MD 521 MCAT, 3.74 GPA (B.S.), 3.96 GPA (M.S.)

[TheDrB.020]

White Male from California
521 MCAT (132/128/131/130)
Taken only once

3.74 B.S. GPA (upward trend)

3.96 M.S. GPA

Both B.S. (Animal Science/Pre-vet) & M.S. (Stem cell research/regenerative medicine) from Cal Poly SLO

2nd author pub in Nature Neuroscience

2 years full time in top neuroscience lab (ongoing)

2 quarters as graduate teaching associate for intro to Bio lab

80 hrs hospital volunteering (call pool/concierge; ongoing)

30 hrs clinical shadowing (neurosurgery; ongoing)

2 years college fraternity leadership, 1 year alumni leadership (received national award)

3 conference poster presentations

LoRs:
Current PI
M.S. Program director
Undergrad academic & research advisor
M.D. (Neurosurgeon)


I know my clinical & volunteering is weak, I joined the race late, but working on it until I start med school (or at least get in!)

Where is realistic? Would love to stay in California, don't know how high I can expect.

Currently applied to:

Stanford
UCSF
UCLA
UCSD
UCI
UCD
USC
Harvard
Penn
WashU
Cornell

On short list:

UNC
Michigan
Chicago
OHSU


Although I felt pretty good after the high MCAT and recent pub, the closer I get to secondaries and interviews the more nervous I get. Don't want to blow a bunch of money aiming too high or too low.

Any input to help ease my anxiety?

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[anonymoose1640]

Take a deep breath. You have a strong application

You are right that you are lacking in clinical hours, but that is something you can work on now and throughout the application cycle. Start boosting your hours as soon as you can doing whatever you can. Most schools will accept update letters and in that you can detail how much more clinical exposure you've managed to accumulate.

Also - make sure you have an answer to the question "why do you want to get an MD over just a PhD?"

Thoughts on your short list:
UNC - accepts very, very few OOS apps and has a strong primary care program and your app is very research heavy. Might not be worth the $$
OHSU - check how many OOS they accept before you apply

For you, I'd add:
Duke
Chicago
Michigan
NYU
Yale
Mt. Sinai
JHU
Northwestern

Good luck