Advice for reapplying/school roster list 2022: 3.74 cGPA, 3.6 sGPA, 507 MCAT, biology/dance major, medical scribe, research technician

[TwilitForest]

Hey there, hoping for a little bit of help from you guys as this is my 3rd cycle and I think I really need some advice. Here's some info about myself:

1. 3.74 cGPA with 3.6 sGPA (upward trend on the sGPA)
2. MCAT = 507 (126/126/127/128)
3. IN resident
4. White Female
5. Small private college, double-majored in biology and dance
6. Clinical work: After graduating in spring 2019, I started medical scribing full-time in the summer of 2019 (family practice at first, then was switched to ED; 4400+ hrs overall). Dropped to part time for 1 year but started up full-time again this April.
7. Research: Worked 1100+ hrs as a part-time clinical research technician with my state medical school from May 2021 to April 2022 (involved data entry/interpretation as well as significant patient interaction with participants trying to enroll them in the study). Also did an independent research project during senior year of college researching/using CRISPR.
8. Shadowing: ~17 or so shadowing hours (infectious disease specialist, family dentist, and veterinarian) prior to starting scribing.
9. Non-clinical volunteering: Teacher's assistant at local elementary school (d/t family connections); assisting college students with teaching science classes to elementary students weekly during undergrad; choreographing and teaching said choreography to high-school students in a few local musical theatre productions during my final years of undergrad. Honestly, I haven't done much since graduating d/t Covid and work, but I still do some teaching assistant stuff from time to time. Been reeeeally thinking about going back to volunteering at my local animal shelter lately as I used to do it in high school and it's something that I really enjoy.
10. Other extracurricular activities: I was a double major in biology as well as dance during undergrad, resulting in me being a large part of the dance dept. and the performances they put on. Our dept. was recently well-known in the dance world, therefore I had a lot of chances to meet with amazingly talented artists and become a part of their work. Also, I was a teacher's assistant for multiple upperclassman classes during the final 3 yrs of undergrad; I also tutored for a freshman-level biology class during my 2nd year. After my freshman year, I went on a medical mission trip with multiple healthcare providers to Nicaragua to provide medical care to some underserved/rural villages.
11. Relevant honors or awards: Member (and president during my senior year) of my university's chapter of Sigma Zeta National Science and Mathematics Honor Society; multiple merit and financial-based scholarships during undergrad.
12. Other info: LizzyM score of 67.5, ARS score of 75.

So to give a bit more backstory, I applied during the 2020-2021 cycle, but was pretty late in turning in my application due to Covid as well as letter of eval issues. I think I actually submitted it around Aug/Sept. I only applied to ~7 MD schools and took a while to finish the secondaries as I didn't realize how important it was to get them in ASAP. But I had a really great interview with my top choice in January of that cycle, but unfortunately was ultimately rejected at the very end of the cycle. Still not sure why because I honestly objectively rocked that interview and felt fantastic about it.

I applied this past 2021-2022 cycle (had help forming my school roster from a SDN post I made) and got secondaries submitted to 11 MD schools and 4 DO schools in the midwest/east coast (IU, RFU, WMU, Oakland U, U of Toledo, Georgetown, George Washington U, Drexel, Sidney Kimmel, NYMC, Creighton, DMU, Marian, UNE, PCOM). I received 2 II (1 MD and 1 DO) and all the others were pre-II rejections. I had my interview with my top choice again in Aug that went pretty well, and just recently got placed on their waitlist (2 LOIs have been sent so far). I bombed my interview with the DO school a few months ago, but ended up getting waitlisted anyways (sending a LOI in a couple of days).

I'm planning on submitting my application by 6/7 this cycle. I've been procrastinating on starting this cycle's application since I'm on 2 waitlists, but that's honestly not the best way to think about it, so I'm starting now. Regarding what's changed since last cycle, I have a year of clinical research technician work under my belt now, but that's pretty much it (not counting personal growth and better mindsets). I am pretty sure I have a great personal statement, and I'm very reluctant to change much about it for my application this cycle as I have nothing more to add to what I consider is a great and very unique PS. I'm honestly not sure what med schools are wanting from me anymore, as I think my application is pretty solid for the average matriculant (and I say this as a person who can be pretty critical of herself most of the time), and I'm kinda chalking my lack of II/acceptances up to bad luck. My state DO school didn't even show any interest in me, and from what I've read, that's not super common for most people. So please, any advice is welcome.

Regarding a school roster for this year, last year, I was trying to stay around the midwest/east coast to be close-ish to family. At this point, I'm totally fine with anywhere, as long as it's a great school with a good curriculum and student satisfaction. Based on my list from last year and the results, is there anything that I should do regarding choosing schools this year?

Sorry, that was a lot, but thanks in advance!

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[chilly_md]

You have no non-clinical volunteering to the underserved from what you describe. I would not include the medical mission trip on your app as that is a form of voluntourism. Animal shelter work is admirable though not people-oriented. You should look at helping your local homeless shelter, soup kitchen, food bank etc.

Have some experienced eyes read your personal statement and all other written material. You may feel it is great and unique, but there could be something that can be interpreted poorly by a reader who does not know you.

For a 3rd cycle, you need to apply heavily to DO. I would suggest:

Marian
KCOM
KCU
PCOM (all campuses)
DMU
LECOM (all campuses)
NYITCOM (both campuses)
Touro NY
VCOM (all except LA)
WVSOM
WCU
UIWSOM
ACOM
Touro NV

 

[Faha]

@chilly_md gave you a good DO list above. For MD schools you could try these:
Indiana
Oakland Beaumont
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
TCU-UNT
NOVA MD
Wake Forest
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
George Washington
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
Hackensack
New York Medical College
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac

 

[deleted1132405]

Heavily consider casting a much broader net. Also look into US offshore MD programs like Sackler and UQueensland. Quality education and have affiliations with US residencies/institutions. Trinity Dublin and Atlantic Bridge are great programs for US/Canadian students.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Adding to @chilly_md : your described nonclinical volunteering should be under the teaching category. I'll give you some benefit of the doubt since you were employed, but is there anything else with community service in your application that serves underserved communities where you can stretch outside a classroom or dance floor?

 

[TwilitForest]

Adding to @chilly_md : your described nonclinical volunteering should be under the teaching category. I'll give you some benefit of the doubt since you were employed, but is there anything else with community service in your application that serves underserved communities where you can stretch outside a classroom or dance floor?

Unfortunately no, not since high school. To be completely honest, almost all of the limited volunteer opportunities around me aren't a good fit for me due to them being too much of a time commitment (must volunteer 36 hrs per week, for example), having safety issues, or simply me not having the qualifications to do what would be needed of me. I've searched and searched for opportunities in my small town and in the neighboring towns for the past few years, as I really, truly do want to be able to help others who need it, but none of the options are ever good fits for me personally.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm sure you will be able to find something. SDN does have an Activity Finder tool it launched earlier this year for one, but you should find something. Food pantry and housing insecurity organizations are everywhere, and many faith based organizations will partner with them.

 

[TwilitForest]

I'm sure you will be able to find something. SDN does have an Activity Finder tool it launched earlier this year for one, but you should find something. Food pantry and housing insecurity organizations are everywhere, and many faith based organizations will partner with them.

Ah, I’ll try to check that out then, thanks!

 

[chilly_md]

Ah, I’ll try to check that out then, thanks!

There may be a women’s shelter within a reasonable commute. Big Brothers and Big Sisters is more flexible but would require a commitment.

 

[Goro]

I agree with Faha's and Chilly's lists.

Service need not be "unique"; it can be anything that helps people unable to help themselves and that is outside of a patient-care setting. 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 literacy or ESL to adults at a community center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Meals on Wheels, mentoring immigrant/refugee adults, being a friendly visitor to shut-ins, adaptive sports program coach or Special Olympics.

 

[TwilitForest]

Those are all some really good options; thank you all so much! I’ll keep on digging and see if I can find a program like those ones somewhere in my town that’ll work well for me!

 

[dial1010usa]

I would not waste $$ on MD schools as your MCAT score is low. Apply only DO schools instead.