CA res, 32O, which schools?

[Sediv]

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I know that I am applying late in the game, but I just retook my MCAT on Thursday and hope to have the primary in by sept 1 (without knowing my score for most schools and add others when I know). I am guessing that I will get around a 32O (10,10,12 maybe). I applied even later last year with a 27M (8,7,12) just for the experience and was waitlisted at Creighton; most likely due to family connections. GPA is around 3.5 (both). I graduated from UCSD in 2007 and have been working as an RA since. I have some volunteering, but not a whole lot of "clinical" stuff. I also spent a year abroad which accounts for the lower GPA.

At this point, my list of schools is based on 1-acceptance of OOS, and 2-average MCAT scores around 30-33 (assuming I performed as expected). Are there any schools that I should cross off or add to this list (or make bold)? Does this list seem reasonable assuming that I apply to at least 10 of the schools? Last year I also applied to Meharry, Morehouse, and Howard. However I think that they didnt take me seriously because I am an average white girl. Should I add them to the list too, reapplying might show them that I AM serious and they are more than just a backup? Should I also consider DO schools?

Schools I am applying to:

UC Davis
UCSF (long shot, but local)
Creighton
Tulane


Schools I am considering applying to (bold=more serious consideration):

University of CO (just because i love CO)
Loba Linda
George Washington and/or Georgetown
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Rush
Boston U or Tufts
Mayo
St Louis U
U of Nevada --if I can count as instate resident because im in Nor Cal...
Albany
NY med col.
SUNY downstate (i have a friend who says they take letters of rec from current students and he will write me one)
Oregon H&S U
Drexel U and/or Jefferson and or Penn state,temple
U of Utah
U of Vermont
Medical College of WI

 

[Catalystik]

Your stats, as they are, would make you a strong contender for an acceptance at a DO school, provided you have the usual and customary ECs. What do you mean exactly by "some volunteering, but not a whole lot of 'clinical' stuff." And what about leadership, teaching, shadowing, and research?

If you do score an MCAT of 32, with your 3.5 cGPA, for MD schools, you might reasonably consider:

UIllinois, Wayne, Buffalo, Toledo, Drexel, Temple, Vermont, VCU, Virginia Tech Carilion (new), GWU, FIU, Louisville, Tulane, UNevada (from region and [W]WAMI), NYMC, MUSC, SCarolina, EVMS, Rush, MichiganState, Oakland (new), Commonwealth MC in Pa. These schools are close to your range.

Those schools that have traditionally accepted black applicants should not be on your list unless you have an extrememly strong pattern of volunteerism with underserved populations on your Experiences list.

Stats just get you past the screening cut offs. It's your ECs, LORs, and interview skills that get you an acceptance.

 

[Sediv]

Thanks. My EC's include
1. Volunteering with a person with AIDS. Every weekend we meet and run errands etc
2. Volunteering at a "free restaurant"
3. Proctoring Bingo at a hospital
4. Shadowing a doctor (but only one day-got to see a baby born--super cool), also my dad is a doctor so i have seen him perform a couple surgeries and grew up "making rounds" with him on the weekends.--not sure how much i should talk about dad as a doctor, and didnt include this last year but was advised to this year.
5. Currently working as a Research Associate 2 formulating drugs for inhalers (COPD/asthma)-3yrs
6 Ski Team in college and high school, captain for one year
7. Walks with american lung assoc. (not really sure if this is worth including)
8. First Responder trained (includes CPR, AED, BBP, and first aid training--again not sure if i should include it, but it shows that I am committed to preparing myself to helping people and taking steps toward this and could maybe stretch it to leadership?)
9. Also worked in Radiation safety which involved monitoring hospital procedures where radiation was injected into patients--not really clinical, but shows that I have spent time in a hospital.
10. researched phycobilliproteins for a quarter in college
11. Study abroad-1yr in belfast

Hopefully these are enough. I am also submitting 5 LORs. 2 from people at my current job, 1 from my past job, one from research in college (my only school based letter but I have been out of school for 3 years so most schools are ok with this) and one personal letter. I also might be able to get the person I shadowed to write a letter too, but I feel like that might be a bit much since we only spent one day together. Any advise/comments on how to spin my EC's? I was also considering enrolling in a class online to bring up my GPA, might be a little late now, but I know that creighton at least takes updates throughout the cycle and last year was also concerned about my ability to get back into studying again (hopefully the improved MCAT will help allay some of this).

 

[Catalystik]

1. Volunteering with a person with AIDS. Every weekend we meet and run errands etc
2. Volunteering at a "free restaurant"
3. Proctoring Bingo at a hospital
4. Shadowing a doctor (but only one day-got to see a baby born--super cool), also my dad is a doctor so i have seen him perform a couple surgeries and grew up "making rounds" with him on the weekends.--not sure how much i should talk about dad as a doctor, and didnt include this last year but was advised to this year.
5. Currently working as a Research Associate 2 formulating drugs for inhalers (COPD/asthma)-3yrs
6 Ski Team in college and high school, captain for one year
7. Walks with american lung assoc. (not really sure if this is worth including)
8. First Responder trained (includes CPR, AED, BBP, and first aid training--again not sure if i should include it, but it shows that I am committed to preparing myself to helping people and taking steps toward this and could maybe stretch it to leadership?)
9. Also worked in Radiation safety which involved monitoring hospital procedures where radiation was injected into patients--not really clinical, but shows that I have spent time in a hospital.
10. researched phycobilliproteins for a quarter in college
11. Study abroad-1yr in belfast

Hopefully these are enough. I am also submitting 5 LORs. 2 from people at my current job, 1 from my past job, one from research in college (my only school based letter but I have been out of school for 3 years so most schools are ok with this) and one personal letter. I also might be able to get the person I shadowed to write a letter too, but I feel like that might be a bit much since we only spent one day together. Any advise/comments on how to spin my EC's? I was also considering enrolling in a class online to bring up my GPA, might be a little late now, but I know that creighton at least takes updates throughout the cycle and last year was also concerned about my ability to get back into studying again (hopefully the improved MCAT will help allay some of this).

1) If this volunteer position didn't include care that was related to their medical condition (give meds, draw blood, change dressings, give brathing treatment) it might best be called nonmedical community service.

2) Depending on the point of this it could be a good community service. Was it only for a certain place of worship's membership or could any homeless person wander in and eat?

3) Would not be considered medical, but still is a community service.

4) Shadowing a parent is perfectly acceptable, so definitely include this.

5) Three years of research is well above average.

6) Captain is leadership.

7) Fund raising is low on the list, but it is still altruistic.

8) Unless you used these skills in a job or volunteer position, they don't help you. Sorry. List them if you want, but not under leadership.

9) Clinical environemnt experience is also important so list this.

10) Strictly speaking, you may not have clinical patient experience at all, but perhaps having enough clinically relevant experiencew will help. I suggest you volunteer or work somewhere that you can directly interact with sick people (and maybe use your first responder skill set), starting ASAP, and include that in update letters. More formal shadowing would be nice to see, perhaps with an office-based primary care doc. I think you're good to go with community service/volunteerism and research.

I've seen applicants dissed for having no recent academic coursework. On-line classes wouldn't be your best bet, since it would be upper-level sciences you should aim at.

 

[Sediv]

I have been researching clinics to volunteer in but because I have no training I am only qualified to do front desk stuff. Does this count as "clinical"? Also I applied to be a clinical escort at planned parenthood, but this is also probably not clinical either and might be a little controversial.

Unfortunately my work with the AIDS patient is not medical, but the free restaurant is for all the homeless in SF (still not medical but definitely a diverse crowd demonstrating my ability to interact with people unlike myself.)

I was also looking for upper div bio classes online and see none, just as you said. Does anyone know of any? I am too late to enroll in a school for this year, so online would be my best bet--if it exists.

 

[Catalystik]

Also check out nursing homes, hospice, rehab clinic, hospitals. If the desk job allows for patient interaction (taking intake history, for example) it is still clinical experience. Escorting patients is also clinical experience. If you think it could be contraversial, don't mention the type of clinic.

Feeding the homeless is a terrific community service. Is there any affiliated free clinic you could hook up with?

With on-line courses, you have to be sure med schools don't frown on distance learning.

 

[Catalystik]

I am too late to enroll in a school for this year, so online would be my best bet--if it exists.

This might be a good question to ask in the Pre-Med Allo Forum to where a wider audience is more likely to have the information you're seeking.