How to convince a medical school that they are the best fit because of family?

[rosekendell]

I'm currently applying for medical school, and my first choice is in the state I live in. I hear it's a competitive school, however my grades and MCAT score are not so much. I think my EC's are pretty stellar, but I'm afraid of being outright rejected. I'm also looking into DO schools because I may have a better chance of getting into one, but they are all OOS as well. I'm married with a 3 year old son, and I would find it difficult to move anywhere else. My husband just began a really stable job in an executive position for a prestigious company, so it would be too risky for him to leave and request to be translocated especially because he is our main source of income. The worst case scenario is that I get accepted OOS and have to live away from my husband and son for 4 years, and hopefully return home for residency or figure out moving arrangements then. It breaks my heart thinking that I may have to move away from my family, but if it has to be done, then let it be. It also gives my husband a difficult time because he has to be a full-time worker and full-time parent - we equally split all of the chores and parenting. How can I convince my top choice medical school that it is the perfect fit for me, partly because of family?

I am applying for the John A. Burns School of Medicine in Hawaii. Their average cGPA is 3.68 and sGPA is 3.59 for the incoming 2013 class. My undergraduate cGPA is 3.28 and sGPA is 3.04. However, I am finishing up my MS in Molecular Biology with a research thesis this coming December with a 3.87 (I only took science courses). My MCAT score is a 26, but I'm hoping to break 30 when I retake in September. The median MCAT score is a 31.

During my UG, I dedicated a lot of time to EC's. I volunteered in an elementary tutorial program for immigrant children, an after school arts and crafts program for special needs children, participated in our school's annual dance production (did Tahitian and Hula and practiced 1-2x/wk for ~4 months, became President of the Filipino cultural organization, and managed our school's Student Resource Center (brought in the greatest amount of revenue known since it opened). I also volunteered at the NICU and SICU of two different hospitals and is currently shadowing a pediatrician.

I am a resident of Hawaii, so that gives me an advantage. Would my extra qualifications weigh out my poor UG GPA or is it better if I consider DO schools at this point?

I also want to point out that my husband has been supporting me all the way. He doesn't care how many times I apply for medical school because he knows that it's something I want to do for the rest of my life. He has sacrificed going back to go to get an advanced degree to support me being a student and to become a father. Now, that he has finally found a job that he loves and is enough to support his family, he can't risk losing it. He also understands how difficult it will be if we lived apart for awhile, but it may be a reality we have to face.

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[LupaCupcake]

I will be honest with you. Your GPA is very low, if your science GPA was higher it might make a difference, but that is also very low. You do show a great passion for helping others and I would absolutely emphasize that as much as possible, but you also need to raise your scores. Since you can't erase and redo that GPA, I would suggest going for a higher mcat score in the mid 30's. If you can do that combined with your desire to help people it may be enough. Bear in mind I am not an expert as I am not in medical school, but your scores are very low so you have to somehow combat that. You can find a way!

 

[MedWonk]

I'm currently applying for medical school, and my first choice is in the state I live in. I hear it's a competitive school, however my grades and MCAT score are not so much. I think my EC's are pretty stellar, but I'm afraid of being outright rejected. I'm also looking into DO schools because I may have a better chance of getting into one, but they are all OOS as well. I'm married with a 3 year old son, and I would find it difficult to move anywhere else. My husband just began a really stable job in an executive position for a prestigious company, so it would be too risky for him to leave and request to be translocated especially because he is our main source of income. The worst case scenario is that I get accepted OOS and have to live away from my husband and son for 4 years, and hopefully return home for residency or figure out moving arrangements then. It breaks my heart thinking that I may have to move away from my family, but if it has to be done, then let it be. It also gives my husband a difficult time because he has to be a full-time worker and full-time parent - we equally split all of the chores and parenting. How can I convince my top choice medical school that it is the perfect fit for me, partly because of family?

I am applying for the John A. Burns School of Medicine in Hawaii. Their average cGPA is 3.68 and sGPA is 3.59 for the incoming 2013 class. My undergraduate cGPA is 3.28 and sGPA is 3.04. However, I am finishing up my MS in Molecular Biology with a research thesis this coming December with a 3.87 (I only took science courses). My MCAT score is a 26, but I'm hoping to break 30 when I retake in September. The median MCAT score is a 31.

During my UG, I dedicated a lot of time to EC's. I volunteered in an elementary tutorial program for immigrant children, an after school arts and crafts program for special needs children, participated in our school's annual dance production (did Tahitian and Hula and practiced 1-2x/wk for ~4 months, became President of the Filipino cultural organization, and managed our school's Student Resource Center (brought in the greatest amount of revenue known since it opened). I also volunteered at the NICU and SICU of two different hospitals and is currently shadowing a pediatrician.

I am a resident of Hawaii, so that gives me an advantage. Would my extra qualifications weigh out my poor UG GPA or is it better if I consider DO schools at this point?

I also want to point out that my husband has been supporting me all the way. He doesn't care how many times I apply for medical school because he knows that it's something I want to do for the rest of my life. He has sacrificed going back to go to get an advanced degree to support me being a student and to become a father. Now, that he has finally found a job that he loves and is enough to support his family, he can't risk losing it. He also understands how difficult it will be if we lived apart for awhile, but it may be a reality we have to face.

The odds are staring you in the face. If you want to have a decent shot, you need to do some major work to bring your GPAs up to at least 3.5ish and get at least a 30 on the MCAT. You might have a decent shot at DO, but if you really want to stay in Hawaii, you need to improve your GPA and MCAT. Good luck.

 

[QofQuimica]

Call the admissions office at U Hawaii and tell them the same info you laid out in your OP. Find out from them what they would want you to do to be a reasonably competitive candidate. Then sit down with your husband and decide together whether it's worth it, say, to go back to college for 2, 3, 4 years, or whatever other improvements they might suggest. If it's going to be more than you and he are willing to do, then consider other career alternatives. I'd argue against moving to the mainland and leaving your husband and young son in HI. HI is so far from everywhere else in the US that you just about might as well be moving to another country. Med school is not worth breaking up a family for, and your son deserves to grow up knowing his mother. My opinion, FWIW.

 

[Quizlet04]

This sort of factors into my question:

Is it okay to talk about the two-body problem when discussing why you'd like to apply to a school? My wife works for a multi-site company that is pretty good about placing its workers from city to city. She does specialized, skilled work that won't translate well into companies that do something different. I'm restricting many of my choices based on those criteria.

I know that some graduate schools and jobs will take that factor into account. How about med schools?