Help with making a school list - High Stats, Weak Research

[sl33p]

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Hello, this is my 3rd gap year and I would like help on building a school list. I am having trouble as I am not picky about many things like programs, location, or cost. I like both service and research and would just like to get into as competitive of a med school as I can. However, those usually are research heavy which I have lower hours for and I also just started my only research position this year (premed advisor mentioned that it would look like I'm checking off a box). I am passionate about this research experience though and will have no troubles talking about it during interviews.

1. cGPA: 3.8x ; sGPA: 3.7x
2. MCAT: 522
3. State of residence: Michigan
4. Ethnicity and/or race: ORM
5. Undergrad: University of Michigan
6. Clinical experience: 3000+ as a caregiver
7. Non clinical volunteering: 500+ total hours as a tutor either via an organization or independently
8. Non clinical experience: 6+ years working at a family owned business
9. Research: 200+ by the time medical school applications open.
10. Shadowing: 50+ hours
11. Leadership: Care coordinator, assistant manager at family owned business, volunteer lead for tutoring

I appreciate any help! For LORS, being many years removed from undergrad I will most likely have weak LORS from professors, but I will have atleast 3 very strong LORS for the ECs that I have done.

 

[Goro]

Was the tutoring done with disadvantaged kids? If you were tutoring your peers, that's not going to count for anything.

Anyway, I suggest
Duke
Pitt
WashU
Mt Sinai
U Rochester
U
ALL MI schools
U Cincy
OH State
U VM
USF/MORSANI
BAYLOR
SUNY.SB
U MA
BU
EMORY
JEFFERSON
KECK
NYMC
HOFSTRA
NORTHWESTERN

 

[sl33p]

Was the tutoring done with disadvantaged kids? If you were tutoring your peers, that's not going to count for anything.

Anyway, I suggest
Duke
Pitt
WashU
Mt Sinai
U Rochester
U
ALL MI schools
U Cincy
OH State
U VM
USF/MORSANI
BAYLOR
SUNY.SB
U MA
BU
EMORY
JEFFERSON
KECK
NYMC
HOFSTRA
NORTHWESTERN

Thank you so much for your help! I will do my research on those schools.

The tutoring was with ESL adults, elementary students, and low income immigrant highschools. Outside of an org I did tutor for the MCAT, do you suggest just omitting it? It isn't the bulk of my hours so it would not be a problem.

 

[Med Ed]

Your MCAT is stellar. Your GPA is near the mean for matriculants.

Can you elaborate on your "caregiver" experience?

Tutoring is admirable, but it won't replace more traditional types of non-clinical service, such as homeless shelter or soup kitchen volunteering.

Generally speaking, one can get accepted with good service and no research. It is actually much harder to get accepted with good research and no service.

 

[sl33p]

Your MCAT is stellar. Your GPA is near the mean for matriculants.

Can you elaborate on your "caregiver" experience?

Tutoring is admirable, but it won't replace more traditional types of non-clinical service, such as homeless shelter or soup kitchen volunteering.

Generally speaking, one can get accepted with good service and no research. It is actually much harder to get accepted with good research and no service.

Yes, I can certainly elaborate. I've done caregiving in assisted living facilities and in private homes where I worked with people with dementia, ALS, quadriplegics, and other disabilities that prevent them from being able to fulfill day to day tasks independently. One of those assisted living facilities specialized in dementia care. Overall, they gave me experience in dealing with not only many different types of residents but also their families and employees that I would supervise.

I was worried about looking like I was checking off a box but I can certainly start doing volunteering similar to soup kitchen work. I've been wanting a break from tutoring but it's more consistent with my narrative.

Thank you for your input!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Yes, I can certainly elaborate. I've done caregiving in assisted living facilities and in private homes where I worked with people with dementia, ALS, quadriplegics, and other disabilities that prevent them from being able to fulfill day to day tasks independently. One of those assisted living facilities specialized in dementia care. Overall, they gave me experience in dealing with not only many different types of residents but also their families and employees that I would supervise.

I was worried about looking like I was checking off a box but I can certainly start doing volunteering similar to soup kitchen work. I've been wanting a break from tutoring but it's more consistent with my narrative.

Thank you for your input!

With 3000+ hours as a caregiver, did you earn any licenses or certifications to work with those in the facilities and private homes? With that many hours and management experience, I am presuming you have.

Community College and Vocational Certifications for Prehealth Applicants | SDN

Higher education has seen a demographic shift, with more high school students or graduates taking community college coursework before entering

www.studentdoctor.net

While you can get some credit with your tutoring community members, every premed does this too, so it doesn't help you stand out. Tutoring and mentoring are academic activities.

You are missing typical on-clinical service orientation activities, but some of your management activities as a caregiver in assisted living could be argued as eligible (assistance with daily living activities like cooking or transporting for those in dementia care for example).

 

[sl33p]

With 3000+ hours as a caregiver, did you earn any licenses or certifications to work with those in the facilities and private homes? With that many hours and management experience, I am presuming you have.

Community College and Vocational Certifications for Prehealth Applicants | SDN

Higher education has seen a demographic shift, with more high school students or graduates taking community college coursework before entering

www.studentdoctor.net

While you can get some credit with your tutoring community members, every premed does this too, so it doesn't help you stand out. Tutoring and mentoring are academic activities.

You are missing typical on-clinical service orientation activities, but some of your management activities as a caregiver in assisted living could be argued as eligible (assistance with daily living activities like cooking or transporting for those in dementia care for example).

No I did not earn any license or certifications other than really basic ones like CPR. I was just really good at my job and passionate, I was always every resident’s favorite caregiver, so I always ended up in management positions.

I see how this might weaken my clinical experience.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

How many hours did your shadow, and with whom?

Medical students typically train in academic medical centers, so hospital-based experiences are good to have. I can see how some of your assisted living experience could be clinical, so you must describe your responsibilities to make that distinction easier. I note this because you left off descriptions in your original WAMC. It will matter for your AMCAS/AACOMAS/TMDSAS applications.

Ask your professor references as soon as possible. If you had strong mentoring relationships with them, three years isn't that far back, and you may need to prompt them on specific experiences revealing your academic or paraprofessional competencies for their reflection. Research is a minor factor for competitiveness given your thousands of hours elsewhere, but ask your PI about their comfort writing you a letter with so few hours.

I worry what would happen if something happened with a resident under your watch, especially if a direct report is involved. You may want to recall such situations for future behavioral/situational questions.

 

[sl33p]

How many hours did your shadow, and with whom?

Medical students typically train in academic medical centers, so hospital-based experiences are good to have. I can see how some of your assisted living experience could be clinical, so you must describe your responsibilities to make that distinction easier. I note this because you left off descriptions in your original WAMC. It will matter for your AMCAS/AACOMAS/TMDSAS applications.

Ask your professor references as soon as possible. If you had strong mentoring relationships with them, three years isn't that far back, and you may need to prompt them on specific experiences revealing your academic or paraprofessional competencies for their reflection. Research is a minor factor for competitiveness given your thousands of hours elsewhere, but ask your PI about their comfort writing you a letter with so few hours.

I worry what would happen if something happened with a resident under your watch, especially if a direct report is involved. You may want to recall such situations for future behavioral/situational questions.

8 with an ophthalmologist, 50 projected spread evenly in a teaching hospital with various radiologists, OB/GYN, Pediatrician. I am starting the latter next week as I have to travel for it but will be doing exclusively that for 1-2 weeks. I might have a chance to see more than just those specialities too.

And yes, I will definitely make sure to highlight the clinical aspects of my caregiving experience. Transporting, daily living, medications, basic wound care, redirecting residents during delusions, etc.

My professor relationships aren’t strong but I was planning on sending them information/documents that would highlight who I was, possibly even having a meeting with them if time allows. I will ask my PI about a letter as well once I get more established in the lab.

I do have specific instances of accidents with residents on my watch, falling being the most common, so I can make sure to recall these experiences. Usually ensuring immediate resident safety/comfort and correct protocol was the most important

 

[GoSpursGo]

Moving to WAMC.

I would echo the concerns about your nonclinical volunteering