Strong Grades/MCAT, Poor ECs

[Bixpolung]

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[Aerus]

Debated between sticking this here and in "What are my Chances?" but figured here is more appropriate, because I'm asking for advice rather than chances.

I'm a senior at one of the University of California campuses applying for my first time, and would love to stay in California. I plan to submit my primary mid July (Spring quarter transcript comes out late, and as you'll see below, I'm squeezing in a lot of late activities).

Unfortunately, while I've been set on medical school for a long time, it wasn't until recently that I tackled many extracurricular activities. This is in part due to the limited advising/opportunities at my community college, and lack of proactivity on my part. It is my deepest regret.

Stats:
3.90 cGPA
3.85 sGPA
36Q MCAT

While I have a strong GPA, I transferred from a community college (where I did all my prereqs) with a 4.0, and have something closer to a 3.7 at the UC. I am not too worried that medical schools will question my academic ability, as I have completed many upper div science courses as a Biochemistry major.

Activities:

During community college (year 1-3)
General chemistry and organic chemistry group tutor (paid): ~3-5 hours a week for two semesters (~100-160 hours total, not yet sure how I'll tally them)
Organic chemistry lab grader (paid): ~something like 20 hours total.
Summer Biochemistry Research, NSF-REU program (stipend + room, board, flight): basically 10 weeks full time. Poster, paper, and presentation but no publication (400 hours)
A few honor societies, Dean's list, chemistry scholarships...

At university (year 4)
Child Abuse Center Volunteer: (40 hours)

At university (year 5)
Pediatric Emergency Department Volunteer: (At time of application, will have 80-100 hours)
A few honor societies, Dean's list

Just starting/not yet started !!! 🙁

Autism MRI Study Volunteer: (I have just started this, but I forecast something like 60-80 hours by the time I apply. Help obtain scans of autistic children late at night, and perform brain measurements in the lab.)
Pre-medical Surgical Internship Program: (Starts June. Mostly shadowing in the OR in 7-hour shifts, 3 shifts a week, plus an academic portion [20 hours Surgery Academy + 4-hr workshops] and mentorship) (160 hours by application time)
Make-a-Wish Foundation: I hope to be starting to volunteer there within a week. I hope to get in 20-40+ hours in before I apply.
Shadowing Internal Medicine MD (my PCP): 20-40 hours, starting very soon.

Hobbies:
Bread baking
Gardening
Aquaria

LORs:
2 strong science LORs from my community college professors (considering asking a university prof for a letter, but it wouldn't be as strong)
2 strong LORs from research mentor + PI
1 non-science letter from university (by a TA who can hopefully get the prof to sign/co-sign it)
1 Letter from my PCP (MD)

My main concern at this point: in the ~2 months until I turn in my primary, what should I focus on? Should I be trying to add more non-medical community service, as my application is rather light on that? Are my ECs too weak to bother applying? I have no long term commitments to show, but I would hate putting off my application another year. The situation is complicated by the fact that my non-trad fiancée is applying this cycle as well, with much lower stats (mostly applying DO). I am willing to go to any MD school, but we are unwilling to geographically separate, so I must gain acceptances to MD schools in close proximity to wherever she is accepted.

Thank you to all who have slogged through this long post!

Perhaps broadening the scope of your shadowing to more specialties? You don't seem to have a lack of extracurricular activities at all. It's not a lot more than the norm, but it is in the range of the norm.

As for the CC grades, a 3.7 UC GPA seems pretty high enough that they won't really question your CC GPA. Have you taken a lot of upper division sciences since transferring?

 

[WhizoMD]

I think you'll be fine, the main weakness I see is the lack of shadowing but if you submit in July (instead of June) you'll be able to include all of the stuff you're starting soon which should cover you for shadowing. Your stats are high so your app will likely be prioritized at most places even if you submit a little later.

 

[Bixpolung]

Perhaps broadening the scope of your shadowing to more specialties? You don't seem to have a lack of extracurricular activities at all. It's not a lot more than the norm, but it is in the range of the norm.

As for the CC grades, a 3.7 UC GPA seems pretty high enough that they won't really question your CC GPA. Have you taken a lot of upper division sciences since transferring?

I think you'll be fine, the main weakness I see is the lack of shadowing but if you submit in July (instead of June) you'll be able to include all of the stuff you're starting soon which should cover you for shadowing. Your stats are high so your app will likely be prioritized at most places even if you submit a little later.

I am mostly concerned about lack of continuity/length of volunteering, and weak non-medical community service.

I have taken science courses almost exclusively since transferring, including upper division biochemistry with lab, further biochemistry courses, molecular biology courses, genetics, advanced genetics, and microbiology.

My shadowing, on top of primary care, will include pretty much all the surgical specialties (I am so thankful for acceptance to the Surgical Internship, even though I am absolutely not interested in surgery as a profession):

Trauma & Emergency Surgery
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Gastrointestinal Surgery
Bariatric Surgery
Neurosurgery
General Surgery
Burn Surgery
Pediatric Surgery
Otolaryngology Surgery
Plastic Surgery
Surgical Oncology
Urological Surgery
Transplant Surgery
Vascular Surgery

I've picked mid-July as the date to submit my primary, as I think that is the sweet spot between racking up enough surgery shadowing (21+ hours/week) and applying too late.

 

[Aerus]

I am mostly concerned about lack of continuity/length of volunteering, and weak non-medical community service.

I have taken science courses almost exclusively since transferring, including upper division biochemistry with lab, further biochemistry courses, molecular biology courses, genetics, advanced genetics, and microbiology.

My shadowing, on top of primary care, will include pretty much all the surgical specialties (I am so thankful for acceptance to the Surgical Internship, even though I am absolutely not interested in surgery as a profession):

Trauma & Emergency Surgery
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Gastrointestinal Surgery
Bariatric Surgery
Neurosurgery
General Surgery
Burn Surgery
Pediatric Surgery
Otolaryngology Surgery
Plastic Surgery
Surgical Oncology
Urological Surgery
Transplant Surgery
Vascular Surgery

I've picked mid-July as the date to submit my primary, as I think that is the sweet spot between racking up enough surgery shadowing (21+ hours/week) and applying too late.

As I said, you will be fine. If you're truly concerned, apply broadly. Apply to your state schools as "safeties", to many matches, and a few reaches. You're bound to get in somewhere with your stats.

 

[Keepitclassy]

As I said, you will be fine. If you're truly concerned, apply broadly. Apply to your state schools as "safeties", to many matches, and a few reaches. You're bound to get in somewhere with your stats.

Cali schools aren't exactly "safety" schools.

Imo, your EC's are fine. If anything they're average, or slightly below average, but nothing of concern with your strong GPA and excellent MCAT score.

Going back to the first sentence, grab a copy of the MSAR and apply broadly to OOS friendly schools. You're more likely to land a low-mid tier OOS acceptance than you are an in-state one.

 

[Aerus]

Cali schools aren't exactly "safety" schools.

Imo, your EC's are fine. If anything they're average, or slightly below average, but nothing of concern with your strong GPA and excellent MCAT score.

Going back to the first sentence, grab a copy of the MSAR and apply broadly to OOS friendly schools. You're more likely to land a low-mid tier OOS acceptance than you are an in-state one.

Didn't see the "UC" part of the thread. Whoops.

@OP: Yeah, forget what I said about your state schools being safeties. Apply very broadly. Cali residents definitely have it bad.