MD Scared I won't be accepted anywhere

[Aspiratory]

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Hi All!

My name is Logan, and I'm a South-Asian applicant for the upcoming cycle. The plan was to go to M-School right after graduation, but it didn't work out. I ended up getting kicked out of a BS/MD program because I wasn't able to make the MCAT cut. I was going through a lot of serious personal issues, dealing with depression because of the passing of my older brother. That led to me having a real lackluster Junior year, where I got my first ever C's in my life! C+ in Organic I/II Lecture (A- in both Labs), and C in Anat & Physio II (B+ in I). After Junior year, I backpacked through Europe to gain some perspective and decided Medicine is what I want to do. So senior year, I took Biochemistry, Biodiversity, Human Reproduction, and re-took Organic I & II, and received A's in all of them. My senior year GPA is a 4.0.

My numbers:
cGPA: 3.75
sGPA: 3.64
MCAT:
So I talked about this, I had to take and pass the MCAT about a month after my personal issues, and I failed two times, scoring a 22, and a 25. I didn't care at all, I felt pressured by my BS/MD program, and didn't study one second because I had to be there for myself and my family. I retook it senior year and got a 36 (11/11/14 V).

EC's: I've been an HIV/Aids Counselor for a year, volunteered 400+ hours, shadowed three different docs, two of which are writing me a letter, been running a food pantry in my hometown over the summers, President of Biology Club, Class Representative for Science Majors, Write for the school newspaper, conducted significant research as a TA (longitudinal study of student grades), published as co-author, and presented at 8 conferences.

After school: After I graduated, I was lucky enough to land a job as a Public Health Advisor with the CDC. I love my job, and it pays really well. I've been conducting an epidemiological study in Angola, and will be going there, as well as to Chad, in the coming months to collect data and help set up health camps for women. I was also selected as a Fulbright Scholar, but turned it down. In the past, I've been a Critical Language Scholar as well.

Fears: I'm absolutely scared to death I won't get into Medical School. With my C's in Organic (even though I retook it, I did so over the summer with a light load) compounded by my three MCATs I'm afraid my dream of being an Anesthesiologist will never be realized. I've seen so many friends of mine who have 3.7+ GPAs and 30+ MCAT the first time around get rejected, and it just freaks me out. So I'm really looking for help in my school list, to offer myself as best a chance as possible. I'm casting my net wide, and applying to 45 schools. I am a Virginia resident. Any advice as to how to improve my application would be necessary. I don't know if I should look into enrolling in a Pharmacology Master's Program or SMP type deal.

Schools I'd like to apply to

Howard
Chicago Med-Franklin
Marshall-Edwards
Eastern Virginia
West Virginia
Louisville
Virginia Commonwealth
Arizona-Tuscon
Florida Atlantic University - Schmidt
Commonwealth
Penn State
Drexel
MU South Carolina
New York Medical
Vermont
Arizona-Phoenix
Wake Forest
Toledo
George Washington
Colorado
Albany
Temple
Virginia Tech Carilion
Tufts
Cincinnati
Rush
Stony Brook
Loma Linda
Georgetown
Maryland
South Florida
MC Wisconsin
Rochester
Iowa-Carver
Einstein
Mayo
Duke
Case Western
Dartmouth
Virginia
Quinnipiac-Frank Netter SOM
Hofstra University North Shore–LIJ SOM

 

[I'm not a cat]

You'll be fine for most of those schools. If they ask for academic bumps or anything like that, be sure to explain your story. Opportunities to explain your setback will be your personal statement or secondary essays. With your final MCAT score, you'll most likely pass any preliminary screenings.

 

[ProudMD]

Stay 1000 light years away from any forms of SMPs or similar programs! Your GPAs are excellent and competitive for most MD schools in the country. The only minor issues I see are the 22 and 25 MCAT scores, but your 36 should save the day.

You should have no problems getting multiple acceptances to good MD schools.

 

[Doug Underhill]

Don't apply to Howard unless you are URM or have an extensive history of working with URM communities. There are a bunch of good schools on that list to apply to, but also a number of questionable ones, mostly due to OOS status. Keep the VA schools and remove most of the other in-states that you'll be applying OOS at.

Don't apply SMP, your GPA is great. Your MCAT is kind of problematic, but you can't solve the problem of having too many MCATs with another MCAT. The average of your three MCATs is 27.7, which is well below the average of accepted applicants. You may want to apply to schools that only take the best or most recent MCAT score and avoid the other ones. Here's kind of an old list for that:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...osed-to-most-recent-mcat.564571/#post-7164401

I'm not sure about how the BS/MD failing out will look, but you have a good reason why your performance dipped.

 

[Goro]

Other SDNers have posted this info, which might be useful.
University of Virginia, Temple, and Georgetown only consider the most recent MCAT score set. Tufts considers the highest score set. George Washington actually considers the highest score for each individual sub section for all MCAT score sets. Boston U considers all submitted MCAT score sets.

You need to find those schools that won't average your scores. Start by calling some Admissions Deans.
And do some better research on your target schools. Many of the ones on your list are highly mission-specific (like the HBCs) or are heavily in-state favoring. Start with your own state schools and perhaps those in neighboring states.

MSAR Online is your friend. Target schools whose median scores are closest to your own. Be sure to use the Acceptance Information tab.

Keep DO schools in mind as well.

 

[Aspiratory]

Other SDNers have posted this info, which might be useful.
University of Virginia, Temple, and Georgetown only consider the most recent MCAT score set. Tufts considers the highest score set. George Washington actually considers the highest score for each individual sub section for all MCAT score sets. Boston U considers all submitted MCAT score sets.

You need to find those schools that won't average your scores. Start by calling some Admissions Deans.
And do some better research on your target schools. Many of the ones on your list are highly mission-specific (like the HBCs) or are heavily in-state favoring. Start with your own state schools and perhaps those in neighboring states.

MSAR Online is your friend. Target schools whose median scores are closest to your own. Be sure to use the Acceptance Information tab.

Keep DO schools in mind as well.

When Medical Schools say that they consider the most recent MCAT scores, does that mean that all adcoms follow this policy? I love UVA, I really want to go there, and when I called they were adamant that they only consider the most recent scores. But isn't that up to the individual reviewer?

Maybe I'm over thinking this. Sometimes I wonder if I should even apply.

 

[gyngyn]

When Medical Schools say that they consider the most recent MCAT scores, does that mean that all adcoms follow this policy? I love UVA, I really want to go there, and when I called they were adamant that they only consider the most recent scores. But isn't that up to the individual reviewer?

Maybe I'm over thinking this. Sometimes I wonder if I should even apply.

At least they say that they look at the most recent. You are right, though. No one can control the idiosyncratic interpretations made by individuals.

 

[Aspiratory]

At least they say that they look at the most recent. You are right, though. No one can control the idiosyncratic interpretations made by individuals.

Haha thanks for the encouraging corroboration -___-

 

[Afford]

You will be fine. If you don't get into a medical school, it won't be because of your MCAT/GPA.

 

[ridethecliche]

OP, you have a great shot and have handled things as best as you could given the circumstances. I think your blip is explainable and the fact that you've done well since then is a great sign.

You're going to get many interviews and once you're there, it's all on you.

Be sure to discuss what happened either in your PS or in secondaries that ask about circumstances.

You will be fine. If you don't get into a medical school, it won't be because of your MCAT/GPA.

This!

 

[SkyHighMig25]

I don't have any advice for you (pre-med sophomore at Emory), but seeing as you are working at the CDC and are close to Emory, why is Emory SoM not on your list? Any good/bad things you have heard about it?

 

[Aspiratory]

I don't have any advice for you (pre-med sophomore at Emory), but seeing as you are working at the CDC and are close to Emory, why is Emory SoM not on your list? Any good/bad things you have heard about it?

Oh, goodness, I've only ever heard good things about Emory. But considering my GPA is a bit under their average, as well as me having taken my MCAT 3x I thought it would be a major reach for me.

I didn't think my living in Atlanta would have any affect on Emory...I called some georgia schools and they said nope but I guess that's because they are state schools. Thanks though, I will call their admissions and see what's up.

(Being a premed there must be difficult!)