MD 518, 3.74 CA ORM School list

[Bearhug29]

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Hi everyone, already posted on reddit, just hoping for some more voices and insight as to what schools to add/drop from my list, as well as what my chances are for acceptance.

GPA: 3.74/3.7

MCAT: 506 (126/125/127/128) in 2024-> 518 (129/129/128/132) 2025

White, ORM, CA resident, current 4th year

T40 Undergrad

Paid Clinical (~1000hrs): 500 hours as a scribe in a pediatric clinic, 500 hours as a medical assistant in an ophthalmology clinic.

Research (~1200 hrs): 3 years during undergrad cancer research lab, led to a best presentation award at the undergrad research symposium this year(1100 hrs). Also participated in a research project focused around pediatrics through a local medical school (50 hrs), and through the ophthalmology MA position, got to present an abstract that I worked on at a national conference for a medical journal (20 hrs).

Shadowing (~120 hrs): Family practice pediatrician (50hrs), ER physician (60 hrs), OMF surgeon (6 hrs), Ortho surgeon (3 hrs)

Volunteering (500hrs)

Clinical (~300 hrs by time of application), one job in a nursing unit assisting the nursing staff with basic duties that volunteers are allowed to do (cleaning patients, changing beds, restocking, helping lift people, etc) and the other job as a hospital volunteer in charge of checking on lonely patients and keeping them company, as well as getting anything they might need.

Nonclinical (~210 hrs by time of application), one job as a football coach to local kids team (130hrs), and the rest of the hours through habitat for humanity (90 hrs). I'm super passionate about these two will be able to talk very eloquently about them.

Leadership (500hrs): Very niche TA job (want to preserve anonymity), very impactful and hands-on (200hrs), Peer physics/writing tutor, 300hrs)

My goal is to pursue pediatrics, and I think I have the experiences to back that up, so any schools that are into primary care are definitely going into consideration.

My school list is as follows:

Einstein

Case Western

Rosalind Franklin

Drexel

Emory

Gtown

Temple

NYMC

Ohio State

Penn State

Stanford (why not)

University of Arizona, Phoenix

All UCs except Riverside (Including UCSF because also why not)

UColorado

UMassachusetts

UMiami

UMichigan

UPitt

Wayne state

Virginia Tech

SLU



Thank you all so much!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

Keep in mind that many schools will average your MCAT scores for screening purposes. That said, your +10 will help you significantly.

What won't help you is your lack of service orientation hours. You only have 90 hours through H4H. You must have 150 hours when you submit your application to avoid getting screened out at most schools unless you have a very strong purpose that aligns with a program's mission. Coaching football is a great activity, but it doesn't put you in a position where you address your community's social needs (food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, legal support, transportation services, housing rehabilitation [which you have]). If you intend to play in the high-metrics applicant pool for brand-name schools, you should have at least 250 hours when you submit to keep up with your peers.

I appreciate that you want to pursue pediatrics, but every medical school should give you that opportunity. What is your purpose as a pediatrician, and how will each school on your list develop the skills you need to reach the next level?

 

[Bearhug29]

Welcome to the forums.

Keep in mind that many schools will average your MCAT scores for screening purposes. That said, your +10 will help you significantly.

What won't help you is your lack of service orientation hours. You only have 90 hours through H4H. You must have 150 hours when you submit your application to avoid getting screened out at most schools unless you have a very strong purpose that aligns with a program's mission. Coaching football is a great activity, but it doesn't put you in a position where you address your community's social needs (food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, legal support, transportation services, housing rehabilitation [which you have]). If you intend to play in the high-metrics applicant pool for brand-name schools, you should have at least 250 hours when you submit to keep up with your peers.

I appreciate that you want to pursue pediatrics, but every medical school should give you that opportunity. What is your purpose as a pediatrician, and how will each school on your list develop the skills you need to reach the next level?

Thank you so much for your detailed response, are you recommending I wait another year before applying? I guess I misunderstood what non-clinical volunteering was. This might sound naive, but this is a big shock to me.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thank you so much for your detailed response, are you recommending I wait another year before applying? I guess I misunderstood what non-clinical volunteering was. This might sound naive, but this is a big shock to me.

I'm giving you my assessment based on your WAMC profile and general patterns. Your actual application may have more information that you haven't disclosed here. Your real chances (IMO) depend on your mission fit with specific schools on your school list.

I said "service orientation activities". That's separate from but potentially overlapping with "non-clinical volunteering."

I would agree Stanford and UCSF should not be included unless you show specific mission fit. (That's the why to answer "why not.") You could become a pediatrician without the insane debt you'd rack up at Stanford.

 

[Bearhug29]

I'm giving you my assessment based on your WAMC profile and general patterns. Your actual application may have more information that you haven't disclosed here. Your real chances (IMO) depend on your mission fit with specific schools on your school list.

I said "service orientation activities". That's separate from but potentially overlapping with "non-clinical volunteering."

I would agree Stanford and UCSF should not be included unless you show specific mission fit. (That's the why to answer "why not.") You could become a pediatrician without the insane debt you'd rack up at Stanford.

Thank you!

 

[Faha]

You should accumulate another 60+ hours at Habitat for Humanity (or homeless shelter or food bank) before you submit your application. Some schools screen at 150 hours. You list is too top heavy. I suggest these schools with your stats:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
UMass
Rochester
Albany
New York Medical College
Hofstra
Hackensack
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
Pittsburgh
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
USF Morsani
Miami
TCU
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Iowa
Colorado
Arizona (Phoenix)
California University
Kaiser
USC Keck
The UCs (except Riverside unless you are from that region)