Advise for determining how to select a school?

[LearningMed4Change]

Hey all,
Does anyone have any recommendations for medical schools (including osteopathic schools) I should look into? Aside from general factors like financial aid, match rates etc. I'm specifically looking for schools that -
1. Have a focus on psychosocial factors that create inequality/inequity in healthcare systems for certain groups and how we can adapt our practice to overcome these factors.
2. Are committed to programs/initiatives that are focused on the above
3. Are open to new initiatives/perspectives that challenge the status quo.
4. Place heavy emphasis on teaching the importance of a healthy patient-doctor relationship and how to develop them, accounting for psychosocial and other factors.
5. Cultivate compassion and empathy in students towards patients, families, the healthcare team and the students themselves
6. Teach osteopathic manual medicine or have other opportunities for learning it externally
7. Bonus - offer a range of opportunites for the most perspective broadening education (for example medical missions, curriculum with some focus on global healthcare, healthcare of different systems etc.)
8. Triple bonus: low tuition/no tuition/or other tuition with good financial aid packages (preferably scholarships)
What other things should I consider? How do I do this? I have about 50 tabs open and feel like I've gotten nowhere.
Help?

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[seren1051]

I have about 50 tabs open and feel like I've gotten nowhere

That's probably because almost all the schools out there claim #1-5. Tons claim #7. All DOs will additionally claim #6.

Which makes #8 the only separating factor for you. State schools (low tuition for IS), Texas, 'covered tuition' schools like Cleveland Clinic, NYU, richass T20 schools, etc.

Let's start with schools fitting your GPA/MCAT. Then narrow down from there.

 

[LearningMed4Change]

That's probably because almost all the schools out there claim #1-5. Tons claim #7. All DOs will additionally claim #6.

Which makes #8 the only separating factor for you. State schools (low tuition for IS), Texas, 'covered tuition' schools like Cleveland Clinic, NYU, richass T20 schools, etc.

Let's start with schools fitting your GPA/MCAT. Then narrow down from there.

Good thinking.
Do you know if medical schools look at your cumulative GPA or 4 year uni GPA (I was a transfer student). My current GPA from the first (and third overall) year from 4 year uni is 3.77 (this will increase) but cumulative is 3.94. I am currently scoring 500-501 on the MCAT and take the test in 10 days (due to uncontrollable circumstances I wasn't able to study at the time/as much as I planned but I have A's in all science courses except in physics (B+)).

 

[LearningMed4Change]

For MD schools
100% apply
60% get rejected
20% get a single acceptance
20% get more than one acceptance
Applicants apply on average to 16 schools
On average on 3 of those schools will II


You apply based on stats and mission
The rest is secondary
Basing anything on matching for picking a school is almost completely pointless

Fair point, thanks.

 

[seren1051]

Cumulative. And friend, if you weren't able to study as much as you planned and are getting 500ish on FLs AND test is coming up in 10 days, postpone the test. Why take it now when you aren't even applying this cycle? Delay it, study the hell out of it for few months and take it in the spring. Your all A-sciences can get you to T20, but 500 might give you zero acceptances.

 

[gyngyn]

I am currently scoring 500-501 on the MCAT and take the test in 10 days (due to uncontrollable circumstances I wasn't able to study at the time/as much as I planned but I have A's in all science courses except in physics (B+)).

Do not take the MCAT in 10 days!
A 500 will not afford you the luxury of choice in (almost) any of the things you outlined except #6.

 

[Engrailed]

Do not take the MCAT in 10 days!
A 500 will not afford you the luxury of choice in (almost) any of the things you outlined except #6.

Agreed 10000%

 

[choks]

Like others have said, a 500 on the MCAT will limit your options. Also, if you haven't taken an AAMC FL, I would suggest doing so NOW! I took my first AAMC FL less than 2 weeks out and was happy with my score at the time. Didn't expect to bomb CARS like I did on the actual test, but still got the score I received on AAMC FL1. I think I psyched myself out since this was my second time taking the MCAT (first 2015-MCAT though). Anyways, scoring your best on the MCAT will give you options.

When it comes to the choice of schools, you need them acceptances first. I'm glad I have interviews and will gladly attend any of those schools. No rejections yet, which is a good thing since I'm living by the "no news is good news" mantra. I chose my MD schools based on recommendations I found here. Also, I correlated my MCAT and GPA with schools on MSAR and made my selections from there. With these selections, I further narrowed it down to locations I would consider living in as well as minimum stats to still be considered competitive. At the end of it, the name of your school does matter; however, your work ethic and determination are more important when it comes to success post-graduation.

Lastly, I decided I wanted to do this process ONLY once, so I applied to 30 MD and 6 DO programs, which is appropriate based on my WARS score and other feedback I learned from members here. If I were to do this again, I probably would not have applied to 30 MD schools, but being ORM and from California gave me no other choice.

 

[candbgirl]

Will you be happy scoring a 500? If not don’t take the MCAT in 10 days. Postpone it. Do not take the MCAT until you are scoring at or above your target goal.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

With your MCAT, the answer to your question is ....any school that accepts you. You can't be picky with those stats.

 

[DNAJB6]

Good thinking.
Do you know if medical schools look at your cumulative GPA or 4 year uni GPA (I was a transfer student). My current GPA from the first (and third overall) year from 4 year uni is 3.77 (this will increase) but cumulative is 3.94. I am currently scoring 500-501 on the MCAT and take the test in 10 days (due to uncontrollable circumstances I wasn't able to study at the time/as much as I planned but I have A's in all science courses except in physics (B+)).

This is career suicide. Not all schools look at only the highest score. You should aim to take the MCAT only once. A 3.9 or even a 4.0/500 MCAT is pretty much dead on arrival at all MD schools and probably most/many DO schools.

 

[premed20172017]

For MD schools
100% apply
60% get rejected
20% get a single acceptance
20% get more than one acceptance
Applicants apply on average to 16 schools
On average on 3 of those schools will II


You apply based on stats and mission
The rest is secondary
Basing anything on matching for picking a school is almost completely pointless

For the 40% that don’t get in, is it mostly due to stats or interviews (or both)?

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

You have a solid GPA. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by taking the MCAT before you are ready. If parental pressure is the reason, show them this thread. Get some intestinal fortitude. As far as MCAT prep: you should have taken, at a minimum, all three of the scored AAMC exams and preferably the Sample Test, the CARS question packs, all of the AAMC section banks, and the questions from the Official Guide to the MCAT. Do not take the exam before you are ready.

You have a solid GPA. Depending on your ECs and what the AMCAS GPA calculates out to, you have a shot at top-20 schools if you kill the MCAT.

Taking the MCAT now, before you have taken several full-length official AAMC practice tests, is shooting yourself in the foot.