General Thoughts on application strength/school list?

[deleted1164019]

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[Question]

I am struggling to determine the strength of my application as well as a reasonable school list. Any suggestions?

UNC-CH for undergrad as a biology major graduating in 2 years, but several transfer/AP credits and p/f due to covid. NY resident

• MCAT: 509
• gpa: 3.64
• sgpa: 3.56
• 5,000 paid clinical hours as an Advanced EMT/training officer
• 1,000 volunteer hours as a firefighter
• 1,000 volunteer clinical hours as an Advanced EMT/EMS director of an ALS fire department and hospital volunteer
• aprox 600 psychology research hours (no publications or posters)
• 2 volunteer trips abroad (Ghana/India)
• founding member/officer on on campus ems agency
• Current Paramedic student finishing in august
• Will be a volunteer paramedic in Bulgaria for 4 weeks in september

— Experts please respond to this post —

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thanks for joining us on SDN!

Why are you doing so much abroad? You ultimately need to turn your attention back to the US healthcare system. I don't see shadowing in your inventory. I can give you points for being a firefighter volunteer for non-clinical community service, but you need a little more person-facing volunteering such as food distribution, job placement services, shelter work, transportation services, and housing rehabilitation. You need something else off the FD/EMT block, and more diverse clinical experience in a hospital or perhaps hospice setting.

 

[GoSpursGo]

By a fair amount your best shot at MD is going to be your state MD schools, though you can throw a few apps to some of the less competitive private schools like gtown and Tulane. If you include DO I think you are likely to be accepted

 

[Goro]

By a fair amount your best shot at MD is going to be your state MD schools, though you can throw a few apps to some of the less competitive private schools like gtown and Tulane. If you include DO I think you are likely to be accepted

Agree with my learned colleague. OP, you're more likely to get a DO acceptance than an MD one, unless you live in a very lucky state

 

[Mr.Smile12]

whats the most limiting factor of my application. MCAT?

Service orientation towards American underserved patients as a doctor. It just seems you would be happy as a clam with being a paramedic and using those skills around the world. Just my impressions.

 

[GoSpursGo]

whats the most limiting factor of my application. MCAT?

In general, there just isn’t anything that stands out positively. Your stats are subpar, as are some of your ECs

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Several thousand hours of volunteering as an EMS provider and firefighter in the united states does not show dedication towards America????

Whoops! I missed that! Sorry... retracting my position on that. That's definitely qualifying.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Are you going to apply HPSP or NHSC? As a volunteer firefighter, was this in rural/suburban communities? I also don't want to presume (since I just made that mistake!), so who do you see yourself helping 10 years from now?

Check the service-oriented schools. I do not do lists, but you should have a good shot at many MD and DO schools. Stay focused on in-state and region. If there is anything I would suggest is getting a little experience (not a ton) in specialties or primary care exposure that isn't emergent or acute. I think you have some of that (we don't have your actual application so I'm just going on impressions), but it wouldn't hurt knowing you have a complete picture of healthcare.

In short, all of your in-state MD and DO options for sure. What would be your reason for going further away from NY?

 

[Question]

Hi justin lange!

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