Rural Med School Reccomendations Wanted MD/DO

[pppurple]

I am looking to apply to MD or DO schools with strong rural medicine programs. Rural medicine is my passion and what I am looking to pursue.

Little bit about me:

• MCAT 505, GPA 3.59, sGPA 3.46
• female, white
• 100+ hours shadowing in providers in rural areas
• 4 years on student-run rural shadowing organization, including 3 years in leadership positions
• 100+ hours volunteering in local hospital
• recently started volunteering at local food bank
  
• other leadership, volunteering, and extracurriculars, not sure if they are relevant for this post

I would appreciate any recommendations for schools with strong rural medicine programs.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[MarineMDHopeful]

WVU has a whole Rural Medicine track.

 

[precisiongraphic]

What part of the country are you from? I think this is somewhat region specific. There are many MD and DO schools that have a rural focus but I think it's better for the applicant to have a connection to the area. For example, UWash and Washington State both have a rural/underserved focus for students as does the new Idaho DO school, and those states have big rural tracts with few medical schools. But UW and WSU have a very strong instate bias and with some exceptions consider very few OOS even with a rural focus. So check out schools in areas where you have lived/worked.

I am looking to apply to MD or DO schools with strong rural medicine programs. Rural medicine is my passion and what I am looking to pursue.

Little bit about me:

• MCAT 505, GPA 3.59, sGPA 3.46
• female, white
• 100+ hours shadowing in providers in rural areas
• 4 years on student-run rural shadowing organization, including 3 years in leadership positions
• 100+ hours volunteering in local hospital
• recently started volunteering at local food bank
  
• other leadership, volunteering, and extracurriculars, not sure if they are relevant for this post

I would appreciate any recommendations for schools with strong rural medicine programs.

 

[ndafife]

Schools with strong rural programs are going to have a strong in state preference.

Where are you from?

 

[pppurple]

I'm from Washington but my concern is I do not want to only apply to the 2 schools in my state, I am looking for other options as well

 

[3toedsloth]

West Virginia, Kansas, Minnesota Duluth, North Dakota, Iowa. But the in state preference is huge.

And take a look at this link.

 

[pppurple]

West Virginia, Kansas, Minnesota Duluth, North Dakota, Iowa.

That link is super helpful, thank you!

 

[centralTX]

Texas A&M has rural med emphasis, and TT Lubbock and El Paso and UTRGV all emphasize serving rural populations in West Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. These schools might be reaches if you're out of state, unless you have ties to the state or can articulate your desire for rural medicine.

 

[DrDwayneJohnson]

West Virginia, Kansas, Minnesota Duluth, North Dakota, Iowa.

And take a look at this link.

CMU, Geisinger, and Missouri as well.

 

[Isoval]

Texas A&M has rural med emphasis, and TT Lubbock and El Paso and UTRGV all emphasize serving rural populations in West Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. These schools might be reaches if you're out of state, unless you have ties to the state or can articulate your desire for rural medicine.

TCOM also has an entire rural medicine program.

 

[precisiongraphic]

I'm from Washington but my concern is I do not want to only apply to the 2 schools in my state, I am looking for other options as well

The problem with the west is that there are very few schools and most have an extreme in-state preference with exceptions being made for high MCAT/high GPA applicants. In your case, I'd suggest DO schools in the West and then look for private MD schools in the rest of the country that have a rural focus and potentially public schools that fit your score range that accept a large percentage of out of state students.

 

[pppurple]

The problem with the west is that there are very few schools and most have an extreme in-state preference with exceptions being made for high MCAT/high GPA applicants. In your case, I'd suggest DO schools in the West and then look for private MD schools in the rest of the country that have a rural focus and potentially public schools that fit your score range that accept a large percentage of out of state students.

What do you constitute a "large percentage"? And how would I find that out? MSAR?

 

[Goro]

I am looking to apply to MD or DO schools with strong rural medicine programs. Rural medicine is my passion and what I am looking to pursue.

Little bit about me:

• MCAT 505, GPA 3.59, sGPA 3.46
• female, white
• 100+ hours shadowing in providers in rural areas
• 4 years on student-run rural shadowing organization, including 3 years in leadership positions
• 100+ hours volunteering in local hospital
• recently started volunteering at local food bank
  
• other leadership, volunteering, and extracurriculars, not sure if they are relevant for this post

I would appreciate any recommendations for schools with strong rural medicine programs.

Geisinger, Marshall, Va Tech, any DO school, Tufts, U VM, Creighton, SUNY Upstate, East TN, but I fear that your stats are not that competitive for these MD schools, except for the two WV schools. Your chances will be best with the two WA schools.

Kansas, Minnesota Duluth, North Dakota, Iowa.
These stats heavily favor the home team.

 

[precisiongraphic]

Geisinger, Marshall, Va Tech, any DO school, Tufts, U VM, Creighton, SUNY Upstate, East TN, but I fear that your stats are not that competitive for these MD schools, except for the two WV schools. Your chances will be best with the two WA schools.

Kansas, Minnesota Duluth, North Dakota, Iowa.
These stats heavily favor the home team.

East TN takes very few OOS except military. Heck they barely take people from Memphis.

Unfortunately with your stats agree with Goro you're limited to in-state, DOs and maybe WV.

 

[pppurple]

Thanks for all the advice! Now my question is, should I spend the money and time applying to other MD schools despite my stats not being favorable?

 

[3toedsloth]

DO is prob where you want to focus most of your energy.

Your MD reaches could include : State schools where you have in state connections, and private MDs like Creighton, Dartmouth, Geisinger, Virginia Tech, Jefferson, Tulane.

It's up to you if you want to include these reaches. Your stats are more in alignment with DO, but you'll never know if you would have gotten in to MD unless you apply.

 

[btuck]

Medical College of Wisconsin!