Possibly reapplying, advice needed

[mmikeee]

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So it's starting to get late in the cycle and I have nada interviews so far. I'm still waiting to hear back from 14 schools, but it's time I start preparing for the worst and work on improving my application.

So I took the MCAT twice: 28Q first time (6VR/11PS/10BS) and 30 (8VR/10PS/12BS) second time around.
sGPA: 3.84 and cGPA: 3.82

ECs while in college:
- UCSF Emergency Department Volunteer (150 Hours)
- 1 year of Honors Research (12hrs/week for the whole year so 360 hours)
- 1 year of Regular Research before going to honors (~360 hours)
- Leadership position in pre-health/pre-med club
- Organic Chemistry TA (1 semester)
- 1 year of Americorps service (Coaching kids) (450 hours)
- Computer Resource Specialist Work-study job (1.5 years, ~10hrs/week)
- Sports Medicine Intern/Student Athletic Trainer, includes clinic hours with the sports physician (2 years, ~30hrs/week)
- Teaching middle school kids about nutrition (1 semester, 3 hrs/week)
- 1 year resident hall association

Since applying, I've been tutoring about 20 hours a week and also lead an arthritis exercise class twice a week. I fear these are not enough new ECs to make my application stronger so I plan on looking for something to do in the mornings (since I tutor in the afternoons). Will going to my local hospital and volunteering be an effective use of time? I was thinking about maybe shadowing a D.O. doctor for this semester leading up to June. Will MD schools frown upon shadowing/getting a LOR from a DO doctor? How about getting a scribe position. Also will telling them about snowboarding more and doing a few marathons help my app?

Also some major regrets on my end: retaking the MCAT in August leading to mid-October secondaries. Also, not using a damn letter service. So I can easily get my sports med LOR and probably my honors research faculty's LOR. As a re-applicant, will schools still require two science professors? I wanted to use my Sports med LOR, research faculty's LOR, and maybe a LOR from a doctor I shadowed. Or should I do a smp program and get some lor there?

Thanks in advance for the advice!!

 

[98md]

In my opinion, your background is excellent but for two things (a) MCAT scores are on the low side and unbalanced (b) It looks like your state of residency is CA from your ECs. If it is still the case, you may want to reconsider that.

Yes, as a reapplicant you will still require two science professors. You could submit the other LORs using Interfolio. In fact, you could submit more based on the programs you are applying to. I would also like to suggest DO programs as well purely based on your MCAT scores.

 

[sudo]

Did you apply broadly? As in, not just apply to reach schools. Seems like your GPA/MCAT/ECs are pretty good and should score you at least one interview.

..maybe it's because you applied late?

And I don't think MD schools would frown upon a DO letter. If they did, the MD school wouldn't be very credible and that respective adcom should quit their job.

 

[mmikeee]

Yeah I applied broadly. About 30 schools (9 in CA). Still waiting to hear back from 12 schools now so fingers and legs super crossed hahhaha. Seriously all I want is one interview. All I've been getting are HOLD emails, which I guess would've turned into interview emails if I applied much earlier.

I'm thinking about shadowing a DO doctor so I can also apply to some instate DO schools next cycle

 

[Goro]

100% concur. Med schools will not care if you have a DO LOR, either.

Apply strategically, for example, don't bother with the UCs.

In my opinion, your background is excellent but for two things (a) MCAT scores are on the low side and unbalanced (b) It looks like your state of residency is CA from your ECs. If it is still the case, you may want to reconsider that.

Yes, as a reapplicant you will still require two science professors. You could submit the other LORs using Interfolio. In fact, you could submit more based on the programs you are applying to. I would also like to suggest DO programs as well purely based on your MCAT scores.

 

[Indianarn]

So it's starting to get late in the cycle and I have nada interviews so far. I'm still waiting to hear back from 14 schools, but it's time I start preparing for the worst and work on improving my application.

So I took the MCAT twice: 28Q first time (6VR/11PS/10BS) and 30 (8VR/10PS/12BS) second time around.
sGPA: 3.84 and cGPA: 3.82

ECs while in college:
- UCSF Emergency Department Volunteer (150 Hours)
- 1 year of Honors Research (12hrs/week for the whole year so 360 hours)
- 1 year of Regular Research before going to honors (~360 hours)
- Leadership position in pre-health/pre-med club
- Organic Chemistry TA (1 semester)
- 1 year of Americorps service (Coaching kids) (450 hours)
- Computer Resource Specialist Work-study job (1.5 years, ~10hrs/week)
- Sports Medicine Intern/Student Athletic Trainer, includes clinic hours with the sports physician (2 years, ~30hrs/week)
- Teaching middle school kids about nutrition (1 semester, 3 hrs/week)
- 1 year resident hall association

Since applying, I've been tutoring about 20 hours a week and also lead an arthritis exercise class twice a week. I fear these are not enough new ECs to make my application stronger so I plan on looking for something to do in the mornings (since I tutor in the afternoons). Will going to my local hospital and volunteering be an effective use of time? I was thinking about maybe shadowing a D.O. doctor for this semester leading up to June. Will MD schools frown upon shadowing/getting a LOR from a DO doctor? How about getting a scribe position. Also will telling them about snowboarding more and doing a few marathons help my app?

Also some major regrets on my end: retaking the MCAT in August leading to mid-October secondaries. Also, not using a damn letter service. So I can easily get my sports med LOR and probably my honors research faculty's LOR. As a re-applicant, will schools still require two science professors? I wanted to use my Sports med LOR, research faculty's LOR, and maybe a LOR from a doctor I shadowed. Or should I do a smp program and get some lor there?

Thanks in advance for the advice!!

Here are my 2 cents. You look like a great candidate, but may be were late applying. In my opinion apply again next year. Apply as early as possible. Shadow a DO for some time and get a letter. Apply broadly to MD and DO schools. Good luck.

 

[mmikeee]

Here are my 2 cents. You look like a great candidate, but may be were late applying. In my opinion apply again next year. Apply as early as possible. Shadow a DO for some time and get a letter. Apply broadly to MD and DO schools. Good luck.

Thanks for the advice! Yeah I think that's the best option for me right now. Shadow a DO, get a LOR from him/her, continue my tutoring and other obligations and just apply super early. I don't think I'm going to waste my time retaking the MCATs in hopes for a higher score. The only problem I have are those letter of recs. I had such a hard time getting my stats professor to submit her letter for me that I don't think she's even willing to submit again to interfolio. So that leaves me with my science faculty's LOR from research and some extracurricular LORs.

 

[Indianarn]

Thanks for the advice! Yeah I think that's the best option for me right now. Shadow a DO, get a LOR from him/her, continue my tutoring and other obligations and just apply super early. I don't think I'm going to waste my time retaking the MCATs in hopes for a higher score. The only problem I have are those letter of recs. I had such a hard time getting my stats professor to submit her letter for me that I don't think she's even willing to submit again to interfolio. So that leaves me with my science faculty's LOR from research and some extracurricular LORs.

Let me tell ya, I had been out of school for 9 years. I graduated with a BS in Biology in 2002 and was lucky to find 2 professors who remembered me and gave me LORs. All you need is 2 from science faculty for DO schools, don't know for MD schools. But I did get 4 LORs from docs that I followed. Any how Good luck. Keep at it you will get in.