I just want to preface this by saying I genuinely have no desire to get into a T20 school, but I'm curious what people think. My top choice is Stanford but honestly my reason is so unimaginably stupid I'm not even gonna mention it. I really don't care though and I would be very content going to my state school (NJ) or even going to a DO program tbh and most likely I want to do primary care in the future. I'm looking at the more holistic schools cuz my MCAT score isn't the best, but I'm 100% NOT retaking because I feel like I'll learn a lot more from a healthcare provider perspective doing more clinical/research stuff rather than squeezing 4 more points out on CARS.
Stats: 512 MCAT, 3.90 cGPA, 3.83 sGPA. Major in biomathematics ( joint degree I like math) with a minor in Japanese.
Idk if this is a red flag or if it matters, but I'm also finishing in 2.5ish years cuz a lot of AP credits (bio, chem, calc, english). Did 2 years, gap semester junior year fall, junior year spring full time (now), and one more class in the fall which basically gives me a gap year so I'll throw projected hours.
Research:
Nonclinical volunteering (kinda lacking but I don't have much desire or time to improve it and would rather do clinical stuff like more EMT shifts):
Projected hours: Idk how to break it down hourly, but it'll be like 3000-3500ish hours spread over these. Imma be grinding tho since I really enjoy what I'm doing
Stats: 512 MCAT, 3.90 cGPA, 3.83 sGPA. Major in biomathematics ( joint degree I like math) with a minor in Japanese.
Idk if this is a red flag or if it matters, but I'm also finishing in 2.5ish years cuz a lot of AP credits (bio, chem, calc, english). Did 2 years, gap semester junior year fall, junior year spring full time (now), and one more class in the fall which basically gives me a gap year so I'll throw projected hours.
Research:
- 100 hours freshman year which resulted in the pub but it was kinda BS (mid author in a review with 30 something co-authors) but ofc I'm not gonna frame it that way on an app. Seems suspicious though in all honesty.
- 1500 hours neuroendocrinology research (big word). No pubs, but maybe could be a poster/undergrad thesis or something but idk the process for that.
- 800 hours as an ophthalmology tech/scribe.
- 900 hours as a CCT. Assisted nurses and learn skills like phlebotomy and doing EKGs and also did patient care such as feeding, cleaning, and taking **** from nurses who act like anything in a tech's scope of practice is not their responsibility.
- Certified phlebotomy tech and EMT. Projected either a surgical technician or certified ophthalmology assistant (one or the other) in the next year depending on what opportunities I come across. Idk if certs matter from a med-school perspective but I like having diversity in my healthcare experiences and they kinda back it up.
- 50 hours shadowing at an ophthalmology clinic (same one I worked at so idk how much it counts). I had trouble getting more shadowing cuz Covid was just letting up and eventually I started getting jobs and preferred the more hands on experience.
- 1500 hours as a volunteer EMT (including projected hours next year) since freshman year summer.
- Planning on doing 2-3 short term medical missions trips in the next year but I gotta find money for that.
Nonclinical volunteering (kinda lacking but I don't have much desire or time to improve it and would rather do clinical stuff like more EMT shifts):
- 100 hours lead a nonprofit community tennis camp over the summer.
- 50 hours as part of community team in a Christian fellowship (did some homeless outreach stuff at food banks and what not. Thinking about some fundraising events, but those are still getting baked atm).
- Cofounder/treasurer of a calisthenics club for 1 year. Member for another 2 semesters (couldn't continue leadership cuz gap semester split it up)
- Powerlifting club 4 semesters. Competed in 2 competitions and got third in one of them, but wasn't amazing.
- Played tennis as a kid through high school and continued private coaching into my freshman year summer so I'll talk about it for well-roundedness. Between calisthenics/powerlifting/tennis I'll probably base some part of my statement on fitness potentially.
- 4 semesters various christian fellowship stuff. Small group (Bible Study) leader for 3 semesters, part of community team (planned events for the fellowship as well as homeless outreach events maybe fundraisers which are cooking atm).
- Teaching an accredited first year interest group seminar for freshman interested in health and medicine next fall and mentoring them.
- 2 semesters Asian language and culture ambassador (did tabling events to advertise the east asian language and culture department and helped welcome exchange students from Japan).
Projected hours: Idk how to break it down hourly, but it'll be like 3000-3500ish hours spread over these. Imma be grinding tho since I really enjoy what I'm doing
- Gonna continue my research position and hopefully get a mid-author pub out of it but it. I don't have my own project and don't have much desire to have my own, but I'm heavily involved in one so it gives me a lot more to talk about.
- Really itching to get a surgical tech certification and get some OR experience but I'd say maybe 30% chance it happens. Otherwise, I'm gonna try to get more ophthalmology experience part time and continue my CCT job which is per-diem on weekends.
- Gonna keep riding on my EMT squad once a week.