MD this Cycle or Take a Gap Year?

[ufgator123]

I am worried my stats and ECs are low so i am looking to get some feedback. Any advice is appreciated
cGPA-3.61
sGPA 3.43
MCAT 507
1.5 years research for a Dr at the VA near my school
~150 hours shadowing 3 different doctors including in the DR
200 hours volunteering in hospital
200 non clinical volunteering
EMR TA 3 semesters
EMR Certified
microbio lab TA
I am also pretty involved in a greek organization at my school but i am not sure whether i should include this
Fluent in Spanish
also, i am Dominican so i think some schools might consider me URM
My plan originally was to apply to all the in state schools (Florida) but my advisor is telling me to wait a year.
If you think i might have a chance at some other schools please add them here also--I would really prefer MD over DO
Thanks in advance for all your help

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[DrHart]

You'd be competitive for mid to low tier MD schools and DO schools. If you wait a year, what would you do to improve your app? Take upper level science classes? More volunteering? Find a job and save some money? Just wondering what your thoughts are?

 

[Goro]

Dominicans are not considered URM. The Spanish skills are useful, though.

I suggest:

Temple
Jefferson
Drexel
WVU
Rosy Franklin
MCW
Creighton
Loma Linda (but read their list of don'ts)
Albany
NYMC
VCU
U VM
Oakland-B
Western MI
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Rush (note: very service/experience oriented with a 150hr service requirement. Avg student has 800 hours of community service, and >1800 hours of health care exposure.)
Netter
Your state school(s).
Any DO school. I can't recommend Touro-NY, or LUCOM, for different reasons. Start list with PCOM-GA, Nova, and LECOM-B

I am worried my stats and ECs are low so i am looking to get some feedback. Any advice is appreciated
cGPA-3.61
sGPA 3.43
MCAT 507
1.5 years research for a Dr at the VA near my school
~150 hours shadowing 3 different doctors including in the DR
200 hours volunteering in hospital
200 non clinical volunteering
EMR TA 3 semesters
EMR Certified
microbio lab TA
I am also pretty involved in a greek organization at my school but i am not sure whether i should include this
Fluent in Spanish
also, i am Dominican so i think some schools might consider me URM
My plan originally was to apply to all the in state schools (Florida) but my advisor is telling me to wait a year.
If you think i might have a chance at some other schools please add them here also--I would really prefer MD over DO
Thanks in advance for all your help

 

[ufgator123]

Dominicans are not considered URM. The Spanish skills are useful, though.

I suggest:

Temple
Jefferson
Drexel
WVU
Rosy Franklin
MCW
Creighton
Loma Linda (but read their list of don'ts)
Albany
NYMC
VCU
U VM
Oakland-B
Western MI
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Rush (note: very service/experience oriented with a 150hr service requirement. Avg student has 800 hours of community service, and >1800 hours of health care exposure.)
Netter
Your state school(s).
Any DO school. I can't recommend Touro-NY, or LUCOM, for different reasons. Start list with PCOM-GA, Nova, and LECOM-B

I just dont understand how puerto ricans are considered URM but dominicans arent. Does it depend on the school or is it all schools that dont consider Dominicans URM

 

[Goro]

I just dont understand how puerto ricans are considered URM but dominicans arent. Does it depend on the school or is it all schools that dont consider Dominicans URM

It may depend upon the school, but my general understanding is that Dominicans are not URM. Perhaps the wise @gyngyn can shed some further light?

 

[Goro]

To your list you can also add the three Puerto Rican schools that take mainlanders.

 

[gyngyn]

I just dont understand how puerto ricans are considered URM but dominicans arent. Does it depend on the school or is it all schools that dont consider Dominicans URM

There are two Hispanic groups that are universally recognized as UiM (Mexican Americans and Mainland Puerto Ricans). Schools that have identified other under-served communities may designate representatives of these countries UiM for their school. Central Americans are considered UiM at some CA schools, for example. You may need to contact individual schools to find out (if this info is not available on their website).

 

[ufgator123]

There are two Hispanic groups that are universally recognized as UiM (Mexican Americans and Mainland Puerto Ricans). Schools that have identified other under-served communities may designate representatives of these countries UiM for their school. Central Americans are considered UiM at some CA schools, for example. You may need to contact individual schools to find out if this info is not available on their website.

Thanks for clarifying! Do you think with my resume i would be a strong applicant at schools that do consider Dominicans URM? Or would a gap year be more beneficial to strengthen my application

 

[gyngyn]

Thanks for clarifying! Do you think with my resume i would be a strong applicant at schools that do consider Dominicans URM? Or would a gap year be more beneficial to strengthen my application

You look good to go.

 

[DokterMom]

Your GPA and MCAT are both OK - so your weakest points - and neither of these will be directly helped by a gap year. (Unless of course, you use your Gap Year for expressly those purposes with extra coursework and another stab at the MCAT.)

ECs are already good - so if you're OK with DO, apply lower-tier MD, anywhere Spanish is a priority (PR) and cast a wide DO net and you're probably fine.

If MD is important to you, use your gap year to improve your numbers

 

[Sharknad0]

Your GPA and
If MD is important to you, use your gap year to improve your numbers

What would you suggest to improve numbers? An SMP? Post-bacc?

 

[DokterMom]

If low numbers are the problem, raising them is the solution.
- MCAT retake, after serious studying and multiple successful practice exams
- Additional under-graduate coursework (particularly science) to improve GPA if lengthening an upward trend would do it, or
- SMP if you need to show you can handle med school level coursework