
Shadow a DO
Get LOR from same
Try to get feedback on your rejections

 

[Magus5454]

This is the current cycle. I tossed my app in and got an interview! Will be attending if I get in so fingers crossed. Thank you!

Good luck! I scratched up an II there too somehow.

If not, you have an excellent school list to pursue

 

[ROSC]

Take an EMT course and work Part Time as an EMT-Basic. Worked for one of the guys in my EMT course he was a med school re applicant, was accepted following cycle.