ORM with below average GPA and 510 MCAT + interesting story (retake MCAT?)

[Yosemite97]

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From my own internet sleuthing it seems like statistically the numbers are not strongly in my favor, but I feel like my situation is also a little unique and I was hoping someone on here could offer some perspective. Besides the more obvious things like applying to a broad list of schools without strong instate biases and submitting my application as early as possible (will be applying May of 2026) what should I do in the next 10 months to make me the most competitive MD applicant possible?

Basic information:
- 28 year old white male
- Montana resident (WWAMI and WICHE schools seem like my best shot)
- One time MCAT taker, got a 510 with section scores of 126, 126, 129, and 129
- cumulative GPA 3.17 (science/BCPM GPA 3.34)
- 2 semesters of research + 1 summer (no pubs)
- EMT
- Good LORs (3 professors and 1 supervisor from Yosemite Search and Rescue)

Background:
I originally attended a fairly prestigious small liberal arts college in Maine in the fall of 2016 and was a biochemistry/math double major with good grades and extracurriculars. In the spring of 2019 however my 17 year old brother lost his life after falling off a 150 meter cliff while skiing in the french alps and for the next 3 years I really struggled academically. I ended up withdrawing from the spring semester of 2019 and the fall semester of 2020 when classes were completely online so have multiple W's on my transcript and this is also where my GPA began slipping dramatically. I ended up transferring schools and graduating in the fall of 2022 with just the biochemistry major. After transferring, I worked as a CNA at the local hospital full time while going to school part time from spring of 2020 to spring of 2021 and got my EMT. Since graduating I have been working seasonally doing Search and Rescue in Yosemite National Park which runs from April to November and is where I currently am. In addition to responding to a multitude of rescues all throughout the park I have been shadowing physicians at the medical clinic in the valley and will continue to do many more hours of shadowing when I am back in Montana for the winter working as an ER tech in the hospital + volunteering at a local organization that takes disabled teens on outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking and rock climbing. Working as a first responder in SAR has opened my eyes to the world of emergency medicine and was the ultimate reason for me to want to apply to med school.

I am a Montana state resident and my top choice by far is the WWAMI program through the University of Washington but I also plan on applying to the majority of the WICHE schools as well (school list included below). Because my GPA is quite a bit lower than the average for accepted MD students I was hoping to offset this with a higher MCAT score but due to a couple of different factors (mainly being out of school for several years and having to relearn a lot of the material) I got just below the average score of 511 for accepted MD students. My FL average was 513 and since a 510 is pretty close to this I realistically do not feel like I could score significantly higher on the exam if I were to retake, but if multiple people here recommend doing so I would certainly consider it before applying next spring. I know I am not competitive for top tier schools and honestly am not interested in attending those schools either but based on my background + numbers was wondering if I have a decent shot of getting in to one of the schools mentioned below. Thanks in advance for any advice or feedback!

Additionally, I was approved for the fee assistance program through the AAMC so my application fees for up to 20 schools are covered.

School List:
1. WWAMI/University of Washington
2. University of Utah
4. Oregon Health and Science University
5. University of Arizona - Tucson
6. University of New Mexico
7. University of Nevada - Reno
8. College of Medicine - Phoenix
9. University of California - Davis
10. University of California - Los Angeles
11. University of California - San Diego
12. University of Southern California
13. University of California - San Francisco
12. University of Hawaii
13. University of Vermont
14. University of Colorado - Anschutz
15. University of Colorado at CSU in Fort Collins

Any other schools people would recommend adding to the list?

 

[Faha]

You have several state public schools on your list that admit very few non residents with no connection to the state. UC Davis and New Mexico only admit 2 or 3 per year. Your main weakness is your cGPA of 3.17 and sGPA of 3.34. You should also accumulate 150+ hours of non clinical volunteering such as food bank homeless shelter, etc. I suggest these schools with your stats:
U Washington
Roseman
Alice Walton
Belmont
Methodist (when it opens)
TCU
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
NOVA MD
Eastern Virginia
Drexel
Penn State
Temple
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Also apply to DO schools and I suggest these:
PNWU-COM
TUNCOM
AZCOM
RVU (all schools)
Touro-Montana
UIWSOM
ATSU-KCOM
KCU-COM
DMU-COM
MU-COM
PCOM
LECOM
NYITCOM
Touro-NY

 

[Yosemite97]

Thank you for your detailed response Faha! Couple of quick questions, would the organization that I have volunteered for in the past not count as non-clinical? Here is a description taken from their website:

"For over 40 years, with the help and support of a generous community, we’ve focused on celebrating abilities and removing barriers to recreation. We serve individuals with disabilities of all ages, as well as people with cancer. Whether horseback riding, skiing, swimming, gardening, cycling, climbing, or enjoying a variety of other activities, our participants and their families expand their horizons in a multitude of ways through each of Montana’s four seasons. Recreation means a lot more than play-time; it is a chance for “re-creation” — restoring yourself by discovering new strength, confidence, freedom, and joy."

Also the pre-health advisor at my school said that because of my involvement with search and rescue in Yosemite that would qualify as having a "connection" to the state of California which is why have all of those UC schools on that list but curious to hear if you think otherwise. Over the last three years I have served dozens of California residents and have lived cumulatively in the state for over a year and a half.

Additionally, the advisor made it sound like being a part of the WICHE (Western Interstate Commission For Higher Education) states would qualify as instate at least tuition wise... which is where the majority of the other schools on that list came from. Here is a link to the WICHE website, specifically it seems like applicants from WY and MT are able to count as instate applicants to those schools but I am not 100% sure. PSEP Institutions and Programs

 

[Faha]

Your GPAs are not competitive for California schools (other than Loma Linda if you fit their mission). The GPA-MCAT grid shows you have ~ 1/3 chance for a MD acceptance. Your non clinical activities may be what some schools are looking for.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I would look up schools with a program in wilderness medicine if you want to showcase your search-and-rescue in Yosemite further.

Docs gone wild: The risks and rewards of wilderness medicine

The popularity of adventure tourism and extreme sports creates the need for doctors trained to care for patients in austere conditions with limited resources.

www.aamc.org

California has a robust postbac pathway that you should consider if you wanted to stay in California. I don't think you would be as successful going straight-up regular admission with your metrics.