MD & DO Re-applicant WAMC

[PreciousHamburgers]

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Hello All,


Here are my stats:

cPGA 3.4<x<3.5
sGPA 3.3<x<3.4
MCAT 28R, 34 (all sec. >10)
Graduated 2009, Applied 2013-2014 app cycle.

Research:

Independent thesis project. Presented in poster session. Paper recently submitted / at journal.
Worked/volunteered as field assistant for a few labs in undergrad.
Worked as field assistant for Penn one summer (5-6 months) after graduating.

Volunteering:

Emergency room during college ~50 hours
Currently in ER 4 hours a week, will be about 250 hours by 2015 submission and will continue during application process.
State-supervised nursing facility during undergrad for 6 semesters (although I received a credit or two for this each semester. It did have a big impact on me.)
Adviser to the the GSA where I work.
Adviser to the Student Sustainability Club where I work.

Work:

3 years part time in a nursing home as a waiter, dining room supervisor.
2 years part time in college as a patient services assistant in the health services center.
1 year coaching high school, helping to start team. Currently coaching 2 days a week.
I have been employed as a lab technician / lab safety officer for a community college since 2011.
Many other jobs to pay the bills...

Other:
Rowed all four years of college with leadership roles (30-40 hours per week, year-round).
Would rate my Portuguese as "fair" on the AMCAS application (after talking with my professor).
Since my last application I took Stats and Portuguese II and received an A in each class. I will also try to take BioChem and retake Physics II lab (my lowest undergrad grade) while applying.
Mentoring interns at my job currently.

I plan on submitting my application as soon as it opens.

I will be applying DO and MD this time around.
I applied to 30 schools this past application cycle and received one interview. I will need to come up with a new list that is more focused. I have a few DO schools in mind. My PCP is a DO and will write the required letter, however, I have not been able to find any shadowing opportunities after trying for the past year.

EDIT: I plan on applying as non-URM disadvantaged. I am from a low-income, medically underserved area and I am also the first in my family to graduate college.

 

[tarheel1408]

I would say your chances at DO schools are superb. With your GPA it will be difficult, but not impossible, to get some love from your in state MD schools.

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

I would say your chances at DO schools are superb. With your GPA it will be difficult, but not impossible, to get some love from your in state MD schools.

Yes, that was my only interview this cycle.

 

[bearded frog]

​

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

These are the schools I applied to, 30 in all:

Albany Medical College
Boston University School of Medicine
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Drexel University College of Medicine
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Keck Sch. of Med.University of Southern California
Loma Linda University School of Medicine
New York Medical College
Oregon Health and Science University
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Quinnipiac University SOM
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Scien
Rush Medical College
Temple University School of Medicine
The Commonwealth Medical College
The University of Miami School of Medicine
The University of Vermont College of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
Tulane University School of Medicine
All the UC's
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Wake Forest School of Medicine

I realize I had no business applying to some of these. Does anyone know if any of these schools are willing to give feedback? I started asking a couple, but got pretty generic responses. Any suggestions on schools to add this cycle?

As far as DO is concerned, I have only researched UNECOM and NYCOM so far...

 

[gyngyn]

Depending on what state you are a resident of, I only see 13 schools on your list where a reapplication is reasonable. If you apply DO to an additional handful, you should be fine. I would be surprised to find that medical schools with more than 5K applicants provide frank feedback, but I'm not familiar with the customs and practices of any school but my own!

 

[DK2014]

Here's my opinion on your schools:
Possible for interview
Keep if you want
I'd remove, very very slim chance, mainly because of your numbers.

Albany Medical College (keep in mind, they only have about a 10% acceptance rate post interview, which is very low)
Boston University School of Medicine
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (unless if you have ties, very low chance)
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Drexel University College of Medicine
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Keck Sch. of Med.University of Southern California
Loma Linda University School of Medicine (unless if you are Christian, no chance)
New York Medical College
Oregon Health and Science University (they have strong in state bias, keep that in mind)
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Quinnipiac University SOM
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Scien
Rush Medical College
Temple University School of Medicine
The Commonwealth Medical College
The University of Miami School of Medicine
The University of Vermont College of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
Tulane University School of Medicine
All the UC's
Riverside (no chance, unless if you have ties to area)
Irvine
Davis
SD
SF
University of Connecticut School of Medicine (need ties)
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Wake Forest School of Medicine

 

[darklabel]

Curious, did you do anything wrong in your last cycle? Like apply late or with the 28 instead of a 34? Or are you applying with the same application as this past cycle?

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

Curious, did you do anything wrong in your last cycle? Like apply late or with the 28 instead of a 34? Or are you applying with the same application as this past cycle?

I submitted my primary on July 15th and was verified early September. I applied with the 34. I am rewriting my personal statement, I have added about 250 hours of ER volunteering, mentoring interns at work, submitted my research to a journal, and a few more activities...

 

[darklabel]

I submitted my primary on July 15th and was verified early September. I applied with the 34. I am rewriting my personal statement, I have added about 250 hours of ER volunteering, mentoring interns at work, submitted my research to a journal, and a few more activities...

Ahh, that could be the reason as to why. I think you should be fine if you submit it first day. Good luck!

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

Ahh, that could be the reason as to why. I think you should be fine if you submit it first day. Good luck!

I'm really hoping that's the case. Thanks!

 

[WillburCobb]

If you're OOS for OHSU I'd cut it. My experience, as well as some friends, has been that they're pretty strict with BOTH the GPA and MCAT cut-offs for OOS applicants.

 

[Goro]

Concur

I would say your chances at DO schools are superb. With your GPA it will be difficult, but not impossible, to get some love from your in state MD schools.

 

[cookiemonsters]

You are a MA resident? From what I have been told, UMass is one of those schools that, as far as EC's are concerned, cares far more about community service than research. Focus on that in the next few months if possible.