Medical How badly will my low ECs hurt my application?

[TheBoneDoctah]

• State/Country of Residence: Massachusetts
• Ties to other States/Regions: Went to college in NY
• URM? (Y/N): N (Asian)
• Year in School: Graduated. Currently in first gap year. Looking to apply in 2022 for matriculation in 2023.
• Undergraduate Major(s)/Minor(s): Biological Sciences B.A from lower tier Ivy
• Cumulative GPA: 3.63 (was told avg medical school matriculant had 3.66 cGPA from my school)
  Upward trend
  Freshman year GPA: 3.38
  Sophomore year GPA: 3.6
  Junior year GPA: 3.513 + Study abroad at UCL. Took courses along with UK medical students. No formal GPA assigned.
  Senior year GPA: 3.940
• Science GPA: 3.60
• MCAT Score(s): 515
• Research Experience:
  400+ hours (full-time paid at pharmaceutical start up in Boston. Founded by PI from Lab 2)
  ~280 hours (Lab 1 at Harvard Med School)
  ~320 hours (Lab 2 at Harvard Med School)
• Publications: Middle author on a paper published on high impact journal (IF = 16)
• Clinical Experience (paid or volunteer): Will be starting paid employment as an ophthalmic tech.
• Physician Shadowing: Scheduled to shadow a gastroenterologist for ~50 hours in the future. Looking for more shadowing opportunities once COVID improves. Looking into virtual shadowing.
• Non-Clinical Volunteering:
  400+ worked at summer camp that caters to children in underserved inner city neighborhoods. Organized camp activities, trained volunteers, lead an age group. Volunteered every summer while in undergrad.
  ~70 hours 2 week trip to Guatemala helping out with mobile clinics in rural villages. Although worked with an MD from US, did not do anything clinical, just helped with logistics, which is why I'm putting this under non clinical.
  50+ hours academic mentor to students enrolled in Boston Public Schools
• LOR: Committee packet only allows 3 LOR.
  Decent LOR from 2 from science professors. However one of them is written by TA and cosigned by professor.
  Very strong LOR from PI at Lab 2.
• Other Extracurricular Activities: N/A
• Immediate family members in medicine? (Y/N): N
• Interest in Primary Care (Y/N): Y
• Interest in Rural Health (Y/N): Y
• Medical School List:

Hi guys, I'm currently looking through MSAR to make a tentative school list. I understand not having any clinical experience is a huge red flag, so I'm looking to take another a gap year working as an ophthalmic technician for a year and shadowing a few doctors, as soon as COVID situation improves.

I'm mainly concerned about my low GPA as well as the lack of ECs during undergrad, but I'm looking to remedy that with additional gap year opportunities. How am I looking in general for medical school applications? Is the lack of undergrad EC going to rule me out of admissions? Also, will medical schools accept virtual shadowing? With the pandemic it appears that virtual is the only way I can shadow physicians.

Also for the LOR, since the committee only allows maximum of three LORs, should I keep the two LORs from science professors or substitute the weaker one with the summer camp supervisor which is likely to be very strong?

Thank you!

You will be dead on arrival with no clinical experience. You should get AT LEAST 150 hours. I would also focus on non-clinical volunteering too helping those less fortunate than you. GPA and MCAT are ok.

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[GoSpursGo]

Yep you need clinical experience. Already sounds like you’re planning on an extra gap year to address this, so hopefully next year you’ll be ready.

 

[Goro]

Your GPAs are NOT low.
Non clinical ECs are fine
Gap year plans are sound.

I foresee you being competitive. OK, not Harvard/Stanford class schools, but would you be OK with Einstein or UCSF?

 

[AlteredScale]

Do you mean an optometry tech? Is that experience in an optometry clinic?

I think your GPA is strong. But agree with above regarding the fact that your lack of clinic experience will be a huge barrier to your success in garnering interviews.

Each medical school has specific preferences in regards to what is considered a "true" shadowing experience. Here is a good article regarding it from the AAMC: Virtual Shadowing — Tips From a Current Medical Student and Physician

Have the strongest LOR's. An LOR from a TA co-signed by a professor doesn't seem to strong to me.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Are you able to get clinical experience as a scribe?