Finishing Up

[Druggernaut]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm planning on applying to both MD and DO schools this summer, and I'll be taking the MCAT in June. I realize that what I do on the MCAT will be critically important, but I'd like to get some unbiased opinions on where I stand.

I'll be doing one more semester next year, 12-15 credits which shouldn't be too difficult. I'm expecting to graduate around a 3.34 cumulative, and BCMP will probably be in that neighborhood too. Nothing to be proud of, but I can at least partially explain it with a weak freshman year and working 30-40 hours a week while going to school full time throughout undergrad.

As far as extracurriculars, I'll be applying with 3,000+ hours of paid medical work as an EMT on both the ambulance and emergency department. One of the ED's doctors has already offered to write a LOR which I assume will be strong, and I'm hoping for one from the professor heading up the research lab I'm a member of (I'll have a semester of research experience at application, and a year at graduation). I'm weak in both volunteering and shadowing. I've signed up to provide first aid with the Red Cross at various summer activities, and have yet to touch base with any doctors about shadowing.

My schedule's pretty tight up until the applications go out, but I will be working in some shadowing. I doubt I'll be able to fit in any more volunteering experience than what I've listed above, but hopefully that's offset some by the work experience.

I'm a Wisconsin resident, and will apply to both schools in state. I haven't really narrowed down any other schools beyond those, but I plan on applying very broadly.

Any thoughts or advice?

 

[Mobius1985]

What do you project your GPA will be when you push the submit button for your application? (I'm assuming you'll apply prior to graduation.) Have you had a recent upward grade trend? Regardless, it looks like it will be low even for some DO schools, so a strong MCAT score will be very important for you.

Your clinical experience is well-above the average. I don't think you need to shadow. Considering you know a doc well enough to get a LOR, you obviously interact with physician staff in the ER due to your EMT work. Hopefully this will leave you some time for the most critical lack in your application, namely community service. I hope (but can not assure you) that adcomms will forgive this lack due to your need to support yourself by working heavy hours. The summer Red Cross gig sounds good, but intermittent or regular activities over this semester would be nicer. Do you have anything to list under leadership?

 

[Druggernaut]

I'm predicting that my GPA will stay close to that 3.34 mark, since I'll have around 120 credits going into that final semester. There is a sharp upward swing after freshman year (which was about a 2.5 GPA), but has basically levelled off in my junior and senior years.

As far as leadership, I can only claim parts of my work experience. A percentage of my EMS work was done as the senior member of the crew, and I do help with training new employees in the ED. I was offered the opportunity to teach Boy Scouts and a few other youth groups first aid, but had to decline at the time since it would've been hard to find the time. I might still be able to do it this year, but I'm not sure of the timeframe that they do this. If it was in the summer, it wouldn't help with the issue of volunteering over such a short period.

 

[Mobius1985]

I think your leadership experience as described will be fine.

 

[Druggernaut]

It looks like a volunteer activity that'll be possible during the school year has fallen into my lap, so I'm planning on taking advantage of that. What amount of volunteer time should I be looking to fit in before applying?

 

[Mobius1985]

Four hours/week would be nice. And I'd continue something similiar during your application year so you can report more hours oin update letters.

 

[Druggernaut]

I had been planning on applying this summer and finishing up my degree next year (only 3 more required classes, the rest would be retakes to help my chances at DO schools and biochemistry) with the understanding that my odds might not be too solid for the class of 2014. However, as I'm finishing out this semester, it's looking like organic chemistry II might only be a C-, or maybe even D+. Given the rest of my application and the pending chemistry grade, would it be a waste of money to apply this year?

I was planning on taking a heavy summer credit load of retakes that I didn't do too well in freshman year to the tune of almost $2,000 and updating schools with the results (these retakes would hopefully put my AACOMAS GPA to a 3.48 or so, assuming this semester doesn't end up too far below my current GPA), but the cost of this plus applying to 20 or so schools will force me to borrow around 3,000 from family if they can even come up with it. So money is definately a consideration.

There is the looming question mark of the MCAT, but since I'm taking it in June, I can't wait to see the results before applying without making my application unnecessarily late. Volunteer experience seems to be lining up nicely for the summer, but since it'll be crammed in near the end of my college career, I don't think it will reflect too favorably on me.

 

[Mobius1985]

Organic Chem is one of the weedout classes. You can't afford to apply with that grade on your record. Redeem it by repeating and getting an A or B, or take Biochem and get an A or B. The first option is the better if you don't understand the material well enough to do well on the MCAT. With all the other repeats you've planned, I think waiting another year would be wise. Space them out more so you'll excel. Also, you could consider taking the MCAT later this summer when you've had more time to get your practice tests in the range you'd like to be score at.

Applying is expensive. Wait until your application is at its best so you only have to do it once.

 

[Druggernaut]

MCAT results are in. 30S, broken down into 12 verbal, 8 physical, 10 bio. Could've probably done better, but my will and time to study was pretty minimal. Still, this seems like it should make me competitive for a number of DO schools.

I did a little more shadowing, and probably around 30 more hours of volunteering, where I've been promoted and will be overseeing some trainees in the upcoming year. Organic chemistry retake is underway, as is biochemistry (though I'm on the fence if I'll stick with it or drop until next semester or next fall).

With these pieces coming into place, how do I look at this point?

 

[teenmachinery1]

Sounds like you're doing OK for DO. 30 is on the high side and the 3.3-3.4 is slightly lower, i think.

So... gl.

But seriously, full-time work during undergrad? Was it salary or hourly? That's just crazy.

congrats on the mcat though. It's OK (on the high side of OK!!).

👍

 

[Druggernaut]

I'm planning on submitting my primary application by the end of this week or early next week, and I'd like to see what schools people would recommend applying to given my application. For DO schools, I have a 3.50 non-science GPA and 3.01 science GPA for a cumulative 3.28. For MD, I haven't fully calculated it, but I suspect the cumulative will be around a 3.0, with science likely sitting somewhere between 2.8 and 2.9 (painful). MCAT, as stated above, is a 30S (12 verbal, 10 bio, 8 physical).

Thus far, I'm thinking CCOM, LECOM, LECOM-B, PCOM, Touro-NV, William Carey, but I'd like to add more, considering I've probably got a better shot at getting accepted on the DO side versus MD.

MD programs I'm planning on applying to include Albany, Drexel, Eastern Virginia, George Washington, Medical College of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin, New York Medical College, Rosalind Franklin, Rush, Tulane, and Wright State.

Any other feedback on my application or suggestions of other schools to apply to or remove from my list?