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Hello all! First time applying to the US, not really sure where to apply to but I have some constraints. I'm looking to apply to 3-4 schools and be competitive. Also looking for any general advice or thoughts on my stats.
Stats
Program: Pharmacology w/ CS minor
GPA: 3.99
MCAT: 521 (131/127/131/132)
Research: no publications, worked 1 yr in a pharmacology lab, currently working in a physiology lab but mostly doing coding
Clinical: limited, spent ~3 years volunteering at a hospital (ballpark around 50 hrs)
Shadow: limited, have literally only spent 1 afternoon following a radio oncologist
Non-clinical: retirement home (2 yrs), badminton coach (2 yrs), foreign language teacher (1 summer), other random small things
Work: at a company focused on public health and technology (3 yrs)
I realize that my main issue is my lack of clinical/non-clinical volunteering and exposure to health care. I've built my application for the past 3 years around my interest in CS and applying that to public health but when it comes to US schools, it seems like I'll be at a disadvantage. I'm definitely planning on doing more volunteering this year but I'm not sure if it'll cut it (or if I can even put it on my application..?)
Schools:
Rosalind Franklin
Dartmouth
George Washinton
Icahn
Oakland
SUNY
Stony Brook
Virginia
Vanderbilt
Wayne
West Virginia
Yale
One of the big constraints for me is the recommendation letters. Unfortunately, I did not know US schools put so much emphasis on faculty references, so I can really only say I could get 1 good science prof (maybe), and 1 generic letter. Another factor would be the proximity to Canada (north-east) and whether they accept Canadians.
I would really appreciate any input on my school choices or if I missed any good options that fit my requirements. Thanks!
Stats
Program: Pharmacology w/ CS minor
GPA: 3.99
MCAT: 521 (131/127/131/132)
Research: no publications, worked 1 yr in a pharmacology lab, currently working in a physiology lab but mostly doing coding
Clinical: limited, spent ~3 years volunteering at a hospital (ballpark around 50 hrs)
Shadow: limited, have literally only spent 1 afternoon following a radio oncologist
Non-clinical: retirement home (2 yrs), badminton coach (2 yrs), foreign language teacher (1 summer), other random small things
Work: at a company focused on public health and technology (3 yrs)
I realize that my main issue is my lack of clinical/non-clinical volunteering and exposure to health care. I've built my application for the past 3 years around my interest in CS and applying that to public health but when it comes to US schools, it seems like I'll be at a disadvantage. I'm definitely planning on doing more volunteering this year but I'm not sure if it'll cut it (or if I can even put it on my application..?)
Schools:
Rosalind Franklin
Dartmouth
George Washinton
Icahn
Oakland
SUNY
Stony Brook
Virginia
Vanderbilt
Wayne
West Virginia
Yale
One of the big constraints for me is the recommendation letters. Unfortunately, I did not know US schools put so much emphasis on faculty references, so I can really only say I could get 1 good science prof (maybe), and 1 generic letter. Another factor would be the proximity to Canada (north-east) and whether they accept Canadians.
I would really appreciate any input on my school choices or if I missed any good options that fit my requirements. Thanks!
