Should I consider SMP/MBS... or retake MCAT?

[momentaryaffliction]

Hi, I'm a 1st time applicant to MD schools only.
So far: 11R / 1 II (complete, waiting) / 1 waitlist for II / 2 hold pre-II / 15 Pending

Quick rundown of me:
CA res, CA public school grad '16
3.4s, 3.6c
MCAT 508
EC:
- religious club involvement (dedicated 5.5 yrs including postgrad)
- current job @ clinic as MA and scribe and admin (we're short staffed) (1.5yr+)
- sports med intern (1yr)
- volunteer @ public county hospital (1.5 yrs)
- lab research (2ish yrs)
- academic advisor (1yr)
- foreign mission trips twice (x2wks each) to underserved pop's

Other than the waiting game and poss. letters of interest (school-dependent preference, of course), I've been looking extensively into 1 year masters' programs (such as Duke, GU, GW) if I don't get in this cycle.

Given my stats, I have one main question:
1. Would it be beneficial to do Master's Program, re-take MCAT, or both?

And two follow-ups:
2. If I only re-take MCAT, what would be an appropriate score to shoot for? (512? +?)
3. If Master's Program, is there a strong preference between applying the summer before vs. the summer after? (I've heard arguments both ways.)

Thank you!

EDIT 01/11
1 school placed me in a "Continue to Review" pool (.......)
The school at which I interviewed nearly gave me a heart attack with the subject line titled "Application Status" to inform me that the committee has not made a final decision.

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[momentaryaffliction]

what was your school list if you don't mind me asking?

- All CA schools except Northridge, Stanford
- Smaller private schools in midwest/east coast
- OOS public schools

Can message you with detailed list !

 

[ciestar]

Why no DO?

 

[momentaryaffliction]

did you have any shadowing? besides your mission trips, did you have any other nonclinical volunteering? Any clinical volunteering?

Oops, yes, volunteered @ public hospital 1.5 yrs.

Why no DO?

Foolish decision, but it's too late to consider at this point. I would definitely apply DO next cycle, if I don't get in.

 

[Cardboard101]

1. Would it be beneficial to do Master's Program, re-take MCAT, or both?

Neither, do a post bacc if you don't get in, add DO schools next time. Re-take the MCAT ONLY if you're sure you can do significantly better. I.e a 508 -> 509 isn't going to help you much.

 

[momentaryaffliction]

Neither, do a post bacc if you don't get in, add DO schools next time. Re-take the MCAT ONLY if you're sure you can do significantly better. I.e a 508 -> 509 isn't going to help you much.

Thanks for your input! The 1st time around, studied for MCAT while working 25-30hrs/week. Should I re-take, I would completely quit my job and study full time for 3 months to take a May or June. If I don't get in, leaning towards this option.

 

[momentaryaffliction]

personally, I wouldn't spend the extra money on a master's program if you don't get in. I don't think that your GPA is so low that it is the reason that you're not getting interviews. When did you submit your primary and secondaries? How long did you take writing the essays? Did other people read your essays before you submitted? What were your LORs like?

However, I would consider retaking the MCAT (assuming you could get a 513+). I think if you don't get in this cycle, you should really beef up your extracurriculars (need shadowing, nonclinical volunteering) which could also help. Post baccs and SMPs are so expensive and it's not like you have less than a 3.2

Thanks for your reply! It's really helpful to hear someone else's feedback, esp about the master's program of which I am still researching.

Primary: early-mid June
Secondaries: mid-July to mid-Aug, 2-3wk turnaround time which was the fastest I could get it done. 29 secondaries was beastly...
I was fortunate enough to have many kind friends to read my essays multiple times before submitting. Nearly every essay sent in had at least 2-3 more pairs of eyes prior to submission.
LoR: current boss (MD), bioethics professor, physio GSI (turned PhD), chem professor, NCAA Div I football head trainer, PI of my research lab (who also happens to be a prof at a nearby MD school). These were all distributed accordingly to the school's preference (IE I sent 3-4 letters per school, not all 6).

Q: What's the value of shadowing as opposed to volunteering or working, if the latter options give you more training/hands-on experience? Apologize if this is a basic question. Thank you!

 

[momentaryaffliction]

did you school not have a committee letter? shadowing is following a doctor around all day, so you see what a doctor's day is like. Clinical experience with patients is awesome, but schools also want to see that you know the daily struggles of a physician, so it's very important to get shadowing hours in addition to clinical experiences. Clinical experiences don't substitute for shadowing

My school doesn't have a committee.
Ah, I see. Perhaps it's different than what I've experienced- but my current job gives me an open window into the daily struggles of a physician, as a scribe of a small clinic. I spend 8 hrs/day on the tail of 2 physicians writing their notes on their behalfs. I actually feel like their shadows. Is this acceptable as a substitute, or you think I need to go more in-depth by officially shadowing?

 

[momentaryaffliction]

I'm not an ADCOM, but I would try to get official shadowing in. On the AMCAS application, you designate an activity by what it is.. i.e. volunteering in a hospital=clinical volunteering, scribe= clinical paid work. Schools might check to see you have an activity listed as official shadowing. It can only help you to get official shadowing in

awesome awesome. and helpful. really appreciate your help!