Serious Reapplicant Considerations

[MedArtist]

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Hello everyone, I am in a similar boat as most on this board and am looking at a possible reapplication. Here are my stats and what went down:

Stats:
Washington resident.
Graduated from University of Washington with Physiology BS and Chem minor 2013
CUM GPA: 3.5 (3.6 through AMCAS calculations)
Science GPA: 3.3
MCAT 2nd attempt: 12 PS, 11 BS, 9 V 2015
MCAT 1st attempt: 7 PS, 10 BS, 10 V 2012

EC:
Undergraduate HIV lab ~300 hours
Biology Department Honor Council VP ~130 hours
Americorps NCCC (service in under-served communities) ~1822 hours
Congressional Award, Presidential Volunteer Service Award
UWMC volunteer ~ 80 hours
Legacy hospital volunteer - 126 hours
Shadowing: ENT, Plastic surgeons, IR, ER, DO, pathology ~50 hours
Local free clinic volunteer (current) - 9 hrs / month (30 total thus far)
ER scribe (current job) ~30 hours / week (~1500 total thus far)
ENT scribe (current job) ~8 hours / week (~100 total thus far)

LORs:
Americorps NCCC Team Leader who worked and lived with me for 6 months
Microbiology professor and HIV lab PI
Biology professor and head of Biology department
ER Doctor who I scribe with

Submitted all of my secondaries by late July, early August.

II:
UW - SUC'd
COMP NW - Alternate

Silence:
Drexel
Kimmel
Netter
RFMS
Loyola

Pre-II Rejected:
Hofstra
Tulane
Tufts

Other:
OHSU - sent primary, never completed secondary, waste of money
AZCOM - sent primary, chose not to apply

I understand I am weak on the research, grades, and MCAT side. My question is should I apply directly into this coming year for mostly DO, or take a year off and improve somehow? I was considering finding a research job associated with a university for another year (I live in Portland, OR), but I am 3 years out of graduation and have not worked on those skills for a while. I would rather go the MD route because I would like to match into a specialty and know that it would be more difficult as a DO. Other than that I have no qualms about DO.

My other problem is I took the old MCAT in January 2015. I know most places will still accept it for 2016-17, but I am worried about 2017-18. I would rather not have to retake the new MCAT.

I greatly appreciate your guys advice, thanks!

 

[Faha]

You are competitive for any DO school and indeed you may still be accepted from COMP-NW this year. If you are not accepted this year apply in June to at least 10 DO schools and complete all your secondaries by July. You applied to too few MD schools. There will be a 2nd WA state school opening for 2017 so apply to both your state schools and consider adding these:
Quinnipiac
Albany
New York Medical College
Vermont
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
GW
Rosalind Franklin
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Loyola
St Louis
Creighton
Tulane
California Northstate
any private schools that open in 2017 (Roseman, Henricopolis, Seton Hall)

 

[Dr.Smexy]

With that science GPA, I'm going to say you won't be given a chance at any MD schools. You'll likely get into a DO school with a broad application...some schools might take a chance with your app.

 

[MedArtist]

You are competitive for any DO school and indeed you may still be accepted from COMP-NW this year. If you are not accepted this year apply in June to at least 10 DO schools and complete all your secondaries by July. You applied to too few MD schools. There will be a 2nd WA state school opening for 2017 so apply to both your state schools and consider adding these:
Quinnipiac
Albany
New York Medical College
Vermont
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
GW
Rosalind Franklin
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Loyola
St Louis
Creighton
Tulane
California Northstate
any private schools that open in 2017 (Roseman, Henricopolis, Seton Hall)

Yes, but if I apply directly into this coming year without much change to my application, is there any point to reapplying to the same MD schools? The only difference will be increased hours with my ER scribe job, and some hours at my ENT scribe job.

 

[Faha]

Yes, but if I apply directly into this coming year without much change to my application, is there any point to reapplying to the same MD schools? The only difference will be increased hours with my ER scribe job, and some hours at my ENT scribe job.

With a 2nd MD school opening in WA there will be more positions available for WA applicants. You do not need anything additional to be competitive for DO schools.

 

[MedArtist]

With a 2nd MD school opening in WA there will be more positions available for WA applicants. You do not need anything additional to be competitive for DO schools.

From what I can tell that isn't for certain yet. If WSU doesn't open this coming cycle, should I wait?

Thank you for your advice!

 

[GrapesofRath]

From what I can tell that isn't for certain yet. If WSU doesn't open this coming cycle, should I wait?

Thank you for your advice!

It wouldnt hurt to wait and boost your sGPA. The real wildcard will be whether Washington State if they dont open until 2018 will accept an old MCAT for the 2017-18 cycle. Some schools have reported they will, some wont. New schools first classes tend to have lower stats so that will likely be where your odds are best if you apply when they are open.

You could also consider an SMP; much bigger risk but much bigger potential reward. If you do well in an SMP you suddenly go from a low end/borderline MD candidate to a strong one with a fair shot at being able to choose from multiple MD offers.

I wouldnt bother reapplying to the same MD schools but fortunately for you there are many other ones you could consider you might have a shot at. I do think it is a good idea to try and do some form of repair for the sGPA before applying again if MD is your end goal; be it an SMP or boosting your sGPA via some informal post-bacc courses.

You are fine for DO schools already. By chance if you would turn down a DO school acceptance to do an SMP or boost your MD credentials and try MD again(which as much as Im aware of DO biases I dont particularly recommend in this instance) the time to remove your DO application is now before you get an acceptance. Because reapplying after turning down an acceptance will be rather problematic.

 

[MedArtist]

It wouldnt hurt to wait and boost your sGPA. The real wildcard will be whether Washington State if they dont open until 2018 will accept an old MCAT for the 2017-18 cycle. Some schools have reported they will, some wont. New schools first classes tend to have lower stats so that will likely be where your odds are best if you apply when they are open.

You could also consider an SMP; much bigger risk but much bigger potential reward. If you do well in an SMP you suddenly go from a low end/borderline MD candidate to a strong one with a fair shot at being able to choose from multiple MD offers.

I wouldnt bother reapplying to the same MD schools but fortunately for you there are many other ones you could consider you might have a shot at. I do think it is a good idea to try and do some form of repair for the sGPA before applying again if MD is your end goal; be it an SMP or boosting your sGPA via some informal post-bacc courses.

You are fine for DO schools already. By chance if you would turn down a DO school acceptance to do an SMP or boost your MD credentials and try MD again(which as much as Im aware of DO biases I dont particularly recommend in this instance) the time to remove your DO application is now before you get an acceptance. Because reapplying after turning down an acceptance will be rather problematic.

Considering I would have to take out loans for a SMP and work at the same time, I'm not sure I'd gamble. I'm more than comfortable going DO, but I just worry about future struggles for matching into a specialty.

It sounds like I should really gun for DO this coming round. Do you have a DO school list to recommend for my stats?

Many thanks!

 

[GrapesofRath]

Considering I would have to take out loans for a SMP and work at the same time, I'm not sure I'd gamble. I'm more than comfortable going DO, but I just worry about future struggles for matching into a specialty.

It sounds like I should really gun for DO this coming round. Do you have a DO school list to recommend for my stats?

Many thanks!

There are others who can help you more with a specific DO list. Youll be fine for most of them. Pick a dozen (try and avoid the ones that get the most apps) and you should be ok.

I would tell you an alternative might be to do a DIY post-bacc to raise your sGPA(your GPAs arent terrible). That might be enough to get you into Washington State if they open in 2018. But that would mean a) waiting another year to apply b) you have a "meh" MCAT history when it comes to MD schools(schools that average will have you at a 29-30) c) you dont know if Washington State will accept the old MCAT if they open for 2018. Im not sure if it's worth it given all that I've said, although it's your call and I dont think its a bad plan per se.

What I can say is if you apply next year there are a number of MD schools you wont be a reapplicant for that you might have stats within the range that could be competitive for. Give them a shot, and if you throw in some DO programs, youll be fine.

 

[MedArtist]

There are others who can help you more with a specific DO list. Youll be fine for most of them. Pick a dozen (try and avoid the ones that get the most apps) and you should be ok.

I would tell you an alternative might be to do a DIY post-bacc to raise your sGPA(your GPAs arent terrible). That might be enough to get you into Washington State if they open in 2018. But that would mean a) waiting another year to apply b) you have a "meh" MCAT history when it comes to MD schools(schools that average will have you at a 29-30) c) you dont know if Washington State will accept the old MCAT if they open for 2018. Im not sure if it's worth it given all that I've said, although it's your call and I dont think its a bad plan per se.

What I can say is if you apply next year there are a number of MD schools you wont be a reapplicant for that you might have stats within the range that could be competitive for. Give them a shot, and if you throw in some DO programs, youll be fine.

Wonderful advise, thank you so much 🙂