chance me please! 512 MCAT, 3.9 GPA, TFA

[aspiringphysician190]

Hi! I was wondering if I could please have some feedback on my list. I am applying upcoming cycle after I finish my commitment with Teach for America. Thanks in advance!

OUWB (MI)
Wayne State (MI)
MSUCHM (MI)
Univeristy of Michigan (MI)
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
Tulane
Wake Forest
Kaiser Permanente
Drexel University
Temple
U Colorado
UTHSC
Brown
NOVA MD
U Wisconsin
Emory
U Rochester

State: lived in MI whole life until a year ago moved to TN. hoping to still be considered in state for MI?
Applicant: non URM, white female
MCAT: 512
Science GPA: 3.8
Overall GPA: 3.9
Major: Human Biology, Minor: Sociology
large state school

Research:
-Clinical Research Assistant at a hospital partnered with my university (a couple pubs, couple posters) ~1,000 hours
-ER Research Associate for another local hospital ~40 hours
-presented at my school's research conference twice, won an award

Extra-curriculars:
-Member of Pre-Professional Science Fraternity (4 years)
-Member of Sorority (3 years)
-Member of student governing body (1 year)
-IM sports (4 years)
-President of a club that raises awareness about refugee crises around the world and also helps refugees in my community
-Teach for America (2 years by time of matriculation)

Clinical Volunteering/Work Experience:
-ER Volunteer at local hospital - 300 hours, 220 are leadership hours
-Worked at a large hospital for 3 years (started in high school, went until middle of undergrad) only about 1/4 of these hours were with patients, the other 3/4 were in an office doing clerical work - 1345 hours

Non-Clinical Volunteering:
· Tutor recently relocated refugee children in my community in reading and writing skills - 75 hours
· Teach science to elementary school kids - 20 hours
· Fundraising for refugees in Jordan/collect coats for refugees in community - 30 hours
· Spent a summer in Greece volunteering in refugee camps (for credit) - 150 hours
· Outreach with Sorority, collecting and passing out books to inner city kids, helping kids with reading skills - 30 hours

Shadowing:
· Internal Medicine, 20 hours
· Geriatrics, 24 hours
· ER resident, 3 hours

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[Mr.Smile12]

Obviously TFA is a big plus. Aside from your in-states, do you have any recommendations from TFA peers/alumni regarding where they went for medical school and what schools really favor TFA participants? In the past there were some agreements TFA made with some medical schools regarding deferments (not that you would need one), and so you need to see if this still exists.

I'd still apply to all your MD schools in-state, as I see you're missing Western Michigan.

 

[m1redsox]

UTHSC and Wisconsin heavily favor their in-state applicants. Other than that, you could add:
Western Michigan
Central Michigan
Penn State
EVMS
VCU
Jefferson
GT
GWU
MCW
Albany
NYMC
Creighton
Geisinger
Toledo
Vermont

All as target/safeties stats-wise. You could take some shots at some T30s-40s, though—since your GPA and ECs are great.

 

[aspiringphysician190]

UTHSC and Wisconsin heavily favor their in-state applicants. Other than that, you could add:
Western Michigan
Central Michigan
Penn State
EVMS
VCU
Jefferson
GT
GWU
MCW
Albany
NYMC
Creighton
Geisinger
Toledo
Vermont

All as target/safeties stats-wise. You could take some shots at some T30s-40s, though—since your GPA and ECs are great.

Thank you! I really appreciate it. I am keeping UTHSC because I have ties to Memphis. This is my list as of now with your recommendations... what do you think? Any other recommendations on a couple reach schools I could add? Thank you so much!

OUWB (MI)
Wayne State (MI)
MSUCHM (MI)
University of Michigan (MI)
CMU (MI)
WMU (MI)
Loyola (Chicago)
Rosalind Franklin (Chicago)
Tulane (LA)
Wake Forest (NC)
Kaiser Permanente (CA)
Drexel University (PA)
Temple (PA)
U Colorado (CO)
UTHSC (TN)
Brown (RI)
NOVA MD (FL)
Emory (GA)
U Rochester (NY)
Medical College of WI (WI)
Saint Louis (MO)
Georgetown (DC)
George Washington (DC)
Creighton (NE)
Penn State (PA)
EVMS (VA)
VCU (VA)
Jefferson (PA)

 

[aspiringphysician190]

Obviously TFA is a big plus. Aside from your in-states, do you have any recommendations from TFA peers/alumni regarding where they went for medical school and what schools really favor TFA participants? In the past there were some agreements TFA made with some medical schools regarding deferments (not that you would need one), and so you need to see if this still exists.

I'd still apply to all your MD schools in-state, as I see you're missing Western Michigan.

Thank you for the advice. I added WMU and CMU. I am hoping I still qualify for MI in state since I have been out of the state working with TFA for the past year and I have to put my new state's address (TN) on my apps. TFA does have a list of med schools they partner with as far as deferments go, but I am not sure how much preference is actually given to TFA alums besides that. I don't want to bother any TFA alum physicians right now especially with everything going on. :/ So I feel kind of lost when it comes to that right now.

 

[m1redsox]

Thank you! I really appreciate it. I am keeping UTHSC because I have ties to Memphis. This is my list as of now with your recommendations... what do you think? Any other recommendations on a couple reach schools I could add? Thank you so much!

OUWB (MI)
Wayne State (MI)
MSUCHM (MI)
University of Michigan (MI)
CMU (MI)
WMU (MI)
Loyola (Chicago)
Rosalind Franklin (Chicago)
Tulane (LA)
Wake Forest (NC)
Kaiser Permanente (CA)
Drexel University (PA)
Temple (PA)
U Colorado (CO)
UTHSC (TN)
Brown (RI)
NOVA MD (FL)
Emory (GA)
U Rochester (NY)
Medical College of WI (WI)
Saint Louis (MO)
Georgetown (DC)
George Washington (DC)
Creighton (NE)
Penn State (PA)
EVMS (VA)
VCU (VA)
Jefferson (PA)

Looks like a decent list to me!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thank you for the advice. I added WMU and CMU. I am hoping I still qualify for MI in state since I have been out of the state working with TFA for the past year and I have to put my new state's address (TN) on my apps. TFA does have a list of med schools they partner with as far as deferments go, but I am not sure how much preference is actually given to TFA alums besides that. I don't want to bother any TFA alum physicians right now especially with everything going on. :/ So I feel kind of lost when it comes to that right now.

Reach out to the admissions staff at your MI-in-state schools to clarify your domicility status. As for TFA, I think you can pester (within reason) some of those alums who may welcome a chance to not think about what is going on.

 

[aspiringphysician190]

Looks like a decent list to me!

thank you so much!

 

[aspiringphysician190]

Reach out to the admissions staff at your MI-in-state schools to clarify your domicility status. As for TFA, I think you can pester (within reason) some of those alums who may welcome a chance to not think about what is going on.

Great ideas. Thank you so much for your assistance!

 

[deleted894256]

Thank you! I really appreciate it. I am keeping UTHSC because I have ties to Memphis. This is my list as of now with your recommendations... what do you think? Any other recommendations on a couple reach schools I could add? Thank you so much!

OUWB (MI)
Wayne State (MI)
MSUCHM (MI)
University of Michigan (MI)
CMU (MI)
WMU (MI)
Loyola (Chicago)
Rosalind Franklin (Chicago)
Tulane (LA)
Wake Forest (NC)
Kaiser Permanente (CA)
Drexel University (PA)
Temple (PA)
U Colorado (CO)
UTHSC (TN)
Brown (RI)
NOVA MD (FL)
Emory (GA)
U Rochester (NY)
Medical College of WI (WI)
Saint Louis (MO)
Georgetown (DC)
George Washington (DC)
Creighton (NE)
Penn State (PA)
EVMS (VA)
VCU (VA)
Jefferson (PA)

I had a similar app to you and I made the mistake of selling my experiences short and applied to too many places that get >10,000k apps. If you can spend some time writing and polishing essays about your teaching and other experiences that will help you stick out at your reaches and those schools that get tons of apps. I think your list looks good but I’d consider swapping out RFU and applying to Rush instead. Rush gets fewer apps, has great hospitals to train in, and is in a much more fun part of Chicago— plus they’d love your TFA experience. Just keep in mind that you have quite a few schools on your list that get tons of apps (>10,000 per year). I think Emory, Rochester, and Michigan are good reaches— Brown tends to be hard to predict (they heavily favor their own undergrads). Quinnipiac, Tufts, and Miami Miller might be good options to consider adding to your list— they have averages that are somewhat higher than your stats but get fewer apps than places like Drexel, GW, Loyola etc. Good luck!

 

[aspiringphysician190]

I had a similar app to you and I made the mistake of selling my experiences short and applied to too many places that get >10,000k apps. If you can spend some time writing and polishing essays about your teaching and other experiences that will help you stick out at your reaches and those schools that get tons of apps. I think your list looks good but I’d consider swapping out RFU and applying to Rush instead. Rush gets fewer apps, has great hospitals to train in, and is in a much more fun part of Chicago— plus they’d love your TFA experience. Just keep in mind that you have quite a few schools on your list that get tons of apps (>10,000 per year). I think Emory, Rochester, and Michigan are good reaches— Brown tends to be hard to predict (they heavily favor their own undergrads). Quinnipiac, Tufts, and Miami Miller might be good options to consider adding to your list— they have averages that are somewhat higher than your stats but get fewer apps than places like Drexel, GW, Loyola etc. Good luck!

this is wonderful advice. thank you so much!