505 MCAT/ 3.77 GPA A refugee trying to make it into Medical School

[MoMo_FaFa]

Hello you guys!
I really appreciate this forum a lot, it has helped me throughout my pre-medical career as an undergraduate studying biology. Today, I'm starting my application and trying to understand where I stand and what I should focus on. As mentioned in my title, my academic stats are as followed:
MCAT = 128 C/P , 126 B/B , 126 CARS , 125 P/S
GPA = 3.77c 3.65 sci.

Extracurricular activities:
150 hours of direct patient volunteer done over 3 moths at a hospital near where I live
2 years president of the University Union
Teaching Assistant for a semester for Genetics
Research Assistant for over a year, with a paper published as part of the research
Red Cross volunteer for over a year, participated in reaching out and recruiting
Caregiver for my disabled parents for over 3 years : NOT SURE IF I SHOULD MENTION THAT. Any thoughts??

I have a unique experience, and I think I can write a strong personal statement; since really that experience is what pushed me to pursue a medical career. I came to the United States as a refugee in 2009 with my family. My father escaped the brutality of Saddam Hussein who killed his brother, under religious discrimination. In Lebanon, I experienced the 2006 war and that experience shaped the person I'm today. I saw the brutality of war, and vowed since then to be a force for life against the killing machine of war and politics. After the Second Lebanon War, we applied to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and were accepted as refugees to the United States. Since then, I have been challenging myself academically and at the individual level. The language barrier played a huge part in my struggle in the United States, and it took me a long time to achieve a satisfactory level.

https://www.google.com/search?q=IOM...KHTqABB8Q_B0wKnoECAYQEA#imgrc=FPDZvhinwwkX4M:

I'm planning to apply mainly to DOs and 1 MD in my state:
UNECOM (D.O)
NYITCOM (D.O)
Rowan Osteopathic School (D.O)

UMass Medical School (M.D)


I would appreciate any thought and advises. I think I understand my weaknesses which is the MCAT and less clinical hours than others, but would love to know more about where I stand in my application and long dream of becoming a physician. Thank you guys ahead of time, you are awesome!

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[Osminog]

Do you have any shadowing experience? How old are you, approximately? Are you Christian? Do you have strong geographic preferences?

 

[MoMo_FaFa]

Do you have any shadowing experience? How old are you, approximately? Are you Christian? Do you have strong geographic preferences?

I have no shadowing experiences, but I intend on getting this done before submitting my application. I'm 22 years old, and I'm a Muslim. However, I'm a Muslim Shia (my dad was prosecuted for being a devout Shia in Iraq under Saddam). I lived most of my childhood in Refugee neighborhoods, similar to camps. I would prefer going in the Northeast yes. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Goro]

Hello you guys!
I really appreciate this forum a lot, it has helped me throughout my pre-medical career as an undergraduate studying biology. Today, I'm starting my application and trying to understand where I stand and what I should focus on. As mentioned in my title, my academic stats are as followed:
MCAT = 128 C/P , 126 B/B , 126 CARS , 125 P/S
GPA = 3.77c 3.65 sci.

Extracurricular activities:
150 hours of direct patient volunteer done over 3 moths at a hospital near where I live
2 years president of the University Union
Teaching Assistant for a semester for Genetics
Research Assistant for over a year, with a paper published as part of the research
Red Cross volunteer for over a year, participated in reaching out and recruiting
Caregiver for my disabled parents for over 3 years : NOT SURE IF I SHOULD MENTION THAT. Any thoughts??

I have a unique experience, and I think I can write a strong personal statement; since really that experience is what pushed me to pursue a medical career. I came to the United States as a refugee in 2009 with my family. My father escaped the brutality of Saddam Hussein who killed his brother, under religious discrimination. In Lebanon, I experienced the 2006 war and that experience shaped the person I'm today. I saw the brutality of war, and vowed since then to be a force for life against the killing machine of war and politics. After the Second Lebanon War, we applied to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and were accepted as refugees to the United States. Since then, I have been challenging myself academically and at the individual level. The language barrier played a huge part in my struggle in the United States, and it took me a long time to achieve a satisfactory level.

IOM - Google Search:

I'm planning to apply mainly to DOs and 1 MD in my state:
UNECOM (D.O)
NYITCOM (D.O)
Rowan Osteopathic School (D.O)

UMass Medical School (M.D)


I would appreciate any thought and advises. I think I understand my weaknesses which is the MCAT and less clinical hours than others, but would love to know more about where I stand in my application and long dream of becoming a physician. Thank you guys ahead of time, you are awesome!

You're fine for any DO school, including mine, and even these MD schools:
Oakland U Beaumont
Gtown
EVMS
Rush
SLU (maybe)
MCW
Loyola
MCW
Rosy Franklin
Seton Hall
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
WVU if from the Appalachians
Your state school(s).

I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, Wm Carey, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide. LMU has an accreditation warning, which concerns me.

 

[Osminog]

I have no shadowing experiences, but I intend on getting this done before submitting my application. I'm 22 years old, and I'm a Muslim. However, I'm a Muslim Shia (my dad was prosecuted for being a devout Shia in Iraq under Saddam). I lived most of my childhood in Refugee neighborhoods, similar to camps. I would prefer going in the Northeast yes. Thanks for the reply!

In addition to UMass, apply to up to 20 low-tier MD programs (suggestions: Quinnipiac, Albany, NYMC, Drexel, Temple, Jefferson, Downstate, GW, Seton Hall, Georgetown, VCU, Western Michigan, Oakland Beaumont, MCW, Loyola, Rosalind Franklin, SLU, Creighton, Toledo, Commonwealth, West Virginia). Consider applying to a few "reach" schools, as well.

Apply to 5-6 DO programs of your choice. Perhaps: NYITCOM, Rowan, UNECOM, LECOM-Erie, PCOM-PA, Touro-NY (with Middletown preference).

Make sure you get shadowing experience (preferably in multiple fields) and list it on your application.

Also, make sure to have several well-educated native speakers proofread and edit your essays. In your essays, show a clear, convincing connection between your childhood/early adolescent experiences and a desire to pursue medicine; after all, being a refugee who fled a war-torn country doesn't, on its own, serve as proof of a passion for medicine.

Lastly, to answer the question you posed in the OP: do not include taking care of your disabled parents as an EC. You could maybe slip it into some of your essays, especially ones asking about adversity.

Best of luck!

 

[Faha]

Are you a Massachusetts resident or a New Jersey resident ?

 

[MoMo_FaFa]

You're fine for any DO school, including mine, and even these MD schools:
Oakland U Beaumont
Gtown
EVMS
Rush
SLU (maybe)
MCW
Loyola
MCW
Rosy Franklin
Seton Hall
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
WVU if from the Appalachians
Your state school(s).

I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, Wm Carey, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide. LMU has an accreditation warning, which concerns me.

Thanks for the reply! I will add the list of schools to my application. I definitely would avoid MSUCOM.

 

[MoMo_FaFa]

Are you a Massachusetts resident or a New Jersey resident ?

Yes. I'm a Massachusetts resident.

 

[MoMo_FaFa]

In addition to UMass, apply to up to 20 low-tier MD programs (suggestions: Quinnipiac, Albany, NYMC, Drexel, Temple, Jefferson, Downstate, GW, Seton Hall, Georgetown, VCU, Western Michigan, Oakland Beaumont, MCW, Loyola, Rosalind Franklin, SLU, Creighton, Toledo, Commonwealth, West Virginia). Consider applying to a few "reach" schools, as well.

Apply to 5-6 DO programs of your choice. Perhaps: NYITCOM, Rowan, UNECOM, LECOM-Erie, PCOM-PA, Touro-NY (with Middletown preference).

Make sure you get shadowing experience (preferably in multiple fields) and list it on your application.

Also, make sure to have several well-educated native speakers proofread and edit your essays. In your essays, show a clear, convincing connection between your childhood/early adolescent experiences and a desire to pursue medicine; after all, being a refugee who fled a war-torn country doesn't, on its own, serve as proof of a passion for medicine.

Lastly, to answer the question you posed in the OP: do not include taking care of your disabled parents as an EC. You could maybe slip it into some of your essays, especially ones asking about adversity.

Best of luck!

I will try to get the shadowing experiences needed, its just hard to get in touch with DOs or MDs that would be willing to accept me as a shadow.Thanks!

 

[Faha]

I suggest these MD schools with your stats:
UMass
Tufts
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Albany
New York Medical College
Seton Hall
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
Georgetown
NOVA MD
Oakland Beaumont
Medical College Wisconsin
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Creighton
Also add a few more DO schools such as
MU-COM
CCOM
LECOM (all schools)
UIWSOM
VCOM (all 3 schools)
ATSU-SOMA
AZCOM

 

[Goro]

Add PCOM to Faha's list

 

[DrStephenStrange]

I would avoid CCOM. Tuition is outrageously high. Not worth it in my opinion. I would replace it with DMU and KCU instead.
Edit: I would also add CUSOM