Failed 2020-2021 Cycle Reasons?

[LondonVibes]

I am looking at a near certain reapplication with how my cycle has gone. Would you guys be able to give feedback about why you think my application cycle did not go so well?

MCAT - 519 (March 2020)

GPA - 4.00

Extracurriculars:

Summer 2019 Hospital Transport Services Volunteering - 190 hours (June 2019 - August 2019)

Shadowing - 400 hours (half days at clinics during 2017 and 2018 school breaks)

Medical Student Association - 100 hours volunteering + meetings (January 2018 - present) (Currently making plans on how to function during COVID)

Speech Lab - 750 hours (August 2018 - present). Worked on splicing sound files in multiple ways. No project/experiment experience when my AMCAS for this cycle was submitted.

A mentoring children club (teaching kids how to read) - 90 hours (August 2018 - present)

Intramural Sports - 20 hours (Fall 2018 and Fall 2019)

N.B. forgot to list a 190 hrs clinical experience as a primary care intern that happened in summer 2018. Also applied exclusively to mid-tier medical schools.

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[ciestar]

What did your list look like? A bad school list is a common reason for no cycle success.

 

[Dr Meow]

There is a think of being too good for a DO school. Some will not touch you with that 519 MCAT. That is MD level so they may hesitate to move forward thinking that if they accept you, you may end of withdrawing after an acceptance from an MD school.

He said "mid tier" medical school which makes me think he only applied to MD.

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

Sorry you are having an unproductive cycle. How many II's have you received ? Are you ORM, URM ? State of residence ? What is your sense of the quality of your LORs ? Were you in a leadership role in any of your EC's ? What are you doing in this gap year ?

 

[Doctoscope]

I think your low level of clinical experience is the biggest app killer. Your only experience is over the span of a couple of months, which doesn't show a lot of dedication or that you know what you're getting into. Shadowing =/= clinical exp, and you overkilled it in that regard.

I'd beef it up over a gap year through volunteering or paid work before you reapply.

 

[stickgirl390]

I think your state of residence and school list would help us help you, as others have mentioned. I don’t see any red flags in your app, but nothing jumps out to me either as unique. Might just be a case of med school is competitive, and lots of people have applications identical to yours.

 

[LunaOri]

Did you have your PS and other essays reviewed by your premed advisor or other knowledgeable people?

 

[ajk97]

Looks to be light on the non-clinical volunteering as well. Probably should beef up those hours to >150

 

[Goro]

There is a think of being too good for a DO school. Some will not touch you with that 519 MCAT. That is MD level so they may hesitate to move forward thinking that if they accept you, you may end of withdrawing after an acceptance from an MD school.

1000% untrue in this or any other cycle at my school.

 

[Banco]

What was your list? Did you apply to all state schools? Did you receive interviews? On paper you have a great application, so it is odd you're unsuccessful.


"forgot to list a 190 hrs clinical experience as a primary care intern that happened in summer 2018. Also applied exclusively to mid-tier medical schools."


Make sure to list that next time if you need to...

 

[RejectedfromPSU]

The process is a crapshoot, but I had a very similar app to you and ended with 5 IIs this cycle. I did have to reapply aftter being rejected last year. Think hard about your essays and re-read them from a critical lens, focus on making a diversified school list, and up some volunteer hours. I don't think your biggest weakness is a lack of hours, but it may be a lack of reflection. (Obviously, I have not seen your app, but this is what MY problem was lol)

 

[BRTC200]

More info on how schools responded to your app would be helpful. No IIs, or II to Rs? If no IIs, check out your essays and have others read over them. Ask them what their impressions/takeaways are from reading your essays. Do they communicate passion and interest in becoming a physician? Do they communicate that you understand what it takes to be a doctor? Merely having the hours of clinical experience on your application is usually insufficient, and in reality can be made up for in other ways. I have seen first hand it is possible to get into a T25 with zero clinical volunteering/experience or shadowing because a significant, personal story of being a patient and witnessing the clinical environment firsthand was sufficient to convince schools that this applicant knew what it was really like to be a doctor. Before piling on more hours, see if you've truly maximized what you can communicate with what you already have and seek the opinions of others as well. If multiple others aren't super convinced about your essays, then adcoms probably won't be either.

 

[Goro]

I am looking at a near certain reapplication with how my cycle has gone. Would you guys be able to give feedback about why you think my application cycle did not go so well?

MCAT - 519 (March 2020)

GPA - 4.00

Extracurriculars:

Summer 2019 Hospital Transport Services Volunteering - 190 hours (June 2019 - August 2019)

Shadowing - 400 hours (half days at clinics during 2017 and 2018 school breaks)

Medical Student Association - 100 hours volunteering + meetings (January 2018 - present) (Currently making plans on how to function during COVID)

Speech Lab - 750 hours (August 2018 - present). Worked on splicing sound files in multiple ways. No project/experiment experience when my AMCAS for this cycle was submitted.

A mentoring children club (teaching kids how to read) - 90 hours (August 2018 - present)

Intramural Sports - 20 hours (Fall 2018 and Fall 2019)

N.B. forgot to list a 190 hrs clinical experience as a primary care intern that happened in summer 2018. Also applied exclusively to mid-tier medical schools.

What was your school list?
400 hrs of shadowing is overkill
When were you complete?
Nonclinical volunteering seems very low. Get off campus and out of your comfort zone
380 clinical exposure hours is great

Rewrite all essays and have multiple eyeballs vet them

Use the next six months to bulk up your ECs.

It's possible that you may have a bad LOR

 

[LizzyM]

You aren't obligated to list everything you've ever done so if you need to apply again, don't list all of your shadowing hours. Anything more than 100 hours is overkill. You should have spent more time helping people (direct service to those who can't help themselves) rather than standing around watching someone work. Also don't forget that summer activity that you left out.
Get more non-clinical volunteering to show that you want to help people
See if you can get some research experience that gives you the opportunity to engage in the scientific method rather than just doing rote tasks at the the service of investigators.

Be brutally honest with yourself and use WARS to make your list next time. You may have had a bad list of schools.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

without this basic info we cant even make a basic comment

But can you make an ~acidic~ comment?

Sorry I'll just delete my account.

 

[Rachapkis]

A 4.0 GPA and a 519 MCAT do not disqualify you from any school you may have applied to. However, these stats do not guarantee you entry into any school either. Think carefully about your applications, including your letters of recommendation, and any interviews you may have had, to determine why you may have come up short. Fix any perceived issues and try again. Good luck.

 

[selah778]

The process is a crapshoot, but I had a very similar app to you and ended with 5 IIs this cycle. I did have to reapply aftter being rejected last year. Think hard about your essays and re-read them from a critical lens, focus on making a diversified school list, and up some volunteer hours. I don't think your biggest weakness is a lack of hours, but it may be a lack of reflection. (Obviously, I have not seen your app, but this is what MY problem was lol)

Can you clarify what you mean by lack of reflection? I had similar stats for 2020/2021 cycle and had no acceptances. Looking to make best changes I can in application.

 

[stinkycheeseperson]

yield protections and crappy letters

if you got more than 2 interviews then also you are terrible at them