PLEASE HELP: Best Gap Year Strategies??

[AspiringPedOnc]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I graduated from College in May 2016, and sent in my applications to MD/DO schools this summer and did not get interviews anywhere. (I sent primaries in mid-August because I could not financially afford to send them in any sooner). I have been spending this past year shadowing physicians and working as a Medical Assistant.

I am trying to re-apply this upcoming cycle but I am unsure what I should do during this gap year.

Biology Major
College GPA- 3.46
AMCAS GPA - 3.52
MCAT - 507

I am looking for any advice about Master's Programs, SMP, Post-Bacc Pre-Med programs (with linkage and without), etc. I do not know any physicians personally and have been doing this all on my own, so I would really appreciate any advice or guidance you could give me.

THANK YOU!!

 

[Thienyl15]

Your GPA is on the low side for MD, but isn't lethal, same for the MCAT: you're sitting on a 36% chance of MD acceptance based on AAMC data. You're competitive for DO. I think one of the biggest things that went wrong this cycle was the late primary - if you were verified mid-late August and complete by September for most schools, that's no bueno.

Still, no interviews anywhere smells like a red flag in either your essays or LORs. I'd take a closer look at those and try calling schools for feedback on your application.

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence? Where did you apply for MD and DO this past cycle?

 

[deleted480308]

How many of each school did you apply to?

 

[AspiringPedOnc]

Where is your state of residence? Where did you apply for MD and DO this past cycle?

I live in New York. The MD schools I applied to were all the SUNY schools, Albany Medical College, Drexel, EVMS, FAU, Hofstra, New York Medical College, University of Arizona - Tucson, USF Morsani, Virginia Tech, and Virginia Commonwealth. I also applied to the following DO schools: Nova Southeastern, NYCOM, Philadelphia COM, Rowan University SOM, and Touro University.

 

[AspiringPedOnc]

How many of each school did you apply to?

14 MD. 5 DO.

 

[Faha]

I live in New York. The MD schools I applied to were all the SUNY schools, Albany Medical College, Drexel, EVMS, FAU, Hofstra, New York Medical College, University of Arizona - Tucson, USF Morsani, Virginia Tech, and Virginia Commonwealth. I also applied to the following DO schools: Nova Southeastern, NYCOM, Philadelphia COM, Rowan University SOM, and Touro University.

Apply more broadly to DO schools (at least 15) and include many of the newer schools:
ACOM
ARCOM
BCOM
WCU-COM
LMU-DCOM
UP-KYCOM
WVSOM
VCOM (all 3 schools)
UIWSOM
NYIT-Arkansas
RVU-Utah
ATSU-SOMA
LECOM (both schools)
For MD try:
4 SUNY's
Albany
NYMC
Quinnipiac
Vermont
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
GW
Oakland Beaumont
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
Creighton
As mentioned above your chances are only 1/3 for MD schools so concentrate on your DO applications. Apply in June and submit all your secondaries by July.