Back-up plan advice

[nc1237]

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Hello SDN,

I am currently wait listed at one MD school and waiting to hear back from two others post-interview. Certainly not giving up but this is my second year applying and I want to make a solid back up plan to improve my application so that if I do have to apply for a third time, it will be my last time applying. I would really appreciate your help, especially for those that are / have been in a similar situation!

A little information about me:
-3.5ish GPA at a top public university (science and cumulative are roughly equal)
-36 mcat - taken in August 2013 so it will be expired for many schools for the next application cycle

-graduated last year and have been working in a full-time clinical research job and volunteering on weekends since

-decent amount of unique extracurriculars and leadership, etc. in college

-could definitely use some more volunteering hours (have <100)


So, what can I do to improve my application? Regardless of anything else, I will definitely continue to volunteer and will hopefully finish up some abstracts and possibly publish a full manuscript or two by this summer.

Should I consider applying to postbacc programs (assuming it is not too late)? From conversations that I have had with my interviewers and medical school admissions departments, my academic stats have not been an issue, but rather my activities. And although I really enjoy taking classes and learning things, I don't really want to shell out tens of thousands of dollars on classes that will not improve my application and might not be all too helpful once I begin medical school. Especially when I can be saving money to pay for medical school while gaining research experience at my current job.

Should I just retake the MCAT, increase my volunteering hours and concentrate on getting publications and reapply hoping for the best?

Or are there other options that I should consider?

I greatly appreciate any suggestions and would love to hear from others that have been in my situation and were able to make the right decision.

Thank you!

 

[njtrimed]

Hello SDN,

I am currently wait listed at one MD school and waiting to hear back from two others post-interview. Certainly not giving up but this is my second year applying and I want to make a solid back up plan to improve my application so that if I do have to apply for a third time, it will be my last time applying. I would really appreciate your help, especially for those that are / have been in a similar situation!

A little information about me:
-3.5ish GPA at a top public university (science and cumulative are roughly equal)
-36 mcat - taken in August 2013 so it will be expired for many schools for the next application cycle

-graduated last year and have been working in a full-time clinical research job and volunteering on weekends since

-decent amount of unique extracurriculars and leadership, etc. in college

-could definitely use some more volunteering hours (have <100)


So, what can I do to improve my application? Regardless of anything else, I will definitely continue to volunteer and will hopefully finish up some abstracts and possibly publish a full manuscript or two by this summer.

Should I consider applying to postbacc programs (assuming it is not too late)? From conversations that I have had with my interviewers and medical school admissions departments, my academic stats have not been an issue, but rather my activities. And although I really enjoy taking classes and learning things, I don't really want to shell out tens of thousands of dollars on classes that will not improve my application and might not be all too helpful once I begin medical school. Especially when I can be saving money to pay for medical school while gaining research experience at my current job.

Should I just retake the MCAT, increase my volunteering hours and concentrate on getting publications and reapply hoping for the best?

Or are there other options that I should consider?

I greatly appreciate any suggestions and would love to hear from others that have been in my situation and were able to make the right decision.

Thank you!

Have you applied DO?

 

[nc1237]

Have you applied DO?

Not for this cycle or last year but if I do have to apply again I certainly will!

 

[Vandelay Industries]

Do you have any clinical experience? Your stats seem fine... What was the volunteering in? I would say that your app is definitely deficient in clinical exposure.

 

[nc1237]

Do you have any clinical experience? Your stats seem fine... What was the volunteering in? I would say that your app is definitely deficient in clinical exposure.

I work full time in a clinical research lab and spend the majority of my time there with patients. Maybe 40 hours of shadowing in the OR with two different physicians. And a small amount of clinical volunteering.

 

[kmp0410]

What's your school lists look like? Stats wise you are in good shape. There's not a whole lot more you need academic wise imo. Look at schools where your MCAT would still be accepted. Will be hard to know if you need to retake it and still have time to study to take it at a good time. Also that's a very good score, would be a shame to waste it.

So really with the info I'm seeing. I feel like this has to be a situation where your school list isn't well rounded.

 

[Vandelay Industries]

I would stress more volunteering in the OR, shadowing docs, etc while you prepare to retake the MCAT. Agree with above. Look at how many schools you applied to. Are most of them reach schools? Also, I would definitely add DO next application round.

 

[bananafish94]

I'd bet you'll get into a school this cycle. If you do have to reapply and the MCAT score expires, obviously that's a priority. The other thing I would focus on is clinical experience, because that seems somewhat deficient in your current application. But like I said, I think you'll get in this time! I bet those post-interview schools are salivating over that 36 MCAT.

 

[bananafish94]

I would stress more volunteering in the OR, shadowing docs, etc while you prepare to retake the MCAT. Agree with above. Look at how many schools you applied to. Are most of them reach schools? Also, I would definitely add DO next application round.

Your username is sublime.

 

[Goro]

More service to others less fortunate than yourself.

Add different types of clinical exposure. I suggest hospice, the developmentally disabled, or nursing homes.

Hello SDN,

I am currently wait listed at one MD school and waiting to hear back from two others post-interview. Certainly not giving up but this is my second year applying and I want to make a solid back up plan to improve my application so that if I do have to apply for a third time, it will be my last time applying. I would really appreciate your help, especially for those that are / have been in a similar situation!

A little information about me:
-3.5ish GPA at a top public university (science and cumulative are roughly equal)
-36 mcat - taken in August 2013 so it will be expired for many schools for the next application cycle

-graduated last year and have been working in a full-time clinical research job and volunteering on weekends since

-decent amount of unique extracurriculars and leadership, etc. in college

-could definitely use some more volunteering hours (have <100)


So, what can I do to improve my application? Regardless of anything else, I will definitely continue to volunteer and will hopefully finish up some abstracts and possibly publish a full manuscript or two by this summer.

Should I consider applying to postbacc programs (assuming it is not too late)? From conversations that I have had with my interviewers and medical school admissions departments, my academic stats have not been an issue, but rather my activities. And although I really enjoy taking classes and learning things, I don't really want to shell out tens of thousands of dollars on classes that will not improve my application and might not be all too helpful once I begin medical school. Especially when I can be saving money to pay for medical school while gaining research experience at my current job.

Should I just retake the MCAT, increase my volunteering hours and concentrate on getting publications and reapply hoping for the best?

Or are there other options that I should consider?

I greatly appreciate any suggestions and would love to hear from others that have been in my situation and were able to make the right decision.

Thank you!

 

[whatever5]

Really all you can do is rock the MCAT and get more solid clinical experience.

 

[frosted_flake]

Just a thought... Is it too late to apply to DO schools? I read a thread that said January is pushing it, but it might be worth it to not have to retake the MCAT.

 

[nc1237]

Just a thought... Is it too late to apply to DO schools? I read a thread that said January is pushing it, but it might be worth it to not have to retake the MCAT.

I would prefer to shadow a DO before I apply because to be honest I don't know a whole lot about osteopathic medicine other than what I have read here so I think that I would wait until next year to apply DO.

@Goro any suggestions of DO schools that would be good to look at?

 

[Goro]

As of right now it is too late to apply to DO schools.

I have a very high opinion of my own school (naturally) KCUMB, CCOM, PCOM, VCOM, UNECOM, WVU, KCOM, TCOM, OKCOM, Western (both), CUSOM and BCOM (despite the for-profit status).

The only school I can't recommend is LUCOM.

I would prefer to shadow a DO before I apply because to be honest I don't know a whole lot about osteopathic medicine other than what I have read here so I think that I would wait until next year to apply DO.

@Goro any suggestions of DO schools that would be good to look at?

 

[deleted702880]

You and I are in scarily similar situations (nearly same stats, august'13 MCAT, reapplicant, waitlist galore, didn't apply DO either cycle). Are you sure that our MCATs won't be valid for a lot of schools next cycle? I heard that they're good for roughly 3 years and the application cycle starts before that mark but I'm really starting to get worried that I'll have to go through the process again.

 

[MyNameWasUsed]

well this is terrifying