Looking for input on my reapp plan

[DCBFan]

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First, the numbers:
-3.2 GPA w/3.1 science (upward trend)
-37 MCAT
-Light on shadowing (20 hrs)
-No research
-Didn't know the profs who wrote for me all that well, but I did very well in their classes.
-I worked in a hospital for a year, but that was overseas in a third-world country so I think a lot of schools didnt count it as clinical experience.

I applied early to 30 schools last year. Got one interview but it didn't result in an acceptance. The interview experience led me to believe that lack of clinical exposure and a perception that I didn't understand medicine sunk my app.

I crunched the numbers and it will take 20 4.0 credits to raise my GPA to a 3.30 so I'm going back to take those. I've started volunteering at the local hospital and should have 96 hours of that by june. I'm also planning on getting about 30 more hours shadowing.

There are two things in particular I'm uncertain about.
1: Research. I didn't go to a good research school and it never really appealed to me. As a graduate I don't even know if I can do research with a professor there anymore, is this going to haunt me as a reapplicant?
2: Updates/letters to schools. I didn't send any (mostly because I wasn't taking classes) but in retrospect there was some shadowing and EC stuff that probably could have made up a worthwhile letter. Do most applicants typically send updates?

Thank you for reading my sad tale. How does the plan sound? And am I missing anything?

 

[Richardh]

1. You don't necessary have to do research in order to get into med school. It is suggested for applicants because it will give them opportunities to engage and research in something that interest them and passionate about. Furnishing up skills, making and presenting a poster at a symposium, and writing a formal paper to be published in journals are also mastered. As a gradaute, you do have the chance to be involved in research 🙂 I would recommend you to visit the bio sci department and find a list of professors who welcome undergarduate/graduate students for research experience. Even if you can't find a research opportunity, it won't haunt you.

2. While you're waiting to hear back the final decision regarding your application, you could send update letters to the schools. But most of the time, appicants send in letter of intent 👍 I find this letter to be most useful because it gives you the chance to let the school know you're interested in attending their school even more after the interview. At the same time you can write in any updates in the letter or intent.

Looking at your stats and your plan, I think you're fine 😀 One thing I would suggest to you is to reapply as early as possible and send in those secondaries ASAP as well. Timing is everything!

 

[dragonfly99]

I think your plan is OK. Your GPA is still going to be low, so you may want to cross-apply to DO schools as well, and/or to schools in Ireland, Australia or the top couple of Caribbean schools, if you want to make sure you get a spot this year (or you could wait and see how you do with interviews for MD this year).

My only other advice is that I would want to know more about the 1 year working in a hospital abroad. Make sure you write enough about that in your application so that it catches the interviewers eye, if you really feel like it was helpful experience. Sometimes it is good to quantify the number of hours you estimate that you spent doing this. You may want to have someone read your application (like a premed advisor) if you didn't already do that. This can help make sure you are presenting all your clinical and extracurricular stuff in the best light.

 

[DCBFan]

I never really participated in the premed club or spoke with the premed advisor the first time, so yeah its quite possible I had presentation problems.

I was a 40+ hour a week volunteer, and I'm not sure how many clinical experience hours a year of that adds up to, but it's probably plenty. That's why I concluded that schools must want stateside clinical experience.

 

[custard]

A lot of schools value international work. This is a major strength in your application but a lot of it is how you frame it. Make sure that your application clearly states where you were (underserved area?), with what organization, for how long and what you were doing. It can be a great thing to set you apart in your personal statement and interviews, particularly if you express an interest in continuing international volunteer work in medical school and possibly afterwards. Did you get a letter of recommendation from your experience? I would bet the main weakness other than GPA in your application is lack of strong letters of recommendation so hopefully you are changing those letters with this attempt.

 

[DCBFan]

I will certainly replace two of my letters. I believe one was solid.

How important are the cutoffs for GPA? I can get my cumulative to a 3.3 and my science to about a 3.25 pretty easily, but it would take a herculean effort to get the science GPA to 3.3 by app time. Is it worth it or would a 3.27 or so be nearly as good as a 3.30?

 

[chweasel]

i dont really have anything to contribute, just wanted to say i have pretty much the exact same stats as you, so i will be following your progress

 

[jeniferdw43]

hi...good day...have fun..

 

[MIB6234]

I think schools are questioning your commitment to medicine.

Sure, you are obviously smart and could do any medical work with that superior MCAT. But the low GPA, weak shadowing, and non-existent research calls into question your work ethic and whether you WOULD actually go the extra mile in med school or as a doctor.

At this point your GPA is the least of your worries, because your MCAT shows you are capable of higher level work, you need to prove it with shadowing, volunteering, and any research you can get into.

good luck!