TX Reapplicant

[mhurricane]

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Hey I'm currently waitlisted at AZCOM (a D.O. school) and University of Cincinnati (a SMP). When I called AZCOM to ask about the waitlist I was told there are currently 90 people on it so Im assuming the worst and preparing for next year. I was interviewed three times (ATSU-SOMA, AZCOM, and LECOM), rejected twice, and waitlisted once. I applied to around 25 schools, a mix of mostly MD and DO, and got rejected from every MD.
I took my MCAT last summer and got a 31.
I just graduated with a 3.47 cumulative GPA and 3.36 science GPA.
I have about 150 hours doing research in a lab.
I am an NREMT but havent worked as one since the pay is terrible and they wanted people who can commit to full time not just summers.
I have shadowed two doctors and got letters from both (about 100 hours with each).
I was in a fraternity so all my volunteer hours came from school and fraternity involvement. (probably around 100 hours total over four years).
I have a few leadership positions mostly working with undergraduates younger than me and advising them and a position or two within my fraternity.
What can I do to improve my application besides adding more volunteer hours and improving my GPA? Im looking into another lab position for this summer and will volunteer as well during the summer. If I have to take a year off, I will apply to be an ER scribe (they all want at least six months commitment in my area). My question is if the SMP doesnt take me off the waitlist should I retake classes (I have two Cs in Orgo and a C in physics II. Im also considering retaking both calcs and Physics I which I have B's in), or should I add in other science classes (Micro, A&P, etc) to boost my GPA? Any other advice for me? Thanks

 

[BrawnsNBrain]

Is your MCAT balanced?

Areas for improvement: get clinical volunteering experience, boost your GPA (you can do a 'self-made' post bacc i.e. take higher level science courses and do well in them). ER scribe is nice but only do it if it's what you want. You can get a research position/job at a local university, hospital, or pharmaceutical company and this would still look nice on the CV as well as likely pay more than a scribe position.

 

[mhurricane]

MCAT is 12 PS,10 V,9 BS so pretty balanced. How many classes would you say a self made post bacc has - 20 credits? 24 credits? 30 credits? Thanks for the advice so far. Looking into clinical volunteering as we speak

 

[popopopop]

Hey I'm currently waitlisted at AZCOM (a D.O. school) and University of Cincinnati (a SMP). When I called AZCOM to ask about the waitlist I was told there are currently 90 people on it so Im assuming the worst and preparing for next year. I was interviewed three times (ATSU-SOMA, AZCOM, and LECOM), rejected twice, and waitlisted once. I applied to around 25 schools, a mix of mostly MD and DO, and got rejected from every MD.
I took my MCAT last summer and got a 31.
I just graduated with a 3.47 cumulative GPA and 3.36 science GPA.
I have about 150 hours doing research in a lab.
I am an NREMT but havent worked as one since the pay is terrible and they wanted people who can commit to full time not just summers.
I have shadowed two doctors and got letters from both (about 100 hours with each).
I was in a fraternity so all my volunteer hours came from school and fraternity involvement. (probably around 100 hours total over four years).
I have a few leadership positions mostly working with undergraduates younger than me and advising them and a position or two within my fraternity.
What can I do to improve my application besides adding more volunteer hours and improving my GPA? Im looking into another lab position for this summer and will volunteer as well during the summer. If I have to take a year off, I will apply to be an ER scribe (they all want at least six months commitment in my area). My question is if the SMP doesnt take me off the waitlist should I retake classes (I have two Cs in Orgo and a C in physics II. Im also considering retaking both calcs and Physics I which I have B's in), or should I add in other science classes (Micro, A&P, etc) to boost my GPA? Any other advice for me? Thanks

1. Don't retake B's, consider retaking those C's though.Congrats on a good MCAT with C's in those classes lol.
2. Doesn't scribes in Texas get minimum wage?
3. Two doctors is kind of narrowed considering you have zero clinical experience.
4. Where's the clinical experience (excuse me if you do have some from your frat)?
5. Weak personal statement probably related to #4.
6. I would take more classes to help your science GPA, since your schedule seems pretty lax if you got MCAT out of the way. I wouldn't personally bother with an SMP since you can still upped your GPA. I would consider an SMP if taking 100 more credit hours would budge your GPA by .1 or something like that.

 

[popopopop]

MCAT is 12 PS,10 V,9 BS so pretty balanced. How many classes would you say a self made post bacc has - 20 credits? 24 credits? 30 credits? Thanks for the advice so far. Looking into clinical volunteering as we speak

Doesn't matter how many credits. Some take the minimum required to apply, some take other courses like Genetics, Biochem, or other sciences that they find useful or interesting. Take as many as you need/want until there's a depreciation effect towards your overall GPA.

 

[mhurricane]

1. Don't retake B's, consider retaking those C's though.Congrats on a good MCAT with C's in those classes lol.
2. Doesn't scribes in Texas get minimum wage?
3. Two doctors is kind of narrowed considering you have zero clinical experience.
4. Where's the clinical experience (excuse me if you do have some from your frat)?
5. Weak personal statement probably related to #4.
6. I would take more classes to help your science GPA, since your schedule seems pretty lax if you got MCAT out of the way. I wouldn't personally bother with an SMP since you can still upped your GPA. I would consider an SMP if taking 100 more credit hours would budge your GPA by .1 or something like that.

1) Okay so retake the Cs and add a few science classes to boost GPA?
2) I think 13 to 15/hr but I'd have to double check. Paid research positions are hard to find for me at least since I didnt go to undergrad here and dont know many people working in the same field.
3) Getting EMT certified is over 100 hours of clinical experience...
4) see above
5) Thats a bold generalization but it is very possible I need to work on my PS.
6) Doesnt an SMP accomplish the same thing as taking classes - ie improving GPA?

Whats the benefit/difference if I do a SMP over taking extra science classes?
I plan to add hospital volunteering especially over the summer. Any other suggestions besides boost GPA and add more clinical experience? If thats all I need to do that would be ideal.

 

[popopopop]

Sorry about the statement, I'm just typing very succinctly since I'm studying lol. SMP is a master's, calculated differently from your bachelor's. Search here because there are a ton of discussion over it. Simply, master's degrees just aren't significant when it comes to your application seems to be the concensus. Some think they are money scams, others think they should be last resorts. You can call your school and try to ask an adcom directly. Your GPA isn't horrible enough to be autoscreened out in Texas (no interview at UNT even?), so I'm betting everything that it's your PS/EC's. UNT has an SMP program that guarantees you an interview with their school if you pass. One of the best docs I've ever worked with graduated from UNT. I didn't know about the 100 hours to get certified, sorry. I don't know how that would look to adcoms though, getting certified but never worked/volunteered with it?

 

[popopopop]

Sorry about the statement, I'm just typing very succinctly since I'm studying lol. SMP is a master's, calculated differently from your bachelor's. Search here because there are a ton of discussion over it. Simply, master's degrees just aren't significant when it comes to your application seems to be the concensus. Some think they are money scams, others think they should be last resorts. You can call your school and try to ask an adcom directly. Your GPA isn't horrible enough to be autoscreened out in Texas (no interview at UNT even?), so I'm betting everything that it's your PS/EC's. UNT has an SMP program that guarantees you an interview with their school if you pass. One of the best docs I've ever worked with graduated from UNT. I didn't know about the 100 hours to get certified, sorry. I don't know how that would look to adcoms though, getting certified but never worked/volunteered with it?

 

[mct2762]

Hey I'm currently waitlisted at AZCOM (a D.O. school) and University of Cincinnati (a SMP). When I called AZCOM to ask about the waitlist I was told there are currently 90 people on it so Im assuming the worst and preparing for next year. I was interviewed three times (ATSU-SOMA, AZCOM, and LECOM), rejected twice, and waitlisted once. I applied to around 25 schools, a mix of mostly MD and DO, and got rejected from every MD.
I took my MCAT last summer and got a 31.
I just graduated with a 3.47 cumulative GPA and 3.36 science GPA.
I have about 150 hours doing research in a lab.
I am an NREMT but havent worked as one since the pay is terrible and they wanted people who can commit to full time not just summers.
I have shadowed two doctors and got letters from both (about 100 hours with each).
I was in a fraternity so all my volunteer hours came from school and fraternity involvement. (probably around 100 hours total over four years).
I have a few leadership positions mostly working with undergraduates younger than me and advising them and a position or two within my fraternity.
What can I do to improve my application besides adding more volunteer hours and improving my GPA? Im looking into another lab position for this summer and will volunteer as well during the summer. If I have to take a year off, I will apply to be an ER scribe (they all want at least six months commitment in my area). My question is if the SMP doesnt take me off the waitlist should I retake classes (I have two Cs in Orgo and a C in physics II. Im also considering retaking both calcs and Physics I which I have B's in), or should I add in other science classes (Micro, A&P, etc) to boost my GPA? Any other advice for me? Thanks

you applied to all the texas schools???

 

[Goro]

Good thing to start think about the worst case.


When I called AZCOM to ask about the waitlist I was told there are currently 90 people on it so Im assuming the worst and preparing for next year. I was interviewed three times (ATSU-SOMA, AZCOM, and LECOM), rejected twice, and waitlisted once. I applied to around 25 schools, a mix of mostly MD and DO, and got rejected from every MD.



Your numbers are fine for DO schools (inlcuding mine) but very low competitive for MD.
I took my MCAT last summer and got a 31.
I just graduated with a 3.47 cumulative GPA and 3.36 science GPA.



OK
I have shadowed two doctors and got letters from both (about 100 hours with each).

This is your problem. You have to demonstrate your altruism and humanism with non-clinical ECs. This means helping the underserved, not your frat. Even more important, it's appears that other than shadowing, you have yet to set foot in a hospital. You need to demonstrate that you know what you're getting into, and that you want to be around sick people for the next 30-40 years. You have the app of someone who want to do what's convenient, not what's necessary. A career in Medicine is a priviledge, not a reward for being smart of doing well in school. You want to be a doctor? Earn it.

Skip the SMP, other than retaking and F/D/C science coursework, and take a year to show your EC bonafides. Get thee to a clinic or nursing home or hospice, stat.

I was in a fraternity so all my volunteer hours came from school and fraternity involvement. (probably around 100 hours total over four years).


See above
What can I do to improve my application besides adding more volunteer hours and improving my GPA?

 

[QofQuimica]

This is your problem. You have to demonstrate your altruism and humanism with non-clinical ECs. This means helping the underserved, not your frat. Even more important, it's appears that other than shadowing, you have yet to set foot in a hospital. You need to demonstrate that you know what you're getting into, and that you want to be around sick people for the next 30-40 years. You have the app of someone who want to do what's convenient, not what's necessary. A career in Medicine is a priviledge, not a reward for being smart of doing well in school. You want to be a doctor? Earn it.

Skip the SMP, other than retaking and F/D/C science coursework, and take a year to show your EC bonafides. Get thee to a clinic or nursing home or hospice, stat.

Agree with all of this.

OP, at best your app has the absolute bare minimum to be adequate. There's nothing special to suggest that you're motivated and serious about becoming a physician, let alone to make you stand out.

Your stats are fine but not stellar. If you plan to reapply to DO schools, I agree with Goro that you should retake physics II and the organic sequence so you can replace those Cs with As on AACOMAS.

Except for your 200 hours of shadowing, your ECs are extremely weak. Greek members with frat/sorority volunteering are a dime a dozen, and 100 hours of volunteering for all of college is significantly below average. (Average is more like 100 hours/year.) An EMT certification with no EMT work experience is not much of a help to your app. It gives you lots of book smarts with limited actual patient care experience. You should aim for a minimum of 2-4 hours/week of consistent volunteering over the next year. Volunteer anywhere you like. Is there a volunteer EMT service in your area? Might be able to kill two birds with one stone that way. Otherwise, pick any cause or organization that is significant to you.

 

[mhurricane]

I really appreciate the honest feedback guys. Ill search for those SMP threads and read up.
As for next year I'm definitely retaking Physics II and both orgos (my C's). Do you guys recommend taking extra science classes? For my GPA to hit a 3.6 I need 30 credits at a 4.0 so that alone would be a full time commitment. Should I just retake those 3 classes or should I also throw in some other science classes to provide a more slight boost to my GPA?
I'm currently looking into volunteering at Baylor or a hospice over the summer and I applied for a research position as well.
If I do not get in off the waitlist, I will most likely work as an ER scribe for the next year and continue volunteering.
My only remaining question is would the added clinical exposure and volunteering be enough given my GPA?
If I can apply with a 3.5, 31, and these improved ECs, would that be enough?

edit: sorry I missed a few posts.
Yeah I applied to every Texas school and not one panned out.
I never worked as an EMT because they wanted me to work full time not just over the summer.
edit2: Can I reuse my letters from shadowing? I plan on getting additional letters but my two shadowing letters were pretty strong so I'd like to reuse those if possible

 

[QofQuimica]

No, I don't think it's worth taking more classes beyond those three. You won't be able to budge your AMCAS GPA much in one year no matter what you do, and most of the bang for your buck for AACOMAS will come from replacing those three Cs with As, not from taking other classes. Plus, the biggest weakness in your app is your ECs, not your GPA. You should devote the most effort to fixing the biggest problem this year if you want to have a successful app next time around.

Your work and volunteering plan sounds reasonable. Again, plan on spending a few hours per week throughout the next year at your volunteer gig. Try to pick something you are enthusiastic about and would be interested in doing even if you weren't thinking about improving your med school app. You will enjoy your volunteering experience more if it's something you care about, and that will help you have stronger essays and interviews, too.

You really don't need two shadowing letters. Pick the one from the doc who knows you best and use that. Replace the other one with a letter from your volunteering gig.

 

[mhurricane]

Awesome thank you so much. Anyone want to weigh in on reusing some of my LOR?
Im definitely gonna rewrite essays and get some new letters but I'm hoping I dont need 5 new LOR