Is it time to prepare for the next cycle?

[mantis toboggan MD/PhD]

Hello,

I am a TX resident and have applied to all TX schools and about 16 DO schools and I have only heard from a few schools. I am currently sitting on one waitlist for a DO school and nothing else. My stats are 508 MCAT (With 122 in CARS), 3.75 sGPA/cGPA, 150 clinical hours at the time of my application (but I have updated my app so now I have at least 400 clinical hours and am projecting about 1000 total), 150 nonclinical volunteering hours, almost 2 years of research, and about 60 hours of shadowing with an MD, and many other extracurriculars. The main deficiencies I've noticed are my poor CARS score and the fact that I was complete at most schools by around August/September. I also did turn in my secondaries a few weeks after I got them since I was taking summer classes and prioritizing TX secondaries. Are these the main problems with my app? I know the cycle isn't over but its January and I haven't heard much. The most I have heard, after my waitlist, are emails from a few schools asking if I'm still interested and some rejections. Should I just prepare for the next cycle? Any help is appreciated.

Also here is my school list:
AT Still
CCOM - Rejected
DMU-COM - pre-II hold
KCU-COM - pre-II hold
LMU-COM
NYITCOM
OSUCOM
PCOM
UIWSOM - pre-II hold
WVSOM
Western
WCUCOM
TCOM
SHSUCOM - Rejected
AZCOM - Waitlist

The schools with blanks mean I haven't heard from them.

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[Jambandman]

I would say it’s always best to over prepare. Most admissions people would be happy to talk with you about what’s up with your app. I would say waiting 3 weeks to send secondaries is a big one. No DO shadowing which in turn may translate to a lack of “why DO” in your app (just assuming). I see you have MD/PHD in your name, most DO schools are primary care oriented and not really big research centers, you may not be who they are looking for on paper.

 

[mantis toboggan MD/PhD]

I would say it’s always best to over prepare. Most admissions people would be happy to talk with you about what’s up with your app. I would say waiting 3 weeks to send secondaries is a big one. No DO shadowing which in turn may translate to a lack of “why DO” in your app (just assuming). I see you have MD/PHD in your name, most DO schools are primary care oriented and not really big research centers, you may not be who they are looking for on paper.

That's weird, I have a friend that had a 511 MCAT and same GPA as me but his personal statement was the same for his AMCAS app and he had no DO shadowing. He's gotten several acceptances and is still getting IIs. I just thought that if he was able to then I thought that I could as well. I'm not sure where I went wrong. Btw the MD/PhD thing is just a joke lol.

 

[lab2488]

I agree with Jambandman - I feel like a LOR from a DO and experience with them is a must. I know many schools don't "require" it but they kind of do. For what it's worth I'm also a TX resident with a 121 in CARS and have 4 DO A's with 3 more IIs. Also, I submitted in November.

 

[mantis toboggan MD/PhD]

I agree with Jambandman - I feel like a LOR from a DO and experience with them is a must. I know many schools don't "require" it but they kind of do. For what it's worth I'm also a TX resident with a 121 in CARS and have 4 DO A's with 3 more IIs. Also, I submitted in November.

Do you think it's necessary for me to retake my MCAT? I'm ngl I've been seriously unmotivated while prepping for a retake recently and I'm trying my best to push through but its hard.

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Is there a hidden red flag in your app? No acceptances with such stats with your school list makes no sense. The lack of a DO letter may hurt your chances but you should have had one acceptance by now, also your research background/interests might actually help you and make you a more attractive candidate since DO schools want to increase their research footprint as well.

 

[wysdoc]

That's weird, I have a friend that had a 511 MCAT and same GPA as me but his personal statement was the same for his AMCAS app and he had no DO shadowing. He's gotten several acceptances and is still getting IIs. I just thought that if he was able to then I thought that I could as well. I'm not sure where I went wrong. Btw the MD/PhD thing is just a joke lol.

I'm betting your friend turned in their application much earlier than you did for the TX schools.
Make that one of the differences for your next application cycle and submit your primary by early June this time.

 

[mantis toboggan MD/PhD]

Is there a hidden red flag in your app? No acceptances with such stats with your school list makes no sense. The lack of a DO letter may hurt your chances but you should have had one acceptance by now, also your research background/interests might actually help you and make you a more attractive candidate since DO schools want to increase their research footprint as well.

I'm not too sure. I don't have any IAs or anything. I just got off the phone with an admissions counselor and they said there were no glaring red flags in my app. They did say to add more DO shadowing for the next cycle though.

 

[mantis toboggan MD/PhD]

I'm betting your friend turned in their application much earlier than you did for the TX schools.
Make that one of the differences for your next application cycle and submit your primary by early June this time.

That is true he did submit his primary earlier than I did. Thank you for the suggestion I will definitely make sure to do that for the next cycle. Do you think I could get away with the same MCAT score if I add more healthcare experience, DO shadowing, and an earlier application?

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

That is true he did submit his primary earlier than I did. Thank you for the suggestion I will definitely make sure to do that for the next cycle? Do you think I could get away with the same MCAT score if I add more healthcare experience, DO shadowing, and an earlier application?

Yea your mcat is good I think, not worth the risk retaking and getting a lower score.

 

[Goro]

Hello,

I am a TX resident and have applied to all TX schools and about 16 DO schools and I have only heard from a few schools. I am currently sitting on one waitlist for a DO school and nothing else. My stats are 508 MCAT (With 122 in CARS), 3.75 sGPA/cGPA, 150 clinical hours at the time of my application (but I have updated my app so now I have at least 400 clinical hours and am projecting about 1000 total), 150 nonclinical volunteering hours, almost 2 years of research, and about 60 hours of shadowing with an MD, and many other extracurriculars. The main deficiencies I've noticed are my poor CARS score and the fact that I was complete at most schools by around August/September. I also did turn in my secondaries a few weeks after I got them since I was taking summer classes and prioritizing TX secondaries. Are these the main problems with my app? I know the cycle isn't over but its January and I haven't heard much. The most I have heard, after my waitlist, are emails from a few schools asking if I'm still interested and some rejections. Should I just prepare for the next cycle? Any help is appreciated.

Also here is my school list:
AT Still
CCOM - Rejected
DMU-COM - pre-II hold
KCU-COM - pre-II hold
LMU-COM
NYITCOM
OSUCOM
PCOM
UIWSOM - pre-II hold
WVSOM
Western
WCUCOM
TCOM
SHSUCOM - Rejected
AZCOM - Waitlist

The schools with blanks mean I haven't heard from them.

I know that this will trigger some sensitive souls, you should be preparing to improve your app and reapply from the moment you send in your apps. You are rejected until you have that Accept email in your Inbox.

The fact that you, as a Texan, got rejected from the two new DO schools in TX is saying something.

You may have a bad LOR. I don't think that the CARS is what is shooting you down.

 

[mantis toboggan MD/PhD]

I know that this will trigger some sensitive souls, you should be preparing to improve your app and reapply from the moment you send in your apps. You are rejected until you have that Accept email in your Inbox.

The fact that you, as a Texan, got rejected from the two new DO schools in TX is saying something.

You may have a bad LOR. I don't think that the CARS is what is shooting you down.

I still got an interview from AZCOM, doesn't that mean that my LORS were fine? Or is it possible they still took a chance on me despite my LORS?

 

[Goro]

I still got an interview from AZCOM, doesn't that mean that my LORS were fine? Or is it possible they still took a chance on me despite my LORS?

I go with the latter.

EDIT: At my school, the wily old Admissions Dean's mission is to fill seats with live bodies. He doesn't care if people have IAs or bad LORs. That job job falls on us Adcoms, unfortunately.

SO, if AZCOM is doing what we do, you might have fallen intot he same trap, alas.

OR, they were willing to take a chance, but you didn't sell yourself well enough in the interview.

 

[mantis toboggan MD/PhD]

I go with the latter.

EDIT: At my school, the wily old Admissions Dean's mission is to fill seats with live bodies. He doesn't care if people have IAs or bad LORs. That job job falls on us Adcoms, unfortunately.

SO, if AZCOM is doing what we do, you might have fallen intot he same trap, alas.

OR, they were willing to take a chance, but you didn't sell yourself well enough in the interview.

So I spoke with my premed advisor that provided my committee letter and he said that my LORS were "positive, especially with regards to [my] focus, ambition, and responsibility." He said that its best to take my MCAT again and increase my CARS score. I know I keep pestering about this but I don't know whose advice to go with at this point lol. You guys are saying CARS is fine but he's saying its not. Either way I'm still going to get more DO shadowing and hopefully a letter.

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Unreal how competitive it is to get in now.. I honestly don't think I would have made it in if I was applying now...

 

[mantis toboggan MD/PhD]

Unreal how competitive it is to get in now.. I honestly don't think I would have made it in if I was applying now...

Yeah man seriously, CCOM had an average of 510 for matriculants this cycle. It's insane lol.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Unreal how competitive it is to get in now.. I honestly don't think I would have made it in if I was applying now...

Same. Barely made it in to begin with lol.

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Yeah man seriously, CCOM had an average of 510 for matriculants this cycle. It's insane lo

Same. Barely made it in to begin with lol.

Its funny when Premeds try to **** on the DO route like it's easy to get into or something and are like can DO's do such and such speciality(LOL) and there they are with like a 50x mcat and 3.6 gpa thinking they are gonna walk into an MD spot while in real life they might not even get a DO acceptance. Swear to god every premed that hits me up for advice wants to do ortho or derm from like Harvard.

 

[Goro]

While it is always best to be prepared to reapply, I wanted to quickly share that I received two IIs yesterday, and these were my first of the cycle. So it is definitely not too late to receive IIs. I sent update letters to all of the schools that accepted them, and I think that has helped me.

If you have any significant updates to share with schools I would definitely send them an update letter.

Just make sure that the schools accept updates.

 

[mantis toboggan MD/PhD]

While it is always best to be prepared to reapply, I wanted to quickly share that I received two IIs yesterday, and these were my first of the cycle. So it is definitely not too late to receive IIs. I sent update letters to all of the schools that accepted them, and I think that has helped me.

If you have any significant updates to share with schools I would definitely send them an update letter.

When did you send the update letters if you don't mind me asking? Also, would you mind sharing which schools gave the interviews?

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

I would say it’s always best to over prepare. Most admissions people would be happy to talk with you about what’s up with your app. I would say waiting 3 weeks to send secondaries is a big one. No DO shadowing which in turn may translate to a lack of “why DO” in your app (just assuming). I see you have MD/PHD in your name, most DO schools are primary care oriented and not really big research centers, you may not be who they are looking for on paper.

Mantis Toboggan some light reading for you

To OP, consider throwing in an app at Touro Nevada. Their cycle runs until March and they like high stats and OOS.

Since projected hours often aren't taken seriously, you're also looking a bit scant on ECs. Research is good but is not within the mission of many DO schools. Since 50% percent of DOs go into primary care, they want to see someone demonstrate capabilities as a future clinician - someone with a track record of working with patients and people in all capacities. Did you shadow a primary care physician? That can matter a lot to DO schools, especially if you haven't shadowed a DO.

overall though ECs seem sufficient and I doubt they would have kept you out. Also a 122 sub section is not a huge red flag especially if composite is good. I'm surprised you didn't get in anywhere.

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Mantis Toboggan some light reading for you

To OP, consider throwing in an app at Touro Nevada. Their cycle runs until March and they like high stats and OOS.

Since projected hours often aren't taken seriously, you're also looking a bit scant on ECs. Research is good but is not within the mission of many DO schools. Since 50% percent of DOs go into primary care, they want to see someone demonstrate capabilities as a future clinician - someone with a track record of working with patients and people in all capacities. Did you shadow a primary care physician? That can matter a lot to DO schools, especially if you haven't shadowed a DO.

overall though ECs seem sufficient and I doubt they would have kept you out. Also a 122 sub section is not a huge red flag especially if composite is good. I'm surprised you didn't get in anywhere.

It's just super competitive now.. like no joke.. OP isn't the only one in those shoes.. most people getting accepted to my school have like 505+ and 3.6++ and many if not most have done masters programs. Extra curricular wise OP is prbly ok.. I was actually asked about my research experience by my school when I interviewed 4 years ago. It may be the late application but tons of people with stats in the 50x range and 3.5+ gpa are sitting on nothing but waitlists right now.

 

[mantis toboggan MD/PhD]

Mantis Toboggan some light reading for you

To OP, consider throwing in an app at Touro Nevada. Their cycle runs until March and they like high stats and OOS.

Since projected hours often aren't taken seriously, you're also looking a bit scant on ECs. Research is good but is not within the mission of many DO schools. Since 50% percent of DOs go into primary care, they want to see someone demonstrate capabilities as a future clinician - someone with a track record of working with patients and people in all capacities. Did you shadow a primary care physician? That can matter a lot to DO schools, especially if you haven't shadowed a DO.

overall though ECs seem sufficient and I doubt they would have kept you out. Also a 122 sub section is not a huge red flag especially if composite is good. I'm surprised you didn't get in anywhere.

Well, I have 200 hours working as a medical assistant in a pediatric clinic. That counts right? I made sure to update my application with this info a while back.