Imporving my Application

[tamkasiam]

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First of all, thank you for taking the time to read and respond to this.

I got my PhD in Neurobiology 2 years ago. I then had the opportunity to work at Roche in a global leadership development program where I got the chance to lead projects and people for the first time (I view this time as a sort of quick and dirty MBA) Being a doctor has been a goal and dream of mine for as long as I can remember and am fully committed to pursuing this dream. I am excited to transition to the medical field and I would really like to work as a physician scientist liaising between the bench and the bedside.

I still live in Germany and I needed to save money to travel back to the states to take the MCAT. This made my test date late (Sept 10th) and thus my application wasn't complete until my score was released on Oct. 12th. To make matters more complicated my wife, a computational biologist, got a job offer in St. Louis, while I was studying for the MCAT. It is an excellent opportunity for her, so we decided that I would limit my applications to school in the area and a couple dream schools.

School List: Wash U, SLU, Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth

So I obviously applied late and probably too high, but I (maybe naively) expected to hear something...

Here are my stats/experiences:

Country/state of residence/demographics: Missouri, white male, 30

cGPA 3.85
sGPA 3.83

MCAT - 519 (131/128/129/131)

Research– PhD in circuit neurscience. Nature paper first author and Second Author Current Biology.

Shadowing –

• ~480 hrs in a Pediatric Orthopedic Clinic in Kathmandu, Nepal
  
• ~100 in Endoscopic Dept and St. Louis University Hosptial

Volunteering- the above mentioned time in Nepal was a volunteering stint in addition to shadowing

Extracurricular activities -

• Climbing, Mountaineering, Ski Touring
  
• speak fluent German
  
• Semester Mountaineering and sea kayaking in Patagonia, also a certified Wilderness First Responder (EMT equivalent in wilderness settings)

Employment history-

• Roche Global Leadership Development Program (led projects across the value chain for Roche Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics),
  
• PhD, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology
  
• Ridgerunner for the Appalachian trail (was responsible for a 70-mile section for the summer) and
• TA for Biochem and Physics in college

So now that I haven't heard anything I am looking into improving my profile for next cycle. I am currently volunteering in a big brother big sister- like program here and have shadowed a neurosurgeon a little bit at the university here.I will be moving to St. Louis in January, so my time to get clinical experience in the states is very limited.

Could you guys offer any advice? Both insights as to why I didn't get any responses and any suggestions as to how I could strengthen my profile.

Thanks for taking the time to help me out!

 

[Home_Run_Ball]

U applied VERY VERY LATE, but at the same time you are what the SDN ppl call SUPERSTARS, so it is entirely possible that schools might get back to u in Dec or even in the new year, but due to ur low number of schools applied and everything it may be in your best interest to prepare to apply DAY 1 of 2017, you have the stats and ECs, just focus on maybe getting in more volunteering? But otherwise ur app looks solid and I have no doubts that if u had submitted Day 1 u would be sitting at an acceptance right now

 

[libertyyne]

First of all, thank you for taking the time to read and respond to this.

I got my PhD in Neurobiology 2 years ago. I then had the opportunity to work at Roche in a global leadership development program where I got the chance to lead projects and people for the first time (I view this time as a sort of quick and dirty MBA) Being a doctor has been a goal and dream of mine for as long as I can remember and am fully committed to pursuing this dream. I am excited to transition to the medical field and I would really like to work as a physician scientist liaising between the bench and the bedside.

I still live in Germany and I needed to save money to travel back to the states to take the MCAT. This made my test date late (Sept 10th) and thus my application wasn't complete until my score was released on Oct. 12th. To make matters more complicated my wife, a computational biologist, got a job offer in St. Louis, while I was studying for the MCAT. It is an excellent opportunity for her, so we decided that I would limit my applications to school in the area and a couple dream schools.

School List: Wash U, SLU, Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth

So I obviously applied late and probably too high, but I (maybe naively) expected to hear something...

Here are my stats/experiences:

Country/state of residence/demographics: Missouri, white male, 30

cGPA 3.85
sGPA 3.83

MCAT - 519 (131/128/129/131)

Research– PhD in circuit neurscience. Nature paper first author and Second Author Current Biology.

Shadowing –

• ~480 hrs in a Pediatric Orthopedic Clinic in Kathmandu, Nepal
  
• ~100 in Endoscopic Dept and St. Louis University Hosptial

Volunteering- the above mentioned time in Nepal was a volunteering stint in addition to shadowing

Extracurricular activities -

• Climbing, Mountaineering, Ski Touring
  
• speak fluent German
  
• Semester Mountaineering and sea kayaking in Patagonia, also a certified Wilderness First Responder (EMT equivalent in wilderness settings)

Employment history-

• Roche Global Leadership Development Program (led projects across the value chain for Roche Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics),
  
• PhD, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology
  
• Ridgerunner for the Appalachian trail (was responsible for a 70-mile section for the summer) and
• TA for Biochem and Physics in college

So now that I haven't heard anything I am looking into improving my profile for next cycle. I am currently volunteering in a big brother big sister- like program here and have shadowed a neurosurgeon a little bit at the university here.I will be moving to St. Louis in January, so my time to get clinical experience in the states is very limited.

Could you guys offer any advice? Both insights as to why I didn't get any responses and any suggestions as to how I could strengthen my profile.

Thanks for taking the time to help me out!

Is your bs from Germany? Are you an American citizen?
Regardless of your stats you need to apply to a larger set of schools. 15-20. I would call the local school and see if you can meet with them to go over what they would like to see in your app to gain an acceptance.

 

[Catalystik]

First of all, thank you for taking the time to read and respond to this.

I got my PhD in Neurobiology 2 years ago. I then had the opportunity to work at Roche in a global leadership development program where I got the chance to lead projects and people for the first time (I view this time as a sort of quick and dirty MBA) Being a doctor has been a goal and dream of mine for as long as I can remember and am fully committed to pursuing this dream. I am excited to transition to the medical field and I would really like to work as a physician scientist liaising between the bench and the bedside.

I still live in Germany and I needed to save money to travel back to the states to take the MCAT. This made my test date late (Sept 10th) and thus my application wasn't complete until my score was released on Oct. 12th. To make matters more complicated my wife, a computational biologist, got a job offer in St. Louis, while I was studying for the MCAT. It is an excellent opportunity for her, so we decided that I would limit my applications to school in the area and a couple dream schools.

School List: Wash U, SLU, Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth

So I obviously applied late and probably too high, but I (maybe naively) expected to hear something...

Here are my stats/experiences:

Country/state of residence/demographics: Missouri, white male, 30

cGPA 3.85
sGPA 3.83

MCAT - 519 (131/128/129/131)

Research– PhD in circuit neurscience. Nature paper first author and Second Author Current Biology.

Shadowing –

• ~480 hrs in a Pediatric Orthopedic Clinic in Kathmandu, Nepal
  
• ~100 in Endoscopic Dept and St. Louis University Hosptial

Volunteering- the above mentioned time in Nepal was a volunteering stint in addition to shadowing

Extracurricular activities -

• Climbing, Mountaineering, Ski Touring
  
• speak fluent German
  
• Semester Mountaineering and sea kayaking in Patagonia, also a certified Wilderness First Responder (EMT equivalent in wilderness settings)

Employment history-

• Roche Global Leadership Development Program (led projects across the value chain for Roche Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics),
  
• PhD, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology
  
• Ridgerunner for the Appalachian trail (was responsible for a 70-mile section for the summer) and
• TA for Biochem and Physics in college

So now that I haven't heard anything I am looking into improving my profile for next cycle. I am currently volunteering in a big brother big sister- like program here and have shadowed a neurosurgeon a little bit at the university here.I will be moving to St. Louis in January, so my time to get clinical experience in the states is very limited.

Could you guys offer any advice? Both insights as to why I didn't get any responses and any suggestions as to how I could strengthen my profile.

Thanks for taking the time to help me out!

Maybe your application is sitting on the bottom of a deep pile (virtually speaking) and it will just take patience until they burrow down that far.

Considering that being a physician is a long-term goal of yours, I am surprised not to see some active US clinical experience listed from earlier years. Maybe the passive observership of your US shadowing will be enough to convince some schools that you know what you're getting into, but you aren't casting a big enough net to ensure you've applied to one of them. Why no UMissouri?

In what way has your Wilderness First Responder certification been used since being earned?

 

[tamkasiam]

Maybe your application is sitting on the bottom of a deep pile (virtually speaking) and it will just take patience until they burrow down that far.

Considering that being a physician is a long-term goal of yours, I am surprised not to see some active US clinical experience listed from earlier years. Maybe the passive observership of your US shadowing will be enough to convince some schools that you know what you're getting into, but you aren't casting a big enough net to ensure you've applied to one of them. Why no UMissouri?

In what way has your Wilderness First Responder certification been used since being earned?

So the US experience I have was a a mixture of shadowing and grunt work (cleaning up after patients, moving patients around, etc.).

I didn't apply to UMissouri because it is a two hour drive one way from St. Louis so it really isn't feasible with a wife and kid.

I used the wilderness first responder in my time as a ridge runner (it was a prerequisite for getting the job) and I carried a large emergency kit with me. There were, however, no incidents where I really used these skills; I was more there in case anything happened.

 

[tamkasiam]

Is your bs from Germany? Are you an American citizen?
Regardless of your stats you need to apply to a larger set of schools. 15-20. I would call the local school and see if you can meet with them to go over what they would like to see in your app to gain an acceptance.

I am an American and did my undergrad at an American university. Did you think calling the admissions office will be helpful? I thought they didn't give out info regarding decisions.

 

[libertyyne]

I am an American and did my undergrad at an American university. Did you think calling the admissions office will be helpful? I thought they didn't give out info regarding decisions.

I think you are in a unique position. It is possible you still get a II in December january. I would call after formal rejection and ask what can I do!

 

[Catalystik]

So the US experience I have was a a mixture of shadowing and grunt work (cleaning up after patients, moving patients around, etc.).

How many hours of "grunt work" where you interacted with patients, and how long ago? Or does this refer to the previously mentioned 100 hours of shadowing? If the latter, what percent of the time was shadowing alone?

 

[tamkasiam]

How many hours of "grunt work" where you interacted with patients, and how long ago? Or does this refer to the previously mentioned 100 hours of shadowing? If the latter, what percent of the time was shadowing alone?

This applies to the 100 hours and it was approximately a 70 30 split grunt to shadowing I would say. Both of these clinical experiences were during my undergrad which means like 7 years ago at this point. Omg!

 

[Catalystik]

Could you guys offer any advice? . . . any suggestions as to how I could strengthen my profile.

You need more recent US clinical experience. You'd for sure want to hit the ground running as soon as you return to the US in order to get it. If you wait until you arrive to set things up, you may find that a facility you'd like to volunteer at requires a PPD, chickenpox and Hep B titers, and an orientation that won't be held again for weeks to months. Hospitals are the pickiest about this. Skilled-level nursing homes, less so. You might also consider hospice, VA clinic, family-planning clinic, free clinic, private office, surgicenter, physical therapy site, etc. Do some internet research on this now and save grief later.

Another pro-tip: Don't quit whatever gig you find as soon as you apply. Continue to volunteer for the sake of Secondary essays, update letters where allowed, and in case you find yourself applying yet again (though I don't honestly think it will come to that, assuming strong LOR, decent essays, and no legal issues).

This applies to the 100 hours and it was approximately a 70 30 split grunt to shadowing I would say. Both of these clinical experiences were during my undergrad which means like 7 years ago at this point. Omg!

Did you list all of this under shadowing, or break it down in the description?

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

@Catalystik For non-trads that have been out of college for some years, are they expected to have done more, extracurricular/volunteering/work wise?

 

[Catalystik]

@Catalystik For non-trads that have been out of college for some years, are they expected to have done more, extracurricular/volunteering/work wise?

Whether younger or older than the traditional age for applicants, adcomms tend to hold school-specific standards that don't vary by an applicant's years on the planet. But I find it generally true that nontrads, even just a few years out of school, tend to have richer life experience (not necessarily related to those that are written or unspoken requirements for applicants). They are also far more confident, polished interviewees.