Retaking MCAT, Need advice for gap year

[panthers234]

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I was a current applicant this cycle but planning to reapply. I received interviews at both of my in-state schools. Since I submitted by app this cycle, the main change in my application is that I have accumulated 1250 EMT clinical patient hours. This past cycle, I applied to my two state schools, as well as 15 OOS schools. I did not receive any OOS interview invites. I'm looking for advice on what my chances are like next cycle/what I can work on to improve my chances of getting in. I am currently planning on retaking my MCAT and would also like advice as to what I should do for this gap year.


State/Country of Residence: NC

Ties to other States/Regions: N/A

URM: ORM-> Asian male

Age: 23

Year in School: 1st gap year (graduated May 2020)

Undergrad Institution: Large liberal arts college

Undergraduate Major(s)/Minor(s): Major- Biology and Neuroscience; Minors-Chemistry

Cumulative GPA: 3.72

Science GPA: 3.68

MCAT Score: 505 (128/123/127/127)

Research Experience:

• Research-> focused on the protein-protein interaction between alcohol-induced proteins. By examining the Sonic Hedgehog pathway, which plays a critical role in cell differentiation, we studied different post-translational modifications involved in the process and the implications alcohol has on ciliary tubulin. This allows us to further understand the risks involved with prenatal alcohol exposure. 2 poster presentations. 500 hours
• Psychology Research-> synthesizing a suitable radiotracer for Serotonin2A receptors (5HT2AR), 1 publication. 250 hours

Clinical Experience:

• Hospital Volunteer-> Volunteered in a hospital, charged with attending the call bell, effectively communicating with patients, and passing the information/request to the respective staff in the unit.
• 50 hours
• EMT-> Currently employed full time as an EMT going around NC serving underserved areas; was part of the NC COVID-19 Volunteer Response Team and will be working throughout this pandemic to help in my own community. 1250 hours
• Mental health clinic -> volunteer at a mental health institute near my grandmother’s house in my home country. 50 hours

Physician/Healthcare Provider Shadowing:

• 75- cardiology
• 20 - ER doctor

Non-Clinical Volunteering:

• Co-President of Tutoring club->Performed STEM experiments for local elementary and middle schools. 250 hours
• Leadership Village-> different volunteer activities during the year. 200 hours

Other Extracurricular Activities:

• Exec board for ethnic dance competition -> 200 hours
• Church Youth Group Leader -> 1000 hours

Other Employment History:

• Tutor-> Tutored organic chemistry, statistics, general chemistry, analytical chemistry; 100 hours

Immediate family members in medicine?: Dad is a nurse but other than that no physicians.

 

[Banco]

Those EMT hours are a great addition - with regards to your activities, your application is very good. Retaking the MCAT and getting a higher score is probably the most high yield thing you can do to improve your chances. That and applying DO as well.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Agreed. Your app is awesome. Retaking is reasonable. Just make sure you do better (so like 509+). Also seconding making sure you are applying broadly to include DO. But if you can get a 510+, I don’t think there’s any reason you can’t get an MD acceptance.

What happened at the two interviews? Just statistically speaking, it’s a little surprising you didn’t get anything from one of them.

 

[Sea Otter]

I’d try to get some primary care shadowing if you can. And if applying DO, make sure you work with a DO doc somewhere in your app. You often need a DO letter of rec.

 

[panthers234]

Agreed. Your app is awesome. Retaking is reasonable. Just make sure you do better (so like 509+). Also seconding making sure you are applying broadly to include DO. But if you can get a 510+, I don’t think there’s any reason you can’t get an MD acceptance.

What happened at the two interviews? Just statistically speaking, it’s a little surprising you didn’t get anything from one of them.

Thanks! I felt I was not able to connect with my interviewer at one of the schools but at the other I thought it went well.

Do you have any advice on what I should do during my gap year? I was planning on getting an MPH but I was looking around SDN and it seemed to be frowned upon to start a masters and not complete it before matriculation.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Thanks! I felt I was not able to connect with my interviewer at one of the schools but at the other I thought it went well.

Do you have any advice on what I should do during my gap year? I was planning on getting an MPH but I was looking around SDN and it seemed to be frowned upon to start a masters and not complete it before matriculation.

I agree that the EMT hours are great. You might want to consider getting a scribe job or perhaps part-time scribing and part-time research assistant, if research appeals to you, but you have a lot of research.

Raise the 123.

Consider DO and also examine the list of OOS schools that rejected you. Based on stats were you competitive? Do these schools accept a lot of OOS students?

I think you'll have more success this cycle!

 

[panthers234]

Those EMT hours are a great addition - with regards to your activities, your application is very good. Retaking the MCAT and getting a higher score is probably the most high yield thing you can do to improve your chances. That and applying DO as well.

Hi, I am currently applying this cycle and I was able to get my MCAT up to a 513. Is this still a reasonable score to get into an MD program or should I still look at DO as well. I am currently trying to find medical scribe jobs as well to get more shadowing experience.

 

[KnightDoc]

Hi, I am currently applying this cycle and I was able to get my MCAT up to a 513. Is this still a reasonable score to get into an MD program or should I still look at DO as well. I am currently trying to find medical scribe jobs as well to get more shadowing experience.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! That's a very significant jump, and very definitely a reasonable score to be competitive at MD programs. However, especially as a reapplicant, there are no guarantees, and it would probably be smart to look at DO as well, unless you are so against it that you would be willing to risk a possible third cycle.