[PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE THIS MESSAGE] WAMC + school list (URM, 3.77/520)

[medluma]

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[PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE THIS MESSAGE]
Hi everyone, I'm feeling pretty stressed about this upcoming cycle in regards to where I should apply. I'm URM (Latino, low-income) and a WA resident w/ a sGPA: 3.72, cGPA: 3.77, and 520 MCAT (C/P: 130, CARS: 128, B/B: 130, P/S: 132). I'll vaguely include my activities and hours, I feel like I can write well about all of them but my hours are lacking in some departments. (* most meaningful)

*Science education outreach 1 (non-clinical volunteering, ongoing): 400 hrs
Science education outreach 2 (non-clinical volunteering, ongoing): 100 hrs
President of URM pre-health org (leadership, ongoing): 300 hrs
Research 1 (ongoing): 700 hrs (included on 1 pub, 2 poster presentations)
*(Summer program 1) Research 2 (EC, primarily research/shadowing): 340 hrs (1 presentation)
Shadowing: 150 hrs
Teaching assistant (paid non-clinical): 250 hr
*Health educator at FQHC (paid clinical): 560 hr
Hospital volunteer (clinical volunteering): 120 hr
Child hospital playroom (non-clinical volunteering, ongoing): 50 hrs
Emergency food network farm/packaging volunteer (non-clinical volunteering, ongoing but few shifts offered🙁): 50 hrs
Summer program 2 (EC): 240 hr
Summer program 3 (EC): 240 hr
Intramural sports (hobby): 200 hr
Instrument (hobby): 150 hr

(I hope to find a clinical job before graduating in June that I can work full time during my last quarter/after graduation, may replace one of my listed activities (probably a hobby) with that and list it as ongoing.)

Any feedback/school suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you 🙂

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I prefer you re-organize your material with proper details to WAMC format. You have too many redacted details to help me be confident in your application profile.

What areas are represented in shadowing? Describe your hospital volunteer responsibilities. How are they different from playroom?

Your profile is very heavy on teaching, health education, and science outreach. Why are you not going for becoming a science teacher? Why not become a community health worker or patient navigator? Will you consider waiting until you have 150+ hours in your desired clinical employment job?

 

[chilly_md]

What do the summer programs entail? Do you have a preference to stay in the Western US?

 

[medluma]

I prefer you re-organize your material with proper details to WAMC format. You have too many redacted details to help me be confident in your application profile.

What areas are represented in shadowing? Describe your hospital volunteer responsibilities. How are they different from playroom?

Your profile is very heavy on teaching, health education, and science outreach. Why are you not going for becoming a science teacher? Why not become a community health worker or patient navigator? Will you consider waiting until you have 150+ hours in your desired clinical employment job?

My apologies for that. Thank you for the feedback.

My shadowing: Majority has been primary care/family med (MD, DO, PA, Pharm D) in both urban and rural locations. I have also done quite a bit of neurosurgery shadowing, some neurology/neuro-oncology, some palliative care, some psych, and some emergency medicine. As a neuroscience major I'm drawn towards neurology but I loved primary care as well.

In the ER I spent most of my time assisting the ER Techs w/ restocking, getting rooms ready, and helping patients with their needs (whether that be conversational/assistance using restroom, etc.) whereas at the Children's hospital, I engage with younger patients and/or their siblings - read them stories, play games with them, things to keep their mind off the hospital, deliver toys to rooms, etc.

My teaching profile is pretty heavy but I believe that this may serve me well as a future physician. My personal statement revolves around taking care of my grandma who suffers from chronic pain. Like many folks in my community, she can't speak English and lacks documentation/insurance so I spoke about my experiences taking care of her and navigating/interpreting the health system/health issues from a young age and this is at the core of why I wish to be a physician. The FQHC I eventually worked at is the same clinic in which my grandma and I are patients at, and again I saw the difference it made to be able to communicate about health with someone that shares your language/lived experiences. This was also the clinic where I was seen by a Latino physician for the first time, and again, I just felt like my health concerns were heard. I hope that is enough detail, these are things I for sure included throughout my PS/activity description drafts! Thank you kindly.

 

[medluma]

What do the summer programs entail? Do you have a preference to stay in the Western US?

The first one was primarily research w/ some talks from professionals in the neurosciences and some shadowing in neuro-related specialties.
The other one was SHPEP which I know is a pretty popular one, the other was UCLA PREP which is also very similar to SHPEP but more tailored to folks getting ready to apply (both entailed lots of workshops, some simulation labs, talks from professionals, shadowing, professional development, etc.). I would love to stay in the Western U.S. but I am also planning to apply broadly with a preference for urban settings w/ higher underserved populations.

 

[chilly_md]

Leave PA shadowing and PharmD off. That slot is meant for physician shadowing on AMCAS. Your non-clinical volunteering is primarily science outreach/education related. Try to double your hours at the food network or find something at a local food bank.

I suggest:
UW
WSU
Stanford
UCLA
UCSF
Keck
Colorado
Mayo AZ
Arizona Phoenix
Creighton Phoenix
Jefferson
Boston
Tufts
Hofstra
Einstein
NYU
Sinai
Columbia
Hopkins
Miami
USF Morsani
Emory
Northwestern
U Chicago
Saint Louis
Ohio State
Cincinnati

 

[wysdoc]

Your SHPEP program undoubtedly has ongoing advising for your application and school selection, that would be a good resource for you since they already know you

 

[Mr.Smile12]

My teaching profile is pretty heavy but I believe that this may serve me well as a future physician. My personal statement revolves around taking care of my grandma who suffers from chronic pain. Like many folks in my community, she can't speak English and lacks documentation/insurance so I spoke about my experiences taking care of her and navigating/interpreting the health system/health issues from a young age and this is at the core of why I wish to be a physician. The FQHC I eventually worked at is the same clinic in which my grandma and I are patients at, and again I saw the difference it made to be able to communicate about health with someone that shares your language/lived experiences. This was also the clinic where I was seen by a Latino physician for the first time, and again, I just felt like my health concerns were heard. I hope that is enough detail, these are things I for sure included throughout my PS/activity description drafts! Thank you kindly.

Teaching serves you well because, as a person in a privileged position, you must be able to inform your patients and your community. Communication skills are desired competencies, but we also need great teachers.

Process this advice with others' perspectives: your PS must ultimately be about you, not your grandmother. I empathize with caregiving, and many of us get into medicine as caregivers. So many of us also get into other health professions as caregivers. Balance it with your FQHC experiences and your ultimate purpose or expectations as a physician.