MD School List

[calm.perception]

Hope everyone is staying healthy and safe as possible during these times.
I'm looking for some help narrowing down my school list and assessing whether or not is is an appropriate list to give me the most viable shot at MD schools while not wasting too much money applying to schools out of my league!

Stats:
GPA: 3.73 (overall) / 3. 68 (science/math)
Undergrad at a T6 national private university notorious for tough grading. Unsure how much this will 'help' the perception of my low GPA.
- I've had a straight 4.0 with one quarter of 3.93 for the past two years. Mostly GPA suffering from my first two years of college - adjustment period and poor choices regarding studying etc.
MCAT: 520 (129/129/130/132)

Extracurriculars
Research:
- 1000 hours at cancer research lab over several years during undergrad, no pubs (student tech)
- 200 hours at a psych lab focused on language development (research assistant)
-350 hours at a psychiatric genetics lab working with stem cells (research summer fellow/assistant)
- (up in the air - about 10 hours so far just in training) clinical research assistant (volunteer) with ILD team, working with EMR etc.

Exposure to Medicine
- 250 hrs shadowing a reconstructive surgeon
- b/w 50-100 hours volunteering at hospital (up in the air as to actual hours due to COVID)

Community Service/ General Involvements
-Tutor for children in surrounding community, about 300 hrs
- Crisis counselor for the online crisis text line, about 200 hours
- Member of global and community health focused student organization, involves volunteering/working with health-oriented grassroots organizations, about 370 hours

Aspirations in Medicine (General)
- interest in and connection to rural medicine
- particularly interested into going into surgery and specializing, interested in doing clinical research (not MD/PhD)

ORM white female. Illinois state resident with connections to NC (family moving there, 2020/2021). I'll have 5 solid rec letters and a committee letter.

Current School List:

Drexel
Temple
U of Illinois (state school)
Cooper
George Washington
Kimmel

UCincinnati
Indiana Univ
Medical College of Wisconsin
Georgetown (low-yield)
Wake Forest (low-yield)

Emory
Hofstra/Northwell
UPitt
UMichigan
UNC Chapel Hill
U Rochester

Case Western
Icahn/Sinai
Duke
UVirginia

huge stretch/money dump
Mayo Alix
Weill Cornell
Valegos/Columbia
Feinberg/NU
Pritzker/UChicago

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Taking a gap year. I'm taking my senior spring quarter off to save $20 grand since the classes are all zoom based now and my gpa has been slow to raise anyways (unless otherwise advised). I'll graduate officially in June. I have a gap year position locked down, but TBD regarding effects of coronavirus. I'll be working 40 hr/week starting in June as a clinical assistant at a dermatology practice. Hopefully I'll be able to do some volunteering on the weekends, time permitting.

Sorry for the long post. I'd appreciate any feedback! I'm worried about my low GPA/mediocre for top schools MCAT and low hours of volunteering. Of course, these things aren't really going to change over the next few mo if the situation doesn't change re volunteering. I'm planning to ramp up my volunteer hours at crisis text line to get some things going.

Any suggestions are welcome especially if my list is too top heavy or there are some way-too-long-shots that are pure money dumps. I know that this process can be a bit of a hit/miss arbitrarily sometimes, so any help from the wise would be appreciated

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[A_Knowbody]

I think you need more confidence that your GPA is good enough and displays your ability to succeed in med school. Upward trend is a good sign.

I'd look for more clinical exposure. 250 hours of shadowing is good, but only in reconstructive surgery? Try to get at least 30 hours in primary care and perhaps a day or 2 in 1-2 more specialities if possible. All of this may be hard given current circumstances. How involved in patient care will your dermatology clinical assistant position be? How much patient interaction?

Is your interest in rural medicine supported by any experiences other than your global health experiences?

Hopefully others can comment on the school list.

Edit: You have a good app and should expect multiple interviews.

 

[Faha]

I suggest these schools from your list:
Drexel
Temple
U of Illinois (state school)
George Washington
Kimmel

UCincinnati
Indiana Univ
Medical College of Wisconsin
Georgetown (low-yield)
Wake Forest (low-yield)

Emory
Hofstra/Northwell
UPitt
UMichigan
U Rochester

Case Western
Icahn/Sinai
Duke
UVirginia

huge stretch/money dump
Mayo Alix
Weill Cornell
Valegos/Columbia
Feinberg/NU
Pritzker/UChicago
You could add Washington University, USF Morsani, Miami

 

[calm.perception]

@ A_KnowbodyThanks I suppose its just a matter of the medical school process. Seems like constantly getting intake information that implies nothing is good enough! Easy to get caught up in things, for sure.
A few notes.
- In the current climate its challenging to get further shadowing experience, considering that extra personnel in the hospital (non-essential) aren't really welcomed due to public safety concerns. I wasn't only in surgery when shadowing - I spent a great deal of time in clinic (1-2x/week for 20 weeks) seeing and interacting w/ patients, which I found really valuable as well.
- my gap year job will involve extensive clinical interaction w/ patients. I'll be the first person patients see when they come into the office. I'll also assist on minor procedures (will be certified)
- my interest in rural medicine primarily is due to personal (family) relationships. 1/2 of my family lives in a rural environment and has had extensive experiences (and lack thereof) with healthcare.

 

[calm.perception]

I suggest these schools from your list

Thanks for the thorough review of the schools! Any particular reason for Miama or USF? WashU seems to me to be a big stretch, but perhaps thats part of the application experience.

Thanks again!

 

[Faha]

Washington University like high MCAT scores.