MD School list help!! 3.9 cGPA 517 MCAT

[mednerd2000]

cGPA: 3.99, sGPA: 4.0
MCAT: 517 (129/130/128/130) took 8/2021
Residency: TN, but will change to NC in July
Ethnicity: South Asian, ORM
School: Private liberal arts college, CO2022
Clinical experience:

• Volunteer Free Clinic ~200 MA and scribe.
• Americorp program will have ~ 800 hr as scribe/MA by the time of application in FQHC family medicine. Either this or free clinic will be most meaningful, very similar pt populations
• I did a medical mission where I took blood pressure, weights, and temps and translated Spanish. 104 hrs Debating whether or not to include this because I don’t want to give of voluntourism vibes but we were in clinic 8 hours a day for 2 weeks, with only 2 days off and I learned a lot about sustainable community interventions (I wouldn’t say this was one of them reflecting back)

Research experience and productivity

• Microbio research ~280 hr over 4 semesters, 2 posters at National conference, 2 posters at our university’s showcase

Shadowing experience and specialties represented

• 15 hr internal medicine
• 30 hrs surgical (vascular, electrocardiology, urology, plastics, general)
• 20 hr online shadowing rounds during quarantine

Non-clinical volunteering

• The other half of my Americorps program is community health work and case management. ~900 hrs by application. Unsure if this would count as volunteering or employment? I’m working with migrant farmworkers. This will be 2nd most meaningful.
• Remote mentoring (picked up during quarantine). Also helped prep resources for the library there like study guides for certain topics. ~30 hrs
• Playing piano at a nursing home. This was more sporadic, but should have ~ 40 hrs by application.

Leadership/ECs

• Global Health Newsletter, chief editor ~300 hr. This would be 3rd most meaningful.
• Alpha Epsilon Delta, secretary/VP ~60 hr
• Admissions tour guide ~384 hr
• Honor Council Justice ~ 250 hr
• dance team (club team) ~800 hr
• College tutor ~272 hr
• I rock climb ~ 150 hrs but between this and the dance team for the 15th slot.

Other
Wanting MD/MPH programs

Relevant honors or awards
National scholarship giving me a full ride, university honors, president’s list all semesters, deans list one summer, Outstanding Junior in Global Health Studies, Award in Spanish Studies, Phi Beta Kappa

School list so far

1. Chapel Hill
2. Emory
3. Wake Forest
4. Tulane
5. GW
6. ECU Brody
7. Rush
8. MT Sinai
9. Duke
10. Kaiser
11. Michigan Med
12. UVA
13. San Antonio (I have family there, I know TMDSAS is it’s own beast)

Probably unsafe, someone tell me not to send a donation:
Vanderbilt
Yale

Where else should I look into? Which ones should I take off?

Thanks guys! I think this is the only cycle I can use my MCAT score since I decided on 2 gap years because of my program. If I don’t get in this cycle I’d have to retake it so feeling a lot of pressure 😭 mainly worried about AmeriCorps not counting as non-clinical volunteering bc I won’t have nearly enough of that without it.

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[Mr.Smile12]

A very large number of hours from Americorps likely counts as non clinical volunteering, though you need to help break that down. If you have a two year commitment with them, I'm expecting at least 1800 hours to split if you worked full time.

As for MPH, read Fee Assistance Programs for Applications - SDN for waivers you could qualify for as active AmeriCorps. This includes MPH/SOPHAS. So why MD/MPH now? What would you want to study in public health? Why not do that first until you solidify state residency?

 

[mednerd2000]

As for MPH, read Fee Assistance Programs for Applications - SDN for waivers you could qualify for as active AmeriCorps. This includes MPH/SOPHAS. So why MD/MPH now? What would you want to study in public health? Why not do that first until you solidify state residency?

Main reason at this point for not doing an MPH before applying is because I don’t want to take more gap years if I don’t need to in terms of building an application. If I do need to continue building, I’m open to it though.

I also really don’t want to retake the MCAT after waiting extra years. I have a solid score right now and would hate to score lower the second time. I also realize that I may change my mind about a dual degree once I start med school. Just would like the option available just in case. From my understanding, this is something I’d apply for in year 2/3 depending on the program. I’d want to do a MPH with concentrations in community health or health policy.

Thank you for the link!! I didn’t realize we’d get fee waivers for being in AmeriCorps, that’s awesome.

 

[mednerd2000]

A very large number of hours from Americorps likely counts as non clinical volunteering, though you need to help break that down. If you have a two year commitment with them, I'm expecting at least 1800 hours to split if you worked full time.

Yes! I should have about 1800 by application and at least 3000 by matriculation. My AmeriCorps experience is split into a clinical role and a community role which I do pretty 50/50 throughout the year.

The non-clinical parts of it probably will be about ~900 hrs by application. This includes about 300 hrs of pt transport, 400 hours of outreach, and 200 of case management. I don’t want to get too specific about what each of those entail for privacy reasons.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Great! I think things will work themselves out. You don't need to confirm anything that I am suggesting in case you are already doing it or it will be happening anyway.

I'm guessing if you are going to NC for AmeriCorps, working in rural communities will really boost your case especially for ECU if you work in the Coastal/Tidewater areas. ECU set up a lot of clinics to serve that region.

I would use the AmeriCorps alumni network to make suggestions about med schools to consider as well.

 

[mednerd2000]

I appreciate your insight!!

 

[chilly_md]

You can try out Vanderbilt and Yale. I don’t see it as a donation.

I suggest adding the following:

Boston
USF
Miami
NYU
Keck
Tufts
Northwestern
Einstein
Case
Ohio State
Cincinnati
Hofstra
Saint Louis
Jefferson
Iowa

 

[6'0 OGFLYERCI]

I think your mcat will be good this cycle and the next cycle.

 

[mednerd2000]

I think your mcat will be good this cycle and the next cycle.

Would it?? I've been under the assumption that it's three years by matriculation year for whatever reason, so 2024 cycle. I guess I'll have to look at MSAR for specific schools, appreciate you pointing that out!

 

[mednerd2000]

You can try out Vanderbilt and Yale. I don’t see it as a donation.

I suggest adding the following:

Boston
USF
Miami
NYU
Keck
Tufts
Northwestern
Einstein
Case
Ohio State
Cincinnati
Hofstra
Saint Louis
Jefferson
Iowa

was avoiding all OOS public school but can see the ones on this list are pretty OOS friendly! Thank you for the suggestions

 

[6'0 OGFLYERCI]

No it's 3 years from applying! Or else I'm in the same boat as you 😅😅

 

[mike-sheree]

I know an MPH is kinda like a “reflex” extra degree a number of prospective physicians consider picking up. If you are going to be in a “hospital intensive “ practice my decades of experience sure suggest that a MHA would be REALLY useful if you are already ok with a masters program. Makes it much easier to play ball with admin overlords and even opens up such things as “chief medical officer “, etc. it you have an admin/people bent. There is also money to be made on the “dark side”.