508 MCAT and 3.6 GPA

[applesauce_]

Looking for advice on what schools I have a good chance of getting into! I know I have a good shot at DO, but I wanted to see if y'all think I have a fair shot at MD as well

School: UCLA
Gender: female
Ethnicity: AA
Major: psychobiology
cGPA: 3.58 (upward trend, dean's honor's list the past year)
sGPA: 3.58 (upward trend)
MCAT: 508 (129/128/125/126) hoping bio doesn't hurt my chances too much 🙁

Research: 2 1/2 years of research (Ucla orthodontics department, CHLA radiology department, UCLA liver transplant department) + in the process of 2 publications and 1 abstract

Shadowing: 700+ hrs in internal medicine, vascular surgery, liver transplant, pediatric neurosurgery

Volunteering:
-100+ hrs camp counselor for Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times
- 50+ hrs volunteering in a medical clinic in Peru
- 4 years teaching 3rd-5th grade Sunday school

Leadership/EC’s:
- founded and president of medical community service org
- AHA CPR instructor
- Learning Assistant for a physics course @ UCLA (basically a TA without all the grading)
- TA for Physiology course
- leadership positions in 2 other medical orgs (one is public health related, the other is a medical service trip org)
- Secretary of Christian org (2 years)

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[TakotsuboOkazaki]

Here’s my $1.00/50:

- Your GPA is the least of your issues here.
- The 125 in Bio certainly will raise some eyebrows, especially considering your major is, in part, biology based.
- You don’t have very many clinical hours, though the 4yrs of sunday school should be plenty of general service hours.
- Your christian background may help at some MD schools where such values are reflected in their mission statement.
- Your research seems awesome.
- You have sufficient shadowing for sure.

As always, make use of the MSAR and apply early as well as broadly.

So, do you have a fair shot? I’d say yes.

Best of luck!

 

[applesauce_]

Here’s my $1.00/50:

- Your GPA is the least of your issues here.
- The 125 in Bio certainly will raise some eyebrows, especially considering your major is, in part, biology based.
- You don’t have very many clinical hours, though the 4yrs of sunday school should be plenty of general service hours.
- Your christian background may help at some MD schools where such values are reflected in their mission statement.
- Your research seems awesome.
- You have sufficient shadowing for sure.

As always, make use of the MSAR and apply early as well as broadly.

So, do you have a fair shot? I’d say yes.

Best of luck!

Hello! Thank you so much for all the advice! What would you say are some good examples of clinical volunteering? I am currently in charge of recruitment for one clinical research study, so I interact w/ patients and parents. I've also worked at a vascular surgeon's private practice for the past 2 summers, so I've had plenty of experience in terms of patient interaction and pre-op set up/post-op clean up. Are these clinical hours? Thanks!

and in terms of the 125, I heard that my A's in bio classes MIGHT help? not sure if that's true though 🙁

 

[TakotsuboOkazaki]

Hello! Thank you so much for all the advice! What would you say are some good examples of clinical volunteering? I am currently in charge of recruitment for one clinical research study, so I interact w/ patients and parents. I've also worked at a vascular surgeon's private practice for the past 2 summers, so I've had plenty of experience in terms of patient interaction and pre-op set up/post-op clean up. Are these clinical hours? Thanks!

and in terms of the 125, I heard that my A's in bio classes MIGHT help? not sure if that's true though 🙁

I read once that “if you are close enough to smell the patients, then it’s a clinical experience”. As long as you have an activity that exposes you to patients on a regular basis that you have been doing for 1+ years you should be ok in that regard. Again, I am not an expert. I am not even a med student yet! I am, however, fresh off of the app cycle...for what that is worth.

As for the 125, I think that high grades in upper level Bio classes will speak to your ability. In the context of your other subsection scores, 125 is not much lower. It would look worse if you scored 130/129/125/131 for sure.

The best you can do is apply smart and be prepared to defend any weaknesses come interview time!

 

[Faha]

I suggest all these schools with your stats:
Howard
Meharry
Morehouse
UCLA-Drew
California University (new school)
Loma Linda
Tufts
Quinnipiac
New York Medical College
Einstein
Drexel
Jefferson
Temple
George Washington
Georgetown
NOVA MD
Oakland Beaumont
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
St. Louis
Creighton
Tulane
If you are a CA resident apply to the UC's also