School List Help - 525 MCAT, 3.98cGPA, 4.0sGPA BUT no shadowing and few clinical hours

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I'd appreciate help in crafting a school list for AMCAS. I have high stats but a possible red flag in that I have no shadowing hours and relatively few clinical hours (<100).

1. State of residence, status
   
   • Texas
2. Ties to other states/regions
   • None
3. Cumulative/Science GPA
   • 3.98 cumulative
   • 4.0 science
4. MCAT Score
   • 525 (130/132/131/132)
5. Research Experience
   • 360 hours running fMRI and behavioral studies, no publications/posters/presentations
   • 250 hours in a prior lab running analytical chemistry and electrochemistry studies, no publications/posters/presentations
6. Clinical Experience
   • 96 hours volunteering in the ER
7. Physician Shadowing
   • None. I know, it looks really bad.
8. Non-Clinical Volunteering
   • 230 hours in various teaching/tutoring roles, half of them working with students in underserved communities.
   • 72 hours in the hospital pharmacy. I had patient interaction but wouldn't consider it clinical experience.
   • 48 hours filing tax returns for low-income individuals and families.
9. Other Activities/Notes:
   • ~360 hours as an undergraduate TA, ~340 hours interning at a pharmaceutical company, ~400 hours as a day camp teacher
   • ~900 hours as a dancer with extensive leadership experience
   • ~1600 hours planned major athletic and healthcare-related activity. Extensive leadership roles involved as well.

I applied to all schools (with the exception of DO) in TMDSAS. For AMCAS, I'm applying to Baylor because it's IS, but that's where my list ends. I don't know if I should consider T20 because of my lack of shadowing experience (and applying very late in the cycle), or if I should try anyway. I'd appreciate any and all help in building me a school list!

 

[Faha]

You could try some of the schools that like very high stats or interview a high percentage of their applicants such as:
Washington University
Vanderbilt
Case Western
Pittsburgh
NYU

 

[liminalgrey]

You could try some of the schools that like very high stats or interview a high percentage of their applicants such as:
Washington University
Vanderbilt
Case Western
Pittsburgh
NYU

Thank you Faha! Since my TMDSAS list contains my match and "safety" schools, should I keep my AMCAS list high-tier, or should I add any mid-tiers?

 

[Faha]

Thank you Faha! Since my TMDSAS list contains my match and "safety" schools, should I keep my AMCAS list high-tier, or should I add any mid-tiers?

Just aim for high tier schools since mid tier schools are unlikely to interview you since they know from years of experience that Texas applicants will attend a Texas school.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

The lack of clinical exposure dings you; it's not lethal but is a significant handicap. If you could shadow a doctor for as little as 8 hours you'd check the box and be better off.

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

The lack of clinical exposure dings you; it's not lethal but is a significant handicap. If you could shadow a doctor for as little as 8 hours you'd check the box and be better off.

So, is this true....super high stat people can get by with "box checking" such as 8 hours shadowing, but applicants with mid-range stats have to show more continuous, dedicated, long-term commitment (e.g., at least hundreds of hours clinical and 50+ hours shadowing) to be competitive ?

 

[Student189045]

So, is this true....super high stat people can get by with "box checking" such as 8 hours shadowing, but applicants with mid-range stats have to show more continuous, dedicated, long-term commitment (e.g., at least hundreds of hours clinical and 50+ hours shadowing) to be competitive ?

Not necessarily. I had a 4.0/527 with all my bases covered (1200 research, 400 clinical volunteer, 100 nonclinical, 100 shadowing, etc) and was rejected without an interview from 5/6 top programs I applied to, and was rejected without an interview from 2/3 prestigious but not T20 schools I applied to.

Even though these were very competitive programs, I would have expected to at least get an interview with my stats but they just don't cut it anymore.

 

[mvsrocks]

Not necessarily. I had a 4.0/527 with all my bases covered (1200 research, 400 clinical volunteer, 100 nonclinical, 100 shadowing, etc) and was rejected without an interview from 5/6 top programs I applied to, and was rejected without an interview from 2/3 prestigious but not T20 schools I applied to.

Even though these were very competitive programs, I would have expected to at least get an interview with my stats but they just don't cut it anymore.

Why don't you think you were as successful as you should have been?

 

[bpinyourarea]

Not necessarily. I had a 4.0/527 with all my bases covered (1200 research, 400 clinical volunteer, 100 nonclinical, 100 shadowing, etc) and was rejected without an interview from 5/6 top programs I applied to, and was rejected without an interview from 2/3 prestigious but not T20 schools I applied to.

Even though these were very competitive programs, I would have expected to at least get an interview with my stats but they just don't cut it anymore.

Still got accepted into Columbia tho? 😉

 

[Student189045]

Why don't you think you were as successful as you should have been?

I don’t know if I should have had any more success as my EC’s just don’t cut it for the top. I was also a straight through applicant which doesn’t help.

I did get accepted to the 1 top school that interviewed me which is all I needed.

 

[KeViN2502]

I don’t know if I should have had any more success as my EC’s just don’t cut it for the top. I was also a straight through applicant which doesn’t help.

I did get accepted to the 1 top school that interviewed me which is all I needed.

Did you apply to T20?

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

So, is this true....super high stat people can get by with "box checking" such as 8 hours shadowing, but applicants with mid-range stats have to show more continuous, dedicated, long-term commitment (e.g., at least hundreds of hours clinical and 50+ hours shadowing) to be competitive ?

Pretty much, if by 'get by' you mean 'have a good shot at a medical school and a weak but decent shot at a top-20 school'.

There are diminishing returns from things; high stats improve your application as do more commitment. Box checking means you won't get your app thrown in the trash. Average stats/hours get mediocre results. Extraordinary things are viewed favorably. @Student189045 didn't get a ton of top-20 love from box checking, but they got enough, and wound up at a top program.

 

[MyOdyssey]

I don’t know if I should have had any more success as my EC’s just don’t cut it for the top. I was also a straight through applicant which doesn’t help.

I did get accepted to the 1 top school that interviewed me which is all I needed.

Did you apply to medical school as a TX resident?

Did you apply to high stat driven schools like Wash U, Vanderbilt and NYU?

 

[Student189045]

Did you apply to medical school as a TX resident?

Did you apply to high stat driven schools like Wash U, Vanderbilt and NYU?

I’m not from Texas and I applied to Penn and NYU which typically like high stats and did not receive an interview

Had I applied to all the stat loving schools I’m sure at least one would have interviewed me, but I didn’t because of location preferences.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

Had I applied to all the stat loving schools I’m sure at least one would have interviewed me, but I didn’t because of location preferences.

Yeah. This person managed to get interviews at top schools despite strong location preferences; with more shots on goal, more might have gone in.

 

[Goro]

I'd appreciate help in crafting a school list for AMCAS. I have high stats but a possible red flag in that I have no shadowing hours and relatively few clinical hours (<100).

1. State of residence, status
   
   • Texas
2. Ties to other states/regions
   • None
3. Cumulative/Science GPA
   • 3.98 cumulative
   • 4.0 science
4. MCAT Score
   • 525 (130/132/131/132)
5. Research Experience
   • 360 hours running fMRI and behavioral studies, no publications/posters/presentations
   • 250 hours in a prior lab running analytical chemistry and electrochemistry studies, no publications/posters/presentations
6. Clinical Experience
   • 96 hours volunteering in the ER
7. Physician Shadowing
   • None. I know, it looks really bad.
8. Non-Clinical Volunteering
   • 230 hours in various teaching/tutoring roles, half of them working with students in underserved communities.
   • 72 hours in the hospital pharmacy. I had patient interaction but wouldn't consider it clinical experience.
   • 48 hours filing tax returns for low-income individuals and families.
9. Other Activities/Notes:
   • ~360 hours as an undergraduate TA, ~340 hours interning at a pharmaceutical company, ~400 hours as a day camp teacher
   • ~900 hours as a dancer with extensive leadership experience
   • ~1600 hours planned major athletic and healthcare-related activity. Extensive leadership roles involved as well.

I applied to all schools (with the exception of DO) in TMDSAS. For AMCAS, I'm applying to Baylor because it's IS, but that's where my list ends. I don't know if I should consider T20 because of my lack of shadowing experience (and applying very late in the cycle), or if I should try anyway. I'd appreciate any and all help in building me a school list!

Low hours of clinical experience may be lethal. Lack of shadowing is.

Your stats are owed aiming high, and for this, I suggest a gap year. Get > 200 hrs of clinical exposure and more non-clinical volunteering. Plus the shadowing.

Planned stuff means nothing until it's done.

 

[MyOdyssey]

Low hours of clinical experience may be lethal. Lack of shadowing is.

Your stats are owed aiming high, and for this, I suggest a gap year. Get > 200 hrs of clinical exposure and more non-clinical volunteering. Plus the shadowing.

Planned stuff means nothing until it's done.

To avoid being dead on arrival at the top schools, how many shadowing hours are needed?

 

[Goro]

To avoid being dead on arrival at the top schools, how many shadowing hours are needed?

50ish

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

OP has enough nonclinical volunteering to at least check the box at top schools. It's the lack of shadowing and the barely-adequate-on-a-good-day clinical volunteering that kills 'em. While clinical volunteering is hard to get in this environment, OP might consider something like a crisis text line. Would second Goro's advice to take a gap year. If they're lucky, yes, the OP might get an acceptance...but they're really shooting themselves in the foot applying like this.