Is this for real...Meharry

[Kelly11]

So I was looking at the Meharry admissions website, and this is what it had posted: The Admissions Committee considers a science GPA of 3.3 and a MCAT score of 24 competitive.

Why does an allopathic school have low competitive standards like that? I'm not trying to be mean, i'm genuinely very curious.

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[OchemOficionado]

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[Lawpy]

So I was looking at the Meharry admissions website, and this is what it had posted: The Admissions Committee considers a science GPA of 3.3 and a MCAT score of 24 competitive.

Why does an allopathic school have low competitive standards like that? I'm not trying to be mean, i'm genuinely very curious.

Simple: the school's mission isn't focused on attracting applicants with high stats. Service to the community is much more important than numbers

 

[Kelly11]

Would you mind explaining? I haven't read a thread on this and i'm curious. I don't know why anything has to "go up in flames".

 

[Kelly11]

@Lawper thank you! I was curious because it seems that schools are so focused on stats now days. It's refreshing to see a school focus on other qualities🙂

 

[ProspectiveKidd]

Would you mind explaining? I haven't read a thread on this and i'm curious. I don't know why anything has to "go up in flames".

Ignore that post. It seemed as though he was trying to say it was a frequently addressed topic or something (its not).

 

[OchemOficionado]

Ignore that post. It seemed as though he was trying to say it was a frequently topic or something (its not).

It's a cousin to a very frequent topic in which would inevitably be argued, sooner rather than later. I deleted my first comment in an effort to not derail this thread further.

 

[Kelly11]

@OchemOficionado Honestly if you have nothing constructive to say, why comment on a post? What you said really offered no assistance to my question.

 

[ProspectiveKidd]

@OchemOficionado Honestly if you have nothing constructive to say, why comment on a post? What you said really offered no assistance to my question.

 

[OchemOficionado]

@OchemOficionado Honestly if you have nothing constructive to say, why comment on a post? What you said really offered no assistance to my question.

I didn't feel that it was not constructive. My apologies for offending you. Respectfully, a little bit of critical thought and research could have prevented this thread. I assumed it would turn into a this vs. that thread, that would talk down on a certain group of people. MY BAD! As I said, I've seen that happen at least once a day lately.

 

[Mansamusa]

Schools that focus on getting disadvantaged students to serve disadvantaged populations usually have lower stats.

http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=745836#Results This ranking is a little biased because it takes into account proportion of URM students, so HBCU med schools are of course the top 3. Then Wright State is a school with a strong social mission to served minority and rural communities. Their stats are 3.6gpa and 28 MCAT. But it shows that these schools are focused and succeeding at getting their graduates into the communities the schools want them to serve.

 

[OchemOficionado]

View attachment 203445

Lol, I love that picture. I guess we're both guilty of doing the same on this thread.

 

[Kelly11]

I didn't feel that it was not constructive. My apologies for offending you. Respectfully, a little bit of critical thought and research could have prevented this thread. I assumed it would turn into a this vs. that thread, that would talk down on a certain group of people. MY BAD! As I said, I've seen that happen at least once a day lately.

You didn't offend me, I was just curious as to what you were inputting in the conversation. Like I said in my previous posts, I was just interested in learning more about the school.

 

[osckey]

Lower advertised stats for entrance = more applications submitted = more secondary fees paid = more $$$ for school

 

[BigBoss]

Meharry is a majority black school designed to help disadvantaged black students with low stats enter the profession.

 

[Lucca]

Meharry is a majority black school designed to help disadvantaged black students with low stats enter the profession.

It is a historically black medical college designed to meet the healthcare needs of the African American population. It is not a "finishing school" for black premeds with low stats....like Lawper said, their averages are lower because their admissions process focuses on elements other than trying to ensure the highest USNWR/highest Step 1/most Derm matches in the country.

 

[redferrari]

My school's minimum stats are even less, yet we still have programs ranked in the top ten. There's more to a good medical student than their grades and MCAT scores.

 

[deleted407021]

They're certainly not the only small, private MD school with comparatively low entrance standards. Additionally, that comment on their website isn't indicative of what they're average matriculant stats are -- I hear something around 28-29 and 3.6.

 

[takeurmeds02]

These threads always make me nervous lol

 

[naijacardriodoc]

maybe look at the historical reasons for creating meharry, morehouse and howard in the first place....before talking about requirements....and who cares ...if you get a 24 or a 30 it doesn't change you're salary...and if you get a 30 or 508 you are not guaranteed an interview at these schools...if america didn't have a history of institutional racism i.e limiting educational opportunities of individuals based on their skin color....then these schools prob wouldn't even exist....stop creating threads like this....

 

[OchemOficionado]

These threads always make me nervous lol

This is essentially exactly what I said in my first post, lol. Glad I wasn't the only one.

 

[redferrari]

I gave OP the benefit of the doubt of just being naive... Like my white friends who apply there because their MCAT simply falls in their range.

 

[naijacardriodoc]

They're certainly not the only small, private MD school with comparatively low entrance standards. Additionally, that comment on their website isn't indicative of what they're average matriculant stats are -- I hear something around 28-29 and 3.6.

the matriculant data is higher....FWIW there are PWI med schools that have something along the lines of 3.3. and 24 mcat to be competitive listed on their website too....doesnt mean thats what the majority of the matriculants have as mcat scores and GPAs

 

[naijacardriodoc]

• "Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores must not be older than two years, with a minimum total score of 24 or 498.
• Overall cumulative undergraduate or last 60 hours or course work grade point average must be 2.80/4.0 scale
• Science cumulative undergraduate grade point average minimum 2.80 (or last 60 hours of science gpa)

Taken from Southern Illinois university school of medicine's website: can someone explain why they have such low requirements?? i'm curious...This is a PWI med school btw

http://www.siumed.edu/studentaffairs/admissions/requirements.html

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

• "Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores must not be older than two years, with a minimum total score of 24 or 498.
• Overall cumulative undergraduate or last 60 hours or course work grade point average must be 2.80/4.0 scale
• Science cumulative undergraduate grade point average minimum 2.80 (or last 60 hours of science gpa)

Taken from Southern Illinois university school of medicine's website: can someone explain why they have such low requirements?? i'm curious...This is a PWI med school btw

http://www.siumed.edu/studentaffairs/admissions/requirements.html

It's also a mission-based school i.e. it's committed to producing physicians for the the state of Illinois. In fact, it doesn't look like they take OOS students for the MD program.

 

[CowboyNiceguy]

It's also a mission-based school i.e. it's committed to producing physicians for the the state of Illinois. In fact, it doesn't look like they take OOS students for the MD program.

More specifically, they only take people from southern Illinois. They have no interest in people from Chicago.

 

[gyngyn]

More specifically, they only take people from southern Illinois. They have no interest in people from Chicago.

In the same way UCR is not much interested in folks from LA (an hour away). Its mission is to produce physicians for the IE.

 

[naijacardriodoc]

It's also a mission-based school i.e. it's committed to producing physicians for the the state of Illinois. In fact, it doesn't look like they take OOS students for the MD program.

so mission-based schools....what ever their missions are...tend to have lower requirements to be competitive.

 

[gyngyn]

so mission-based schools....what ever their mission is...tend to have lower requirements to be competitive.

It's is just that their pool is much more limited. I'm sure they would look very similar to other schools if their pools were the same size.
I have a lot of respect for schools that can take students with these stats and get them competitive for residency. They actually have to teach.
My faculty could be terrible (I hope we aren't!) and our students would still do just fine!

 

[naijacardriodoc]

It's is just that their pool is much more limited. I'm sure they would look very similar to other schools if their pools were the same size.
I have a lot of respect for schools that can take students with these stats and get them competitive for residency. They actually have to teach.

fair...but there are other schools with regional limitations...neomed (not as strict as siu...most are ohio residents but some oos students apply as well) cwho have minimum requirements of around 500....the point I was making is that it seems that any school that is "mission-based" tends to have lower admissions requirements....

 

[naijacardriodoc]

It's is just that their pool is much more limited. I'm sure they would look very similar to other schools if their pools were the same size.
I have a lot of respect for schools that can take students with these stats and get them competitive for residency. They actually have to teach.
My faculty could be terrible and our students would still do just fine!

actually I've heard/ Have first hand account about the teaching at some of these schools...the teaching isn't even *that* great...the students are really motivated and still do well....

 

[gyngyn]

fair...but there are other schools with regional limitations...neomed (not as strict as siu...most are ohio residents but some oos students apply as well) cwho have minimum requirements of around 500....the point I was making is that it seems that any school that is "mission-based" tends to have lower admissions requirements....

It is reflective of the smaller pool from which they draw. Their primary outcome is different than other schools. Stats are secondary to this outcome.

 

[gyngyn]

actually I've heard/ Have first hand account about the teaching at some of these schools isn't even *that* great...the students are really motivated and still do well....

I have never attended. All I see are the outcomes.
We do not get these outcomes with folks with these stats.

 

[Kelly11]

maybe look at the historical reasons for creating meharry, morehouse and howard in the first place....before talking about requirements....and who cares ...if you get a 24 or a 30 it doesn't change you're salary...and if you get a 30 or 508 you are not guaranteed an interview at these schools...if america didn't have a history of institutional racism i.e limiting educational opportunities of individuals based on their skin color....then these schools prob wouldn't even exist....stop creating threads like this....

I asked a question about the school since i'm applying there. I got my information directly from the website. If you are uncomfortable with this thread you are more than free to scroll past it! 🙂

 

[Kelly11]

I gave OP the benefit of the doubt of just being naive... Like my white friends who apply there because their MCAT simply falls in their range.

I'm not white....

 

[naijacardriodoc]

I asked a question about the school since i'm applying there. I got my information directly from the website. If you are uncomfortable with this thread you are more than free to scroll past it! 🙂

not uncomfortable bc I commented....😉 I know you got ur info from the website...I wanted to give you the historical information behind Meharry so you can know the history behind the school you are applying to...I was helping you do your own research 😉

 

[Citygirl44]

Simple: the school's mission isn't focused on attracting applicants with high stats. Service to the community is much more important than numbers

My stats were very much higher than the minimum stats stated and I was rejected from there ( I am an URM),I respect that they want what they want and that they felt that I might not be a " good fit there". I understand their mission and I think it's a great opportunity for those accepted. Stats are definitely not everything. It's a great school.

 

[redferrari]

I'm not white....

Never said you were... I said you were possibly naive.

 

[PatchAdams25]

Schools that focus on getting disadvantaged students to serve disadvantaged populations usually have lower stats.

http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=745836#Results This ranking is a little biased because it takes into account proportion of URM students, so HBCU med schools are of course the top 3. Then Wright State is a school with a strong social mission to served minority and rural communities. Their stats are 3.6gpa and 28 MCAT. But it shows that these schools are focused and succeeding at getting their graduates into the communities the schools want them to serve.

It seems that after the HBCU schools the community-based schools are next, which makes sense. Is the consensus that these students are at a significant disadvantage to get competitive residencies?

 

[Mansamusa]

It seems that after the HBCU schools the community-based schools are next, which makes sense. Is the consensus that these students are at a significant disadvantage to get competitive residencies?

I don't think so. It may be that the 25 MCAT student only gets a 200 on Step 1 and chooses family medicine because of that, but if you went to one of these schools and do well on step, you will not be limited. Or it could be that those people were entirely selected based on their likelihood to end up in certain specialties

I think it does show that while many people get angry about the randomness of this process and the feeling that people are taking spots from others, adcoms at at least some schools definitely know what they are doing

 

[PatchAdams25]

I don't think so. It may be that the 25 MCAT student only gets a 200 on Step 1 and chooses family medicine because of that, but if you went to one of these schools and do well on step, you will not be limited. Or it could be that those people were entirely selected based on their likelihood to end up in certain specialties

I think it does show that while many people get angry about the randomness of this process and the feeling that people are taking spots from others, adcoms at at least some schools definitely know what they are doing

agreed. as @gyngyn says I find it very impressive that these schools that are recruiting students with "lower" academic merits compared to some of their counterparts are adequately preparing their students to enter competitive residencies. Kudos to them.

 

[naijacardriodoc]

I don't think so. It may be that the 25 MCAT student only gets a 200 on Step 1 and chooses family medicine because of that, but if you went to one of these schools and do well on step, you will not be limited. Or it could be that those people were entirely selected based on their likelihood to end up in certain specialties

I think it does show that while many people get angry about the randomness of this process and the feeling that people are taking spots from others, adcoms at at least some schools definitely know what they are doing

exactly...I know someone who got a 25-26...scored a 240+ on step 1 and is doing ortho now...similar stories...also neomed had a 100% match rate

 

[OchemOficionado]

It seems that after the HBCU schools the community-based schools are next, which makes sense. Is the consensus that these students are at a significant disadvantage to get competitive residencies?

I know very very little about matching, so I really don't know. BUTTTTT, I would assume there might be some prejudice/stigma, but underserved communities need dermatologists and anesthesiologists too so I'm sure many graduates that want to go into those residencies match somewhere.

 

[naijacardriodoc]

I know very very little about matching, so I really don't know. BUTTTTT, I would assume there might be some prejudice/stigma, but underserved communities need dermatologists and anesthesiologists too so I'm sure many graduates that want to go into those residencies match somewhere.

agreed...there is actually an interesting article about increasing representation in dermatology published in JAMA: http://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2466925 its a good read and there are similar articles that deal with many other specialities

 

[Kelly11]

I gave OP the benefit of the doubt of just being naive... Like my white friends who apply there because their MCAT simply falls in their range.

Oh okay. But I don't think i'm naive, just looking for an answer to my question! Thanks everyone!

 

[OchemOficionado]

agreed...there is actually an interesting article about increasing representation in dermatology published in JAMA: http://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2466925 its a good read and there are similar articles that deal with many other specialities

Kinda makes me wish I was passionate about derm to try to help the problem. The disparity exists in all fields though so just making it period is helping. I've heard that the speciality I'm interested in isn't very competitive so that's a tiny bit comforting although that's years away.

 

[Mansamusa]

agreed...there is actually an interesting article about increasing representation in dermatology published in JAMA: http://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2466925 its a good read and there are similar articles that deal with many other specialities

Reminded me of http://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2498554 this article I read a few months ago. An interesting race-specific derm dilemma. Never would have thought about that

 

[619959]

Simple: the school's mission isn't focused on attracting applicants with high stats. Service to the community is much more important than numbers

Any another medical school with similar mission or requirements (with an emphasis on community service?)

 

[naijacardriodoc]

Any another medical school with similar mission or requirements (with an emphasis on community service?)

Howard
Meharry
Drew/UCLA
Morehouse
Wright State
Rush Medical College
Michigan state University
University of Iowa
ECU
University of Kansas
University of South Alabama
OUWB
Loyola
Central Michigan
NEOMED


Please make any suggestions or edits if needed to this list. These are the schools I could think of.....I could be wrong about some of them and some have residency requirements.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[gyngyn]

Howard
Meharry
Drew/UCLA
Morehouse
Wright State
Rush Medical College
Michigan state University
University of Iowa
ECU
University of Kansas
University of South Alabama
OUWB
Loyola
Central Michigan
NEOMED


Please make any suggestions or edits if needed to this list. These are the schools I could think of.....I could be wrong about some of them and some have residency requirements.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Most of these have multiple missions and can be good choices for many applicants (Loyola, Wright, ECU, MI State, C Mich, OUWB, IA, Rush) Most public schools are, by definition, "mission based." For clarity, most CA schools have no priority for CA applicants.