Another Adcom, ask me (almost) anything

[hushcom]

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@hushcom

Do schools actually print out the applications and have physical files pertaining to the applicants? Or do you guys just all gather around with laptops to go over each application?

Thanks!

We access applications through a third party software platform that interfaces with AMCAS, so we sit around staring at our laptops.

 

[hushcom]

Thanks for your answer hushcom! I definitely understand how medical schools can feel that way. You said mention in interviews; bad idea to do so in secondaries? I debated about doing this, especially for those schools that ask you if you are reapplicant and what has changed. Thanks again!

Personally I would be a subtle as possible with it, which would entail slipping it into an interview conversation with a small does of humility. It may be helpful to express your awareness that applying late was risky. This will make you look more like someone who took a calculated chance and came up empty, rather than a dolt who doesn't understand the process. At no point should you exude the vibe that lateness was the only flaw in your application.

Doing this will make it easy for your interviewers to explain to their respective committees why you are a reapplicant.

 

[hushcom]

Do you think it's a good goal or a pipe dream for me to be considering a future at a top medical school? I have an undergraduate GPA of 2.9 (partialy completed pre med requirements)--which I would like to explain: I ran track in college, and I was one of the fastest hurdlers in the world for my age. I prioritized sports while I still had the body for it, knowing that my mind would keep. I even switched out of engineering and pre-med so that I could focus on running. I got a 31 on the MCAT and will be retaking it, considering I had been consistently scoring mid 30's on my practice exams. In the year since I've graduated I've worked full-time at a hospital, been a volunteer coach at a university, and taken 4 pre-med classes (BIO 1&2 and ORGO 1&2) and recieved all A's. I'm applying for a Biological Eningeering masters program in order to prove that I am fully capable of a 4.0, but I know that my 2.9 undergraduate GPA isn't erasable. I'm applying for med school this year as well, but I know I don't have a strong application as-is. Do you think that a masters program would be enough to show my worth?

Thanks for what you're doing with this forum, by the way. I know we all appreciate getting a little into the mind of a Dr. on an admission board.

This may sound a little harsh, but I would not call your track career an explanation for your uGPA. I would call it evidence that you chose to prioritize the short-term over the long-term, which is not a particularly appealing characteristic in potential physician. Despite your four recent As, with a 2.9 uGPA and a 31 I don't think you have a realistic shot at any allopathic school, much less a top one. You will simply get crowded out by applicants with stronger academic records.

My advice would be to forget applying this cycle, focus on a BE Masters, get a 4.0, try and publish, and retake the MCAT only if necessary due to expiration of your existing score. You are correct, your uGPA is not erasable, especially not with a year of work and some volunteering. Good luck.

 

[hushcom]

Thanks so much for doing this @hushcom !

I was wondering if you can shed some light on what you think of publications? I have co-authored a few reviews and have substantial research experience though no actual research papers. Will this be viewed negatively or is any publication better than none?

Publications are like cars, they run the gamut from Yugo to Lamborghini. They are evaluated based on their individual merit.

That said, any publications are better than none, much like a third class ride is better than a first class walk.

 

[hushcom]

Hi @hushcom,

Thank you so much for your invaluable advice! It takes a lot of time and is greatly appreciated!
Question: I took physics 1 at my university and received an A+. I was super proud and happy because it was not an easy feat. So, now I am taking physics 2 at my community college to take all my prereqs before the 2015 MCAT. However, I received a B. Is this grade going to downplay my A+? Do admissions pay much attention to the physics compared to bio/chem/orgo? Will it hurt me that I'm taking physics at community college and not at my university?
Also, my cGPA is 3.85 and I have decent ECs like clinical volunteering and research. Thank you for your time!

One unfortunate grade will not tank your application. People often assume that CC classes are inherently easier than university ones, but that's not always the case. What's done is done, your cGPA looks solid so try not to fret too much.

 

[hushcom]

I started a thread about this at some point, but I'd like an opinion from an adcom member, if you have a time. Thank you for doing this!

What do you think about migraines? Will the fact that I had them (though I now have an effective medication) decrease the competitiveness of my application? The reason I'm asking this is because my life has otherwise been exceedingly easy. I'm probably one of the most fortunate pre-meds out there, with a very supportive family of doctors and no other particularly difficult hurdles. For all these challenge essays, those chronic migraines I had are the only real challenge that I can really put down. Should I spend time talking about them?

I am a fairly good applicant, when it comes to my research, clinical work, GPA and MCAT (average for med school matriculants), and I went to a really good undergrad, where I majored in a very challenging major. I also speak Spanish and am biracial (but not URM). I'm a pretty strong applicant, but these challenge essays are giving me problems. Should I include the migraines or will that be a red flag on my application? I could include other topics (like being biracial or the daughter of busy doctors), but I just don't see them as 'real' challenges...

My solution to this problem has just been to apply to a huge number of schools (35) and write a new challenge essay for each school that asks for one, with some challenge essays that don't mention migraines at all. This way, if I say something about the migraines that raises a flag, it will only affect my application at 1 of 35 schools.

If you have a solid academic records I would feel fine discussing your migraines, because they clearly have not hampered your success. It's also okay to point out that you feel fortunate in your circumstances. Self-awareness is a good thing to convey, and it's understandable that not every applicant has had to surmount some huge life challenge.

 

[hushcom]

Do you guys, or do you know any other schools, assign points for individual criteria and multiply the total point by 'social-racial' factor?

For example,

GPA of 3.8 gets 4 out of 5, MCAT of 32 gets 4 out of 5, mediocre EC gets 3 out of 5 and mediocre recommendation gets 3 out of 5. If you add all points, you will have 14 total points.
Now, if you are URM, disadvantaged student and etc, your total score is multiplied by 'multiplication factor'. URM=1.04, Disadvantaged= 1.02 or something.

I personally heard about this from adcom member, and I want to know how prevalent this grading system is. I know most big undergraduate institutions use point system to 'grade' applicants.

I believe most screeners have some sort of rubric they apply, whether quantitative or not. It would not surprise me if such conversion factors exist, although in making final decisions we rely on non-quantitative assessment. Trust me, the URM whose parents are physicians does not get the same consideration as the URM who was raised on public assistance.

 

[hushcom]

@hushcom

Will applying last week of August put me in a huge hole in terms of timing for some of the low tier md programs?

Im non trad with 3.25 sgpa/3.1cgpa/3.9 post bacc/30 mcat/solid ec's.

Gpas include serious upward trends... sgpa and cgpa both 3.5+ over last 120 hours.

Define huge and I'll tell you. It's always a detriment to apply late, but every year plenty of people do so and get admitted. If you want to cast the die then do so and see what happens.

 

[Leslie_Knope]

Define huge and I'll tell you. It's always a detriment to apply late, but every year plenty of people do so and get admitted. If you want to cast the die then do so and see what happens.

Building off this - on what date does one's application cease being "early". August 1st? Earlier?

 

[hushcom]

Do you take into consideration the undergrad that the student went to?

Yes, although if you imagine us tripping over each other to admit Harvard grads while eschewing state schools you would be quite wrong.

 

[hushcom]

You have answered a lot of MCAT/GPA questions so I feel bad asking, but this has been bothering me for a while.

I have a GPA that's about 3.7 cGPA and a 3.6 sGPA (waiting to get verified) but my MCAT is a 27 (9/9/9). I'm applying to both MD and DO, but there are a few lower tier MD schools I'm hoping to attend because of their opportunities surrounding health policy which is something I want to get into in the future. I know when I see a 27 I don't think its very impressive at all and I would probably overlook my application, but I feel like my score distribution shows I'm academically balanced applicant. How much do you think the 27 will count against me despite having a balanced score across the sections? Do ADCOMs first see the overall score before the sections, or do they appear side by side? I'm afraid my extracurricular's will be overlooked because of my MCAT score.

Thanks in advance!

I see both the total and section scores, so there is no mystery. Your MCAT is going to be problematic for allopathic, although not a deal breaker. Based purely on your numbers you would be the quintessential wait list candidate, someone good enough from an academic standpoint but not worth fighting over. I would not worry about your ECs getting outshined. I apologize if this sounds harsh, but we wade through a lot of hopeful individuals, most of whom would do fine if given a chance.

 

[hushcom]

Building off this - on what date does one's application cease being "early". August 1st? Earlier?

July 29 at 4:32 pm. Exactly.

 

[Leslie_Knope]

July 29 at 4:32 pm. Exactly.

Oh good! That gives me an extra thirty minutes, because I was thinking it was 4:02. 😉

 

[hushcom]

Oh good! That gives me an extra thirty minutes, because I was thinking it was 4:02. 😉

We like 'em saucy.

 

[pbrocks15]

Thanks for doing this!

How do you guys view retakes?

Do you know if you will considered both the old and new MCAT if an applicant has taken both?

If two applicants scored in the same percentile but each with the different MCAT, do you view them differently? (I.e. is one more likely to get in over the other).

Do you see applicants who have done research at the NIH? If so, are they stronger applicants do does the NIH not factor much for admissions?

Would you say that a Masters and doing research at the NIH are equivalent in their aide to an application or is one viewed more favorably than the other?

Again, thanks so much for doing this.

 

[CowMan007]

Hi! I am a Canadian hoping you could help me out!

I had an OK first year but only managed to take 2 classes in my 2nd semester of 1st year due to illness/personal problems. However, I really picked it up in 2nd year and got straight As, while taking 5 classes in my first semester and 4 classes in my second semester. My question is that will only taking 2 classes in the 2nd semester of my 1st year put me at a disadvantage?

Another question is how do I "display" that personal problems had affected us in 1st year but we managed to bounced back?

Thanks

 

[yanks26dmb]

Define huge and I'll tell you. It's always a detriment to apply late, but every year plenty of people do so and get admitted. If you want to cast the die then do so and see what happens.

I guess by huge, I mean, given my stats and situation will it become unlikely that a low tier md school will give me a shot?

 

[clocks123]

Hello!
What is considered late in regards to starting clinical volunteering work?
If I started the summer before my junior year, would that be considered late?

Also, would you look down upon an applicant who took most of their Humanities classes P/F?
Thanks!

 

[smile8888]

Thanks for your answer hushcom! I definitely understand how medical schools can feel that way. You said mention in interviews; bad idea to do so in secondaries? I debated about doing this, especially for those schools that ask you if you are reapplicant and what has changed. Thanks again!

I do want to provide my experience that relates to this. I applied during the 2012 cycle quite late in the cycle. I had a absolutely terrible cycle. 1 II out of 28 schools I applied to. I reapplied again during this past cycle to 36 schools (18 new schools, 18 old schools where I'll be a re-applicant at) on DAY 1 and finished all my applications as early as possible.

And how did my cycle turn out? I got 10 II's out of 18 new schools, and 1 II out of 18 on old schools where I've applied to before. I ultimately got accepted to the lone II I received from schools I've applied to before (a Top 20), and will be matriculating there. So what does this suggest about being a re-applicant? It seems like there IS an inherent disadvantage in being a re-applicant. Going into this past cycle, I was quite confident that if I had applied on Day 1 to all the "old" schools I've applied to before, I'll get a lot more II's. But I only received 1 II from "old" schools as applied to 10 II's from "new" schools. Therefore, my experience would seem to suggest that being a re-applicant has disadvantages.

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

I do want to provide my experience that relates to this. I applied during the 2012 cycle quite late in the cycle. I had a absolutely terrible cycle. 1 II out of 28 schools I applied to. I reapplied again during this past cycle to 36 schools (18 new schools, 18 old schools where I'll be a re-applicant at) on DAY 1 and finished all my applications as early as possible.

And how did my cycle turn out? I got 10 II's out of 18 new schools, and 1 II out of 18 on old schools where I've applied to before. I ultimately got accepted to the lone II I received from schools I've applied to before (a Top 20), and will be matriculating there. So what does this suggest about being a re-applicant? It seems like there IS an inherent disadvantage in being a re-applicant. Going into this past cycle, I was quite confident that if I had applied on Day 1 to all the "old" schools I've applied to before, I'll get a lot more II's. But I only received 1 II from "old" schools as applied to 10 II's from "new" schools. Therefore, my experience would seem to suggest that being a re-applicant has disadvantages.

How much did you improve your application? Or was applying sooner the only difference, more or less?

 

[TheNewNews]

1. I took it easy freshman year at cc because I'd been out of school for so long (4 credits in summer, 12 in fall, 12 in spring, another 4 in following summer). I had a 33 credit load for sophomore year, but wish to only take 13 credits+workstudy for my first semester when transferring to to a tough school. If I follow up with 15-18 credits for the rest of undergrad, would adcoms still be worried I couldn't handle med school work?
2. I'm worrying about this a little too soon, but I feel like I'd be a borderline case for applying disadvantaged. I'm a first-gen college student, GED recipient and I grew up in a single-parent household, where my mother made ~25-30k a year. Much of her income went into savings, medical copayments, so I feel that my quality of life growing up was lower than the typical applicant. My mother didn't know much about education or higher education, so I grew up in a culture where I had to actively figure out how to do well on my own (grades, SAT etc.) and would have never been able to afford outside tutoring. The kicker is that we were never quite below the poverty line, only qualified for reduced lunches, and lived in a okay suburb with okay schools that was far from underserved. Would making a case for being disadvantaged be wise, or could it count against me? I don't want to come off as whiny or bitter.

 

[Fargofargo]

@hushcom

How often do you see exceptional applicants (GPA>3.8, MCAT>35), with little to no clinical experience?

Cuz I would think that if you were THAT into getting good grades to aim for med school, why would you avoid clinical experience, knowing that well rounded applicants are what schools look for.

 

[mdr8]

I noticed you said that you look down upon applicants that can not adequately explain research that is on their application. I have research on my application from a lab that I worked in ~5-6 years ago when I was in undergrad. I did not do anything amazing in this lab. I prepared samples and ran simple chemistry experiments. The work was definitely "grunt work" and very repetitious. It was a job that paid me though. If I am honest and upfront about my responsibilities in the lab, should I be fine in an interview? Not to mention it is hard to remember what was going on in the lab that long ago....

 

[bear2roo]

July 29 at 4:32 pm. Exactly.

well good thing I submitted my secondary to my top choice school at 4:30 pm! 😛

 

[blackroses]

How would you view MOOC courses listed on an application? Would a verified/unverified certificate change your opinion at all? (Not to be used for any form of prerequisite, just as a structured way to learn more about interesting topics).

 

[motz]

How do you view Master's degrees from highly ranked schools overseas, i.e. a health-orientated MRes @ University College London. Would it be more or less favorable than an SMP like Drexel's IMS?

One adds "diversity" to the class, the other demonstrates the individual's performance.

 

[Goro]

We see all scores with subsections.

A 27 is circling the drain for MD schools. MSAR Online is your friend and apply to those schools whose median stats are closest to your own. However, avoid state schools except your own.

You're fine for any DO program.

You have answered a lot of MCAT/GPA questions so I feel bad asking, but this has been bothering me for a while.

I have a GPA that's about 3.7 cGPA and a 3.6 sGPA (waiting to get verified) but my MCAT is a 27 (9/9/9). I'm applying to both MD and DO, but there are a few lower tier MD schools I'm hoping to attend because of their opportunities surrounding health policy which is something I want to get into in the future. I know when I see a 27 I don't think its very impressive at all and I would probably overlook my application, but I feel like my score distribution shows I'm academically balanced applicant. How much do you think the 27 will count against me despite having a balanced score across the sections? Do ADCOMs first see the overall score before the sections, or do they appear side by side? I'm afraid my extracurricular's will be overlooked because of my MCAT score.

Thanks in advance!

 

[rugger4]

Dear @hushcom ,
How do you weigh a student who had less opportunities vs. someone who had all possible opportunities? I'm a first generation college student and due to that fact I had to work 25+ hours a week during school and 40-80 while out of school. Due to this my volunteering/shadowing opportunities were pretty limited and I only accumulated around 200 hrs clinical & non-clinical. The rest of my app is fine (research, 3.80 gpa, 32 MCAT). How do you compare this to someone who has never had to work but has multiple clinical experiences and 1000's of hours? Thanks,

From your friendly neighborhood premed who is always worried about everything.

 

[Lakedays]

I am just curious about committee letters - and when they are received - as to whether an application is considered late or early. My UG was apparently backlogged, despite having sent in my first secondary June 28, even before verified, and said not to worry. I definitely was. I was finally told that the committee letter and the rest of my letters were submitted just yesterday - although it still says "not received" by AMCAS.

I guess the question is, even though my app and secondary are being submitted early or within two week turnaround, how much is it hurting me that my UG is essentially late with the committee letter (even though they had everything back in Feb! - grrr).
Verified: 6/30
cGPA - 3.71
sGPA - 3.75
MCAT - 36 (11,12,13)

 

[hoihaie]

How'd you get to become an adcom? I want to serve on one in the future too.

 

[Ace Khalifa]

Do adcoms expect you to be well-versed on every prominent healthcare topic before you go in for the interview? ACA, physician compensation, patient noncompliance, CMS, ethics, etc? Or is a basic understanding enough? I'm just worried because my interview skills would be the most likely thing to tank my application.

I have enjoyed reading all your responses, @hushcom.

 

[cheng994]

Dear @hushcom,
What's your opinion on older non-traditional applicant? I'm 37, have been working as a hospital pharmacist for 9 years with a lot of clinical experience. My stats are Mcat 32, gpa/sgpa 3.6. Would my age hurt me or help me? How about family status (wife, kids)? How much can my clinical experience benefit me if at all?
Thanks much!

 

[hushcom]

Thanks for doing this!

How do you guys view retakes?

Do you know if you will considered both the old and new MCAT if an applicant has taken both?

If two applicants scored in the same percentile but each with the different MCAT, do you view them differently? (I.e. is one more likely to get in over the other).

I have discussed MCAT retakes fairly exhaustively on this thread. If previous answers do not address your question then repost.

Do you see applicants who have done research at the NIH? If so, are they stronger applicants do does the NIH not factor much for admissions?

Would you say that a Masters and doing research at the NIH are equivalent in their aide to an application or is one viewed more favorably than the other?

Again, thanks so much for doing this.

"Doing research at the NIH" could mean a 10 week summer program or five years of intensive and productive time spent in a world class lab. You will have to be more specific.

 

[hushcom]

Hi! I am a Canadian hoping you could help me out!

I had an OK first year but only managed to take 2 classes in my 2nd semester of 1st year due to illness/personal problems. However, I really picked it up in 2nd year and got straight As, while taking 5 classes in my first semester and 4 classes in my second semester. My question is that will only taking 2 classes in the 2nd semester of my 1st year put me at a disadvantage?

Another question is how do I "display" that personal problems had affected us in 1st year but we managed to bounced back?

Thanks

Just mention somewhere in your application that you had an illness which impacted your performance early on. No need to disclose any details. Your transcript will display your bounce.

 

[hushcom]

I guess by huge, I mean, given my stats and situation will it become unlikely that a low tier md school will give me a shot?

If your postbacc is a top program and you have stellar LORs then your odds are much better. Otherwise, while I would not say your situation is anywhere near hopeless, there is going to be a large bolus of applications considered before yours. Don't expect auto-rejection, but do expect that you will probably have to apply early next cycle.

 

[hushcom]

Hello!
What is considered late in regards to starting clinical volunteering work?
If I started the summer before my junior year, would that be considered late?

Also, would you look down upon an applicant who took most of their Humanities classes P/F?
Thanks!

Don't care about the timing of clinical exposure much, but rather the quality. Obviously someone who has been doing it for longer will look better, as it suggests a measure of dedication.

I would not suggest loading up on P/F credits.

 

[hushcom]

1. I took it easy freshman year at cc because I'd been out of school for so long (4 credits in summer, 12 in fall, 12 in spring, another 4 in following summer). I had a 33 credit load for sophomore year, but wish to only take 13 credits+workstudy for my first semester when transferring to to a tough school. If I follow up with 15-18 credits for the rest of undergrad, would adcoms still be worried I couldn't handle med school work?
2. I'm worrying about this a little too soon, but I feel like I'd be a borderline case for applying disadvantaged. I'm a first-gen college student, GED recipient and I grew up in a single-parent household, where my mother made ~25-30k a year. Much of her income went into savings, medical copayments, so I feel that my quality of life growing up was lower than the typical applicant. My mother didn't know much about education or higher education, so I grew up in a culture where I had to actively figure out how to do well on my own (grades, SAT etc.) and would have never been able to afford outside tutoring. The kicker is that we were never quite below the poverty line, only qualified for reduced lunches, and lived in a okay suburb with okay schools that was far from underserved. Would making a case for being disadvantaged be wise, or could it count against me? I don't want to come off as whiny or bitter.

You are in a gray zone, but considering that you lived in an "okay suburb with okay schools" I would hesitate to self-declare as disadvantaged. In fact, you may get more traction if you describe some of your circumstances in your personal statement without going the disadvantaged route.

 

[hushcom]

@hushcom

How often do you see exceptional applicants (GPA>3.8, MCAT>35), with little to no clinical experience?

Cuz I would think that if you were THAT into getting good grades to aim for med school, why would you avoid clinical experience, knowing that well rounded applicants are what schools look for.

I sometimes get apps from people with high stats and scant clinical experience, but they are rare. People with zero get screened out.

 

[hushcom]

I noticed you said that you look down upon applicants that can not adequately explain research that is on their application. I have research on my application from a lab that I worked in ~5-6 years ago when I was in undergrad. I did not do anything amazing in this lab. I prepared samples and ran simple chemistry experiments. The work was definitely "grunt work" and very repetitious. It was a job that paid me though. If I am honest and upfront about my responsibilities in the lab, should I be fine in an interview?

You should be fine. It's the personal who claims they did science but in fact did nothing that runs into trouble.

 

[hushcom]

How would you view MOOC courses listed on an application? Would a verified/unverified certificate change your opinion at all? (Not to be used for any form of prerequisite, just as a structured way to learn more about interesting topics).

I would put in the same category as other interesting things you look at online.

 

[hushcom]

How do you view Master's degrees from highly ranked schools overseas, i.e. a health-orientated MRes @ University College London. Would it be more or less favorable than an SMP like Drexel's IMS?

One adds "diversity" to the class, the other demonstrates the individual's performance.

They would be viewed in the context of the overall application. There is a tendency to be reductionist about these things, as in attempt to extract them from the greater package and quantify their precise value, but this process is too messy.

 

[hushcom]

Dear @hushcom ,
How do you weigh a student who had less opportunities vs. someone who had all possible opportunities? I'm a first generation college student and due to that fact I had to work 25+ hours a week during school and 40-80 while out of school. Due to this my volunteering/shadowing opportunities were pretty limited and I only accumulated around 200 hrs clinical & non-clinical. The rest of my app is fine (research, 3.80 gpa, 32 MCAT). How do you compare this to someone who has never had to work but has multiple clinical experiences and 1000's of hours? Thanks,

From your friendly neighborhood premed who is always worried about everything.

We take it into account as best we can. It's obvious that people start from very different places, and the magnitude in rise is often more impressive than the final position.

 

[hushcom]

I am just curious about committee letters - and when they are received - as to whether an application is considered late or early. My UG was apparently backlogged, despite having sent in my first secondary June 28, even before verified, and said not to worry. I definitely was. I was finally told that the committee letter and the rest of my letters were submitted just yesterday - although it still says "not received" by AMCAS.

I guess the question is, even though my app and secondary are being submitted early or within two week turnaround, how much is it hurting me that my UG is essentially late with the committee letter (even though they had everything back in Feb! - grrr).
Verified: 6/30
cGPA - 3.71
sGPA - 3.75
MCAT - 36 (11,12,13)

I can tell it's the "worry about timing" part of the application season. Your only options are to politely wait until the committee letter arrives or withdraw. Waiting on others can be a real drag.

 

[hushcom]

How'd you get to become an adcom? I want to serve on one in the future too.

Right place at the wrong time.

 

[peanutbutterdaisy]

This is really helpful, thank you so much @hushcom !

How do you view applicants that did pretty average (B range) in pre-req courses but that excelled in upper level science courses? I guess I'm wondering if my upward trend will be viewed favorably or if my mediocre performance in the pre-reqs will cast a shadow on my much much better performance in advanced biology courses?

 

[hushcom]

Do adcoms expect you to be well-versed on every prominent healthcare topic before you go in for the interview? ACA, physician compensation, patient noncompliance, CMS, ethics, etc? Or is a basic understanding enough? I'm just worried because my interview skills would be the most likely thing to tank my application.

I have enjoyed reading all your responses, @hushcom.

I think basic is fine, provided your understanding is reasonably accurate. It's okay to say that you don't thoroughly understand everything; if you did there would be no need to go to school. Once in awhile I interview someone who has worked on the policy side and can hold a high level discussion, but those are the exceptions. Just don't come off all preachy and judgey and opinionatedey.

 

[Ace Khalifa]

I think basic is fine, provided your understanding is reasonably accurate. It's okay to say that you don't thoroughly understand everything; if you did there would be no need to go to school. Once in awhile I interview someone who has worked on the policy side and can hold a high level discussion, but those are the exceptions. Just don't come off all preachy and judgey and opinionatedey.

Thank you for the response! And don't worry, I never judge people or policies without going through considerable thought and analysis first.

 

[hushcom]

Dear @hushcom,
What's your opinion on older non-traditional applicant? I'm 37, have been working as a hospital pharmacist for 9 years with a lot of clinical experience. My stats are Mcat 32, gpa/sgpa 3.6. Would my age hurt me or help me? How about family status (wife, kids)? How much can my clinical experience benefit me if at all?
Thanks much!

37 isn't too bad. Some folks might not care for it, but you can still have a lengthy career as a practicing MD. It's also nice to have some surrogate parents in the class. Your clinical experience is probably a net positive, although you will get the usual scrutiny of a career-changer.

 

[pbrocks15]

I have discussed MCAT retakes fairly exhaustively on this thread. If previous answers do not address your question then repost.



"Doing research at the NIH" could mean a 10 week summer program or five years of intensive and productive time spent in a world class lab. You will have to be more specific.

I mean the IRTA Program at the NIH that is for psot-bac students. They either do one or two years there and are required/recommend to apply to graduate school during their stay at the NIH.

Have you had applicants who have done research at Howard Hughes Medical Institute/Jenelia Pharms?

 

[cheng994]

37 isn't too bad. Some folks might not care for it, but you can still have a lengthy career as a practicing MD. It's also nice to have some surrogate parents in the class. Your clinical experience is probably a net positive, although you will get the usual scrutiny of a career-changer.

Thank you for the reply