Reapplicant High Stats

[hanuman123]

State/Country of Residence: Omitting for Privacy

URM: ORM

Year in School: Senior

Undergrad Institution: Rinky Dink State School

Undergraduate Major(s)/Minor(s): major: Biology

Cumulative GPA: 4

Science GPA: 4

MCAT Score: 524

Research Experience:

1500 hours in basic science research with two summer internships at incredibly prestigious institutions
No pubs but a few posters/1 abstract/1 grant


Clinical Experience:
150 hospital volunteering total in the same specialty that my research is

Physician Shadowing:
100 hours primary care

Non-Clinical Volunteering:
100 hours food bank
30 for a theater organization
50 more accrued over this app cycle within a unique EC activity

Other Extracurricular Activities:
Student Government for 1 year
Captain of a club where I have devoted 4 years to (unique EC omitting for privacy)
TA for a couple years
Intramural Sports


Medical School List:
Duke Vandy Penn WashU Emory Harvard Columbia NYU Northwestern Yale Hopkins Pitt Stanford State School

This cycle I got interviews at 3 T5s but ended up w 3Rs. I really don't think my interviewing skills are the problem though. I would imagine potentially just weak cookie-cutter ECs and poor clinical experience sank my chances of getting into the T20s. I also applied a little later than I probably should have unfortunately.

Things I can change right off the bat for the next cycle: definitely have better essays, make a more cohesive personal statement between my volunteering experiences, research, and backstory that I didn't do last time, and find a job and get like a month of experience lol.

This cycle I'm currently looking for a gap year job and will probably be able to land one in clinical research where I plan to get a lot of patient interaction so I can actually count it as good clinical exposure. My problem is my MCAT will expire for some schools after this year so I basically have to reapply this coming cycle. I would really appreciate any advice at all about how to strengthen my app bc I feel like the pieces are there it just needs some tweaking to really get into these top places.

@Faha @Goro

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[Faha]

Your shadowing hours are more than adequate but if you can accumulate more clinical and non clinical hours before you apply it would be helpful. Where is your state of residence ?

 

[hanuman123]

Your shadowing hours are more than adequate but if you can accumulate more clinical and non clinical hours before you apply it would be helpful. Where is your state of residence ?

SC. Do you feel my volunteering/clinical exposure were a pitfall at T20s this year?

 

[Detailsmatter]

SC. Do you feel my volunteering/clinical exposure were a pitfall at T20s this year?

Just an MS2 but maybe it could have been the relatively lower amount of volunteer/clinical hours and maybe not the best interviews? Given that they interviewed you it couldn't have been THAT big an issue having your amount of hours in those activities which is why I suspect maybe the interviews hurt you a bit. I would def try working on some mock interviews for next cycle (whether it be with med students you know or mentors) and increasing you volunteering/clinical exposure. Also maybe expanding your school list a bit just to be safe and potentially have more options w/o getting yield protected obvi

 

[Banco]

3 interviews out of that list is not bad at all. It sucks that they all ended up being Rs. In hindsight you should have applied to more schools and a bit more balanced. Make sure you practice interviewing and get some feedback from the schools that rejected you.

 

[Faha]

With 3 rejections and no waitlist it could be your interviewing skills. Apply more broadly this cycle and I suggest these schools:
All 3 of your South Carolina state public MD schools
Vanderbilt
Emory
Miami
USF Morsani
Duke
U Virginia
Washington University
Northwestern
U Chicago
U Michigan
Case Western
Ohio State
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
Johns Hopkins
Penn
NYU
Mount Sinai
Columbia
Cornell
Hofstra
Einstein
Rochester
Yale
Mayo (both schools)
Kaiser
USC Keck
UCLA
UCSF
Apply in June and submit all your secondaries by July.

 

[hanuman123]

Thank you all. I will definitely shape up my interviewing skills. I absolutely would love advice from anyone else as well.

 

[Goro]

State/Country of Residence: Omitting for Privacy

URM: ORM

Year in School: Senior

Undergrad Institution: Rinky Dink State School

Undergraduate Major(s)/Minor(s): major: Biology

Cumulative GPA: 4

Science GPA: 4

MCAT Score: 524

Research Experience:

1500 hours in basic science research with two summer internships at incredibly prestigious institutions
No pubs but a few posters/1 abstract/1 grant


Clinical Experience:
150 hospital volunteering total in the same specialty that my research is

Physician Shadowing:
100 hours primary care

Non-Clinical Volunteering:
100 hours food bank
30 for a theater organization
50 more accrued over this app cycle within a unique EC activity

Other Extracurricular Activities:
Student Government for 1 year
Captain of a club where I have devoted 4 years to (unique EC omitting for privacy)
TA for a couple years
Intramural Sports


Medical School List:
Duke Vandy Penn WashU Emory Harvard Columbia NYU Northwestern Yale Hopkins Pitt Stanford State School

This cycle I got interviews at 3 T5s but ended up w 3Rs. I really don't think my interviewing skills are the problem though. I would imagine potentially just weak cookie-cutter ECs and poor clinical experience sank my chances of getting into the T20s. I also applied a little later than I probably should have unfortunately.

Things I can change right off the bat for the next cycle: definitely have better essays, make a more cohesive personal statement between my volunteering experiences, research, and backstory that I didn't do last time, and find a job and get like a month of experience lol.

This cycle I'm currently looking for a gap year job and will probably be able to land one in clinical research where I plan to get a lot of patient interaction so I can actually count it as good clinical exposure. My problem is my MCAT will expire for some schools after this year so I basically have to reapply this coming cycle. I would really appreciate any advice at all about how to strengthen my app bc I feel like the pieces are there it just needs some tweaking to really get into these top places.

@Faha @Goro

I beg to differ, I suspect strongly that your interview skills were indeed suspect.
In the meantime, buff up your extracurriculars. But no more research, rather, engaging service to others less fortunate than yourself

 

[hanuman123]

I beg to differ, I suspect strongly that your interview skills were indeed suspect.
In the meantime, buff up your extracurriculars. But no more research, rather, engaging service to others less fortunate than yourself

Seems to be the general trend. I am looking at a clinical research program at a top institution that is in the specialty I have worked in but focuses on outreach and equitable care as well. Do you think that would cover my weak points and be a great experience/talking point?

 

[Goro]

Seems to be the general trend. I am looking at a clinical research program at a top institution that is in the specialty I have worked in but focuses on outreach and equitable care as well. Do you think that would cover my weak points and be a great experience/talking point?

Yes