MD Canadian Applicant (3.91 cGPA, 3.98sGPA, 35MCAT)

[Kryxia]

Hello SDN community!

I am planning on applying for MD programs this semester and I would really love your input on consolidating a potential school list. I've already consulted the MSAR but I was hoping to possibly narrow down my list even further (or add some schools that I was previously not aware of). Any opinions and critiques about my application profile would be greatly appreciated! I am from Canada, but I went to highschool in the US and am now an undergrad at a top 20 US institution graduating this May. Nonetheless, this puts me in the international applicant pool and would really love any advice if possible!

Degree: B.Sc in Biology w/ Neuroscience track (May 2016)
M.Sc in Biomedical Engineering (May 2017)
GPA: 3.91 cumulative, 3.98 science (4.0's after freshman year)
MCAT: 35 (14 PS/9 VR/12 BS)

Volunteering:
HELP (Hospital Elder Life Program) - interact and provide care to elderly patients to minimize hospital-acquired delirium (150 hrs and counting; probably going to be around 300 by the time I submit my primaries)
Hospice care - visit and provide companionship to terminally ill patients at a local hospice (40 hours)

Shadowing:
Shadowed multiple physicians across a variety of specialties (Anesthesia, Cardio surgeon, Oncologist, etc.) ~100 hrs total

Research:
Worked in a neurobiology lab for 3 years + 2 summers, leading an independent research project - no publications (not yet but will be in review hopefuly by this summer); will have a senior thesis and poster presentation (~2000 hours).
Accepted into a competitive fellowship program this past summer at a leading institution

Leadership:
Supplemental Instruction Leader (3 years) - 1500+ hours
Colleges against cancer club vice president (1 year) - 200 hours

Awards/Honors:
Deans list (freshman year), Deans list w/ high honors (sophomore onwards)
Phi Beta Kappa

Here's my current list of schools:
Stanford University School of Medicine
Yale School of Medicine
Georgetown University School of Medicine
George Washington University School of Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
The Pritzker School of Medicine at Uchicago
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin
Tulane University School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Central Michigan University School of Medine
Mayo Medical School
St Louis University School of Medicine
Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
NYU School of Medicine
Weill Cornell Medicine
New York Medical College
UNC at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
Duke University School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Perelman School of Medicine at Upenn
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Upitt School of Medicine
The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Vanderbilt School of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine

My questions are:
1) I'm worried about that 9 in MCAT verbal (especially considering I'm an international applicant); should I consider taking the MCAT 2015? I've already been studying for it and am registered for 4/23 test date, but I'm still wondering whether it would be worth retaking it.
2) What schools can I add and what schools can I remove from my list?
3) Are there any red flags to my application?

Any other comments or suggestions are more than welcome!

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[Dr.Jekyll75]

I'd get rid of cmu, I would throw Oakland Beaumont in there MSU-MD and at least Msucom . Msucom has a Canadian student programs, they reserve 25 seats for Canadian students. I know it's DO but Michigan is super DO friendly and with the acgme merger you would be sitting pretty .


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[gyngyn]

You can easily eliminate the schools that have not matriculated more than one or two internationals (e.g. Mayo, Stanford, Baylor, UNC...). If that still leaves too many, eliminate the ones that matriculated 3 or less (e.g. Duke...).

 

[Mistable]

I am in similar shoes as you but you have a higher gpa than me. I have a (12/9/14) and am re-writing to bump it up a few points and get something more balanced. If you're also applying to canadian medschools you'll need an mcat from 2015 onwards.

 

[gyngyn]

I am in similar shoes as you but you have a higher gpa than me. I have a (12/9/14) and am re-writing to bump it up a few points and get something more balanced. If you're also applying to canadian medschools you'll need an mcat from 2015 onwards.

Do not re-take the MCAT for us (unless it's expired).

 

[GrapesofRath]

I am in similar shoes as you but you have a higher gpa than me. I have a (12/9/14) and am re-writing to bump it up a few points and get something more balanced. If you're also applying to canadian medschools you'll need an mcat from 2015 onwards.

This would not have a positive influence at all at many many US schools. Arrogance, narcissism, immaturity, inability to recognize strengths and weaknesses are some of the things that could come to someone's mind when they see a person retaking an MCAT score this high(regardless of whether these are fair or accurate). Dont do this if you are applying to US schools; the cons of such a decision outweigh the pros by a sizeable portion. It wont reflect well on you at many schools regardless of the outcome of the retake.

9 is fine. The US views MCAT retakes much differently than Canadian schools.