Seeking Advice: How could I strengthen my med school application

[Gonzalo Ramiez Pulido]

Hello everyone,

I'm gearing up to start my second year at a community college this fall, majoring in Biology with a current GPA of 3.85. I have plans to transfer to the University of Texas MD Anderson School of Undergraduate Sciences for my third year. I chose this school because I'm drawn to its reputation as a leading institution for cancer research. This summer, I've enrolled for 14 credit hours.

For my MCAT. All my pre-req classes should be done by the end of Spring 2024. So, I have also planned a rigorous study schedule for my MCAT - 8 hours a day throughout summer 2024. I aim to take the test first thing in August.

Reflecting on my first year, I have accomplished the following:

• 300 hours of clinical volunteering in a hospital
• 350 hours of shadowing a CV CT surgeon, gaining exposure to many surgeries and rounding with the surgeon every morning with his patients in the CVICU. This surgeon has become something of a mentor to me.
• Presented a research poster at my community college

This exposure has also allowed me to connect with a wide field of physicians in the hospital, many of whom work in academic centers and are part of admissions committees.

Now, I'm at a crossroads. Despite these accomplishments, I can't shake off the feeling that I'm not doing enough to stand out. I'm eager and motivated to do more but I'm unsure about the best course of action. What should I pursue next to make my application more competitive? Are there specific activities or experiences that med school admissions committees look favorably upon? What are some common missteps that I should avoid?

My ultimate goal is to apply to a top medical school for fall 2026. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to your insights!

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[chilly_md]

You can continue to meet with the surgeon if they are a mentor for you, but shadowing 1 person or speciality for 350 hours is excessive. It still is even for multiple specialities. You can spend a few days shadowing a primary care physician in a traditional out-patient setting, and then stop any kind of shadowing. Your time would be better spent doing non-clinical volunteering such as at a homeless shelter, food bank, working with refugees, Big Brother Big Sister etc.

One option is that you don’t have to list the full hours either on your application.

Now, I'm at a crossroads. Despite these accomplishments, I can't shake off the feeling that I'm not doing enough to stand out.

Don’t try to stand out. More often then not, the applicants either end up with worse academics by biting off more than they could chew or end up standing out in the wrong way thinking they need to be different from everyone else.

If you are bilingual in Spanish, that is always a valued skill.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

I like the MD Anderson School of Health Professions. But I must be completely honest. The lack of rigor and abbreviated science courses in their undergraduate degree programs will not prepare you well for the MCAT, and the MD Anderson name alone will not likely garner you any brownie points from your goal of top medical schools.

Yes the undergraduate program at MD Anderson has its pro (cheap, cheap, cheap tuition), and I would highly recommend it for non-traditional applicants who are years out of an undergraduate degree and need to shore up some basic sciences knowledge. But for a traditional student who wants to get into a top medschool, your URM status will not help you if your MCAT is not competitive, and the lack of rigor of the MD Anderson undergraduate program will not help you stand out amongst others.

I would recommend you transfer to a 4 year university (Univ of Houston, main campus) since you appear to be in Houston instead where the higher level sciences courses will better prepare you for the MCAT and will not garner possible questions for its lack of rigorousness from top medschool adcoms.

 

[Gonzalo Ramiez Pulido]

You can continue to meet with the surgeon if they are a mentor for you, but shadowing 1 person or speciality for 350 hours is excessive. It still is even for multiple specialities. You can spend a few days shadowing a primary care physician in a traditional out-patient setting, and then stop any kind of shadowing. Your time would be better spent doing non-clinical volunteering such as at a homeless shelter, food bank, working with refugees, Big Brother Big Sister etc.

One option is that you don’t have to list the full hours either on your application.

Don’t try to stand out. More often then not, the applicants either end up with worse academics by biting off more than they could chew or end up standing out in the wrong way thinking they need to be different from everyone else.

If you are bilingual in Spanish, that is always a valued skill.

I was born and raised in Mexico, been living here for about five years. I have so many shadowing hours because I prioritized it this first year, though I still had a high GPA. I shadowed the doctor Thursdays and Fridays from 5:00 am-8:00 pm.

I still feel like I need to do more and more of something else, but I do not know what...

 

[Gonzalo Ramiez Pulido]

I like the MD Anderson School of Health Professions. But I must be completely honest. The lack of rigor and abbreviated science courses in their undergraduate degree programs will not prepare you well for the MCAT, and the MD Anderson name alone will not likely garner you any brownie points from your goal of top medical schools.

Yes the undergraduate program at MD Anderson has its pro (cheap, cheap, cheap tuition), and I would highly recommend it for non-traditional applicants who are years out of an undergraduate degree and need to shore up some basic sciences knowledge. But for a traditional student who wants to get into a top medschool, your URM status will not help you if your MCAT is not competitive, and the lack of rigor of the MD Anderson undergraduate program will not help you stand out amongst others.

I would recommend you transfer to a 4 year university (Univ of Houston, main campus) since you appear to be in Houston instead where the higher level sciences courses will better prepare you for the MCAT and will not garner possible questions for its lack of rigorousness from top medschool adcoms.

Thanks for your reply!!

I am in a community college and plan to stay here until I finish all the pre-requisite courses (bio, biochem, chem, ochem, phys). Once I am done with these courses, then I will transfer to MD Anderson. The main reason why MD Anderson is because I believe that the number of connections and opportunities at those places is never-ending. Also because they have substantial amounts of research opportunities.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

You can continue to get connections and research opportunities while at a main 4 year university like U of Houston main campus. You will not be able to get a rigorous upper level science curriculum at MD Anderson's undergrad degree program.

DON'T be enamored by the MD Anderson name. Getting a health professions degree there will not open top medical school doors for you in your application. The undergrad degree programs there are NOT rigorous enough, are abbreviated, and will NOT prepare you for the rigors of medical school.

I repeat, transfer to U of Houston instead.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Hello everyone,

I'm gearing up to start my second year at a community college this fall, majoring in Biology with a current GPA of 3.85. I have plans to transfer to the University of Texas MD Anderson School of Undergraduate Sciences for my third year. I chose this school because I'm drawn to its reputation as a leading institution for cancer research. This summer, I've enrolled for 14 credit hours.

For my MCAT. All my pre-req classes should be done by the end of Spring 2024. So, I have also planned a rigorous study schedule for my MCAT - 8 hours a day throughout summer 2024. I aim to take the test first thing in August.

Reflecting on my first year, I have accomplished the following:

• 300 hours of clinical volunteering in a hospital
• 350 hours of shadowing a CV CT surgeon, gaining exposure to many surgeries and rounding with the surgeon every morning with his patients in the CVICU. This surgeon has become something of a mentor to me.
• Presented a research poster at my community college

This exposure has also allowed me to connect with a wide field of physicians in the hospital, many of whom work in academic centers and are part of admissions committees.

Now, I'm at a crossroads. Despite these accomplishments, I can't shake off the feeling that I'm not doing enough to stand out. I'm eager and motivated to do more but I'm unsure about the best course of action. What should I pursue next to make my application more competitive? Are there specific activities or experiences that med school admissions committees look favorably upon? What are some common missteps that I should avoid?

My ultimate goal is to apply to a top medical school for fall 2026. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to your insights!

You need to commit to a community service activity.

Regarding the shadowing, would it be possible for you to scribe for this doctor? That way you can continue to be mentored by him. Getting primary care shadowing would also be helpful.

Finally, I can't tell you how many med students and med admissions committee members have said that the applicant who has a commitment, hobby, passion beyond pre-med checking boxes and doing the things you need to do as a pre-med is the one who is memorable (and happier.) The something else might have been butterfly watching. For another it was bar tending. For some it's a political or religious commitment. Or sports. Or the arts.

It should be something you love doing.

 

[pazzer2]

The MD Anderson program appears to be geared towards students who want to work in affiliated health professions (cytotech, imaging, lab science, radiation therapy, etc). The science coursework in these types of programs will, in general, be less rigorous than at a traditional 4 year university. You'll probably have to study extra material to do well on the MCAT.

If being in the TMC is important to you, then why not consider transferring to Rice? UHouston is also a great option thats nearby.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

One more issue to consider if your goal is a top medical school. You currently attend a community college and have a 3.85 GPA. I applaud you for having the 3.85. However, it may not be fair but there is a stigma associated with community colleges and pre-meds attending a community college are expected to have a 4.0. Therefore, you are at a disadvantage with your 3.85 currently.

It will not benefit you to transfer to MD Anderson's SHP and get a degree there due to the abbreviated and less rigorous curriculum. You will need to augment your GPA by transferring to a 4 year university (Univ of Houston, Rice Univ, Baptist Univ, University of St. Thomas) where you will receive rigorous upper level science courses that will help you tremendously in your MCAT studies as well as better prepare you for the rigors of medschool and quiet down any lingering questions adcoms might have regarding whether you can handle the medschool curriculum.

 

[gyngyn]

You currently attend a community college and have a 3.85 GPA. I applaud you for having the 3.85. However, it may not be fair but there is a stigma associated with community colleges and pre-meds attending a community college are expected to have a 4.0.

We love community college grads in Califas!

 

[SpoiledMilk]

Respectfully gyngyn I'm not bashing those who went to CC. I, myself, attended a CC and transferred to a 4 year Univ. I also went to the MD Anderson SHP as a non traditional. So my advice to OP is based on my experiences.

 

[gyngyn]

Respectfully gyngyn I'm not bashing those who went to CC. I, myself, attended a CC and transferred to a 4 year Univ. I also went to the MD Anderson SHP as a non traditional. So my advice to OP is based on my experiences.

I'm hoping he applies here!

 

[LindaAccepted]

I'm hoping he applies here!

I've asked several med school admissions directors in podcast interviews if they view community college transcripts differently than transcripts from a 4-year program. Lately, all have said "no."

 

[eigen]

One more issue to consider if your goal is a top medical school. You currently attend a community college and have a 3.85 GPA. I applaud you for having the 3.85. However, it may not be fair but there is a stigma associated with community colleges and pre-meds attending a community college are expected to have a 4.0. Therefore, you are at a disadvantage with your 3.85 currently.

I'll also disagree with this. Your experience at MD Anderson is useful, but I've worked with plenty of transfer students and have never had any of them experience issues with stigma.

And a 3.85 is fine, it doesn't matter if it's at a community college or not.

To the OP, I'd second the suggestion to work on the community service / service orientation part of your package. I don't usually recommend more than about 50 shadowing hours, and I'd suspect 350 would look a bit out of place.

For service, think about causes that matter to you to get involved in. Having multiple years working on related projects shows consistency and helps you create a narrative arc, and is also often more authentic then the "sudden 300 hours of service the semester before you applied" type of situation.