Chances to a MD or a DO Program

[Aroix 19]

Hi Everyone,
I'd like to get everyone's opinion on my application (ie: my chances of getting in);
So I'll be applying to medical school the next upcoming cycle. I am student who came from the middle east, during my entire child-hood I lived in a war torn country in the mid-set of ongoing war. My interest for medicine comes from a pain management aspect, which vastly due to the chaotic nature of events that I witnessed in my home country.
During undergraduate, I majored in Biochemistry and Immunology (Honors and Chancellors Distinction Award). My GPA was 3.71 (cGPA) and 3.76 (sGPA). I had extensive clinical and research experience. I had a total of over 300+ clinical work hrs. I was deeply interested in Palliative Care Medicine, and I started a shadowing program for the students in my undergraduate institute with the Director of Palliative Medicine at University of California, Irvine. Additionally during undergrad, I did extensive research (starting from my first year). I helped develop a complete protocol for one of the research work which got me multiple publications. Additionally I was granted an opportunity to become a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where I focused my clinical research on Sickle Cell Anemia, under the Director of Sickle Cell Branch at the NIH. After I graduated I decided to take a Hematology and Oncology Fellowship at the Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute (Harvard and MIT Research Center) which I am currently pursuing. Through this fellowship I have published couple of papers in renowned journals like Blood, Nature Communications, Cell etc.
Through all this experience I do have some important people writing my letters ex; the Director of Sickle Cell Branch at the NIH, Director of Hematology and Oncology at Harvard Medical School, the Director of Palliative Medicine at University of California, Irvine. to name a few.

Now my overall goal is to incorporate Palliative Medicine and Hematology research in the long run. I think this favors to me considering the childhood experiences I've had. My only concern is my MCAT score, to which I scored a 495. With all these experiences and the letters I have do you guys think I've shot at MD or DO programs? I've give a lot of thought about DO programs and I quite believe the approach they have fits my intensions to pursue Palliative medicine, but I am also looking to MD programs as they give better options are residency. What are your guy's thoughts on my application

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[Faha]

Where is your state of residence? What was the section breakdown of your MCAT?

 

[Aroix 19]

Where is your state of residence? What was the section breakdown of your MCAT?

State of residence currently is CA, but I am getting Massachusetts residency since the Fellowship at Harvard extends for two years.

MCAT break down was:
Physical Science: 126
Biological Sciences: 125
CARS: 121
Psych and Soc: 123

 

[Faha]

You are not competitive for MD schools with your MCAT of 495. You could receive interviews at some DO schools so I suggest applying to all of these:
ACOM
ARCOM
BCOM
WCU-COM
LMU-DCOM
UP-KYCOM
WVSOM
UIWSOM
VCOM (all 3 schools)
NYIT-Arkansas
RVU-Utah
LECOM
Idaho
any new schools that open for 2019 (there will be several).
Apply in June and submit all your secondaries by July. You may need a DO LOR for some schools.

 

[seren1051]

Your GPA's good. Your Research is golden. Shadowing's great. Why not try to retake MCAT? 495's going to hurt you regardless of where you apply, MD or DO. You seem like to have the academia/background to get a much better score than that. 510+ and you'll be good to go for MDs.

Your EC also can use some work in terms of clinical volunteering/non-clinical volunteering. Did your work have extensive patient contact?

 

[Aroix 19]

Your GPA's good. Your Research is golden. Shadowing's great. Why not try to retake MCAT? 495's going to hurt you regardless of where you apply, MD or DO. You seem like to have the academia/background to get a much better score than that. 510+ and you'll be good to go for MDs.

Your EC also can use some work in terms of clinical volunteering/non-clinical volunteering. Did your work have extensive patient contact?

Yes I did have extensive clinical volunteering and shadowing. One thing I additionally did was to create a shadowing program for my University (University if California, Irvine) with the Director of Palliative Care dept. Also my current fellowship at Harvard involves a clinical trial, so I do get a plenty of patient contact.

 

[mc_bio19]

Your MCAT diminishes any chances for MD right now. It's even low for DO, but some schools may give you a shot due to your GPA and extracurriculars. I highly suggest an MCAT retake.

 

[Aroix 19]

Your MCAT diminishes any chances for MD right now. It's even low for DO, but some schools may give you a shot due to your GPA and extracurriculars. I highly suggest an MCAT retake.

Thank you for your feedback. Any DO schools that you can suggest of?

 

[Aroix 19]

Thank you for your feedback. Any DO schools that you can suggest of?

Your MCAT diminishes any chances for MD right now. It's even low for DO, but some schools may give you a shot due to your GPA and extracurriculars. I highly suggest an MCAT retake.

Thank you for your feedback. Any schools that you can suggest of, because my PI is in the admissions board for Harvard/MIT MD/PhD program and he is suggesting that I apply next cycle.

 

[Aroix 19]

Your MCAT diminishes any chances for MD right now. It's even low for DO, but some schools may give you a shot due to your GPA and extracurriculars. I highly suggest an MCAT retake.

Thank you for your feedback, any DO schools you can suggest. I am thinking of applying still because my PI who is in the admissions board for Harvard/MIT MD/PhD Program is suggesting that I apply.

 

[candbgirl]

Thank you for your feedback, any DO schools you can suggest. I am thinking of applying still because my PI who is in the admissions board for Harvard/MIT MD/PhD Program is suggesting that I apply.

Does your PI know you scored a 495 on the MCAT? I doubt it and I doubt Harvard MD/Phd would even look
at your application. You’d be autoscreened(if they do that ) with your MCAT. As many have said you aren’t eligible for MD and really not eligible for DO with that score! How did you score so low? One thing for sure, do not retake until you figure out why you scored so low. Another horrible score and you’d be in a deeper hole than you are now.