International applicant: What are my chances?

[littlelegs]

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Hello everyone,

I just received my MCAT score and I am not sure whether I should retake.

My stats:
-cGPA: 3.84, sGPA: 3.88
-MCAT: 35 (V/P/B: 11/13/11)
-Major: chemistry, in a liberal arts college with a top post-bac program. Graduated in 2013.
-Honors: graduated with honors in chem, magma cum laude, some American Chemical Society undergrad prize that sounds better than it actually is 😛
-Research: 3 years in the same chemistry lab during undergrad, 1 publication as 2nd author, presented posters in ACS national conference and some other regional student sessions;
currently working as a tech in a T20 medical school, will be 1 year by the time I apply. Involved in both clinical and bench studies. 1 publication so far.

Clinical Exeperience:
-volunteered at a major teaching hospital (100+ hrs); now volunteer in 2 hospitals (6 hr/week). Lots of patient interaction.
-shadow a neurologist (30 hrs) and an oncologist (2hrs/week)

other EC:
-prepare tax-return for low income families (2 years)
-peer mentor in college (2 years)
-chemistry dept rep and gen chem TA (1 year)
-school trustees' rep (2 years)
-work as a student head in the college restaurant (4 years)
-volunteer for an animal shelter (to get some sanity...)
-I am not an athlete or musician, but organized and participated in a 5k to fundraise for a non-profit. Still, just a very common science-heavy profile.

What are my chances to get into a MD/PhD program as an international applicant? I am also considering MD only. Location-wise: no west coast. Would go anywhere but wishfully prefer NY. I am thinking retaking MCAT to boost my BS, but my advisor warned me of the risk that a lower second MCAT would really hurt.

Thank you so much!

 

[Fencer]

Your biggest problem is being an international MD/PhD applicant (i.e.: not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident). Only less than a dozen "true" international applicants got into MD/PhD programs last year (one of the glitches in AMCAS is that US citizens or permanent residents who grew up outside of the US prior to college do not have a formal state of residency, which is what is lumped at the bottom of the AAMC tables as foreign). Unfortunately, several international applicants with scores higher than yours were not able to get in (see for some of the threads - Mynameistoolong). Don't get discouraged, if this is your core dream, push and push, but be smart about your chances. PM me if you have questions...

 

[mynameistoolong]

Are you Canadian? I know a Canadian applicant with stats similar to yours, also with multiple publications, who got into a few MSTPs this cycle. I have a strong suspicion that this makes a difference (I'm a non-Canadian international). In either case, keep your MD-only options open (make sure to have the $$$—at least 1 year of tuition, up to 4 years, paid in advance—unless you can get loans from your home country)

Edit: I guess you're not Canadian (sorry for creeping... you weren't that hard to find 😉). I would recommend trying anyways if you want—just adjust your expectations and be ultra-hyper-super prepared for your interviews. I would not retake the MCAT unless I knew I would get 40+ the second time (and you really can't know that, unfortunately).

A little about me: I did not get into any MD/PhD programs and not too optimistic about my MD schools (will find out in ~2 weeks). If I end up reapplying I was actually thinking of doing exactly what you did: Take 2 years off for research, apply after the first research year (if I get a publication), and then hopefully get in. At this point I feel that it was my research experience holding me back—I'm still in college right now, only had 3 years when I applied, and haven't had chance to do much full-time research. Before I began this cycle I thought dedication and passion for research was all that mattered; I now feel (realize?) that those don't matter unless you have results to show (no, schools don't know or care that my lab is unproductive and that the 3rd year grad student who's been in the lab since sophomore year in college still has no pubs). I don't think a 42 MCAT instead of 39 would've changed anything for me. Considering you have publications and presented at ACS conferences I think you have a shot.

Location-wise: no west coast. Would go anywhere but wishfully prefer NY.

I learned the hard way that you can't be picky as an foreign applicant. Fortunately (?) for you, no MD-PhD programs in CA/WA/OR take internationals anyway...

 

[seaso]

Apply broadly. The few non-MSTP MD-PhD programs would consider giving you an interview based on your stats. MSTP programs only takes foreigners if they have their own funding. Mayo is one of the programs.

 

[mynameistoolong]

Mayo only takes Canadian internationals as of the 2013 cycle.