- Joined
- Sep 4, 2021
- Messages
- 13
- Reaction score
- 3
Hello all!
I was an applicant (re-applicant as well) like many of you a few years ago (2022/2023 cycles). I tried twice (Texas schools) and failed twice. I did not leave the field of medicine entirely and was working at UT Southwestern as a researcher, and now I continue in a similar role at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.
A brief overview of my application:
ORM: I have heavy TX ties (born, raised, college - Bachelor's and Master's degrees), average GA ties (family, cousin is a doctor who went to PCOM-GA) and TN (residency based on work - moved to Memphis in 2023.)
BS BIOLOGY:
- Undergraduate cGPA: ~3.6
- Undergraduate sGPA: ~3.5
- Upward trend (3.21, 3.04, 3.75, 3.94 by year) - The first two years of my undergrad were full of distractions and miscues. I screwed up, and it reflects in these areas. I like to think I wrote a strong, reflective essay where needed, which helps me elaborate on how I've matured since.
MS BIOTECHNOLOGY:
- Graduate cGPA/sGPA: 3.85
MCAT: 498 (2021) --> 508 (2022) --> 519 (2025)
Hours:
- Research: ~10,000 hours over 8 years (full-time working as a researcher at UTSW and SJCRH since 2022); 1 poster (undergrad), 1 publication (St. Jude), 2-4 more manuscripts to be published in the next year.
- Clinical:
600 hours scribing
200 hours of shadowing
160 hours volunteering at a local hospital ICU
I have 50 hours of EMT experience from my EMT training course, but I wasn’t able to work as an EMT due to the COVID-19 outbreak
Non-Clinical: 550 hours as Finance Chair for a local charity, raising upwards of $10,000 to feed underserved populations in and around my city. This was also a hands-on experience, where we would go door-to-door to actually interact with the families we were aiming to serve. I have joined the local Habitat for Humanity, and have started putting in some shifts, but this is not a significant experience yet for it to actually count, in my opinion. I have been volunteering at the local temples in Dallas, and now Memphis, so I have about 120 hours from that as well (over 8 years).
LoRs:
- I know two would be very strong from my employers (both PIs). I have two fairly strong letters from local MDs I've been shadowing. One average to strong from the leader of my charity.
Here is my current school list:
- All TMDSAS schools (3rd time applying)
- AMCAS:
TCU (re-app), Rosalind Franklin, Drexel, ETSU, Emory, Geisinger, Temple, Medical College Augusta, Penn St, Rush, Sidney Kimmel, Tulane (re-app), UCLA (throw-away), Pitt, UTHSC, Vanderbilt (reach), VCU, VTech, Wake Forest
My fiancé is a PGY-1 at Pitt, so that's why I have a lot of Pennsylvania schools lol
- AACOMAS:
PCOM-GA (re-app), Michigan State, LMU-DCOM, DuquesneCOM
I like to think I have a good school list, but could use the advice. Fortunately, funding for this cycle is not an issue, so I want to add more schools to apply more broadly.
Thank you all in advance. I will be happy to answer any questions or provide any clarifications.
I was an applicant (re-applicant as well) like many of you a few years ago (2022/2023 cycles). I tried twice (Texas schools) and failed twice. I did not leave the field of medicine entirely and was working at UT Southwestern as a researcher, and now I continue in a similar role at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.
A brief overview of my application:
ORM: I have heavy TX ties (born, raised, college - Bachelor's and Master's degrees), average GA ties (family, cousin is a doctor who went to PCOM-GA) and TN (residency based on work - moved to Memphis in 2023.)
BS BIOLOGY:
- Undergraduate cGPA: ~3.6
- Undergraduate sGPA: ~3.5
- Upward trend (3.21, 3.04, 3.75, 3.94 by year) - The first two years of my undergrad were full of distractions and miscues. I screwed up, and it reflects in these areas. I like to think I wrote a strong, reflective essay where needed, which helps me elaborate on how I've matured since.
MS BIOTECHNOLOGY:
- Graduate cGPA/sGPA: 3.85
MCAT: 498 (2021) --> 508 (2022) --> 519 (2025)
Hours:
- Research: ~10,000 hours over 8 years (full-time working as a researcher at UTSW and SJCRH since 2022); 1 poster (undergrad), 1 publication (St. Jude), 2-4 more manuscripts to be published in the next year.
- Clinical:
600 hours scribing
200 hours of shadowing
160 hours volunteering at a local hospital ICU
I have 50 hours of EMT experience from my EMT training course, but I wasn’t able to work as an EMT due to the COVID-19 outbreak
Non-Clinical: 550 hours as Finance Chair for a local charity, raising upwards of $10,000 to feed underserved populations in and around my city. This was also a hands-on experience, where we would go door-to-door to actually interact with the families we were aiming to serve. I have joined the local Habitat for Humanity, and have started putting in some shifts, but this is not a significant experience yet for it to actually count, in my opinion. I have been volunteering at the local temples in Dallas, and now Memphis, so I have about 120 hours from that as well (over 8 years).
LoRs:
- I know two would be very strong from my employers (both PIs). I have two fairly strong letters from local MDs I've been shadowing. One average to strong from the leader of my charity.
Here is my current school list:
- All TMDSAS schools (3rd time applying)
- AMCAS:
TCU (re-app), Rosalind Franklin, Drexel, ETSU, Emory, Geisinger, Temple, Medical College Augusta, Penn St, Rush, Sidney Kimmel, Tulane (re-app), UCLA (throw-away), Pitt, UTHSC, Vanderbilt (reach), VCU, VTech, Wake Forest
My fiancé is a PGY-1 at Pitt, so that's why I have a lot of Pennsylvania schools lol
- AACOMAS:
PCOM-GA (re-app), Michigan State, LMU-DCOM, DuquesneCOM
I like to think I have a good school list, but could use the advice. Fortunately, funding for this cycle is not an issue, so I want to add more schools to apply more broadly.
Thank you all in advance. I will be happy to answer any questions or provide any clarifications.
