MD Suggestions For Moving Forward

[turkyturkleton]

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Hey you all! I was just wanting some direction moving forward. I am prepared to not get accepted after applying to my first MD cycle but I just want to make sure I'm giving myself the best odds in the future. Here are my stats.

TN Resident
ORM
cGPA: 3.77
sGPA: 3.71
MCAT: 504 (124,128,126,126), 507 (126,125,127,129)
Volunteering: ~50 hours at first application will have 300+ by next June if I continue current volunteering (mostly non-clinical)
Physician Shadowing: 20 hours
Clinical Experience: 10,000+ hours as medical tech then lead scribe, still working as a scribe with more involvement in clinical trials
Research: 200+ hours with old practice I wrote a paper but unfortunately no pub/poster.

School List for this Cycle:
UTHSC, ETSU, USC Greenville, WF, WVU, Creighton, Rosalind Franklin, MCW, NOVA, VCU

So far no II and one rejection.

Misc.: I, also, received the Pell Grant throughout undergrad due to my mother's income but I didn't declare SES disadvantaged because I wasn't sure if I qualified or if it would make a huge difference.

I am curious if I should look more into a SMP or a change in jobs? I don't know if a third attempt at the MCAT would be helpful but I'll do whatever it takes. I was just hoping you all could direct me moving forward and maybe help with a school list for next cycle if this one turns out to not be in the cards for me! Thank you!

 

[precisiongraphic]

I think you'll need to make a targeted approach if you don't get in this year, though interview(s) are still possible. There are several potential issues - first is that you probably needed to apply to more schools. Why did you not apply more broadly? Did you see if you qualify for FAP (application fee assistance)? Likely too late for this cycle but next...

An MCAT retake would be a waste unless you're regularly scoring above 517 on practice exams so don't do that.

Volunteering hours are low and perhaps if you had to work to support yourself throughout college it might be more easily overlooked by admissions, but if you didn't disclose low SES/disadvantaged, you may have lost an opportunity there. From my understanding, if you're eligible for Pell you may be SES/disadvantaged but I'm not an expert.

And then what's your hook? What sets your application apart from others with 3.7/507? It wasn't service to others (could be next year), it's not research. Is it your clinical experience?

Finally, if you do indeed end up with no interviews then you'll have to really look closely at who you chose to write your reference letters and look at your personal statements. If you reapply, make sure to have your statements read by former adcom members or MD/DO physicians with recent adcom or admissions experience. Your reference letters might have been lukewarm or not hitting all the right notes so read the AMCAS instructions about reference letters and pick good reference writers for the next cycle.

Have you read the UT and ETSU school-specific threads? These schools are pretty particular about their missions - you may need to tailor your responses to these as your only state schools. Apparently, ETSU doesn't take many people from West Tennessee so I'm not sure if that impacts you as well.

An SMP would be a waste with your GPA. A new job just for a new job would be unnecessary.

You can post here before the new cycle starts and curate your school list then apply to 20-25 schools. You may have to branch out from the Southeast - perhaps Tulane, St. Louis, ULouisville, Loyola, UVermont.

Hang in there. I hope that you'll get in this year.

Hey you all! I was just wanting some direction moving forward. I am prepared to not get accepted after applying to my first MD cycle but I just want to make sure I'm giving myself the best odds in the future. Here are my stats.

TN Resident
ORM
cGPA: 3.77
sGPA: 3.71
MCAT: 504 (124,128,126,126), 507 (126,125,127,129)
Volunteering: ~50 hours at first application will have 300+ by next June if I continue current volunteering (mostly non-clinical)
Physician Shadowing: 20 hours
Clinical Experience: 10,000+ hours as medical tech then lead scribe, still working as a scribe with more involvement in clinical trials
Research: 200+ hours with old practice I wrote a paper but unfortunately no pub/poster.

School List for this Cycle:
UTHSC, ETSU, USC Greenville, WF, WVU, Creighton, Rosalind Franklin, MCW, NOVA, VCU

So far no II and one rejection.

Misc.: I, also, received the Pell Grant throughout undergrad due to my mother's income but I didn't declare SES disadvantaged because I wasn't sure if I qualified or if it would make a huge difference.

I am curious if I should look more into a SMP or a change in jobs? I don't know if a third attempt at the MCAT would be helpful but I'll do whatever it takes. I was just hoping you all could direct me moving forward and maybe help with a school list for next cycle if this one turns out to not be in the cards for me! Thank you!

 

[Faha]

You could still receive interviews II through February. If you reapply consider adding these schools to your list:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Oakland Beaumont
New York Medical College
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
GW
St. Louis
any new schools that may open for 2019 (Seton Hall, Henricopolis, Kaiser, Roseman)

 

[turkyturkleton]

You could still receive interviews II through February. If you reapply consider adding these schools to your list:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Oakland Beaumont
New York Medical College
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
GW
St. Louis
any new schools that may open for 2019 (Seton Hall, Henricopolis, Kaiser, Roseman)

Thank you for the additional schools! I'll definitely take your suggestions if needed in the future. Do you agree just emphasizing volunteering and revamping essays would be the best bet for me going forward?

 

[Faha]

More volunteering and working on your essays is the best way forward. Also, if you reapply, apply to at least 6 DO schools also and you are competitive for all DO schools.

 

[precisiongraphic]

More volunteering and working on your essays is the best way forward. Also, if you reapply, apply to at least 6 DO schools also and you are competitive for all DO schools.

Yes, if you have to reapply (hopefully you won't) apply June 1 for MD and then apply September/October for DO and if you have a lot of MD interviews then delay your DO interviews until after the end of the year to potentially avoid having to pay non-refundable DO acceptance fees (can be $1000) in the event of getting MD acceptances. DO has a much later cycle. So with this scenario, in the best case you may have MD acceptances and not even need to go to DO interviews.