Help With School List, Please?

[deleted1078137]

28 years old, non traditional post bac student, white male, public university
Resident state: Ohio

Undergraduate GPA (political science): 3.3
DIY Post-bac pre-med GPA: 3.1
cGPA: ~3.2
MCAT: 517

I had a post-bac 3.5 GPA until Autumn 2021 when I had too much on my plate (working full time, volunteering, health issues) that tanked my GPA. Average before that was A’s and B’s. I failed Ochem and when I retook it I got an A and an A in Ochem 2.

EC
Worked in finance for 3 years prior to wanting a career switch
Volunteer at Suicide Hotline
3,000+ hours clinical full time employment at hospital (received several awards)
1 year stint in the Navy
Summer student at Stanford University and was involved in Silicon Valley Innovation Academy (was a finalist)
Tutored Anatomy and English
Chess club, debate club
No research

My top choice school would be Ohio State as it’s my hometown university, alma mater, full time employer as a PCA, and a LoR from my boss. Specific thoughts on my chances at their medical school?

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[wysdoc]

28 years old, white male, public university

Undergraduate GPA (political science): 3.2
DIY Post-bac pre-med GPA: 3.1
MCAT: 517

I had a post-bac 3.5 GPA until Autumn 2021 when I had too much on my plate (working full time, volunteering, health issues)

EC
Volunteer at Suicide Hotline
3,000+ hours clinical full time employment at hospital (received several awards)
1 year stint in the Navy
Summer student at Stanford University and was involved in Silicon Valley Innovation Academy (was a finalist)
Tutored Anatomy and English
Chess club, debate club
No research

I will move this to WAMC forum where you will get more suggestions on a school list.
It also helps to name your state of residence because that will influence the suggestions-

 

[deleted1078137]

I will move this to WAMC forum where you will get more suggestions on a school list.
It also helps to name your state of residence because that will influence the suggestions-

Thank you

 

[candbgirl]

So what state are you from? Any nonclinical volunteering service to the unserved/underserved in the community? Physician shadowing? So what is you cGPA and sGPA with all of the college/uni/CC/dual enrollment etc. courses you have ever taken. Including the F and the retake? It looks like you actually went down instead of increasing your GPAs with your post bacc. Nice job on the MCAT. Was that your only attempt?

 

[deleted1078137]

So what state are you from? Any nonclinical volunteering service to the unserved/underserved in the community? Physician shadowing? So what is you cGPA and sGPA with all of the college/uni/CC/dual enrollment etc. courses you have ever taken. Including the F and the retake? It looks like you actually went down instead of increasing your GPAs with your post bacc. Nice job on the MCAT. Was that your only attempt?

A lot of these questions I covered in my original post.
From Ohio
Volunteer at suicide hotline
No shadowing
cGPA: 3.25
sGPA: 3.2
Post bac sGPA: 3.1
Post bac GPA hovered around 3.5-3.6 until one bad semester. Retook the classes and got all A’s in them. However, a failing class with minimal credits tanked my post bac GPA to a 3.1. Also as I mentioned, not that it makes it much better but I can explain in the application, working full time and volunteering with health problems interfered a lot with that one bad semester.
Yes first attempt

Thanks

 

[Conics98]

I like your entire list but you really do need shadowing on there. Those stats, ECs, and history can make you competitive for most of the Ohio public schools if you've got a story to back it up. You'll def get your chance to explain strange grades, bumps in the road happen. I do think you should get some experience shadowing a couple different specialties because, the way I see it, any incident can initially trigger an interest in medicine, but shadowing (especially across a couple specialties) is a very good way to show you've acted on that interest to explore it more.

I know someone who tried getting into med school without any research, unsure how that worked out for him. Unsure how it works for non-trads, but it could be cool to try doing even minimal clinical research in the year you apply. You don't need results by the time your primary comes in either! It could be a nice way to update enterprising schools throughout the app year as well.

I also do not encourage talking about bad patches on your primary. There will usually be spaces on secondaries that ask "is there anything that may raise eyebrows?", and that's where you talk about them. If not there, then in your interviews if it comes up.

But as for a school list, I can get you started with stuff in terms of stats:
- All OH MD schools (careful of Case Western because they reeeeeeally like their research; Wright state also has a thesis requirement in med school)
- Wayne State
- Penn State, Drexel, Temple
- Loyola
- Tulane
- Uniformed Services University

You seem to have a great story and I think some schools with traditionally higher stats outside the state that would be receptive to that are Pitt and Brown for example. You also mentioned your time at Stanford so I would apply there too.

You should really go to information sessions for those schools and more to see what you want out of a school! I think with your ECs, stats, and a polished narrative for your Activities and Personal Statement, you could go pretty far!

 

[deleted1078137]

I like your entire list but you really do need shadowing on there. Those stats, ECs, and history can make you competitive for most of the Ohio public schools if you've got a story to back it up. You'll def get your chance to explain strange grades, bumps in the road happen. I do think you should get some experience shadowing a couple different specialties because, the way I see it, any incident can initially trigger an interest in medicine, but shadowing (especially across a couple specialties) is a very good way to show you've acted on that interest to explore it more.

I know someone who tried getting into med school without any research, unsure how that worked out for him. Unsure how it works for non-trads, but it could be cool to try doing even minimal clinical research in the year you apply. You don't need results by the time your primary comes in either! It could be a nice way to update enterprising schools throughout the app year as well.

I also do not encourage talking about bad patches on your primary. There will usually be spaces on secondaries that ask "is there anything that may raise eyebrows?", and that's where you talk about them. If not there, then in your interviews if it comes up.

Thanks for your reply. I will certainly take this advice and apply it.

Shadowing is something I could get involved in as it doesn’t take too much time. Research, however, is not something I am sure I am able to fit into my schedule. I will look for opportunities though.

Thanks

 

[deleted1078137]

Any other lists anyone? Would be appreciated

 

[Faha]

Any other lists anyone? Would be appreciated

I suggest these MD schools with your stats:
Wright State
Toledo
NEOMED
Ohio State
West Virginia
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Wayne State
Creighton
TCU-UNT
NOVA MD
George Washington
Drexel
Temple
New York Medical College
Albany
Seton Hall
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Also apply broadly to DO schools and I suggest these:
LECOM (all schools)
PCOM (all schools)
Touro-NY
NYITCOM
WVSOM
UP-KYCOM
MU-COM
DMU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
KCU-COM
AZCOM
TUNCOM
UIWSOM
ACOM
WCU-COM

 

[Mr.Smile12]

What did you do for the 1 year in the Navy? What roles were you employed in hospital settings?

I'm sure Ohio State has a good fraction of its class with some tie-in whether they were undergrads or worked there. Have you met anyone on their admissions team or committee?

Also noting if you wanted to apply DO, OUHCOM has their Dublin campus.

 

[deleted1078137]

What did you do for the 1 year in the Navy? What roles were you employed in hospital settings?

I'm sure Ohio State has a good fraction of its class with some tie-in whether they were undergrads or worked there. Have you met anyone on their admissions team or committee?

Also noting if you wanted to apply DO, OUHCOM has their Dublin campus.

I was an aviation mechanic. I work as a PCA at a psychiatric hospital full time.

And i wasn't aware I could contact the admissions team or committee. This would be helpful, how might I get in contact with them?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I was an aviation mechanic. I work as a PCA at a psychiatric hospital full time.

And i wasn't aware I could contact the admissions team or committee. This would be helpful, how might I get in contact with them?

It depends on the school and how they want to recruit, but I'd email the admissions office and make sure you're on any contact list for upcoming recruitment events or webinars. If they have student ambassadors or an AMSA prehealth outreach group, check in with them. You can talk with any of the admissions professionals until the start of your application cycle, though they may be limited on what they can do to help you.