507 MCAT, 3.7 GPA, African American

[ethiopia36]

Hi all,

This is my first post so bear with me! I scored a 507 on my MCAT, but only studied for 4 weeks and believe I can do better but not in time for the next application cycle. I have a 3.78 GPA with a double major in Math and Neuroscience and have opted to take a good number my classes at the graduate level. I have worked as a research engineer for a medial device company for two summers + one year working remotely part-time. I am a female and African America and also a scholarship Division I athlete. Given my current MCAT score and background, what tier of medical schools should I be applying to? Thank you so much for your help 🙂

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[Frogger27]

Hi all,

This is my first post so bear with me! I scored a 507 on my MCAT, but only studied for 4 weeks and believe I can do better but not in time for the next application cycle. I have a 3.78 GPA with a double major in Math and Neuroscience and have opted to take a good number my classes at the graduate level. I have worked as a research engineer for a medial device company for two summers + one year working remotely part-time. I am a female and African America and also a scholarship Division I athlete. Given my current MCAT score and background, what tier of medical schools should I be applying to? Thank you so much for your help 🙂

Hello and welcome to SDN! Depending on what your goals are, you do not need to retake that MCAT score to get into an MD school. I would say that you should apply to a wide tier of schools, but mainly aim for middle tiered schools with some low tier and top schools mixed in. With your background as an African American female (we desperately need more great AA doctors) and division I athlete, you will have plenty of schools to choose from!

I recommend adding what State you are from and a school list you have came up with. After that, we will be able to give you advice on what schools to add/remove

 

[FCMike11]

Any hours involving any sort of patient care/interaction?

 

[ethiopia36]

Thank you so much for your responses!!

I have about 580 clinical hours from shadowing in a Spinal Cord Rehabilitation hospital, working on clinical studies with the medical device company, and observing neurosurgeries. I also forgot to mention that I have filed two patent applications for medical devices during my time in research and am considering applying to MD/PhD programs as well as MD programs.

I have residency in Washington and, therefore, UW SOM is my top choice at the moment. I am also looking at a bunch of schools from dream schools to more attainable schools as follows:

Alabama School of Medicine
Albert Einstine College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine
Brody School of Medicine
Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons
CWRU School of Medicine
David Geffen School of Medicine
Duke School of Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine
Georgetown School of Medicine
Harvard School of Medicine
Kreck School of Medicine
Perelman School of Medicine
Stanord School of Medicine
Tufts
UC Davis School of Medicine
UC Irvine School of Medicine
UC San Diego School of Medicine
UMASS School of Medicine
UNC School of Medicine
University of Florida College of Medicine
University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
UNM School of Medicine
UW School of Medicine
Vanderbilt School of Medicine
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Warren Alpert Medical School
Weill Cornell Medical College
Yale School of Medicine

 

[deev04]

What's the breakdown on those 580 hours? Are they all shadowing?

Retaking a 507 is almost never a good idea. 502 is the average MCAT for black matriculants. 3.78/507/AA puts your chances of admission at 86.6% according to AAMC MCAT/GPA Grid for Black Applicants and Acceptees (with a 507~29).

 

[ethiopia36]

What's the breakdown on those 580 hours? Are they all shadowing?

Retaking a 507 is almost never a good idea. 502 is the average MCAT for black matriculants. 3.78/507/AA puts your chances of admission at 86.6% according to AAMC MCAT/GPA Grid for Black Applicants and Acceptees (with a 507~29).

About 480 of those hours were shadowing/writing orders in a Spinal Rehab hospital, the other 100 hours were consenting patients and performing clinical studies as well as observing surgeries.

Thank you so much for your help!

 

[deev04]

am considering applying to MD/PhD programs as well as MD programs

missed this part. MCAT will likely be a hindrance to MD/PhD admissions as MCAT avgs for these programs are sky high. How much research do you have though? Having the equivalent of at least 2 years full time research (either 4 years part time during school, or some combination of part time during school+summers+full-time postbac work) is pretty much necessary. MD/PhD programs are no joke and require a certain type of crazy, so programs need to know you have some idea of what you're jumping into. Md/PhD programs aren't for people who are interested in research and certainly aren't for people who want to explore their interest in research. Most people going this route envision an 80/20 research/clinical split or a 100% research career.

Being a physician-scientist is really, really hard and very different from being a clinician. Almost all academic MDs are interested in research and do research in addition to their clinical duties without going the full-on physician-scientist route, so an interest in research does not mean you should be (or have to be) considering the MD-PhD route.

 

[deev04]

About 480 of those hours were shadowing/writing orders in a Spinal Rehab hospital, the other 100 hours were consenting patients and performing clinical studies as well as observing surgeries.

Slightly confused about the writing orders part since shadowing typically involves just shadowing the physician, but I'd stop shadowing and try to find a volunteer opportunity. Do you have any volunteer hours? 480+ shadowing hours is very high. I think your application will be fine (see: 86.6% chance of success), but my sense is that having too many shadowing hours, particularly if it's to the detriment of other activities, can sometimes work against people. Shadowing is important but ad coms are only looking to see that you've checked that box. Past a certain point they may start to wonder why you are still shadowing when you could be doing other more interesting things (e.g. research, hobbies, other ECs) or altruistic activities (e.g. volunteering). Volunteering is probably more valued than shadowing, so you should probably try to get something going now (and can put down anticipated hours on AMCAS).

 

[jcorpsmanMD]

Being a D1 athletes + everything she's done I doubt she's had much time to volunteer. Personally I logged less than 150 hours of "volunteering" but I still had a good application cycle. Volunteering is very crucial for most people but in situations like hers I don't think it will be seen as detrimental her not having much at all. Good luck OP.

 

[ethiopia36]

Slightly confused about the writing orders part since shadowing typically involves just shadowing the physician, but I'd stop shadowing and try to find a volunteer opportunity. Do you have any volunteer hours? 480+ shadowing hours is very high. I think your application will be fine (see: 86.6% chance of success), but my sense is that having too many shadowing hours, particularly if it's to the detriment of other activities, can sometimes work against people. Shadowing is important but ad coms are only looking to see that you've checked that box. Past a certain point they may start to wonder why you are still shadowing when you could be doing other more interesting things (e.g. research, hobbies, other ECs) or altruistic activities (e.g. volunteering). Volunteering is probably more valued than shadowing, so you should probably try to get something going now (and can put down anticipated hours on AMCAS).

Thank you for your response! Those 480 hours were spent as an unpaid intern where I helped the physician write orders and took patient histories each morning before the physician came to the hospital. I gave my suggestions and helped expedite the process. Of course I was not an expert so I was learning during this time as well so I'm not sure if you would characterize that as volunteering or shadowing 🙂

 

[ethiopia36]

Being a D1 athletes + everything she's done I doubt she's had much time to volunteer. Personally I logged less than 150 hours of "volunteering" but I still had a good application cycle. Volunteering is very crucial for most people but in situations like hers I don't think it will be seen as detrimental her not having much at all. Good luck OP.

Thank you so much, I appreciate it!!

 

[ethiopia36]

Hello and welcome to SDN! Depending on what your goals are, you do not need to retake that MCAT score to get into an MD school. I would say that you should apply to a wide tier of schools, but mainly aim for middle tiered schools with some low tier and top schools mixed in. With your background as an African American female (we desperately need more great AA doctors) and division I athlete, you will have plenty of schools to choose from!

I recommend adding what State you are from and a school list you have came up with. After that, we will be able to give you advice on what schools to add/remove

Thank you so much for your response!!

I have about 580 clinical hours from shadowing in a Spinal Cord Rehabilitation hospital, working on clinical studies with the medical device company, and observing neurosurgeries. I also forgot to mention that I have filed two patent applications for medical devices during my time in research and am considering applying to MD/PhD programs as well as MD programs.

I have residency in Washington and, therefore, UW SOM is my top choice at the moment. I am also looking at a bunch of schools from dream schools to more attainable schools as follows:

Alabama School of Medicine
Albert Einstine College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine
Brody School of Medicine
Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons
CWRU School of Medicine
David Geffen School of Medicine
Duke School of Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine
Georgetown School of Medicine
Harvard School of Medicine
Kreck School of Medicine
Perelman School of Medicine
Stanord School of Medicine
Tufts
UC Davis School of Medicine
UC Irvine School of Medicine
UC San Diego School of Medicine
UMASS School of Medicine
UNC School of Medicine
University of Florida College of Medicine
University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
UNM School of Medicine
UW School of Medicine
Vanderbilt School of Medicine
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Warren Alpert Medical School
Weill Cornell Medical College
Yale School of Medicine

 

[Faha]

Some of the schools on your list accept few non residents such as Alabama, Brody, UC Davis, UC Irvine, U Florida, UNM and UMass. Consider adding schools such as
Howard
Morehouse
Meharry
GW
St. Louis
Tulane
Boston University
Miami

 

[ethiopia36]

Some of the schools on your list accept few non residents such as Alabama, Brody, UC Davis, UC Irvine, U Florida, UNM and UMass. Consider adding schools such as
Howard
Morehouse
Meharry
GW
St. Louis
Tulane
Boston University
Miami

I had no idea, thank you so much!

 

[nonamesleft]

to MD/PhD programs as well

If you're unsure about committing to the full MD/PhD, and are interested in doing research as part of a clinical career, there are several programs that really cater to this:
Duke
CCLCM
HST
Stanford
(and probably others..)

Some schools also have honors programs, where you do research during the 4 years of med school, and you get a special designation on your diploma.

 

[precisiongraphic]

Don't count the 480 hours as "shadowing". I think that's more of an unpaid scribe or research assistant position. You might ask the physician how they would categorize that work.

Good luck with the UW application.

Thank you for your response! Those 480 hours were spent as an unpaid intern where I helped the physician write orders and took patient histories each morning before the physician came to the hospital. I gave my suggestions and helped expedite the process. Of course I was not an expert so I was learning during this time as well so I'm not sure if you would characterize that as volunteering or shadowing 🙂

 

[Dr. Stalker]

Thank you so much for your responses!!

I have about 580 clinical hours from shadowing in a Spinal Cord Rehabilitation hospital, working on clinical studies with the medical device company, and observing neurosurgeries. I also forgot to mention that I have filed two patent applications for medical devices during my time in research and am considering applying to MD/PhD programs as well as MD programs.

I have residency in Washington and, therefore, UW SOM is my top choice at the moment. I am also looking at a bunch of schools from dream schools to more attainable schools as follows:

Alabama School of Medicine
Albert Einstine College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine
Brody School of Medicine
Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons
CWRU School of Medicine
David Geffen School of Medicine
Duke School of Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine
Georgetown School of Medicine
Harvard School of Medicine
Kreck School of Medicine
Perelman School of Medicine
Stanord School of Medicine
Tufts
UC Davis School of Medicine
UC Irvine School of Medicine
UC San Diego School of Medicine
UMASS School of Medicine
UNC School of Medicine
University of Florida College of Medicine
University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
UNM School of Medicine
UW School of Medicine
Vanderbilt School of Medicine
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Warren Alpert Medical School
Weill Cornell Medical College
Yale School of Medicine

Add: NYU, Mt. Sinai, Hofstra, University of Rochester, and Stony Brook.