MD Advice on getting an interview at Keck?

[dermadoc]

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Hi everyone, I’m here to ask for advice on how to get an interview offer at the Keck school of medicine. Below are my stats for the current cycle for which I already applied to Keck. At the end are updates to my application which weren’t included in my application to Keck this cycle. I should note I’m planning to retake the MCAT, these are just my current stats. However, I have received an MD interview at a school with a slightly higher average MCAT than Keck this cycle, if that puts anything into perspective.

BCPM GPA: 3.9
Accumulative GPA: 3.9
MCAT: 499

Undergrad: UC Berkeley
Grad school (master’s): an Ivy League (not Harvard or Yale)

Shadowing: 0 hours

Volunteering: about 70 hours at the time of application teaching English to Ukrainian refugees. 0 clinical volunteering.

Clinical experience: a little over 300 hours

Research: over 500 hours, including 1 publication in Cancers (not first author)

Professional experience: besides clinical and clinical research work, I am currently working as a researcher at a leading pharmaceutical company doing wet lab work.

I also have a small connection at Keck who I listed as a mentor in the application. He’s a physician and faculty at Keck.

Not URM

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Updates to application after submitting (these weren’t submitted to Keck since they don’t accept updates)
- 25 hours shadowing, which I am continuing
- two new publications in peer-reviewed journals (not first author)
- started a nonprofit to continue my work helping refugees, especially refugee women
- will likely have a first author publication soon

Thanks in advance!

 

[GoSpursGo]

You can't do anything to guarantee an interview at any specific institution. However, not to be glib, but the most important thing is what you already said you would do--do better on the MCAT.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

1) Is an MCAT retake pending? At the very least, you need to do much better than 499.

2) Your community service volunteering is also much lighter than desired. 70 hours of teaching English does not show service orientation in a non-clinical setting compared to food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation; you should have 150 hours of these latter activities completed before applying to avoid getting screened out at most schools.

3) No shadowing and not describing your 300 clinical experience hours also makes me suspect you are short compared to the rest of the applicant pool. You must have 150 min hours at submission of clinical experience, including 50 hours of shadowing, to avoid getting screened out at most schools.

With these three strategic deficiencies, I would have screened out your application for generic IHOP medical school.

While You Are Waiting: Processing Health Professions Applications | Student Doctor Network | SDN

I often use the "marathon" metaphor when it comes to the timeline from preparing your application to stepping on-campus as a newly enrolled student, but

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[dermadoc]

1) Is an MCAT retake pending? At the very least, you need to do much better than 499.

2) Your community service volunteering is also much lighter than desired. 70 hours of teaching English does not show service orientation in a non-clinical setting compared to food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation; you should have 150 hours of these latter activities completed before applying to avoid getting screened out at most schools.

3) No shadowing and not describing your 300 clinical experience hours also makes me suspect you are short compared to the rest of the applicant pool. You must have 150 min hours at submission of clinical experience, including 50 hours of shadowing, to avoid getting screened out at most schools.

With these three strategic deficiencies, I would have screened out your application for generic IHOP medical school.

While You Are Waiting: Processing Health Professions Applications | Student Doctor Network | SDN

I often use the "marathon" metaphor when it comes to the timeline from preparing your application to stepping on-campus as a newly enrolled student, but

www.studentdoctor.net

Why does teaching English to refugees not show service orientation? Much of my extracurricular work revolves around refugee work as that also ties in with my essays since my parents came to the US as refugees. In my mind, teaching English to refugees fits in with the rest of my application and shows service orientation.

Regarding clinical experience, I was an overnight clinical assistant. I did administer some meds and worked alongside a nurse but never alongside a physician.

 

[wysdoc]

Why does teaching English to refugees not show service orientation? Much of my extracurricular work revolves around refugee work as that also ties in with my essays since my parents came to the US as refugees. In my mind, teaching English to refugees fits in with the rest of my application and definitely shows service orientation.

I think it does, but you would still need to add more hours of community engagement here or in other spots like food banks before submitting an application. Predicted or anticipated future hours, since they may never happen, aren't an asset to your application.

 

[dermadoc]

I think it does, but you would still need to add more hours of community engagement here or in other spots like food banks before submitting an application. Predicted or anticipated future hours, since they may never happen, aren't an asset to your application.

I see. I am assuming volunteering teaching English and volunteering at a food bank would need to be listed as a separate activities within the 15 activity limit - is that right?

 

[scrubz]

Your current mcat score places you in the 45th percentile, while the AVERAGE keck student received the 94th percentile, half of which scored even higher. I think you already know the answer to your question

You are confusing the average with the median

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I see. I am assuming volunteering teaching English and volunteering at a food bank would need to be listed as a separate activities within the 15 activity limit - is that right?

Yes, and you do need to diversify your activities and get more hours. As you can see, not all faculty share the exact same opinion, and to maximize your chances, you need to appease as many dissenting voices in the committee as you can. My committees appreciate ESL, but most faculty still want to see the more traditional activities I suggested.

 

[dermadoc]

Yes, and you do need to diversify your activities and get more hours. As you can see, not all faculty share the exact same opinion, and to maximize your chances, you need to appease as many dissenting voices in the committee as you can. My committees appreciate ESL, but most faculty still want to see the more traditional activities I suggested.

I see. Thank you for the tips!

 

[candbgirl]

Have you retaken the MCAT?
I’m not sure if this is still valid, but there used to be a cut off date for MCAT scores each cycle. This was usually the test in September. As I said, this used to be the practice. But even if it’s not, schools are under no obligation to wait for the new score. Keck might have already reviewed your application and made a decision based on what was in your submitted application.

 

[dermadoc]

Have you retaken the MCAT?
I’m not sure if this is still valid, but there used to be a cut off date for MCAT scores each cycle. This was usually the test in September. As I said, this used to be the practice. But even if it’s not, schools are under no obligation to wait for the new score. Keck might have already reviewed your application and made a decision based on what was in your submitted application.

I believe that cutoff still exists, but in any case, the retaking of the MCAT I mentioned wouldn’t be for this current cycle. Either next cycle or the one after that. I want to ensure my score is competitive for Keck before submitting another application if I don’t get in this cycle.

 

[mike-sheree]

You seem kinda “meh” about wanting to be a doc. That was the first thing that struck me when I read your intro post.( I’m no expert or adcom but I’ve been a doc for ~50 years.) Is this a passion? Yours is the first intro post where I got those vibes. Do NOT take this personally. It may very well just be me.

 

[mike-sheree]

In my opinion, you will have to convey that ambition “better”.