cGPA 3.85/MCAT 515ish, not sure which schools to target

[benlikeslizards]

Hey SDN, wondering if you could help a recently converted pre-med applying 2021. Started working for a senior care place, and decided I wanted to become a doctor. I'm not quite sure what schools I should target, if I should look more at the DO schools. I'm very interested in doing research, so MD/PhD would be cool, but I'm not sure if I could make that.
I'm about as white toast as it gets, so no non-trad there.

cGPA: 3.85
sGPA: 3.80
MCAT: I'm guessing around a 515 (Will take in Fall 2020), I took a half length practice exam without having studied or taken Psych, Genetics, or Biochem; got a 505. I think it was a relatively easy practice exam. Still though, I think I can hit 515+

Research:
1.5 years, about 750-1000 hours of nuclear engineering research (Molten salt properties, reactor design), will present poster in May to low key research conference. I may end up on a published paper, it depends on the industry people we work with.
Just transitioned to tissue engineering research team, so far about 15 hours. I will probably have my name on a published paper with them this Fall.

Leadership:
President of club to help homeless
Finalist in Entrepreneurship Competition, helped build novel bioreactor for the competition (Insulin at home bioreactor)

Volunteering:
Served 2 year mission trip to Germany for church, taught German/English courses to refugees and natives, fluent in German (This was in 2017, 2018. In the last 3 years, taught ~10 hours of German courses to refugees, ~40 hours of English to natives/immigrants who could already speak the language
Volunteered as an 'ordinance worker', guided people through religious ceremonies (Sacraments and stuff) 100 hours
Volunteer as a Sunday School teacher for youth, about 20 hours
Volunteer in hospital (4 hrs/week), have 44 hours so far. 12 hours of actual patient exposure (Basically an orderly now)
Just started as 4-H mentor, 1 hour so far

Total: 134 hours (I have a spread sheet)

Shadowing:
7.5 hours, neonatologist and orthopedic surgeon

Clinical Exposure:
'Care Giver', basically CNA+ housekeeping Hours: 400, about half of which is actual clinical experience.

Total Patient Exposure: 212 hours (including 12 hours as orderly)

I was thinking of applying to CU (I'm from Denver), Utah University (Go to school in Utah) and a bunch of schools in Texas (My wife is from Houston). I don't really have a good feel for what I need to be doing in order to get there, my school's pre-med advisor wasn't super helpful. What other schools could I apply to where I could maybe also get my hands dirty in research? Also: is that a real thing, can I practice and do research? I'd love to use my engineering skills toward new technology to help patients.

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[Mr.Smile12]

Hey SDN, wondering if you could help a recently converted pre-med applying 2021. Started working for a senior care place, and decided I wanted to become a doctor. I'm not quite sure what schools I should target, if I should look more at the DO schools. I'm very interested in doing research, so MD/PhD would be cool, but I'm not sure if I could make that.
I'm about as white toast as it gets, so no non-trad there.

cGPA: 3.85
sGPA: 3.80
MCAT: I'm guessing around a 515 (Will take in Fall 2020), I took a half length practice exam without having studied or taken Psych, Genetics, or Biochem; got a 505. I think it was a relatively easy practice exam. Still though, I think I can hit 515+

Research:
1.5 years, about 750-1000 hours of nuclear engineering research (Molten salt properties, reactor design), will present poster in May to low key research conference. I may end up on a published paper, it depends on the industry people we work with.
Just transitioned to tissue engineering research team, so far about 15 hours. I will probably have my name on a published paper with them this Fall.

Leadership:
President of club to help homeless
Finalist in Entrepreneurship Competition, helped build novel bioreactor for the competition (Insulin at home bioreactor)

Volunteering:
Served 2 year mission trip to Germany for church, taught German/English courses to refugees and natives, fluent in German (This was in 2017, 2018. In the last 3 years, taught ~10 hours of German courses to refugees, ~40 hours of English to natives/immigrants who could already speak the language
Volunteered as an 'ordinance worker', guided people through religious ceremonies (Sacraments and stuff) 100 hours
Volunteer as a Sunday School teacher for youth, about 20 hours
Volunteer in hospital (4 hrs/week), have 44 hours so far. 12 hours of actual patient exposure (Basically an orderly now)
Just started as 4-H mentor, 1 hour so far

Total: 134 hours (I have a spread sheet)

Shadowing:
7.5 hours, neonatologist and orthopedic surgeon

Clinical Exposure:
'Care Giver', basically CNA+ housekeeping Hours: 400, about half of which is actual clinical experience.

Total Patient Exposure: 212 hours (including 12 hours as orderly)

I was thinking of applying to CU (I'm from Denver), Utah University (Go to school in Utah) and a bunch of schools in Texas (My wife is from Houston). I don't really have a good feel for what I need to be doing in order to get there, my school's pre-med advisor wasn't super helpful. What other schools could I apply to where I could maybe also get my hands dirty in research? Also: is that a real thing, can I practice and do research? I'd love to use my engineering skills toward new technology to help patients.

We take no bets about your chances with individual schools until we see an official MCAT report. Any mention of practice test scores is irrelevant and often lead to "fish tales". That's probably one real reason your premed advisor wasn't helpful.

Another is the small number of shadowing hours. On face value,you have a pretty good number of clinical exposure hours if your description is true, but I'll let others comment more (housekeeping?). However, your community service/volunteering experience is very typical of Utah/LDS applicants against whom you will be compared. What we really want to see is experience that really places you outside your comfort zone working with people who are not like you socioeconomically or culturally who have challenges accessing resources in the United States (hence the mission to Germany helps but not as much). Your pending work at a senior living center is going to help you, but we are currently working on what you have documented and done for your application, not future hours.

Now your premed advisor may also be a bit limited in helping you because you come from an engineering background (and a solid one). What biomedical science upper-level electives have you taken? Given your disclosed sGPA, I presume most are A's.

Finally in terms of choosing schools, you need to network with the schools. Contact students currently at those schools (here or through AMSA or other medical student clubs that could be faith-affiliated) as well as admissions staff to get a better picture about which schools offer the best support for you and your family.

 

[benlikeslizards]

I appreciate the feedback!

Unfortunately, no higher level biomedical science electives. The closest that I have to that is physical chemistry.

Clarification note: the 'senior care place' is an at home senior care company, where I have worked there as a care giver. About half of our clients are physical care intensive, but with other clients, I help them fulfill other needs. For example, I take them shopping, clean the kitchen, make them food, etc. I counted only the physical care intensive clients there.

I've been interested in volunteering at a 'House of Hope' where I would work with LBGTQ youth who are no longer welcome at home (It's a problem in Utah). Would that help round out my volunteer experience? Or would it be better if I learned Spanish and started working with the latino community here?