Sufficient application for this cycle or prepare for next cycle? All input welcome.

[Dr. Anonymouss]

I was complete to every medical school September 19. I have a 505 MCAT 127,127,126,125 with a 3.8 cGPA and a 3.85 sGPA. I have had one interview at CUSOM and was not offered on the seat. I double majored in Biology and Spanish and double minored in Chemistry and General Science at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. I studied abroad in Costa Rica for 9 months while also completing some volunteer work teaching English to local elementary school children for 30 hours. I achieved 160 hours of clinical experience by volunteering in a local clinic and hospital in La Ceiba, Honduras. I do not have any research nor do I have any further volunteer/clinical experience although I did shadow a plastic surgeon for 10 hours.

I completely believed my statistics were good enough to receive many interviews from DO schools and was being optimistic about receiving interviews from MD schools. My question is do you think my application was strong or weak. I believe the thing that hurt me the most was submitting in September. I am already planning on improving my application for next cycle as I just received a full-time job as an inpatient pharmacy technician at UC medical center level 1 trauma. I also will try to shadow a DO doctor for 40 hours and volunteer to teach english to local latinos.

My overall question, because I have incorporated a lot of information in this post, is am I overreacting already from not receiving an acceptance? Is my application strong enough to receive an acceptance this cycle? and most importantly, if I do not get accepted, are the changes I plan to make strong enough to get me an acceptance if I apply June 1???????? If not what would you recommend I do to strengthen my application for the following cycle.

Thanks

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[workaholic181]

This cycle is far from over, but you're hamstrung by your lack of clinical hours. Clinical experiences while studying abroad aren't weighted too highly from what I've read. You need hours working or volunteering in US clinics/hospitals. Sounds like you're addressing this and plan on applying earlier. Both things will put you in a better position next cycle, but no one on here can say that it will mean an acceptance.

You still may get in somewhere this cycle. I'd say MD is out of reach with a 505 and poor clinical experience but DO is possible. If not, reapply after 6 months+ of this new job. Good luck.

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence ? Which schools did you apply to ?

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

Where is your state of residence ? Which schools did you apply to ?

Ohio. I only applied to Wright State and Northeast Ohio for MD in Ohio. I applied to all the Florida MD schools (dream to move there) as well as DO schools such as LECOM, Nova Southeastern, VCOM South carolina and Auburn, CUSOM, Michigan State, and Marian.

 

[Faha]

Ohio. I only applied to Wright State and Northeast Ohio for MD in Ohio. I applied to all the Florida MD schools (dream to move there) as well as DO schools such as LECOM, Nova Southeastern, VCOM South carolina and Auburn, CUSOM, Michigan State, and Marian.

Add more DO schools this week such as:
WVSOM
UP-KYCOM
VCOM-Virginia
PCOM-Georgia and South Georgia
ACOM

 

[Blanky]

The FL schools are donations, FL usually takes 80% IS and has competitive MCATs around 512+. You can still end up in DO if you add a couple of well-placed apps. Otherwise get a scribe job and work on some clinical hours and maybe some fresh DO LORs for next cycle.

 

[dial1010usa]

Add more DO schools and I'm sure you will get in this cycle. Forget about MD, your MCAT is just an avg.
Shadow DO and add more volunteer work right now.

 

[Goro]

Ohio. I only applied to Wright State and Northeast Ohio for MD in Ohio. I applied to all the Florida MD schools (dream to move there) as well as DO schools such as LECOM, Nova Southeastern, VCOM South carolina and Auburn, CUSOM, Michigan State, and Marian.

Your Florida applications were donations.

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the advice.

 

[arc5005]

I was complete to every medical school September 19. I have a 505 MCAT 127,127,126,125 with a 3.8 cGPA and a 3.85 sGPA. I have had one interview at CUSOM and was not offered on the seat. I double majored in Biology and Spanish and double minored in Chemistry and General Science at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. I studied abroad in Costa Rica for 9 months while also completing some volunteer work teaching English to local elementary school children for 30 hours. I achieved 160 hours of clinical experience by volunteering in a local clinic and hospital in La Ceiba, Honduras. I do not have any research nor do I have any further volunteer/clinical experience although I did shadow a plastic surgeon for 10 hours.

I completely believed my statistics were good enough to receive many interviews from DO schools and was being optimistic about receiving interviews from MD schools. My question is do you think my application was strong or weak. I believe the thing that hurt me the most was submitting in September. I am already planning on improving my application for next cycle as I just received a full-time job as an inpatient pharmacy technician at UC medical center level 1 trauma. I also will try to shadow a DO doctor for 40 hours and volunteer to teach english to local latinos.

My overall question, because I have incorporated a lot of information in this post, is am I overreacting already from not receiving an acceptance? Is my application strong enough to receive an acceptance this cycle? and most importantly, if I do not get accepted, are the changes I plan to make strong enough to get me an acceptance if I apply June 1???????? If not what would you recommend I do to strengthen my application for the following cycle.

Thanks

have you gotten any love yet from schools? I have a friend with similar, high stats, below avg EC's..kind of in the same boat as you.

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

have you gotten any love yet from schools? I have a friend with similar, high stats, below avg EC's..kind of in the same boat as you.

Sooo I could use some advice. I just received an interview offer from Marian today and I thought I would be more excited, but I really am not. I believe it was a mistake for me to apply to that school as it was honestly my last choice school. I have put more time and thought into an application for next cycle because I truly believe I can improve my application tremendously. I received a job offer as an emergency department technician and I will be taking that over the inpatient pharmacy technician. It will give me about 1000 clinical hours of direct patient contact by the time the next cycle opens June 1st. I also solidified DO shadowing with a family doctor and with an orthopedic surgeon. Lastly, I reached out to volunteer as a tutor in order to help latinos pass their GED. I believe with all of these updates as well as applying June 1st, will allow me to receive more love next cycle I am pretty confident my academics are not the issue, but everything that I plan on addressing were the problems (lack of clinical hours/shadowing hours, lack of volunteering, and late application September). My dream school is NOVA and I believe I can be very competitive next cycle at this school. What do you think? Turn down the interview offer and work towards getting my dream school or just take what I am given??

 

[workaholic181]

Sooo I could use some advice. I just received an interview offer from Marian today and I thought I would be more excited, but I really am not. I believe it was a mistake for me to apply to that school as it was honestly my last choice school. I have put more time and thought into an application for next cycle because I truly believe I can improve my application tremendously. I received a job offer as an emergency department technician and I will be taking that over the inpatient pharmacy technician. It will give me about 1000 clinical hours of direct patient contact by the time the next cycle opens June 1st. I also solidified DO shadowing with a family doctor and with an orthopedic surgeon. Lastly, I reached out to volunteer as a tutor in order to help latinos pass their GED. I believe with all of these updates as well as applying June 1st, will allow me to receive more love next cycle I am pretty confident my academics are not the issue, but everything that I plan on addressing were the problems (lack of clinical hours/shadowing hours, lack of volunteering, and late application September). My dream school is NOVA and I believe I can be very competitive next cycle at this school. What do you think? Turn down the interview offer and work towards getting my dream school or just take what I am given??

Why is your dream school NOVA? If you want to go there so you can live in Florida during preclinical years and maybe the last two clinical years then that's not a good reason to make a huge decision like this. I've read NOVAs board passes have been going down in recent years which is a big red flag. Do your homework on them before deciding they're the school you want to go to badly enough to turn down other interviews.

In terms of Marian, I dont have direct experience but I have read that for a new program they've done a good job setting their students up for success.

If I were you, I'd go to the interview. If you absolutely hate it and there are some legitimate issues you have with their rotations or something along those lines then you can just withdraw BEFORE you get accepted there.

Again I can't stress enough that if you are gunning for NOVA because you'd like to live in south Florida then you're likely making a mistake.

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

Why is your dream school NOVA? If you want to go there so you can live in Florida during preclinical years and maybe the last two clinical years then that's not a good reason to make a huge decision like this. I've read NOVAs board passes have been going down in recent years which is a big red flag. Do your homework on them before deciding they're the school you want to go to badly enough to turn down other interviews.

In terms of Marian, I dont have direct experience but I have read that for a new program they've done a good job setting their students up for success.

If I were you, I'd go to the interview. If you absolutely hate it and there are some legitimate issues you have with their rotations or something along those lines then you can just withdraw BEFORE you get accepted there.

Again I can't stress enough that if you are gunning for NOVA because you'd like to live in south Florida then you're likely making a mistake.

What are your thoughts on LECOM bradenton?? They have the highest COMLEX pass averages. Id be lying if I said that geography didn't play a major part in my decisions. I just want to find a good school with a warm climate.

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

What are your thoughts on LECOM bradenton?? They have the highest COMLEX pass averages. Id be lying if I said that geography didn't play a major part in my decisions. I just want to find a good school with a warm climate.

But you are right to some point. It is strange why their board scores have been dropping are in the high 80's as of right now. But I still believe the education you receive is what you make of it. I am depending on myself to learn all the material not anyone else.

 

[workaholic181]

What are your thoughts on LECOM bradenton?? They have the highest COMLEX pass averages. Id be lying if I said that geography didn't play a major part in my decisions. I just want to find a good school with a warm climate.

I know LECOM has had the best board pass rate for a few year.. not sure if they just group Bradenton into that.

Look dude if you're just trying to make it to Florida you're making a mistake. It's your life but frankly it's immature to want to go to any school in FL just for the weather.

I'm not an expert on those FL schools but I have read that with NOVA opening an MD program too that rotations are continuously being squeezed.

EDIT: I think @fldoctorgirl was an FL resident who chose a midwest school over NOVA. Maybe she can give you more details about NOVA than I could.

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

I know LECOM has had the best board pass rate for a few year.. not sure if they just group Bradenton into that.

Look dude if you're just trying to make it to Florida you're making a mistake. It's your life but frankly it's immature to want to go to any school in FL just for the weather.

I'm not an expert on those FL schools but I have read that with NOVA opening an MD program too that rotations are continuously being squeezed.

EDIT: I think @fldoctorgirl was an FL resident who chose a midwest school over NOVA. Maybe she can give you more details about NOVA than I could.

I do appreciate your opinion and advice, but I have to disagree with your statement saying that preference of location is immature. There are many factors that play into one's decision to attend a certain school and if I will be living somewhere for the next 4 years it should at least be a place where I would want to live. I am also fluent in Spanish so I would prefer to live in a place where I would get to utilize and improve this skill. These are all just factors that I've contributed towards my choice of schools. With that being said I would like to hear any positive or negatives about NOVA or LECOM that could potentially change my mind towards wanting to attend those schools.

 

[workaholic181]

I do appreciate your opinion and advice, but I have to disagree with your statement saying that preference of location is immature. There are many factors that play into one's decision to attend a certain school and if I will be living somewhere for the next 4 years it should at least be a place where I would want to live. I am also fluent in Spanish so I would prefer to live in a place where I would get to utilize and improve this skill. These are all just factors that I've contributed towards my choice of schools. With that being said I would like to hear any positive or negatives about NOVA or LECOM that could potentially change my mind towards wanting to attend those schools.

Location matters when it comes to family and things like that. Wanting warm weather and beach access enough to turn down an interview at a school that is at least as good as the FL schools you're gunning for is a poor decision. It is foolish/immature whatever you want to call it. The reality of medicine is you're likely gonna have to move for school, residency, a fellowship, etc.

An improved app isn't a guarantee that any of these FL schools will interview you at all. And for what it's worth, you're gonna be too busy in school to go to the beach.

Your desire to work in a spanish speaking community is noble. Obviously south FL has a larger hispanic population than Indy but I'd bet Indy has a sizable spanish speaking population and I'd further bet that Marian does outreach with them.

You can fish for evidence to support what you want to hear all you want but anyone else who answers this thread will tell you NOVA and LECOM B are not significantly better schools than Marian. They are definitely not better enough to warrant taking another year for the small chance that you get into either.

It's your life though good luck with what you decide.