MD schools with strong academic support program

[atariroast]

I am applying this cycle and am particularly interested in medical schools that have a strong academic support program. Before I get a bunch a posts about not applying if I need academic support - a little background:

MCAT 500
GPA 3.8; BCPM 3.54 (rising)
URM
Clinical
50 hrs shadowing in peds & FM
60 hrs shadowing neurology, internal med, and surgery through a pre-med program for rural students
700 hrs paid work as a scribe for pediatrician at a local health center
ECs
- mentoring URM and rural high school students to help them make the transition to college and university (online and in-person for those who attend my university)
- volunteer at hospice
Work
- work-study via my university in student services office (I worked part time all four years)
from a Midwest state
Rural & disadvantaged
- grew up in town of 1500;
- went to HS in town of 20,000 - no AP courses offered and weak academics overall
- parents have HS education (dad is a farmer & shade tree mechanic, mom did some secretarial courses and works for our church)
I was offered an academic scholarship to my state school worked my tail off in college to figure out how to study. The academic support system was great. They taught me study skills, how to assess what I was learning and made a world of difference in my approach to my coursework.

I am self-directed and motivated, but I also know that I'll do best if I'm at a medical school with a strong academic support system. Any recommendations?

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[AnatomyGrey12]

All of them.

Edit: Obviously talking strictly about US schools.

 

[Goro]

Urm

Why on earth are you applying this cycle with a 500 MCAT?

 

[jd989898]

As has been mentioned, almost every US MD schools are VERY invested in your success, and will practically bend over backwards to make sure you learn the material and graduate.

 

[atariroast]

I realize I probably should have provided some additional context. I am taking the MCAT again at the end of June, but my pre-med adviser recommended that I apply this cycle with the 500 because of my interest in rural medicine and because I am a URM. He said I would "meet mission".
I was part of a summer program for URMs that provided us opportunities for research and shadowing. We also had peer mentors who had been in the program and who are now in medical school. Usually these were students between their first and second year.

One student was at a state medical school and another was at a private school who, as she explained, has a strong mission to admit a very diverse class. While they both described academic support, there was a difference. The student at the state medical school said that the advisers were like coaches -- very nice and helpful but it seemed like a very different program than the more intensive learning specialists that the student at the private school described. Maybe I've answered my question. Is this is the difference? Private schools have more funding? Or maybe it was that they had a strong mission for diversity which may mean they take students with lower scores. I understand that baseline, there will be support, but if academic support is a normal distribution, then I'd like to apply to schools on the right side of the curve.

I am applying to
Stritch School of Medicine (Loyola)
HBCUs
my state schools (there is more than one)
Oakland/William Beaumont
Quinnipiac
New York Medical College
Nova (MD program)

I'm from the midwest and would like to stay closer to my family. I also know that I don't have that luxury and need to expand my list. I had hoped to add to the list programs that were known by this group to be academically supportive.

 

[Dwan]

If you had a 511+ MCAT, I’m sure that you would be in a situation in the future where you could be asking advice for which school may be the best fit for you.

However, with your 500 MCAT, regardless of URM status, you have to realize that you will likely not be getting admitted to enough schools where things like academic support can be debated.

I suggest you apply to several more low to mid-tier programs in addition to your list (such schools can be found with a simple search in the website), and try your very hardest to at least get that first acceptance.

Per the AAMC MCAT/GPA grid, OP has a 70s-80s % shot at acceptance to medical school with those stats, depending on what type of URM. Considering they are also from a disadvantaged background, I'd say chances are good. That being said, almost all schools will provide you good support; it looks bad on them if students drop out.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I realize I probably should have provided some additional context. I am taking the MCAT again at the end of June, but my pre-med adviser recommended that I apply this cycle with the 500 because of my interest in rural medicine and because I am a URM. He said I would "meet mission".
I was part of a summer program for URMs that provided us opportunities for research and shadowing. We also had peer mentors who had been in the program and who are now in medical school. Usually these were students between their first and second year.

One student was at a state medical school and another was at a private school who, as she explained, has a strong mission to admit a very diverse class. While they both described academic support, there was a difference. The student at the state medical school said that the advisers were like coaches -- very nice and helpful but it seemed like a very different program than the more intensive learning specialists that the student at the private school described. Maybe I've answered my question. Is this is the difference? Private schools have more funding? Or maybe it was that they had a strong mission for diversity which may mean they take students with lower scores. I understand that baseline, there will be support, but if academic support is a normal distribution, then I'd like to apply to schools on the right side of the curve.

I am applying to
Stritch School of Medicine (Loyola)
HBCUs
my state schools (there is more than one)
Oakland/William Beaumont
Quinnipiac
New York Medical College
Nova (MD program)

I'm from the midwest and would like to stay closer to my family. I also know that I don't have that luxury and need to expand my list. I had hoped to add to the list programs that were known by this group to be academically supportive.

There is no need for you to have access to an “intensive learning specialist” in medical school. People with your stats do fine academically and the data backs this up. We aren’t kidding when we say that you will have great academic support at any USMD institution and that should put your mind at ease. If you are worried then ask about support at interviews. As to the person who said you won’t be able to be picky, I predict 4+ interviews based on the experiences of some close friends who had profiles similar to yours. Goodluck