Reapplicant WAMC and School List help (518/3.75/FL ORM)

[dvskarna]

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Hello everyone! Thank you in advance for any advice or feedback. I am currently re-applying to medical schools after applying last cycle. I interviewed with 2 programs, Case Western and USF, and got waitlisted at both of them. Last year, I also received a 1st quartile CASPer, and I don't believe that I improved much this cycle, although I am still waiting on my score. I submitted by primary June 10th, and I expect it to be done verifying this week. I have recently graduated and I am currently in my gap year gaining more clinical and research experience. I feel that I have a big emphasis/theme of mental health in my application. I also feel that I am weak in social justice/advocacy (unless raising awareness for mental health counts lol). I am really looking for help with my school list, and so I would love any feedback in that area. I also plan to apply DO, and I would love advice on what schools I should apply to as I have not created my DO school list yet.

State: FL
Ethnicity: ORM
GPA: 3.75
MCAT: 518 taken March 2023
School: UF
Major: Microbiology with Minors in Philosophy and Chemistry

Clinical Experiences:
- Trauma ICU scribe, 1850 hours, ongoing, most meaningful
- ED scribe, 140 hours, ongoing, new since last application
- Dermatology clinic MA, 192 hours, ongoing, new since last application

Research:
- Medicinal Chemistry lab, 1250 hours, received research scholarship and poster presentation in undergraduate research symposium, most meaningful
- Trauma ICU clinical process improvement project, 30 hours, ongoing, new since last application
- EKG data science project, just started, new since last application, did not have space to include on AMCAS

Volunteering:
- National suicide hotline counselor, 170 hours, ongoing, most meaningful
- Pre-health honor society, 45 hours, I included this as volunteering because I wanted to join the org for their volunteering opportunities
- Counseling and wellness center ambassador, 50 hours, new since last application
- Center for undergraduate research ambassador, 55 hours, new since last application
- Peer-to-peer counselor, 20 hours, new since last application

Leadership:
- Founded a student organization to promote mental health through baking, served as vice-president and secretary, 100 hours

Shadowing:
- In person 73 hours + virtual 36 hours = 109 hours total. I mentioned that I have been shadowing physicians since high school

Honors/Awards/Recognitions:
- Eagle Scout
- Presentation at undergraduate research symposium
- Certified First Responder, new since last application, wasn't able to add to AMCAS due to space

Hobbies
- Writing, I used to write short poems, I am currently working on a sci-fi short story

Schools that I plan to reapply to:
UF
USF
UMiami
UCF
FIU
FAU
Case Western
Dartmouth
Upitt
Brown
Northwestern
WashU
Yale
Mayo
Emory
Colorado
Cornell

New programs:
Zucker
Tufts
Drexel
Keck
Temple
Arizona Phoenix
Rochester
Virginia Tech
Quinnipiac
Loyola
Penn State
Vermont
Wisconsin
Georgetown
UChicago
UVA
Nova Southeastern

Thank you again for any advice or help! Any feedback is appreciated.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You did get 2 interviews last cycle, so where have you been improving over the past year?

 

[Faha]

Remove Loyola since they expect far more non clinical volunteering hours than you have. Add Florida State and consider adding these:
New York Medical College
Jefferson
George Washington
Western Michigan
Cincinnati

 

[dvskarna]

You did get 2 interviews last cycle, so where have you been improving over the past year?

I have started a new position as a dermatology MA and ED scribe. This will not only broaden my exposure, but as MA I will have more direct patient interaction that I lacked as a scribe.

I am also working on 2 new clincal research projects. As an undergraduate, I volunteered as an RA in a wet lab, however I did not receive a publication yet (it’s pending but it will probably take until the end of this year or next). These 2 new projects will both grant me exposure to clinical research and allow the opportunity to learn data science and coding skills.

After applications have ended, I plan to start volunteering at a local food bank. I have not been able to start a new volunteering opportunity as I do not have the time currently.

Do you think that this shows significant improvement from my last application? I’ve talked to a few premed advisors and they have agreed that I could reapply this cycle.

 

[karaya]

I do not see why you would need to apply DO. You have stats similar to mine and I was accepted MD last cycle. It's just a matter of applying smarter. You should remove USC because, although it's private, it prefers CA residents. Your research is heavy on hours but light on pubs, so I would reconsider WashU, Yale, and Cornell (unless you have a paper or patent on the way).

 

[dvskarna]

I do not see why you would need to apply DO. You have stats similar to mine and I was accepted MD last cycle. It's just a matter of applying smarter. You should remove USC because, although it's private, it prefers CA residents. Your research is heavy on hours but light on pubs, so I would reconsider WashU, Yale, and Cornell (unless you have a paper or patent on the way).

Thank you for the advice! I did not know that about USC Keck. WashU and Yale are complete reaches for me, but they are programs that I am very interested in. Plus, I do technically have a project that is pending publication, or at least that is what I was told. My dad completed a residency program affiliated with Cornell, and so I thought I would apply there since I have those ties. Idk if the residency program is a strong enough tie, but I figured I'd try anyway.