518 3.8 GPA WAMC and Where should i apply?

[cheyenne123]

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MCAT: 518 (128/129/131/130)

GPA: 3.8
sGPA: 3.75

Demographics: white female ORM, middle-upper SES

Major: Molecular and cellular biology major, graduated in May Graduated w High research distinction, Dean's list most semesters

Studied abroad: at prestigious institution in Sweden. took a master's biochem course and worked a few months full time in a famous (in its field) lab


Research: 2.5 years research experience,
4 months in lab abroad (500 hours in this lab), Project on multiple toxins effect on adipose tissue
Rest of time in lab at home institution (2500 hours), Work in bile acid lab
1 paper in preparation (3rd author) Multiple posters, including a public health presentation and posters on my work in my 2 labs, has been an author on a total of 5 posters presented around the world.

Volunteering: 200 hours w Habitat for humanity, small leadership positions in habitat and went on multiple trips over breaks
100 hours hospital volunteering
Currently doing a twice weekly volunteering gig at a literacy and math tutoring project for adults, expecting 200 from this by the time I apply

Shadowing: 50 hours shadowing OBGYN (I know this is a little low, but I have clinical exp. through my job now, so I'm not that concerned about it but let me know if i should be!)

ECs: Member of a sorority (social) and a service fraternity

Employment:
Worked 2 years as a job coach from individuals w developmental disabilities (~900 hours)

1 year as an intro chem TA (Led discussion sections for 2 classes of ~30 students that met 2x per week for 2 semesters; ~600 hours)

Currently a clinical researcher at a med school doing Derm studies (Full time employment for 2 years, expected ~4000 hours)

LORs
Presumptions on LORs since I haven’t read them, but 1 very strong from undergrad PI, 2 moderate from profs and trying to get another from current PI

I’m just trying to figure out where I should apply in June, based in Illinois.

Illinois
WashU
SIU
Temple
Dartmouth
Vermont
Colorado
Oregon
Boston U
Emory
U Penn
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Kaiser
Brown
Loyola
SLU
Baylor
Tufts
UCSF

I know my ECs are mediocre and I should have more shadowing, but I don't know what I can do about those now that I work full time and have graduated.
Any other ideas? Not tied to Midwest. Interested in primary care/peds/fam med. Think I currently have too many reaches? Please be honest! Thanks! 🙂

 

[candbgirl]

Where do you live in IL? SIU selects their students from a pretty specific geographical area. So check that out. You are a little low on service hours so keep that in mind at places like Loyola and SLU. Have you looked at Carle in Champaign?

 

[bluepeony]

Where do you live in IL? SIU selects their students from a pretty specific geographical area. So check that out. You are a little low on service hours so keep that in mind at places like Loyola and SLU. Have you looked at Carle in Champaign?

What would be good service hours to aim for those places?

 

[Faha]

I suggest these schools with your stats:
Illinois
SIU
Rosalind Franklin
U Wisconsin
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Vermont
Dartmouth
Boston University
Tufts
Brown
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
Rochester
Pittsburgh
Case Western
Cincinnati
Duke
Miami
Tulane
Kaiser
Colorado
Temple
Jefferson

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

If you want to be strong for clinical volunteering you should have at least 300 and preferably closer to 500.

 

[Goro]

MCAT: 518 (128/129/131/130)

GPA: 3.8
sGPA: 3.75

Demographics: white female ORM, middle-upper SES

Major: Molecular and cellular biology major, graduated in May Graduated w High research distinction, Dean's list most semesters

Studied abroad: at prestigious institution in Sweden. took a master's biochem course and worked a few months full time in a famous (in its field) lab


Research: 2.5 years research experience,
4 months in lab abroad (500 hours in this lab), Project on multiple toxins effect on adipose tissue
Rest of time in lab at home institution (2500 hours), Work in bile acid lab
1 paper in preparation (3rd author) Multiple posters, including a public health presentation and posters on my work in my 2 labs, has been an author on a total of 5 posters presented around the world.

Volunteering: 200 hours w Habitat for humanity, small leadership positions in habitat and went on multiple trips over breaks
100 hours hospital volunteering
Currently doing a twice weekly volunteering gig at a literacy and math tutoring project for adults, expecting 200 from this by the time I apply

Shadowing: 50 hours shadowing OBGYN (I know this is a little low, but I have clinical exp. through my job now, so I'm not that concerned about it but let me know if i should be!)

ECs: Member of a sorority (social) and a service fraternity

Employment:
Worked 2 years as a job coach from individuals w developmental disabilities (~900 hours)

1 year as an intro chem TA (Led discussion sections for 2 classes of ~30 students that met 2x per week for 2 semesters; ~600 hours)

Currently a clinical researcher at a med school doing Derm studies (Full time employment for 2 years, expected ~4000 hours)

LORs
Presumptions on LORs since I haven’t read them, but 1 very strong from undergrad PI, 2 moderate from profs and trying to get another from current PI

I’m just trying to figure out where I should apply in June, based in Illinois.

Illinois
WashU
SIU
Temple
Dartmouth
Vermont
Colorado
Oregon
Boston U
Emory
U Penn
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Kaiser
Brown
Loyola
SLU
Baylor
Tufts
UCSF

I know my ECs are mediocre and I should have more shadowing, but I don't know what I can do about those now that I work full time and have graduated.
Any other ideas? Not tied to Midwest. Interested in primary care/peds/fam med. Think I currently have too many reaches? Please be honest! Thanks! 🙂

ECs are weak and don't match your numbers. Your're strong on research and so the research ***** slike Stanford mike throw you some love.

I strongly recommend that you get 100 hrs more in clinical exposure.

I suggest:
NYU
Vanderbilt
WashU
Yale
JHU
U Chicago
U Penn
Northwestern
Columbia
Harvard
Stanford
Mayo
Cornell
Sinai
BU
U VA
Duke
Baylor
Case
UCLA
UCSD
UCSF
U MI
Albert Einstein
Hofstra
Ohio State
Pitt
U Cincy
USF Morsani
Dartmouth
Rochester
USC/Keck
Western MI
Emory
Jefferson
Miami
SLU
Tufts
U IA
U VM
Your state school

 

[cheyenne123]

ECs are weak and don't match your numbers. Your're strong on research and so the research ***** slike Stanford mike throw you some love.

I strongly recommend that you get 100 hrs more in clinical exposure.

I suggest:
NYU
Vanderbilt
WashU
Yale
JHU
U Chicago
U Penn
Northwestern
Columbia
Harvard
Stanford
Mayo
Cornell
Sinai
BU
U VA
Duke
Baylor
Case
UCLA
UCSD
UCSF
U MI
Albert Einstein
Hofstra
Ohio State
Pitt
U Cincy
USF Morsani
Dartmouth
Rochester
USC/Keck
Western MI
Emory
Jefferson
Miami
SLU
Tufts
U IA
U VM
Your state school

Hi, thanks for the honest advice. I do have a few questions though, if you have time.

Does my job in clinical research not count as clinical experience? I am in clinic around 50% of my full time job, and have gotten significant patient experience in just 6 mos, and I plan to stay in this job for 2 years. I work very closely with the derm faculty and my school and definitely feel like I understand the dermatology more than I could have from shadowing for 30ish hours. I understand currently that experience in just in dermatology. I could take on another hospital volunteering position or begin scribing part time on nights and weekends, but do you think that's necessary? I've always had issues shadowing because it was hard to get docs to answer emails, I now work 9-5, and I don't have any family/family friends in medicine.

And for ECs, what do you suggest I do to improve them? I was very involved in Habitat for Humanity and my sorority in college. I also spent anywhere from 15-30 hours in lab every week. I also worked 10-20 hours per week during college, whether it be a paraprofessional with individuals w developmental disabilities or as a chem TA. I never had significant leadership (I was passed up on exec positions in Habitat due to studying abroad, and also not putting myself out there enough), but I held multiple positions in my ECs. I also helped in training other undergrads in my lab and always participated in multiple outreach programs with my lab to help highlight careers in science to underserved kids. Now that I'm out of college and living elsewhere, I don't know how to expand on this part of my resume.

I've considered volunteering as alternate for the IRB at the med school I work at, but I'm at a loss of what's considered an "extra-curricular" outside of the context of college, besides volunteering, which I am currently doing as a adult literacy tutor through my public library. I am considering joining a long distance running club in my personal life, but I'm not sure that counts either.

Thanks so much.

 

[cheyenne123]

If you want to be strong for clinical volunteering you should have at least 300 and preferably closer to 500.

Do you think significant clinic experience through employment is not sufficient? Granted I am currently only working in dermatology but I spend 40-60% of my job there depending on the day and have significant patient interaction.
I could get a volunteering position or scribe part time in a different speciality... do you think that's necessary?

 

[cheyenne123]

I suggest these schools with your stats:
Illinois
SIU
Rosalind Franklin
U Wisconsin
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Vermont
Dartmouth
Boston University
Tufts
Brown
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
Rochester
Pittsburgh
Case Western
Cincinnati
Duke
Miami
Tulane
Kaiser
Colorado
Temple
Jefferson

Thank you for the advice! 🙂

 

[cheyenne123]

Where do you live in IL? SIU selects their students from a pretty specific geographical area. So check that out. You are a little low on service hours so keep that in mind at places like Loyola and SLU. Have you looked at Carle in Champaign?

I'm downstate!
Carle Illinois is an engineering med school and has some math requirements that I don't have. They also don't really fit my area of interest. I'm trying to increase my volunteer hours by the time I apply. thanks for the input!

 

[Goro]

Do you think significant clinic experience through employment is not sufficient? Granted I am currently only working in dermatology but I spend 40-60% of my job there depending on the day and have significant patient interaction.
I could get a volunteering position or scribe part time in a different speciality... do you think that's necessary?

What exactly are you doing in the clinic?

Are you dealing with research subjects or patients ? There is a difference

 

[candbgirl]

I'm downstate!
Carle Illinois is an engineering med school and has some math requirements that I don't have. They also don't really fit my area of interest. I'm trying to increase my volunteer hours by the time I apply. thanks for the input!

Great. SIU will be a good choice. Good luck.

 

[Goro]

Hi, thanks for the honest advice. I do have a few questions though, if you have time.

Does my job in clinical research not count as clinical experience? I am in clinic around 50% of my full time job, and have gotten significant patient experience in just 6 mos, and I plan to stay in this job for 2 years. I work very closely with the derm faculty and my school and definitely feel like I understand the dermatology more than I could have from shadowing for 30ish hours. I understand currently that experience in just in dermatology. I could take on another hospital volunteering position or begin scribing part time on nights and weekends, but do you think that's necessary? I've always had issues shadowing because it was hard to get docs to answer emails, I now work 9-5, and I don't have any family/family friends in medicine.

And for ECs, what do you suggest I do to improve them? I was very involved in Habitat for Humanity and my sorority in college. I also spent anywhere from 15-30 hours in lab every week. I also worked 10-20 hours per week during college, whether it be a paraprofessional with individuals w developmental disabilities or as a chem TA. I never had significant leadership (I was passed up on exec positions in Habitat due to studying abroad, and also not putting myself out there enough), but I held multiple positions in my ECs. I also helped in training other undergrads in my lab and always participated in multiple outreach programs with my lab to help highlight careers in science to underserved kids. Now that I'm out of college and living elsewhere, I don't know how to expand on this part of my resume.

I've considered volunteering as alternate for the IRB at the med school I work at, but I'm at a loss of what's considered an "extra-curricular" outside of the context of college, besides volunteering, which I am currently doing as a adult literacy tutor through my public library. I am considering joining a long distance running club in my personal life, but I'm not sure that counts either.

Thanks so much.

Service need not be "unique". If you can alleviate suffering in your community through service to the poor, homeless, illiterate, fatherless, etc, you are meeting an otherwise unmet need and learning more about the lives of the people (or types of people) who will someday be your patients. Check out your local houses of worship for volunteer opportunities. The key thing is service to others less fortunate than you. And get off campus and out of your comfort zone!

Examples include: Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, Humane Society, crisis hotlines, soup kitchen, food pantry, homeless or women’s shelter, after-school tutoring for students or coaching a sport in a poor school district, teaching ESL to adults at a community center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or Meals on Wheels.

 

[cheyenne123]

What exactly are you doing in the clinic?

Are you dealing with research subjects or patients ? There is a difference

Half the time I'm in clinic I'm working with a handful of patients in investigational drug studies, phlebotomy, ECG, vitals, history, and first point of contact if they have any AEs, concerns, etc. These patients I have a very open line of communication with and have really gotten to know as we see them very frequently.
The other half of the time I'm in clinic I'm recruiting patients for a handful of registry studies, so there I am interacting with what is more of the typical patient compared to clinical trials. Sometimes for the registry patients I end up being in the room while their physicians consult them. But mostly it is giving patients, in a rural, underserved area, informed consent and administering surveys. Definitely less of a subject feel than patient, but still, I am typically not around when their physician is seeing them.

I do think I could benefit from more shadowing; I think I've not seen the importance of the research patient vs typical patient experience. I will try to see what I can get on nights/weekends for shadowing. Thanks 🙂