MD I need Advice

[Buffalo Hunter]

I am looking for advice on the school list and where to improve.

1. Undergrad cGPA/sGPA: 4.0/4.0
2. Graduate: 3.57 (good state school)
3. MCAT: 511 (129/124/129/129)
4. Texas resident
5. URM Male (30 years old) + immigrant (recently became a permanent resident)
6. Undergraduate: Low-tier HBCU
7. Clinical experience:
   • 200+ direct patient care at a Hospital
   • 100 hours hospice
8. Research
   • 3000 hours - currently works as Research Assistant II at MD Anderson Cancer Center (+ LOR from Supervisor)
     • 4 posters (not lead presenter)
     • working on getting some publications
   • 800 hours of summer research (two successive years (+ LOR from a professor)
     • 5 poster presentations as lead presenter
     • 3 oral presentations
     • Honorable mention at one conference
   • >3000 hours as a graduate research assistant working on my thesis ( + 2 LORS from my thesis advisor and one member of my thesis committee)
     • Poster and Oral presentations
   • 740 hours as a research assistant during undergrad
     • Poster presentation as lead presenter
9. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
   • 20 hours (active ) shadowing GI doctor
   • 20 hours shadowing a neurosurgeon
   • 18 hours shadowing a urologist and his PA
   • 20 hours shadowing online (during COVID - not considering it when I do apply)
10. Non-clinical volunteering
    • 350 hours as a volunteer tutor at afterschool program for disadvantaged and at-risk students
    • 350 hours as a tutor for the chemistry department at my undergraduate school
    • 45 hours volunteer with Project CURE ( I enjoy volunteering here but can only do it on the weekend during summer)
11. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc.)
    • >1000 hours as a graduate teaching assistant (paid employment)
    • 1300 hours as a farm research assistant (paid employment during undergrad)
    • 2000 hours as an elementary school teacher (paid employment back in my home country)
12. Relevant honors or awards (not sure if these are relevant)
    • University Scholarship
    • Chancellor’s Medallion Recipient
    • Chancellor List for 8 semesters
    • Emerging Researchers National STEM Conference Travel Awards (Washington DC)

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[AJS59]

A couple of questions just so I (and others) can get you the best advice possible:
-What kind of graduate degree? When was this completed?
-What is project CURE?
-Are you looking to go for MD schools specifically or are you open to DO schools as well?
-Are you looking to apply this cycle?

Anyways, you have a very impressive research profile and solid enough clinical experience. Your shadowing is fine but if you want to enhance it, I'd recommend looking for a PCP just to show your range of interests.

The one area where I think you could stand to improve is in non-clinical hours; while teaching/tutoring is good, many on this forum will recommend service in areas where you are not an expert (i.e. a tutor) - for example, a soup kitchen, food pantry, etc. That's not to say you can't count the tutor hours, it's just something worth noting.

About the MCAT — 511 will be more than sufficient for DO. The low CARS score may give some MD schools some pause, though, and if your heart is set on MD I'd consider giving it another go.

As for schools - obviously you should apply to all the Texas schools; beyond that, I'm not quite sure...will leave it up to the experts like Faha for that.

 

[Buffalo Hunter]

A couple of questions just so I (and others) can get you the best advice possible:
-What kind of graduate degree? When was this completed?
-What is project CURE?
-Are you looking to go for MD schools specifically or are you open to DO schools as well?
-Are you looking to apply this cycle?

Anyways, you have a very impressive research profile and solid enough clinical experience. Your shadowing is fine but if you want to enhance it, I'd recommend looking for a PCP just to show your range of interests.

The one area where I think you could stand to improve is in non-clinical hours; while teaching/tutoring is good, many on this forum will recommend service in areas where you are not an expert (i.e. a tutor) - for example, a soup kitchen, food pantry, etc. That's not to say you can't count the tutor hours, it's just something worth noting.

About the MCAT — 511 will be more than sufficient for DO. The low CARS score may give some MD schools some pause, though, and if your heart is set on MD I'd consider giving it another go.

As for schools - obviously you should apply to all the Texas schools; beyond that, I'm not quite sure...will leave it up to the experts like Faha for that.

Hi, thank you for the reply. The graduate degree was a thesis-based master's degree, and I graduated in 2022. Project CURE is a non-profit organization that distributes medical equipment globally, specifically in developing and war-torn countries. I am looking for MD schools mostly but will consider DO schools as well, and yes, I am applying to this cycle.

 

[MrPuff]

Over 13,000 hours of ECs. That's respectable.

 

[Buffalo Hunter]

Over 13,000 hours of ECs. That's respectable.

Hey, thank you. I worked hard as an undergrad.

 

[Faha]

Which URM community are you from ? If Hispanic, are you fluent in Spanish ?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Fortunately all TMDSAS and HBCU programs should be in play for you. Connect with the admissions staff at all the in-state medical schools (MD and DO), SNMA chapter officers, and understand your options. Other experts will provide lists of additional schools to consider.

You need help categorizing your activities, and you may want to do more community service that is not clinical or healthcare adjacent to boost your application, but it is very important you find champions, mentors, and references. I don't normally consider activities with fewer than 50 hours (other than shadowing) significant (your Project CURE activity).

 

[Buffalo Hunter]

Which URM community are you from ? If Hispanic, are you fluent in Spanish ?

I’m a Black male.

 

[Buffalo Hunter]

Fortunately all TMDSAS and HBCU programs should be in play for you. Connect with the admissions staff at all the in-state medical schools (MD and DO), SNMA chapter officers, and understand your options. Other experts will provide lists of additional schools to consider.

You need help categorizing your activities, and you may want to do more community service that is not clinical or healthcare adjacent to boost your application, but it is very important you find champions, mentors, and references. I don't normally consider activities with fewer than 50 hours (other than shadowing) significant (your Project CURE activity).

Thank you for your advice. I will reach out to my in-state medical school admission officers. You are right about categorizing my activities, and really can use some help. Project CURE is part of my activities because I intend to do more hours with them this summer when they open to the public on weekends. I work full time so it’s hard to get any volunteer work after 5pm or on the weekends.

 

[Faha]

I’m a Black male.

Apply to all your Texas TMDSAS MD schools and you should receive several interviews. If OOS MD schools interest you consider these:
Emory
Miami
Duke
Vanderbilt
Georgetown
Pittsburgh
Einstein
Mount Sinai
Columbia
Cornell
NYU
Dartmouth
Brown
Case Western
Northwestern
U Chicago
Mayo (Arizona)
Tulane

 

[Buffalo Hunter]

Apply to all your Texas TMDSAS MD schools and you should receive several interviews. If OOS MD schools interest you consider these:
Emory
Miami
Duke
Vanderbilt
Georgetown
Pittsburgh
Einstein
Mount Sinai
Columbia
Cornell
NYU
Dartmouth
Brown
Case Western
Northwestern
U Chicago
Mayo (Arizona)
Tulane

Thank you very much for the encouragement and the list of schools. I will add them to my list.

 

[Buffalo Hunter]

Apply to all your Texas TMDSAS MD schools and you should receive several interviews. If OOS MD schools interest you consider these:
Emory
Miami
Duke
Vanderbilt
Georgetown
Pittsburgh
Einstein
Mount Sinai
Columbia
Cornell
NYU
Dartmouth
Brown
Case Western
Northwestern
U Chicago
Mayo (Arizona)
Tulane

It is still early in the application cycle, but I should have added all the schools you recommended. I ended up adding 13 schools from this list and have received 6 IIs so far, 1 Pre-II hold, and 1 R. Thank you for all you do for premed students on the platform.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

It is still early in the application cycle, but I should have added all the schools you recommended. I ended up adding 13 schools from this list and have received 6 IIs so far, 1 Pre-II hold, and 1 R. Thank you for all you do for premed students on the platform.

Dude, you're slaying. Honestly, I hope you will get some good news soon. Pay attention to mentoring resources at the schools, SNMA, and any organization from them that mentors black males in medicine.

 

[Buffalo Hunter]

Dude, you're slaying. Honestly, I hope you will get some good news soon. Pay attention to mentoring resources at the schools, SNMA, and any organization from them that mentors black males in medicine.

Thank you for the advice and the support. I hope I have more options to choose from at the end of the day.