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average UC student trying to get into md...
- Thread starter frescoengano
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No shadowing? This will severely decrease your changes of an acceptance. Get on the phone NOW, and call some doctors to see if you can watch them for a week. Make sure that there is a primary care doc in the mix. Ideally, you should have around 100 to 150 hours of shadowing, and if you really kick it into gear, you can get that amount and still submit AMCAS early(and you really do need to submit early with your GPA). If you're dealing with finals and lots of other things now though, 50 hours will be reasonable to not get you thrown out immediately. Then you can send updates to schools later with more hours.
I personally don't think publications are as important as having research experience, unless its a first or second author publication. The people who have publications tend to do better in the application cycle due to the fact that publications are often a direct result of doing research. Only one year of research will hurt you for the research heavy schools, but it should be fine everywhere else.
I can't tell you your chances at specific schools, but I say you have a chance. I can say that your list is a little top heavy, with USC, UCSD, UCI, UCD, Georgetown, and Boston. Add a few more lower tier schools, submit early, and do some shadowing. You should be fine.
I personally don't think publications are as important as having research experience, unless its a first or second author publication. The people who have publications tend to do better in the application cycle due to the fact that publications are often a direct result of doing research. Only one year of research will hurt you for the research heavy schools, but it should be fine everywhere else.
I can't tell you your chances at specific schools, but I say you have a chance. I can say that your list is a little top heavy, with USC, UCSD, UCI, UCD, Georgetown, and Boston. Add a few more lower tier schools, submit early, and do some shadowing. You should be fine.
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Schools I would reconsider:
Hawaii - unless you're from this state or your parents live here or you have some other direct tie, don't apply. They won't even give you a secondary.
UMDNJ - again, unless you can claim residency, I would not apply. From last year's MSAR, 3032 non-residents applied and only 23 received an interview.
Wayne State - tuition alone for OOS students is almost $60k a year. That doesn't include living expenses.
Michigan State - one of the most expensive schools for OOS students. Tuition alone is almost $70k a year. Again that doesn't include living expenses.
Arizona - they recently started accepting more OOS students, but they seem to be pretty stat selective when choosing OOS individuals to interview(from my what I've seen). Doesn't hurt to apply, but don't go in expecting an interview, because I think your stats are pretty below average for their OOS interviewees/acceptees.
I think you really need to broaden the number of schools you apply to. If you don't have an MSAR, I would go purchase one now. Your "safety" schools like Drexel and NYMC are everyone's safeties, so they get TONS of applications every year. Consider adding schools like Temple, Cincy, MCW, Toledo, OHSU, Creighton, more SUNYs (Buffalo interviews a decent # of OOS).
I would also try to fit in some shadowing if none of your experiences have a shadowing component to them. Try to target a couple of different fields if possible.
Hawaii - unless you're from this state or your parents live here or you have some other direct tie, don't apply. They won't even give you a secondary.
UMDNJ - again, unless you can claim residency, I would not apply. From last year's MSAR, 3032 non-residents applied and only 23 received an interview.
Wayne State - tuition alone for OOS students is almost $60k a year. That doesn't include living expenses.
Michigan State - one of the most expensive schools for OOS students. Tuition alone is almost $70k a year. Again that doesn't include living expenses.
Arizona - they recently started accepting more OOS students, but they seem to be pretty stat selective when choosing OOS individuals to interview(from my what I've seen). Doesn't hurt to apply, but don't go in expecting an interview, because I think your stats are pretty below average for their OOS interviewees/acceptees.
I think you really need to broaden the number of schools you apply to. If you don't have an MSAR, I would go purchase one now. Your "safety" schools like Drexel and NYMC are everyone's safeties, so they get TONS of applications every year. Consider adding schools like Temple, Cincy, MCW, Toledo, OHSU, Creighton, more SUNYs (Buffalo interviews a decent # of OOS).
I would also try to fit in some shadowing if none of your experiences have a shadowing component to them. Try to target a couple of different fields if possible.
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Do you happen to have a strong upward trend in your GPA?
Also, many dont have publications. SDN is not "ordinary".
Also, many dont have publications. SDN is not "ordinary".
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um...it went went down during soph / early junior..but i've gotten straight A's since. Not really "strong", but its upward.
i'm ganna try to get ~20 hours of shadowing done before i submit amcas....
any other schools i should apply to?
i'm ganna try to get ~20 hours of shadowing done before i submit amcas....
any other schools i should apply to?
