Help! Should I retake or apply as is?

[AFdoc8792]

I am about 1.5 years out of school and am currently working as a high school science teacher (inner city).

My stats:
cGPA: 3.7 & sGPA: 3.8
Research: Significant, 4+ years, 1+ pub (more on the way)
Clinical: 50+ hrs in a Neurology clinic
MCAT: 30 both times
State Resident: CA, but close ties to MI and CT

My biggest problem is my MCAT. I honestly didn't study for long or at my best either time and I just got really nervous during it.

I would ultimately like to end up near Ann Arbor or in CA, but am willing to apply all over. I am afraid of being screened out based on my score at almost all schools.

I am now a couple years off from those course (although I do still teach science) and I certainly am unready for the new social science sections. I don't know if I should apply as is, or retake with studying seriously for June/July/August. If I apply as is, anyone have good suggestions for schools who'll overlook low MCATs?

Any comments are deeply appreciated!

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[popopopop]

Your clinical experiences are what's lacking. Your MCAT is low for CA, but not low for the average matriculant. I definitely do not think you should apply this cycle due to the hole in clinical experience. I think if you patch that up and apply broadly next year, you're going to get plenty of interviews.

 

[DrMikeP]

I am about 1.5 years out of school and am currently working as a high school science teacher (inner city).

My stats:
cGPA: 3.7 & sGPA: 3.8
Research: Significant, 4+ years, 1+ pub (more on the way)
Clinical: 50+ hrs in a Neurology clinic
MCAT: 30 both times
State Resident: CA, but close ties to MI and CT

My biggest problem is my MCAT. I honestly didn't study for long or at my best either time and I just got really nervous during it.

I would ultimately like to end up near Ann Arbor or in CA, but am willing to apply all over. I am afraid of being screened out based on my score at almost all schools.

I am now a couple years off from those course (although I do still teach science) and I certainly am unready for the new social science sections. I don't know if I should apply as is, or retake with studying seriously for June/July/August. If I apply as is, anyone have good suggestions for schools who'll overlook low MCATs?

Any comments are deeply appreciated!

The challenge is finding schools that will accept an old MCAT. Depending on when exactly you took it could eliminate many. A 30 is actually ok for many MD programs but I'd apply early and broadly. Are you aiming for MD? You'd be a heck of a DO candidate. The new MCAT is very different than the old, so getting an equivalent may be infinitely more difficult.

You mentioned a neurology clinic, do you have MD/DO shadowing experience in that? You need that MD (and or DO) LOR to round out your application and some more clinical time. Volunteer at a hospice or some such in the evenings/weekends until applications go out and bump the hours a bit.

Best of Luck

 

[AFdoc8792]

The challenge is finding schools that will accept an old MCAT. Depending on when exactly you took it could eliminate many. A 30 is actually ok for many MD programs but I'd apply early and broadly. Are you aiming for MD? You'd be a heck of a DO candidate. The new MCAT is very different than the old, so getting an equivalent may be infinitely more difficult.

You mentioned a neurology clinic, do you have MD/DO shadowing experience in that? You need that MD (and or DO) LOR to round out your application and some more clinical time. Volunteer at a hospice or some such in the evenings/weekends until applications go out and bump the hours a bit.

Best of Luck

Thank you for responding!

My newest exam is from 2014, so I think its narrowly ok for this upcoming cycle. I am only considering MD though, what schools is 30 ok for that also doesn't have state bias?

All 50 hours is MD shadowing experience, what other experiences do you recommend? How many hours?

 

[AFdoc8792]

The challenge is finding schools that will accept an old MCAT. Depending on when exactly you took it could eliminate many. A 30 is actually ok for many MD programs but I'd apply early and broadly. Are you aiming for MD? You'd be a heck of a DO candidate. The new MCAT is very different than the old, so getting an equivalent may be infinitely more difficult.

You mentioned a neurology clinic, do you have MD/DO shadowing experience in that? You need that MD (and or DO) LOR to round out your application and some more clinical time. Volunteer at a hospice or some such in the evenings/weekends until applications go out and bump the hours a bit.

Best of Luck

Thank you for responding!

My newest exam is from 2014, so I think its narrowly ok for this upcoming cycle. I am only considering MD though, what schools is 30 ok for that also doesn't have state bias?

All 50 hours is MD shadowing experience, what other experiences do you recommend? How many hours?

 

[thatwouldbeanarchy]

All 50 hours is MD shadowing experience, what other experiences do you recommend? How many hours?

Do you have any experience that gives you contact with patients? Shadowing is great for the "seeing what a doctor does all day" part but having patient contact (usually but not necessarily through volunteering) is a good thing to have as well. Many schools actively look for signs of altruism and service to others.

 

[futuremdforme]

Lack of volunteering looks like a bigger red flag than your MCAT, IMO. (Your MCAT is not the best but if you applied broadly I doubt it would be a terrible hindrance, whereas lack of volunteering is often a deal breaker from what I understand.)

 

[DrMikeP]

Thank you for responding!

My newest exam is from 2014, so I think its narrowly ok for this upcoming cycle. I am only considering MD though, what schools is 30 ok for that also doesn't have state bias?

All 50 hours is MD shadowing experience, what other experiences do you recommend? How many hours?

I'd do something like volunteer at a Hospice, public clinic or hospital etc. Aim for 50-100 hrs.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[KP2AZ]

apply broadly, consider what @DrMikeP said about Volunteering. Also, Scribing is a really good way to get experience.

 

[AlphaBeta<3]

I am about 1.5 years out of school and am currently working as a high school science teacher (inner city).

My stats:
cGPA: 3.7 & sGPA: 3.8
Research: Significant, 4+ years, 1+ pub (more on the way)
Clinical: 50+ hrs in a Neurology clinic
MCAT: 30 both times
State Resident: CA, but close ties to MI and CT

My biggest problem is my MCAT. I honestly didn't study for long or at my best either time and I just got really nervous during it.

I would ultimately like to end up near Ann Arbor or in CA, but am willing to apply all over. I am afraid of being screened out based on my score at almost all schools.

I am now a couple years off from those course (although I do still teach science) and I certainly am unready for the new social science sections. I don't know if I should apply as is, or retake with studying seriously for June/July/August. If I apply as is, anyone have good suggestions for schools who'll overlook low MCATs?

Any comments are deeply appreciated!

where are your volunteer and clinical experiences?
Do those, and then you'll be good to apply (if schools will accept your old MCAT)

 

[AFdoc8792]

Thank you for the feedback! Do you think I'm good with volunteering if I currently have 200+ hrs in a cancer clinic, where I worked hands on with patients, and a 150+ hours volunteering in nonmedically related programs (special ed/ELL afterschool program, homeless shelters).

I currently don't have have time to add on clinic hours to my full time teaching schedule, but maybe I can add on this summer.

 

[DrMikeP]

Thank you for the feedback! Do you think I'm good with volunteering if I currently have 200+ hrs in a cancer clinic, where I worked hands on with patients, and a 150+ hours volunteering in nonmedically related programs (special ed/ELL afterschool program, homeless shelters).

I currently don't have have time to add on clinic hours to my full time teaching schedule, but maybe I can add on this summer.

Those hours are good, especially the cancer clinic. You should discuss such in applying and what you got out of it and how it will influence your practice in the future.