School list HELP+gap year idea

[erikakim0311]

Hi guys. I made an old school list, but a lot has happened and one semester my gpa drastically dropped but now back on track for the last two semesters.

MCAT: 522
GPA: 3.63

State: TN
Race: Asian

Major: Biochemistry

Experiences:

1. President/started anime club organization (2 year)
2. Volunteer at children’s cancer research hospital (1 year)
3. Volunteer at hospice (office work)
4. Research in organic synthesis (150 hours)
5. President of chemistry club (2 semesters)
6. KPCA Secretary (1 year)
7. HSO committee (2 years)- I was very club active back then
8. Tutoring on campus (3 semesters)
9. Research in biology education research (2 semesters)- won first at research forum with poster presentation
10. Possibly summer internship (awaiting for results)
11. Pharmacy technician (2 years, was pre pharm but helped me transition to pre med)
12. Medical scribe (1.5 years)
13. Shadowing- cath lab, ER, and neurosurgeon
14. Beer internship (two semesters- essentially did a lot of beer brewing and was able to experience how it works in the lab)
15. Teaching assistant for two classes


I’m taking a gap year so I can save money ahead. I also know I need to improve my non clinical hours as I do not have one. Will likely need to discontinue or remove an activity here.

Also, I was thinking do a DIY post bacc or masters if needed. However, I’m not sure whether gpa is okay or not. My advisor said it is okay but will be hard. I read some people’s stories on Reddit and they were about to get accepted to decent schools. Anyways, please let me know. Here are my school lists

Only MDs. I haven’t looked into DO schools

School list
1. UC Davis
2. Northwestern
3. Tulane
4. Georgetown
5. Emory
6. UTHSC
7. Thomas Jefferson
8. University of Rochester (dream)
9. Dartmouth
10. USC
11. UNC
12. UVA

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[Mr.Smile12]

Previous advice

Med school list

delete

forums.studentdoctor.net

You didn't answer my question then about community service, and I see you are soliciting ideas on that now.

Your GPA of 3.63 is still high enough that you are not required to do a master's program to get into medical school (which would cost you money if you need to save before applying).

Having zero hours of experience with community service (outside of tutoring or teaching) right now makes your list untenable. UC Davis usually picks people from within their region (and you need to show service to communities represented in that area to have a chance). You don't list any of your Tennessee schools where you have a geographic fit.

Also, be fair to us: if you graduate, you cannot do anything "on campus" so you will probably have time dedicated to working in food distribution, shelter volunteering, job/tax preparation, transportation services, housing rehabilitation or similar social work. What items on your activities list will you continue to do... just the scribing, hospice, and children's hospital volunteer, right? I would drop the hospital volunteering because you're already working as a scribe in a clinical setting there. Replace it with more hospice hours and try to meet the residents and their families more. In addition, do something like Habitat for Humanity or LGBTQ+ resource volunteer.

 

[chilly_md]

What are your actual hours for these and what is the year-by-year trends for your GPA since you said you said you had a poor semester mixed in.

 

[AJS59]

I agree that a SMP/post-bacc is not strictly necessary but it would also be nice to see what your sGPA is.

As Mr. Smile said, your app will be dead on arrival for many schools without non-clinical service, you need it. I applied without a lot and though I got lucky I can't recommend this to anyone else. I'd suggest following Mr. Smile's recommended activities and working on them in your gap year. Are you applying this cycle or next?

As for your list: Unless you have NC ties UNC probably isn't going to be a good idea. You should, at a minimum, add Belmont and Vanderbilt, and possibly ETSU (I know they have some weird things about residency so you may need to check in on that). Otherwise, I'd recommend broadening your list a little bit to at least 15, but better if 20, total schools.

 

[erikakim0311]

Previous advice

Med school list

delete

forums.studentdoctor.net

You didn't answer my question then about community service, and I see you are soliciting ideas on that now.

Your GPA of 3.63 is still high enough that you are not required to do a master's program to get into medical school (which would cost you money if you need to save before applying).

Having zero hours of experience with community service (outside of tutoring or teaching) right now makes your list untenable. UC Davis usually picks people from within their region (and you need to show service to communities represented in that area to have a chance). You don't list any of your Tennessee schools where you have a geographic fit.

Also, be fair to us: if you graduate, you cannot do anything "on campus" so you will probably have time dedicated to working in food distribution, shelter volunteering, job/tax preparation, transportation services, housing rehabilitation or similar social work. What items on your activities list will you continue to do... just the scribing, hospice, and children's hospital volunteer, right? I would drop the hospital volunteering because you're already working as a scribe in a clinical setting there. Replace it with more hospice hours and try to meet the residents and their families more. In addition, do something like Habitat for Humanity or LGBTQ+ resource volunteer.

Hey! Sorry I ignored your question. It was a while ago, and I forgot this exist until reddit came by. I put UTHSC cause it is a guaranteed interview that my undergrad university and they do if we meet requirements. However, I went to tour other TN schools and looked up, and there was nothing interesting that clicked to me. I want to continue children's hospital though because I have a great time there. I mainly do it for fun now because I enjoy giving toys out to kids. I could look into LGBTQ, but I am planning on attending orientation for helping with immigrants from the city I live in

 

[erikakim0311]

I agree that a SMP/post-bacc is not strictly necessary but it would also be nice to see what your sGPA is.

As Mr. Smile said, your app will be dead on arrival for many schools without non-clinical service, you need it. I applied without a lot and though I got lucky I can't recommend this to anyone else. I'd suggest following Mr. Smile's recommended activities and working on them in your gap year. Are you applying this cycle or next?

As for your list: Unless you have NC ties UNC probably isn't going to be a good idea. You should, at a minimum, add Belmont and Vanderbilt, and possibly ETSU (I know they have some weird things about residency so you may need to check in on that). Otherwise, I'd recommend broadening your list a little bit to at least 15, but better if 20, total schools.

Science GPA will be around 3.58-3.6 as well

 

[erikakim0311]

What are your actual hours for these and what is the year-by-year trends for your GPA since you said you said you had a poor semester mixed in.

Scribing is definitely more than 1000. It was between spring 2022 and Fall 2022 where I messed up. I had withdrawals and made about three Cs. Otherwise, my last year has been majority As with one B+.

 

[erikakim0311]

I agree that a SMP/post-bacc is not strictly necessary but it would also be nice to see what your sGPA is.

As Mr. Smile said, your app will be dead on arrival for many schools without non-clinical service, you need it. I applied without a lot and though I got lucky I can't recommend this to anyone else. I'd suggest following Mr. Smile's recommended activities and working on them in your gap year. Are you applying this cycle or next?

As for your list: Unless you have NC ties UNC probably isn't going to be a good idea. You should, at a minimum, add Belmont and Vanderbilt, and possibly ETSU (I know they have some weird things about residency so you may need to check in on that). Otherwise, I'd recommend broadening your list a little bit to at least 15, but better if 20, total schools.

Next cycle!

 

[chilly_md]

Scribing is definitely more than 1000. It was between spring 2022 and Fall 2022 where I messed up. I had withdrawals and made about three Cs. Otherwise, my last year has been majority As with one B+.

Hours for all the activities and the actual GPA and sGPA. Knowing a few grades is not very clear.