Medical How should I plan for reapplication?

[Goro]

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Hi All,

I am an applicant for the current cycle, however, after only receiving 1 II thus far, I am already planning my reapplication. My big question is whether I can fix the issues in my application and apply this next cycle, or if I need an entire year before I can try applying again.

State of Residence: Pennsylvania w/ no OOS ties

URM: No

Year: In my first gap year post-graduation

Undergraduate Major(s), Minor(s): Emergency Medicine Major, Chemistry Minor

Cumulative GPA: 3.52 (Fr: 2.99 So: 3.40 Jr: 3.79 Sr: 3.79)

Science GPA: 3.32 (Fr: 2.45 So: 3.21 Jr: 3.66 Sr: 3.74)

MCAT Score(s): 519 (129/129/131/130)

Research Experience: 600 hours in a lab focused on neurologic recovery from cardiac arrest and TBI where I have done everything from behavioral testing to histology to writing and data analysis. I have my own project, but no publications or presentations. I may end up having a publication by the end of spring, however, I will err on the side of that not happening.

Shadowing: 8 hours with an Anesthesiologist

Non-Clinical Volunteering:
-Homeless Children’s Education Fund (100 hours by May): delivering school supplies and tutoring teenagers without stable housing. This was a new activity when I applied.
-Medlife (90 hours): Helping in mobile clinics in Ecuador and Peru over spring break for three years. I was Fundraising Chair for a semester where I helped set up and run fundraisers to raise money to be sent to the communities we were visiting.

Clinical Experience:
-EMT: 1000 hours between two companies. This was a mix of 911 and interfacility transports.
-Paramedic Clinicals: 612 hours split between the ambulance, ER, OR, ICU, Pediatric ER, Burn Unit, Labor and Delivery, and Trauma Unit.
-Paramedic: 1300 hours by April. I respond to 911 calls only.

Other Extracurriculars:
-Leadership Program Instructor: 130 hours leading a leadership class at my university for two semesters before entering the paramedic program.
-Organic Chemistry TA: 35 hours over two semesters
-Special Events Chair for fraternity: 60 hours

School List: Einstein, Boston, Case Western, Hofstra, EVMS, Emory, Geisinger, George Washington, Georgetown, Mt. Sinai, Keck, Temple, MCW, NYMC, OSU, Jefferson, Brown, Tufts, Cincinnati, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Pitt, UVA, VCU, Wake Forest

My biggest weakness by far is my minimal volunteering commitment. This will be my main focus prior to reapplying. I understand that it will be hard to show an admissions committee commitment to helping others by volunteering more from now until the next application opens at the end of May even if I continue volunteering after I submit my application.

My goal is to be able to reapply this May and not have to take another year off. To do this, on top of volunteering more in my current city, I was looking at doing an AmeriCorps program beginning in late spring. This would be something I can give sustained and full commitment to even after submitting my application. I could also potentially pick up a few shifts as a paramedic on the side. I also think it would benefit my own personal growth and help me build a broader skillset. In addition, I plan on getting improved letters of recommendation and if possible gain a few more shadowing hours. Does this seem like a realistic plan for reapplying this next cycle or will it likely yield a swift set of rejections?

You need more shadowing; 8 hours is lethal.

Your school list is pretty decent. But unless you're a VA resident, U VA was a donation, and was OSU if you're not a Buckeye. Ditto Brown as they highly favor their own and I have no info showing that they reward reinvention. (I only have them on my school lists to shut up certain in sufferable know-it-all argumentative pre-meds.)

You shouldn't reapply until you fix your deficits.

Rewrite all essays and have multiple eyeballs vet them (but not your friends).

You're still not too late for DO schools, and in fact, as a reinventor, you need them. Harvard and Yale can afford to pass up candidates like yourself.

I like the idea of Americorps; service to others less fortunate than yourself is always good.

 

[Goro]

Hi @Goro thank you for responding. If I obtained more shadowing and continued volunteering throughout the spring, would I be able to apply and then begin my Americorps service? As in, would the Americorps experience be valued by an admissions committee if the start date of the service was after primary application submission?

Isn't AmeriCorps service for a prolonged period of time????

They vary in length, but most are between 8 - 12 months. My plan was to begin between April and early July that way I would be finished prior to matriculation even if I decided to pursue a full 12 month program.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I think you need more patient-centered interactions with your clinical experience that don't deal with paramedics and emergency medicine. Your shadowing isn't great, but for me the stark issue is how little you have been exposed to other areas of medicine in a clinical/hospital setting, particularly with chronically ill and socioeconomically disadvantaged (US) patient cohorts. Sure your Americorps service can tick the box that you are capable of helping those in need in the community but putting it into a clinical context is also important.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

You need to get more shadowing and clinical experience. Scribing is a good gig as it gets your both. On your next application cycle I would add in DO schools as well.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Thank you for all your responses. I must say I never expected my clinical experience to be a weakness on my application. The shadowing I understand however. Something I explained in my essays but did not explain here for the sake of post length was that that the paramedic clinical training took place in an underserved area of my city and during the in-hospital component I had the ability to work directly with different types of physicians while treating patients. I am not sure if that helps paint a better picture. Would Americorps not be as beneficial as volunteering at a free clinic or with hospice patients? I worry those clinical volunteering positions could be limited because of COVID.

How much hospital time did you get?

200 Hours in the ED, Pediatric ED and Trauma Unit, 16 hours in the OR/Anesthesia, 8 hours in the ICU, 4 hours in the Burn Unit, 8 hours in Labor and Delivering, 16 hours in the Emergency Psychiatric Unit and 8 hours with an Anesthesiologist and Psychiatrist helping with ECT Therapy.

One thing I am missing is direct primary care experience, although a lot of what I do as a paramedic sort of falls under the primary care umbrella.

 

[Goro]

This is my final question. If I address my weaknesses in my ECs, will my GPA still bar me from schools such as Jefferson, Hofstra, Georgetown, Wake, Miami, etc. regardless? I received a lot of other feedback that my school list was very poor in contradiction to what @Goro said. I don’t believe my list is that bad, but the feedback has definitely made me take a second look.

Nope. The schools you listed are ones that reward reinvention.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Your GPA isn’t horrible. With a little TLC I think you can get your app to a good spot and have a shot. .