Looking for gap year advice as a reapplicant

[huas1234]

Hi SDN folks,

I applied as a junior last year and while I was able to get 2 T20 II, I didn't end up getting in anywhere this cycle unfortunately. I am currently thinking of applying again in the 25-26 cycle and am looking for things to do over my gap year. To give you guys a better picture of my app:

1. T10 undergrad, 3.78 GPA, 522 MCAT -> 3.87 GPA at time of application, admittedly had some senioritis this past year :\
2. 2000+ hours as an undergrad RA, 2 pubs (1 first-author, 1 co-author) -> ~1700 hours, no pubs at time of application
3. 300+ hours as an ED scribe
4. ~150 hours of volunteering -> ~100 hours at time of application

I had people look over my writing and I don't think there were any red flags. I don't think my LORs and interviews had any red flags either.

This process has been honestly been somewhat disheartening and I could really use some guidance on how to improve my app. Any suggestions on what to do over my gap year/s to improve my odds of admission next time?

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[Med Ed]

1. Get a job
2. Keep volunteering
3. Get feedback on your school list
4. Apply early

 

[LunaOri]

Keep up scribing (or other clinical work) and volunteering.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Hi SDN folks,

I applied as a junior last year and while I was able to get 2 T20 II, I didn't end up getting in anywhere this cycle unfortunately. I am currently thinking of applying again in the 25-26 cycle and am looking for things to do over my gap year. To give you guys a better picture of my app:

1. T10 undergrad, 3.78 GPA, 522 MCAT -> 3.87 GPA at time of application, admittedly had some senioritis this past year :\
2. 2000+ hours as an undergrad RA, 2 pubs (1 first-author, 1 co-author) -> ~1700 hours, no pubs at time of application
3. 300+ hours as an ED scribe
4. ~150 hours of volunteering -> ~100 hours at time of application

I had people look over my writing and I don't think there were any red flags. I don't think my LORs and interviews had any red flags either.

This process has been honestly been somewhat disheartening and I could really use some guidance on how to improve my app. Any suggestions on what to do over my gap year/s to improve my odds of admission next time?

You did not have a previous WAMC profile before you started last cycle, so going on what you describe above and without further details, you might have gotten dinged for your low community service orientation activities. Without a school list, I presume you just shot high, and we'll see how your senioritis will work against you (depends on the classes you slacked off... maintaining an upward trend is key).

I agree with the previous posters' suggestions on your next steps.

 

[Arbitas]

What was/is your official state of residence and school list?

 

[sarcasmrules]

Know what your goal is and find experiences that broaden your horizons on that goal. That'll make it easier for you to write about your narrative. Once I knew what mine was, I focused on honing my horizons on that topic and sold it. I've gotten secondaries from all UCs on their first round except UCR because I was verified after their first round was sent out.

Also, nobody cares if you attended a top 20 undergrad.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Hi SDN folks,

I applied as a junior last year and while I was able to get 2 T20 II, I didn't end up getting in anywhere this cycle unfortunately. I am currently thinking of applying again in the 25-26 cycle and am looking for things to do over my gap year. To give you guys a better picture of my app:

1. T10 undergrad, 3.78 GPA, 522 MCAT -> 3.87 GPA at time of application, admittedly had some senioritis this past year :\
2. 2000+ hours as an undergrad RA, 2 pubs (1 first-author, 1 co-author) -> ~1700 hours, no pubs at time of application
3. 300+ hours as an ED scribe
4. ~150 hours of volunteering -> ~100 hours at time of application

I had people look over my writing and I don't think there were any red flags. I don't think my LORs and interviews had any red flags either.

This process has been honestly been somewhat disheartening and I could really use some guidance on how to improve my app. Any suggestions on what to do over my gap year/s to improve my odds of admission next time?

A few suggestions:

1. some schools value shadowing; some don't. If you are applying to schools that want to see it, make sure you have some outside of the ED. That ED scribing experience is great, but it is just one slice of medicine. if you do decide to shadow, perhaps try for a primary care physician(s). Try to broaden your perspective on medicine.
2. Continue your volunteering. You don't say what it is, but it should be to the underserved.
3. Even if your writing was good in your previous app, do NOT just use the same material. You should have grown a lot in the two years since you applied. Make sure you show it.
4. Journal while you are doing your volunteering and scribing. Take note of challenging or influential situations, what you did, the results for you and others, and how you felt/learned.
5. Broaden your list of schools and aim a little lower. At the end of the day an MD is an MD.

 

[ddhopeful]

When you are shadowing/scribing, look for situations where Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are involved where the patient(s) may struggle with food insecurity, safe housing, transportation etc. It is possible to understand these aspects only in primary care. If you are lucky, you will encounter a few of these kinds of situations. Take down notes in detail on how your clinic responded, the things they did to address the SDOHs and also what they could have done additionally/differently. These can be talking points in your essay, secondaries, interviews etc.

Additionally, if a patient has a certain opinion of the disease diagnosis and treatment due to their racial/cultural background, note that down including the reasons, how your physician responded etc and analyze the situation. For example, Covid vaccine hesitancy used to be fairly common among patients of color. Unfortunately, Covid is no longer a major theme but there could be other cases you might encounter.

Medical school adcoms love it when an applicant discusses these aspects based on their experiences in the clinical setting. However, do not throw some buzzwords in your writing etc. for the sake of it because that will hurt you. If you don’t encounter these situations, it is better not to talk about them.

Since your GPA is well below a 3.85, I suggest applying broadly.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Example, from a colleague:

From hymns to health: Shuttered Northside church gets new life as community health center

The goal is to help lower the risk of strokes and heart attacks in the community by providing resources for people to automatically live a more healthier lifestyle.

www.wcpo.com

 

[AJS59]

Did you fill out a WAMC or put something in the reapplicants forum? If not, I'd give that a go, and be sure to specify the nature of your volunteering (what you did and with whom, broken down by hours if across multiple experiences), your old school list, outcomes of your 2 interviews, your state of residence and your proposed new school list. Maybe also include anything you might be able to say about your LORs and when you submitted as well.