Chances for top 10?

[jraza]

Resume

-3.95 cumulative gpa, 3.98 science gpa
-35 MCAT. Studied for it while doing full time research
-2.5 years of research (w/1 publication and conference w/ poster presentation)
-Trained another undergraduate in research (will mention it in an essay that I write, not in resume)
-3 years volunteering as a tutor (in biology, french, physics, and chemistry)
-TA in chem and bio
-90 hours of shadowing physician
-100 hours of volunteering at a hospital [spring 2011]
-URM status (black)
-Strong LORs
-Hobbies include aviation (photography, flight simulator), cooking, history (WWII in particular because it I feel like it has such an impact on modern society). For the history, I would read many novels and look at many documentaries.
-Fluent in English and French, basic level of Spanish


As you guys can see, I like research a lot which is why I want to go to a top 10 school because they receive a lot of funding and they'll have more opportunities. Given all of this:
1. What do you guys think are my chances of getting in a top 10 school?
2. What would you guys do (in addition to the shadowing) to possibly increase my chances of getting in?


Thanks in advance and have a nice winter break (for those not taking courses)!

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[bucks2010]

Nice GPA. Good MCAT, but the average at most of the top 10 is a 36 or above, so yours does fall a bit below that.

Do your EC's involve any substantial leadership experience?

 

[Catalystik]

Your stats are excellent, your research is very good and the pub terrific, your teaching/tutoring/TAing is excellent. You have a nice variety of interesting hobbies: is there any sport involvement or artistic endeavor you can add, too? If you display your photos or enter shows, that would raise it above a hobby, BTW.

If the doc you shadowed wasn't in primary care, then consider spending a day with an office-based primary care doc, other wise that's fine. The nonexistent as-of-now clinical experience concerns me; why would you leave it until the last possible moment? Top Ten schools aim to train future leaders in medicine, so a strong peer leadership role would help you. You also don't have any mentioned noncampus nonmedical community service unless you tutored at a HS.

You might consider applying to some MD/PhD programs, too, where longer-term clinical experience and service to the wider community wouldn't be so important.

 

[jraza]

Thanks for the responses.
Catalystik,
-The doctor I shadowed was primary care (family medicine).
-For sports, I am an avid player of basketball, but nothing organized, it was simply with friends from the neighborhood.
-I have about 75 hours volunteering at this red cross program where I would shop for those who are physically unable to
-The tutoring for french was for kids in my area, but the sciences were for college students
-I did the shadowing during my sophomore year, and I was convinced that this was what I wanted to do so I got about 90 hours of clinical early on. It was clinical because I was simply not observing, I was taking blood pressure of patients, weight, height, interacting with them, researching different drugs for treatments etc...
-For leadership, I guess tutoring and TAing classes.

I was thinking of being a volunteer at big brother/big sister program for the semester for more leadership, what do you think about that?

Thanks again for the good feedback, I truly appreciate it!

 

[Catalystik]

You've got me reassured about the clinical experience issue. Be sure to make it clear in the description about what percent of the activity was shadowing vs actively interacting with the patient. Ot consider splitting out the two activities, listing the shadowing along with whatever other shadowing yuo engage in. If a lot of it was interactive clinical experience, then you probably are too light with the shadowing (I'd say about 50 hours is the average), so you might indeed do some more shadowing, perhaps of 1-3 more specialties depending on what you can set up.

Mention the sport, even though it wasn't with an official organization.

How many hours of kid tutoring did you do?

Tutor and TA are generally not Leadership, unless you organized the effort, or trained the volunteers, or coordinated the services provided. If these were not the case, then call it Teaching.

BBBS is a great community service, but it is not peer leadership either. I'd call it mentoring, which is also usually listed under Teaching or Community Service-not Medical/Clinical. The Red Cross volunteerism would go under the latter category.

With the added planned active clinical experience, some additional variety of shadowing to get at least average hours (though I recommend 60-80 total if you can manage it), and possibly Leadership, if you can think of something (read WAMC widely for ideas, maybe start a cooking club?), I think you'll have a very, very nice application. I would not hesitate to say you have an excellent chance of an acceptance somewhere if you apply early, have a strong PS, write intriguing essays, and interview well. Top Ten is possible: we'll have to wait and see how it pans out.

 

[Onres]

Resume

-3.95 cumulative gpa, 3.98 science gpa
-35 MCAT. Studied for it while doing full time research
-2.5 years of research (w/1 publication and conference w/ poster presentation)
-Trained another undergraduate in research (will mention it in an essay that I write, not in resume)
-3 years volunteering as a tutor (in biology, french, physics, and chemistry)
-TA in chem and bio
-90 hours of shadowing physician
-100 hours of volunteering at a hospital [spring 2011]
-URM status (black)
-Strong LORs
-Hobbies include aviation (photography, flight simulator), cooking, history (WWII in particular because it I feel like it has such an impact on modern society). For the history, I would read many novels and look at many documentaries.
-Fluent in English and French, basic level of Spanish


As you guys can see, I like research a lot which is why I want to go to a top 10 school because they receive a lot of funding and they'll have more opportunities. Given all of this:
1. What do you guys think are my chances of getting in a top 10 school?
2. What would you guys do (in addition to the shadowing) to possibly increase my chances of getting in?


Thanks in advance and have a nice winter break (for those not taking courses)!

Your app looks better than mine, although our numbers are identical, and I have interviews at a couple top ten schools. I think it's definitely doable, and it has a lot to do with how you respond in the secondary applications. Just out of curiosity, are there any specific schools you have in mind?

 

[jraza]

@Catalystik
Thanks for the feedback! I truly appreciate it. In terms of the kids tutoring, approximately 50 hours but it was not organized, simply neighborhood children that can wanted to be more proficient in French.
For the shadowing breakdown, probably 1/2 patient contact and 1/2 shadowing. I'll try to shadow a pediatrician and a cardiologist over the break hopefully.
I'll definitely be sure to try and find a leadership position but given the limited amount of time, I'm not sure that it's 100% feasible.
In terms of schools, my top choice is Stanford because of its mission, location, reputation, and its pass/fail system which I feel favors collaborative learning.

 

[Catalystik]

Stats-wise, you'd be in good shape for Stanford. For the sake of a bit of motivation, let me call your attention to a part of their mission statement, "In particular, Standford seeks individuals whose leadership will result in significant advances in the ability to care for patients."

 

[jraza]

That definitely is motivational!
Just wondering, does training an undergraduate researcher for the summer count for anything? or is that also under the category of teaching.
I'm a volunteer at the red cross and I'm thinking organizing a couple of blood drives in the course of next semester. Would that constitute good leadership skills?

Thanks again!

 

[Catalystik]

1) Just wondering, does training an undergraduate researcher for the summer count for anything? or is that also under the category of teaching.

2) I'm a volunteer at the red cross and I'm thinking organizing a couple of blood drives in the course of next semester. Would that constitute good leadership skills?

1) It's most likely Teaching.

2) That sounds good, but remember that being a leader doesn't mean doing all the work yourself. It would entail recruiting others and delegating tasks, but keeping oversight and making sure things got done right.

 

[jraza]

Thanks amillion for the time you took to advise me, I am truly grateful!

 

[Catalystik]

We're happy to help.

 

[Telomeres]

Hey JRAZA let us know where you get in, because although I am still young my top choice as of now is Stanford. Anyways Good Luck to ya

 

[jraza]

Here is a preliminary list of schools which I would like to apply to:
Harvard
Penn
Hopkins
Yale
Columbia
Stanford
UChicago
Pittsburgh
Cornell
Northwestern
Emory
UVA
Maryland (my state)

Georgetown
UCSF


Any advice on this selection (schools to add/remove)?
I was also wondering if you guys knew some schools that are URM friendly by any chance?

 

[bucks2010]

Looks like you have the top schools covered. If you wanted to, you could perhaps add some more schools that are less selective and OOS-friendly, for safeties, but it's up to you.

 

[Catalystik]

I was also wondering if you guys knew some schools that are URM friendly by any chance?

I don't know of any med schools that are not URM friendly.

 

[jraza]

@Catalystik
I thought that URM was only relevant for specific schools, guess I was wrong... Anyways, would you approve this list of schools based on your experience?

 

[Catalystik]

I agree with Bucks. You only list three safer schools; I think you should add some more.

 

[4ksibe]

Here is a preliminary list of schools which I would like to apply to:
Harvard
Penn
Hopkins
Yale
Columbia
Stanford
UChicago
Pittsburgh
Cornell
Northwestern
Emory
UVA
Maryland (my state)

Georgetown
UCSF


Any advice on this selection (schools to add/remove)?
I was also wondering if you guys knew some schools that are URM friendly by any chance?

Great list we are state buddies!!!
Im pretty sure you will be fine with those schools but 1 or 2 safety schools wouldnt hurt. But your apps is definitely Hot.
Good luck and good Job
Im wondering where you went for undergrad if in MD

 

[Techmed07]

Resume

-3.95 cumulative gpa, 3.98 science gpa
-35 MCAT. Studied for it while doing full time research
-2.5 years of research (w/1 publication and conference w/ poster presentation)
-Trained another undergraduate in research (will mention it in an essay that I write, not in resume)
-3 years volunteering as a tutor (in biology, french, physics, and chemistry)
-TA in chem and bio
-90 hours of shadowing physician
-100 hours of volunteering at a hospital [spring 2011]
-URM status (black)
-Strong LORs
-Hobbies include aviation (photography, flight simulator), cooking, history (WWII in particular because it I feel like it has such an impact on modern society). For the history, I would read many novels and look at many documentaries.
-Fluent in English and French, basic level of Spanish


As you guys can see, I like research a lot which is why I want to go to a top 10 school because they receive a lot of funding and they'll have more opportunities. Given all of this:
1. What do you guys think are my chances of getting in a top 10 school?
2. What would you guys do (in addition to the shadowing) to possibly increase my chances of getting in?


Thanks in advance and have a nice winter break (for those not taking courses)!

1. You have a good shot at the the top schools! I mean I do think SDN overestimates the URM effect but even then you have a good shot I think.

2. Being president of a club could increase your chances. This is what crystal is saying when she is saying delagating tasks and such.



Good luck! I will be rooting for you please go to Underrepresented in Medicine part of this forum for more advice. They also would be happy to help.

 

[Onres]

Nice GPA. Good MCAT, but the average at most of the top 10 is a 36 or above, so yours does fall a bit below that.

Do your EC's involve any substantial leadership experience?

Not quite. The average is generally 34-35. If you are looking at the MSAR, it does not include top and bottom 10th percentiles, thus it's not the actual average.

 

[jraza]

Thanks guys for the feedback, I am very thankful!
1. I assume the safeties would be georgetown, maryland, and UVA? (you guys said I have 3, just want to make sure I know that these are the three that you are talking about)
2. I'm gonna add george washington, albany medical college, drexel, Howatd, and jefferson to the list of schools.
3. Coming back to the leadership, I think I could land a spot as an event coordinator for a major event (big people will be there) at my university where I will recruit volunteers and coordinate ways in which we can raise awareness of it. Would that be good?
4. In addition to the discussed clinical, I want to volunteer as a driver for cancer patients during the spring as supplemental volunteering, what do you think about that?

Thanks again!

 

[Catalystik]

1. Those are the three I was talking about.
3. That sounds good.
4. It sounds like a community service rather than clinical, but still good.

 

[4ksibe]

Thanks guys for the feedback, I am very thankful!
1. I assume the safeties would be georgetown, maryland, and UVA? (you guys said I have 3, just want to make sure I know that these are the three that you are talking about)
2. I'm gonna add george washington, albany medical college, drexel, Howatd, and jefferson to the list of schools.
3. Coming back to the leadership, I think I could land a spot as an event coordinator for a major event (big people will be there) at my university where I will recruit volunteers and coordinate ways in which we can raise awareness of it. Would that be good?
4. In addition to the discussed clinical, I want to volunteer as a driver for cancer patients during the spring as supplemental volunteering, what do you think about that?

Thanks again!

i wouldnt count UVA as a safety.
Uhmm dont add too many safeties cuz of the moneys but make sure that any school you add you will actually be happy going there