Do I retake a 506 mcat (127/124/127/128) ?

[PotGoblinsales10]

Not URM. White applicant.
GPA 3.98 BUT COURSELOAD WAS NOT RIGOROUS. Bio major.
No committee letter.

506 mcat (127/124/127/128). I'm afraid of retaking as I might get a lower score. This is my highest CARS score yet of any/all practice tests I took.

• Clinical volunteering, published a study
• ER Scribe: thousands of hours...does this include my shadowing hours? If so thousands of hours of MD/DO shadowing.
• Brazillian Ju-Jitsu, Powerlifting (hobbies, not really ECs)
• EMT-B
• Lab TA in biology

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[salty baby]

I wouldn't if you're only applying to DO's. you're gpa is really good and you have pretty good ec's

 

[HanSoloYolo]

I think the real question is what are your max lifts?

No, but if you're applying for DO's you're golden. Have you submitted your primary yet?

Also pls answer the first question.

 

[bears1992]

You are way good for DO. And just FYI, I've only had one full time semester and I got into DO with a terrible GPA so I don't think courseload is all that important. And no I'm not a URM. It's probably a little late for MD but I'm sure you have competitive for a large number of MD schools. Buy the MSAR if you are thinking MD.

 

[Gilakend]

I think the real question is what are your max lifts?

Wrong. Real question is how long have you trained BJJ

 

[PotGoblinsales10]

I think the real question is what are your max lifts?

No, but if you're applying for DO's you're golden. Have you submitted your primary yet?

Also pls answer the first question.

LOL. I'm applying DO next year.

Max lifts: (1 RM, raw, tested last month-probably higher now), I used good huffs of ammonia too.
Squat: 395 lbs
Bench: 315 lbs
DL: 585 lbs

At my uni, we have a "club" at the powerlifting center with the meh squat, crap bench and awesome DL. I'm in it. Bench press needs to get up.

Wrong. Real question is how long have you trained BJJ

I've been doing this since I was 18 (I'm pushing 24). Currently still a brown belt.

 

[PotGoblinsales10]

You are way good for DO. And just FYI, I've only had one full time semester and I got into DO with a terrible GPA so I don't think courseload is all that important. And no I'm not a URM. It's probably a little late for MD but I'm sure you have competitive for a large number of MD schools. Buy the MSAR if you are thinking MD.

Awesome! May I ask what your MCAT was?

 

[HanSoloYolo]

LOL. I'm applying DO next year.

Max lifts: (1 RM, raw, tested last month-probably higher now), I used good huffs of ammonia too.
Squat: 395 lbs
Bench: 315 lbs
DL: 585 lbs

At my uni, we have a "club" at the powerlifting center with the meh squat, crap bench and awesome DL. I'm in it. Bench press needs to get up.



I've been doing this since I was 18 (I'm pushing 24). Currently still a brown belt.

I'm assuming you're Canadian? And those are solid lifts, hopefully you can continue during med school, we have a powerlifting club and bodybuilding club at my school too, maybe if I'm admitted this year somewhere I can join one or create one. But yeah you're solid for DO, I would just start collecting your letters of rec/brainstorm your PS or something. You have plenty of time if it's next year.

 

[bears1992]

Awesome! May I ask what your MCAT was?

No.

JK, 505 (126/126/126/127). 3.1 cGPA, 3.4 sGPA

 

[ChymeofPassion]

No.

JK, 505 (126/126/126/127). 3.1 cGPA, 3.4 sGPA

bears1992,

Do most DO schools require a DO LoR? Asking since you applied to so many and don't want to start a new thread.

 

[PotGoblinsales10]

bears1992,

Do most DO schools require a DO LoR? Asking since you applied to so many and don't want to start a new thread.

Check https://www.aacom.org/docs/default-source/cib/aacom-cib-2018-front-schools.pdf?sfvrsn=0 out to see school specific things.


Use the find function and type in 'letter of recommendation'

 

[bears1992]

bears1992,

Do most DO schools require a DO LoR? Asking since you applied to so many and don't want to start a new thread.

No. I think there were two that I applied to that did (WVSOM and ARCOM)

 

[Cath Up]

No.

JK, 505 (126/126/126/127). 3.1 cGPA, 3.4 sGPA

Post-acceptance bears is 10/10 sassy

 

[PotGoblinsales10]

No. I think there were two that I applied to that did (WVSOM and ARCOM)

Is there any chance your your D.O. Letter had an official letterhead from the hospital/clinic? Are schools anal about that? My D.O that I scribed for didn't put a letter head on his or even a hand written signature?

 

[Goro]

Not URM. White applicant.
GPA 3.98 BUT COURSELOAD WAS NOT RIGOROUS. Bio major.
No committee letter.

506 mcat (127/124/127/128). I'm afraid of retaking as I might get a lower score. This is my highest CARS score yet of any/all practice tests I took.

• Clinical volunteering, published a study
• ER Scribe: thousands of hours...does this include my shadowing hours? If so thousands of hours of MD/DO shadowing.
• Brazillian Ju-Jitsu, Powerlifting (hobbies, not really ECs)
• EMT-B
• Lab TA in biology

Zero need for a retake unless you're boning for MD

 

[bears1992]

Is there any chance your your D.O. Letter had an official letterhead from the hospital/clinic? Are schools anal about that? My D.O that I scribed for didn't put a letter head on his or even a hand written signature?

Some schools are. I applied to 26 and there 2-3 that came back and said either my letters weren't hand signed or on letterhead. Turns out none of them except one was handsigned and one of my science letters was not on letterhead. PCOM and ACOM had a problem with the non-letterhead and WCUCOM had a problem with the unsigned letters. I guess this means that all the other schools were ok with unsigned letters and one not being on letterhead.

 

[Doc_Ock]

bears1992,

Do most DO schools require a DO LoR? Asking since you applied to so many and don't want to start a new thread.

Some do, some don't, but to make yourself a better candidate just get one.

 

[Gilakend]

LOL. I'm applying DO next year.

Max lifts: (1 RM, raw, tested last month-probably higher now), I used good huffs of ammonia too.
Squat: 395 lbs
Bench: 315 lbs
DL: 585 lbs

At my uni, we have a "club" at the powerlifting center with the meh squat, crap bench and awesome DL. I'm in it. Bench press needs to get up.



I've been doing this since I was 18 (I'm pushing 24). Currently still a brown belt.

Gi?

Also brown belt in less than 6 years is very impressive.

 

[rufflev]

Scribing is not the same as physician shadowing - if you don't have any shadowing experience, I'd aim for at least 50 hours of shadowing a primary care physician.

 

[bears1992]

Scribing is not the same as physician shadowing - if you don't have any shadowing experience, I'd aim for at least 50 hours of shadowing a primary care physician.

I agree with this, but I think it's pretty dumb that adcoms don't view scribing as shadowing. The scribes at my hospitals ER were with the doctor 24/7. The doctors were describing what they thought was wrong with the patient and the various test they were going to order. I don't know how that's not considered shadowing.

 

[mc_bio19]

Agree with others above - no need for MCAT retake if your goal is DO.

 

[Doc_Ock]

Scribing is not the same as physician shadowing - if you don't have any shadowing experience, I'd aim for at least 50 hours of shadowing a primary care physician.

This is absolutely untrue. Scribing>>>>> shadowing. If you have scribing you don't need shadowing.

 

[festivespartan]

This is absolutely untrue. Scribing>>>>> shadowing. If you have scribing you don't need shadowing.

Only a sith deals in absolutes.

While I totally agree that scribing is better experience than normal shadowing, for some reason at lot of adcoms out there don't view it that way. I have 2000+ scribe hours and only minimal shadowing experience, but was told by multiple adcoms that they hold shadowing in higher regard with respect to your application. This obviously isn't true for all schools, but it's probably a good idea to have some shadowing experience to make yourself more competitive at every school.

 

[Doc_Ock]

Only a sith deals in absolutes.

While I totally agree that scribing is better experience than normal shadowing, for some reason at lot of adcoms out there don't view it that way. I have 2000+ scribe hours and only minimal shadowing experience, but was told by multiple adcoms that they hold shadowing in higher regard with respect to your application. This obviously isn't true for all schools, but it's probably a good idea to have some shadowing experience to make yourself more competitive at every school.

If that's how the adcom genuinely feels, they're idiots. You don't want to go there.

 

[rufflev]

If that's how the adcom genuinely feels, they're idiots. You don't want to go there.

Having talked to several adcoms myself, I believe the general consensus was that although scribing is very beneficial (especially in terms of clinical experience), most scribing takes place in an ER, which is not an accurate representation of the day-to-day works of a physician, e.g. in a clinic. Hence, they'd also like to see shadowing as a separate entity from scribing.

 

[Doc_Ock]

Having talked to several adcoms myself, I believe the general consensus was that although scribing is very beneficial (especially in terms of clinical experience), most scribing takes place in an ER, which is not an accurate representation of the day-to-day works of a physician, e.g. in a clinic. Hence, they'd also like to see shadowing as a separate entity from scribing.

Lol you'll learn soooooooo much more in the ER scribing than shadowing in a clinic. Not to mention there are scribing options in clinics anyway.

 

[arc5005]

Having talked to several adcoms myself, I believe the general consensus was that although scribing is very beneficial (especially in terms of clinical experience), most scribing takes place in an ER, which is not an accurate representation of the day-to-day works of a physician, e.g. in a clinic. Hence, they'd also like to see shadowing as a separate entity from scribing.

Seems silly to me. I have thousands of hours scribing for a family medicine physician, but no ER scribing experience. Hopefully I'll be able to clarify that my scribe work has been all in clinic & primary care.