*posting for my friend, pls do not quote this in ur response for privacy reasons! Would like help with making a good school list!
State: NJ
Ties to other places: Grew up for 3 years in Seattle
URM: No
Year: Class of 2022
Undergrad major/minor: Cell Bio and Neuroscience, econ and psych minor
GPA: 4.0
MCAT: 526
Research Experience
About 800 hours at a cancer biology lab. Currently I have a review paper that I’m co-first author on submitted for publication (mentioned in my research experience entry). Also have about 400 hours on a meta-analysis project with a urologist that hopefully will be submitted within the next month and likely to be first author on.
Pubs
Co-author on a conference abstract publication but I don’t consider it significant enough to replace one of my activities entries. As mentioned, have one paper in submission right now and another that will hopefully be submitted soon.
Clinical Experience 650 hours total
- Was an EMT for 250 hours and discontinued due to COVID and a back injury
- Worked as a medical assistant at a pediatrician’s office for 350 hours. Did office work as well as interact with patients before the doctor saw them (taking vitals, asking basic questions, etc)
- Volunteered in the emergency room for 50 hours
Physician shadowing 150 hours
- Shadowed a neurosurgeon for 50 hours- shadowed both in the clinic as well as in the OR
- Shadowed as part of a program summer program. Was supposed to be in the hospital until COVID hit. Shadowed doctors across a bunch of specialties. Got to see some outpatient procedures as well.
Non-clinical volunteering
- 40 hours organizing a fundraiser for a local food pantry during COVID
Leadership
- Outreach Committee of a Christian fellowship
- Advocacy Committee of a student leadership org
- Mentor as part of my university’s premed club mentoring program
Other ECs
- Member of my university’s powerlifting team
- Participated in a university case competition and got 2nd place
- Chess as a hobby
Other employment
- Paid peer tutoring
- Interned with the medical writing team of a company
Honors and Awards
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Orgo award- one of three sophomores that received it for “excellence in organic chemistry”
Immediate family in medicine: Yes
School List (slightly top heavy in my opinion)
Robert Wood Johnson
Keck (USC)
Wake Forest
George Washington
Tufts
UNC Chapel Hill
Georgetown
Jefferson
Albert Einstein
New Jersey Med school
USF Health
UCLA
UCSF
Boston U
Case Western
Mt. Sinai
Stanford
Duke
U Florida
Northwestern
Weill Cornell
Columbia
Ohio state
U Chicago
U Penn
Johns Hopkins
NYU Grossman
Notes: I’m pretty satisfied with my application, but I feel like I’m missing a unique “X factor” that would distinguish me from similarly strong applicants at some of the schools I’m applying to. Am I just overthinking things?
State: NJ
Ties to other places: Grew up for 3 years in Seattle
URM: No
Year: Class of 2022
Undergrad major/minor: Cell Bio and Neuroscience, econ and psych minor
GPA: 4.0
MCAT: 526
Research Experience
About 800 hours at a cancer biology lab. Currently I have a review paper that I’m co-first author on submitted for publication (mentioned in my research experience entry). Also have about 400 hours on a meta-analysis project with a urologist that hopefully will be submitted within the next month and likely to be first author on.
Pubs
Co-author on a conference abstract publication but I don’t consider it significant enough to replace one of my activities entries. As mentioned, have one paper in submission right now and another that will hopefully be submitted soon.
Clinical Experience 650 hours total
- Was an EMT for 250 hours and discontinued due to COVID and a back injury
- Worked as a medical assistant at a pediatrician’s office for 350 hours. Did office work as well as interact with patients before the doctor saw them (taking vitals, asking basic questions, etc)
- Volunteered in the emergency room for 50 hours
Physician shadowing 150 hours
- Shadowed a neurosurgeon for 50 hours- shadowed both in the clinic as well as in the OR
- Shadowed as part of a program summer program. Was supposed to be in the hospital until COVID hit. Shadowed doctors across a bunch of specialties. Got to see some outpatient procedures as well.
Non-clinical volunteering
- 40 hours organizing a fundraiser for a local food pantry during COVID
Leadership
- Outreach Committee of a Christian fellowship
- Advocacy Committee of a student leadership org
- Mentor as part of my university’s premed club mentoring program
Other ECs
- Member of my university’s powerlifting team
- Participated in a university case competition and got 2nd place
- Chess as a hobby
Other employment
- Paid peer tutoring
- Interned with the medical writing team of a company
Honors and Awards
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Orgo award- one of three sophomores that received it for “excellence in organic chemistry”
Immediate family in medicine: Yes
School List (slightly top heavy in my opinion)
Robert Wood Johnson
Keck (USC)
Wake Forest
George Washington
Tufts
UNC Chapel Hill
Georgetown
Jefferson
Albert Einstein
New Jersey Med school
USF Health
UCLA
UCSF
Boston U
Case Western
Mt. Sinai
Stanford
Duke
U Florida
Northwestern
Weill Cornell
Columbia
Ohio state
U Chicago
U Penn
Johns Hopkins
NYU Grossman
Notes: I’m pretty satisfied with my application, but I feel like I’m missing a unique “X factor” that would distinguish me from similarly strong applicants at some of the schools I’m applying to. Am I just overthinking things?
