Medical Should I apply for MD outside my BS/MD program?

[Mr.Smile12]

Hello! I hope you are doing well!

I am currently a senior in a BS/MD program. When I first took my MCAT at the end of my junior year, I panicked and didn't do well and got a 503 (126/127/126/124). I retook the MCAT this past January and got a 511 (130/126/129/126). I am able to continue in the BS/MD program after I take a gap year with these scores. However, I was considering and wanted to gain people's opinions on whether I should apply to a few reach schools (I would currently be attending UCCOM) during this cycle. I know that my MCAT scores are INCREDIBLY low, but I have worked for the last four years and believe I have a well-rounded application. I currently have 3.9 overall GPA and a 3.87 BCPM. I have been involved in 4 years of research, presented at multiple poster sessions, and am mid-author on two papers. I have dedicated 350+ hours in medical volunteering with underprivileged populations and 100+ hours in non-medical volunteering/tutoring inner-city kids. I have around 200 hours of shadowing. Finally, I have dedicated a huge portion of my college life to an organization that I joined at a chapter level and have since gone abroad with them and now work in their international headquarters office.

I know that all of these activities don't eliminate the low MCAT score, but is there a possibility for me to have a chance in maybe applying/getting into any reach schools? If so, which ones should I consider applying to? Thank you so much!!

Presuming that your participation in the BS/MD track is non-binding, 511 isn't terrible for other MD programs, but what you may mean as "reach" schools may require you to have a lot higher MCAT (517+).

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Goro]

Are you aware that a 511 score is the median for MD acceptees????

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thank you @Mr.Smile12 @Goro for replying!! By reach schools, I was thinking along the lines of UMich, OSU, Emory, Brown, Dartmouth, Georgetown, and Einstein. Would these be reasonable or would you both recommend adding/removing anything? Thank you once again!!

Why those schools, when you mean "along the lines of"? Look closely at OOS statistics for admission for public schools.

 

[Goro]

I recommend
Rochester (maybe)
U ILL (maybe)
Emory
U CO
Tufts
CUSM (IF you're from CA)
Nova MD
U WI
U VM
Miami
George Washington
Georgetown
SLU
Albany
Rush
Rosy Franklin
NYMC
MCW
VCU
EVMS
Wayne State
Wake Forest
Netter
Jefferson
Temple
Drexel
Creighton
Tulane
Loyola
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Oakland-B
Seton Hall
TCU/UNT
Your state school.

Any DO program. I can't recommend Nova, Wm Carey, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide. LMU has an accreditation warning, which concerns me. CalHS is too new and appears to be too limited in rotations sites. UIW refuses to post their Boards scores, which is fishy.