Advice for Non-traditional Applicant - 1st time AMCAS, 3rd time TMDSAS (Texas Resident)

[BaylorSci91]

Hello SDN community,

Some background before I dive in: I'm a white male, 26 y/o applicant

AMCAS cGPA/sGPA 3.49/3.3
TMDSAS cGPA/sGPA 3.41/3.26
511 MCAT CP (128, 87%) CARS (124, 49%) BB (130, 97%) and PS (129, 92%)
MPH Epidemiology - 4.0 GPA (Basically the "upward trend")
Extensive healthcare/volunteer/research experience (medical scribe ~1200 hr, science tutor ~800 hr, shadowing in several areas of medicine 250 hr, currently work as a Research Coordinator so far ~1000 hr, volunteer as a coPI for an HIV quality improvement project 1200+ hr, served on grad school student board for community volunteering ~300 hr). Clear feedback from some TX admissions offices, I've got all the experience boxes checked.

Disciplinary action from 2012: Immaturity. Unhealthy relationship and break up in college, I handled the stress of the situation poorly. I've sought opportunities for self-improvement and working around physicians and in healthcare has dramatically changed my outlook on life. Feedback is vague on this one, but I've certainly overcome this.

**Feel free to ask if I left anything out**​

Here we go: I've applied 2 times in Texas going on a 3rd, last cycle I received an interview, but waitlisted at the moment. Decided not to wait around so I'm underway in the next cycle, this will be my first time applying OOS and using AMCAS so I wanted to get (1) some feedback on the schools I've selected (esp. what are my chances, what schools should I add/delete) & (2) constructive feedback/advice. Going into the U.S. pool I've realized applying to a lot of med schools is hard on the wallet so I'm trying to keep the list to about 6-8 schools (AMCAS) + all of the Texas Schools so roughly 18 schools I believe.

My AMCAS List (expecting to cut this down):

- Albany MC
- NYMC
- Central Michigan COM (family in Michigan)
- Chicago Med at Rosalind Franklin
- Quinnipiac
- George Wash. SOM
- Loyola
- Tulane
- U of Arizona COM
- U of Washington SOM
- Wakeforest SOM (NC native)

Any help/advice/expertise is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your time and your help with this process. Cheers!

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[BombsAway]

Are you aware of your chances as an OOS applicant at UW SOM?
Have you considered USUHS?

 

[BaylorSci91]

Are you aware of your chances as an OOS applicant at UW SOM?
Have you considered USUHS?

Funny that you mention, USUHS. I have a friend who will be going there this Fall yet I hadn't thought to look at it myself. I'll check it out.

I definitely consider UWSOM to be a reach school, but I am heavily interested in pursuing primary care, emergency medicine or pediatrics if accepted, plus Washington is a state I've always considered living in. These reasons aside, I am not very familiar with "out of region". Are the students in that region (i.e. Montana, Idaho etc.) reported as IS or OOS on MSAR?

 

[AnotherLawyer]

If your disciplinary action is old news, as you seem to portray it, it then seems crystal clear that the major obstacle is your low GPA. TX schools really emphasize GPA. Your graduate GPA doesn't matter. I would spend the next year taking advanced sciences classes to show you can get A's and then apply to the SMP at UNT if you have another unsuccessful cycle.

 

[gyngyn]

The schools on your list are aware of the extremely low OOS matriculation of TX residents and are unlikely to interview for that reason.
At a minimum, delete UW ( their OOS matriculants, other than UiM, are from WWAMI states).
I recommend DO schools for someone in your position.

 

[BaylorSci91]

The schools on your list are aware of the extremely low OOS matriculation of TX residents and are unlikely to interview for that reason.
At a minimum, delete UW ( their OOS matriculants, other than UiM, are from WWAMI states).
I recommend DO schools for someone in your position.

I appreciate the honesty. Better to skip AMCAS entirely and save myself the $1,000? I did look at the MSAR for the previous cycle and many of these schools did have acceptances from TX.

 

[gyngyn]

I appreciate the honesty. Better to skip AMCAS entirely then and saved myself the $1,000? I did look at the MSAR for the previous cycle and many of these schools did have acceptances from TX.

208 TX applicants matriculated OOS. This is only 5% of TX applicants. Compare this to other large states like CA where 26% go OOS. If an applicant from TX is a candidate for recruitment funds, or attended undergrad in the state in question they can get an interview, though.

TX has designed their system to achieve this result.
They have a separate admissions system, different permissible information, a different grading system, a statutory requirement for IS matriculation, extraordinarily low tuition and some fine schools.

 

[BaylorSci91]

Given it some thought... 1 interview resulting in a wait list last at McGovern in the 2017 cycle is reason enough to apply again in Texas. A third time (and final time applying) is hopefully what it takes.

And hey, if not, I'll take the advice and go for DO school (also apply to USUHS - thanks for that awesome advice EODguy).
My final question: What are the biggest limitations of DO compared to MD? I know the typical answer is that there are no differences anymore, but I mean there's got to be something that distinguishes the 2 aside from a "holistic" approach?

 

[esob]

I feel like the disciplinary action is too vague at this point to render any real judgement. "I got an IA for underage consumption b/c of a bad breakup" vs "I got expelled from school b/c I knifed a kid and got off on a technicality" are two extremes and depending on which end of the spectrum you are on may or may not make the incident still relevant.

 

[BaylorSci91]

I feel like the disciplinary action is too vague at this point to render any real judgement. "I got an IA for underage consumption b/c of a bad breakup" vs "I got expelled from school b/c I knifed a kid and got off on a technicality" are two extremes and depending on which end of the spectrum you are on may or may not make the incident still relevant.

Gotcha. More on my IA: Campus PD were called by a bystander for a noise complaint. They arrive to an ex girlfriend and I yelling at each other in a parking lot. In Texas, like many states, there are more formal charges called disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct, but because it was on campus it resulted in both of us receiving an IA, keeping a reflection journal, and doing some community service. Moral of the story ... just walk away and never get into it with someone right after a break-up. If you find yourself in an unhealthy relationships these things can certainly happen, 5 years later I am more conscientious of this mistake and my current relationship is much better for it.