MD CA ORM 522/3.89 (2022-2023 cycle)

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[candbgirl]

You have applied already? What were the completed EC hours you applied with. Frankly, projected hours are considered projected and don’t hold much weight or influence. ADCOMS know that the road is paved with good intentions but frequently those projected hours don’t get done. So we need to know what your completed hours were when you applied.
I just reread your post and I’m confused. Did you apply or are you planning to apply in the future. The title of your post indicates you have already applied. Advice if you have already applied will be very different than if you are applying next year or even later.

 

[MyOdyssey]

You have applied already? What were the completed EC hours you applied with. Frankly, projected hours are considered projected and don’t hold much weight or influence. ADCOMS know that the road is paved with good intentions but frequently those projected hours don’t get done. So we need to know what your completed hours were when you applied.
I just reread your post and I’m confused. Did you apply or are you planning to apply in the future. The title of your post indicates you have already applied. Advice if you have already applied will be very different than if you are applying next year or even later.

I think OP plans to apply after a gap year and those are hours projected after the gap year.

 

[figleaf]

You have applied already? What were the completed EC hours you applied with. Frankly, projected hours are considered projected and don’t hold much weight or influence. ADCOMS know that the road is paved with good intentions but frequently those projected hours don’t get done. So we need to know what your completed hours were when you applied.
I just reread your post and I’m confused. Did you apply or are you planning to apply in the future. The title of your post indicates you have already applied. Advice if you have already applied will be very different than if you are applying next year or even later.

Apologies for any confusion; the COVID booster is hitting me hard. I've edited my post to be more reflective of my actual hours and more accurate to my situation. Thank you for helping me clarify all that - your time really means a lot.

 

[MyOdyssey]

Apologies for any confusion; the COVID booster is hitting me hard. I've edited my post to be more reflective of my actual hours and more accurate to my situation. Thank you for helping me clarify all that - your time really means a lot.

You’re currently a senior. You will graduate in May/June 2022 and apply then, resulting in a gap year, correct?

 

[figleaf]

You’re currently a senior. You will graduate in May/June 2022 and apply then, resulting in a gap year, correct?

Yep! That's right.

 

[DZ2106]

Your ECs are pretty light for the T20s, so def add some more mid-tiers and safeties

 

[MyOdyssey]

Apply to UVA and Wash U in St. Louis.

UVA likes out of state applicants with high stats. Wash U likes high stats but it also favors research. I recommend adding these two.

To avoid having such a top heavy list, consider adding the following

Boston University
Emory
Cincinnati
Case Western
Hofstra
Einstein
Miami
Tulane
USF Morsani
Rochester
Medical College of Wisconsin
St. Louis U.


UC Riverside favors applicants from a certain region of CA, correct?

For the very top schools, you're light on nonclinical volunteering hours, research, and leadership. What do you plan for your gap year to address these areas?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

My own opinions may differ a little: it depends on how you frame your non-clinical volunteering. I do think you may need to consider one more activity in your gap year that does not have to do with teaching or tutoring. But I am impressed you have experiences that show exposure to SES, geriatric/elderly/disabled, and LGBTQ+ populations. I will agree I am missing a sense of leadership and initiative from what has been itemized, and a lot is going to depend on how you connect the dots with all of these activities to who you are and want to be as a future physician/health care provider.

 

[MyOdyssey]

My own opinions may differ a little: it depends on how you frame your non-clinical volunteering. I do think you may need to consider one more activity in your gap year that does not have to do with teaching or tutoring. But I am impressed you have experiences that show exposure to SES, geriatric/elderly/disabled, and LGBTQ+ populations. I will agree I am missing a sense of leadership and initiative from what has been itemized, and a lot is going to depend on how you connect the dots with all of these activities to who you are and want to be as a future physician/health care provider.

<<it depends on how you frame your non-clinical volunteering.>>

Could you please elaborate on this piece of advice for my benefit as well as the OP's?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

<<it depends on how you frame your non-clinical volunteering.>>

Could you please elaborate on this piece of advice for my benefit as well as the OP's?

Sure: The OP listed non-clinical volunteering as

1. Tutored Title 1 (low SES) schools my first two years, ~100 hours
2. LGBTQ suicide counseling, ~150 hours w/ ~100 hours projected

On the application, how are each of these experiences described (i.e., how are these activities framed)? Were any of these "most meaningful experiences", and how did the OP reflect on them (if any of them were MME)?

1. Was the tutoring one-on-one or assisting a teacher? 100 hours over two years is NOT a lot of time, so how many students did this OP help? What insights with social determinants of health affected the way the OP taught the students?

2. Suicide counseling: was this in-person, by phone, or by text? When did this start because 150 hours is about 3 hours a week for a year (which is a typical starting commitment for a volunteer)... again not a lot of people (I don't expect someone to work all 3 hours non-stop). How many clients were helped during this time period? If the OP included training time, that's even fewer hours and fewer people potentially helped.

Just revealing some insights of how screeners can evaluate activities, knowing that there is more information on an AMCAS/AACOMAS.