Medical Should I retake the MCAT and when to apply?

[GoSpursGo]

Hello!

I am trying to decide if I should retake my MCAT and when to apply to MD/MSTP program. I have offers from two different labs through the NIH IRTA program and plan to spend at least one gap year at this program. One is for two years, the other is for one year with an optional second. I could apply after I graduate in May of 2021 prior to starting IRTA or apply next year after a year at IRTA.

I am a senior at a large state research university (Honors College, National Merit, if that makes any difference?) studying biochemistry, with minors in Spanish literature and computational bio.

White, female
MCAT 513 (127/128/128/129)
4.02 weighted GPA, 3.9ish unweighted cGPA, sGPA 3.8ish
2000+ hours research experience across two labs
-one pending publication (not first or second author) unlikely to be done prior to beginning of 2021 cycle
-honors thesis
100 hours volunteering at the same hospital in positions at oncology clinical trials and surgery waiting
50 hours volunteering on trail clean up/outdoors projects with backpacking club I started
60 hours volunteering with program which reads with English language learning students at local library
1000+ hours ER scribing
6 months as a scientific illustration intern making illustrations for online embryology encyclopedia
60 hours shadowing ER, plastic surgery, anesthesiology

Thank you in advance.

I don't see any real reason to re-take your MCAT. You may not get into Harvard/Hopkins/Yale, but overall you have an extremely competitive application. Your main weakness is a lack of volunteering to the less fortunate, but I'm honestly not sure that will hold you back if you are focusing on MSTP programs. It would probably be a hinderance if you are also applying to MD-only programs.

Unless you are extremely excited about the scientific opportunity at the two-year lab, I would probably apply this year and do the lab that is 1 year + 1 optional year. You're going to get more than adequate training through your MSTP, so I'm not sure what benefit you gain by doing a 2 year program. You can also work on your volunteering during your gap year so that if for whatever reason you don't get in this year you will have a much stronger application in 2022 (and also have a ready-made plan for your second gap year).

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[Goro]

Can't recommend a repeat. You can do plenty of science with the MD degree only.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Do NOT retake MCAT. It will look bad and question judgment. You have a good shot, but like said above, get some more non-clinical volunteering helping the less fortunate. Work at a soup kitchen or something.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I agree that activities that take you out of your comfort zone are remarkably missing. I can understand your concern with the MCAT but I want to know why a career as a physician scientist is so important to you. Find a good department that is supportive of graduate students and MSTP students, but all program directors know each other's programs very well.