Just got my MCAT score back

[Noeo]

I am a Asian male from california. :/ with very strong family ties to Georgia!

My sGPA is 3.05
My cGPA is 3.20
My MCAT is 508 (125/125/127/131)
Graduated from a UC (doubt that matters)

I have an autoimmune disease and had 3 surgeries during my undergrad career. I have multiple leaves of absence from school and it impacted my GPA--I am better now and the disease has been pushed into remission.

ECs:

Shadowed nurses and doctors with my church every other week for 6 years helping homeless people. Id say around 400 hours working with healthcare professionals in an urban city. I have an excellent LOR from one of the physicians.

Tutored underprivileged kids in math and science at a preschool. (I love kids and I tutor them for money, but there are some parents who cant afford to pay so I tutor them for free). Arround 150 hours.

Worked with elderly people at a retirement home. I started this in high school for my senior project but kept going once a month or whenever id feel like it. 100+ hours if I include highschool days, if not like 20-30 hours.

Starting my job as an ER scribe in June.

Why DO?
My PCP is a DO and he never gave up on me. He recommended me to multiple physicians to get my autoimmune disorder healed. I think he is an exceptional physician. My mom has also been having chronic knee pain and she switched to him and he was able to ease her pain without throwing more medications/cortisone injections at her. He recommenced she use resistance bands and do stretches which was a stark difference from all the medications her previous PCP was pushing on her.

I am open to both MD and DO but I don't know if id be competitive for MD. I will be applying to both disciplines, hopefully I get in somewhere. I just want to be a doctor, the title is not important to me.

I know my stats aren't too hot. With my long winded post being over--where should I apply? Do you think im competitive for this cycle--if so do you think im only competitive for DO and not MD? Should i apply to post-bacs?

Drop some wisdom on me Goro <3

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[bushido]

@Goro

 

[bushido]

Your stats look fine for a DO program

 

[Rusrus]

I am a Asian male from california. :/ with very strong family ties to Georgia!

My sGPA is 3.3
My cGPA is 3.29
My MCAT is 508 (125/125/127/131)
Graduated from a UC (doubt that matters)

I have an autoimmune disease and had 3 surgeries during my undergrad career. I have multiple leaves of absence from school and it impacted my GPA--I am better now and the disease has been pushed into remission.

ECs:

Shadowed nurses and doctors with my church every other week for 6 years helping homeless people. Id say around 400 hours working with healthcare professionals in an urban city. I have an excellent LOR from one of the physicians.

Tutored underprivileged kids in math and science at a preschool. (I love kids and I tutor them for money, but there are some parents who cant afford to pay so I tutor them for free). Arround 150 hours.

Worked with elderly people at a retirement home. I started this in high school for my senior project but kept going once a month or whenever id feel like it. 100+ hours if I include highschool days, if not like 20-30 hours.

Starting my job as an ER scribe in June.

Why DO?
My PCP is a DO and he never gave up on me. He recommended me to multiple physicians to get my autoimmune disorder healed. I think he is an exceptional physician. My mom has also been having chronic knee pain and she switched to him and he was able to ease her pain without throwing more medications/cortisone injections at her. He recommenced she use resistance bands and do stretches which was a stark difference from all the medications her previous PCP was pushing on her.

I am open to both MD and DO but I don't know if id be competitive for MD. I will be applying to both disciplines, hopefully I get in somewhere. I just want to be a doctor, the title is not important to me.

I know my stats aren't too hot. With my long winded post being over--where should I apply? Do you think im competitive for this cycle--if so do you think im only competitive for DO and not MD? Should i apply to post-bacs?

Drop some wisdom on me Goro <3

Generally your best chances for MD would be your state schools, but California is a very competitive state so I don't think you would qualify as competitive.

Your MCAT is above average for DO and GPA is slightly below. I recommend that you apply early and avoid the schools that have heavy regional/state biases, e.g. OSUCOM, TCOM, etc.

 

[Goro]

Your stats look fine for a DO program

Agree 100%. Start list with both Westerns and Touro-CA

 

[Noeo]

@Grunt2Trauma @Rusrus and @Goro thank you for all your replies! I will be applying broadly to all DO programs as well as a select few MD programs. Hopefully I get in somewhere.

Should i be focusing on newer DO schools like ACOM and BCOM?

Im waiting on one more LOR and ive already started prewriting secondaries. Should i be doing anything else? Also can i submit and get verrfied without my last LOR—i saw someone mention this but idk how the process works.

In regards to my autoimmune disease, how much should i stress this if at all? I dont want it to become a negative mark on my application because they think ill be unable to perform my duties as a physican (I am in full remission now and am back to 100% health).

 

[752779]

@Grunt2Trauma @Rusrus and @Goro thank you for all your replies! I will be applying broadly to all DO programs as well as a select few MD programs. Hopefully I get in somewhere.

Should i be focusing on newer DO schools like ACOM and BCOM?

Im waiting on one more LOR and ive already started prewriting secondaries. Should i be doing anything else? Also can i submit and get verrfied without my last LOR—i saw someone mention this but idk how the process works.

In regards to my autoimmune disease, how much should i stress this if at all? I dont want it to become a negative mark on my application because they think ill be unable to perform my duties as a physican (I am in full remission now and am back to 100% health).

Have you look at apply at the University of Arizona? They have just posted their minimum requirement MCAT score which is 498.

 

[Rusrus]

@Grunt2Trauma @Rusrus and @Goro thank you for all your replies! I will be applying broadly to all DO programs as well as a select few MD programs. Hopefully I get in somewhere.

Should i be focusing on newer DO schools like ACOM and BCOM?

Im waiting on one more LOR and ive already started prewriting secondaries. Should i be doing anything else? Also can i submit and get verrfied without my last LOR—i saw someone mention this but idk how the process works.

In regards to my autoimmune disease, how much should i stress this if at all? I dont want it to become a negative mark on my application because they think ill be unable to perform my duties as a physican (I am in full remission now and am back to 100% health).

I would recommend applying to some of the newer DO schools as a safety.

You're doing it - just keep up with the secondaries so you can get your full application in as early as possible. As for the LOR, you can submit for verification and add a LOR later (just submit to AACOMAS and include your letter writer in the respective section of the primary.)

For your autoimmune disease, I would only mention it if you can spin it in a positive manner, e.g. you struggled at first but truly discovered your limits and used that to foster your latter success.

 

[Noeo]

I would recommend applying to some of the newer DO schools as a safety.

You're doing it - just keep up with the secondaries so you can get your full application in as early as possible. As for the LOR, you can submit for verification and add a LOR later (just submit to AACOMAS and include your letter writer in the respective section of the primary.)

For your autoimmune disease, I would only mention it if you can spin it in a positive manner, e.g. you struggled at first but truly discovered your limits and used that to foster your latter success.

@Rusrus I’ll let you know if I get in anywhere. You’ve been incredibly helpful and I can’t express how grateful I am. Hope you have a good day, friend.

 

[Noeo]

Have you look at apply at the University of Arizona? They have just posted their minimum requirement MCAT score which is 498.

@trandzuyhieu Yes, but I think their average MCAT is around 508 with 3.7 GPA :/

 

[dial1010usa]

Having 3 surgeries and have avg gpa but very good MCAT.
Apply here and you will get in somewhere and add some safety schools.

TOURO-CA
TOURO-NV
Western-CA
Western-OR
PNWU-WA
AZCOM
ATSU
RVUCOM

I wouldn't add about your disease in PS, don't know how school will take it as positive or negative.
Do you have your science/non science/DO LOR ready?

All the best!!!