WAMC (3.3X / 520)

[ecobio]

---

Members don't see this ad.

previously redacted, but for record purposes

CA resident ORM in medicine
third time reapplicant
poor GPA with significant upward trends
MCAT 514 (expired) --> 520
extensive clinical working experience (4000+)
extensive research experience (2000+)
decent clinical volunteering (~500) including LGBT suicide hotline, and red cross disaster services
decent nonclinical volunteering (~300) including work with refugees, low income seniors, and ecological preservation

 

[Faha]

Several of the schools on your list are unrealistic with your GPA of 3.3. You could add these MD schools:
TCU
Creighton
NOVA MD
Also add more DO schools and consider these:
AZCOM
TUNCOM
ATSU-KCOM
KCU-COM
DMU-COM
Touro-NY
CUSOM
PCOM
LECOM
WVSOM

 

[ecobio]

Several of the schools on your list are unrealistic with your GPA of 3.3. You could add these MD schools:
TCU
Creighton
NOVA MD
Also add more DO schools and consider these:
AZCOM
TUNCOM
ATSU-KCOM
KCU-COM
DMU-COM
Touro-NY
CUSOM
PCOM
LECOM
WVSOM

Thank you for the feedback, Faha. 🥰 Yeah, I know I have quite a few reaches, but I figured I might as well just apply as broadly as I can with the money I saved up. Plus was hoping my MCAT would make up for my GPA a little.

Do you think I have a chance with MD?

And should I add more DO schools now, or wait until Oct/Nov to see if I get any interviews? I applied to the DO schools where I was most interested in living or for their reputation. Could definitely add a couple more from that list.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Wait... what money have you spent on two unsuccessful cycles with enough to burn on reach schools? They don't need more of your money. You have to be smarter than throwing good money after bad.

Are the asterisks your updates since last cycle? One interview in two cycles? Did your army of students and faculty review your last applications? Why do you think you weren't successful? (Okay, I see your answers.)

Moreover, you struck out so many times... what is your mission (since you claim one)? If you are coming from an underserved background, you should have gotten more attention from your in-state programs. UC schools are very well-known to look for mission fit, so why do you feel you have gotten no attention from them despite all the help you have received?

 

[ecobio]

Wait... what money have you spent on two unsuccessful cycles with enough to burn on reach schools? They don't need more of your money. You have to be smarter than throwing good money after bad.

Are the asterisks your updates since last cycle? One interview in two cycles? Did your army of students and faculty review your last applications? Why do you think you weren't successful?

Hahaha, that's a very fair point! Since this is my third application cycle, I'm determined to make it my last, so I figured I should go all in. However, I also understand the importance of being realistic and mindful of resources.

Asterisks are updates since I last applied a couple of years ago. All done in the past 2-3 years.

My first application lacked almost everything -- significant clinical experience, shadowing, and volunteering specifically. I somehow ended up getting an interview this time. Then, when I didn't get in, I immediately reapplied with not much changed (scribed for a year and had just started volunteering that summer). I did not get any interviews the second time around.

I think the main reasons I was unsuccessful were because 1) Missing essential ECs 2) Poorly understood my motivation for medicine / lack of a story / mediocre writing (no, I did not ask ANYONE for help either time, which is another big lesson I learned). 3) Rushed into reapplying without being more introspective as to what went wrong and seeking help from mentors. 4) Did not apply to DO despite my stats

I've really tried to bolster my volunteering, research, and clinical experiences since. I've also reflected more on what my experiences have meant to me and how they've contributed to my ~journey.~ Plus, with my new MCAT, I'm hoping it will balance out my poor GPA.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

1. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer): 4500 hours scribing, 1700 aCRC*, 75 red cross volunteer*, 400 volunteer suicide counselor*
2. Research experience and productivity 1700 aCRC*, 100 research assistant, 120 lab assistant, no pubs or posters
3. Shadowing experience and specialties represented 100 hrs wide variety of specialties (both MD and DO)*
4. Non-clinical volunteering 75 hours tutoring refugee children*, 50 hours with the food bank*, 150 hours in ecological preservation*

So the asterisks span TWO years? (Clarifying, you last submitted an application for 2022-2023.)

1) 4500 hours of scribing is plenty of clinical experience and shadowing for your original application. You didn't really need to shadow 100 hours though DO shadowing may be helpful for some DO schools.

2) Presuming at least one gap year from your last application, only 275 hours of non-clinical volunteering is rather disappointing, especially with just 50 hours of service orientation activity (food bank) since tutoring is an academic activity (arguably ecological preservation too for a science major). It looks like you checked a box and aren't fully invested in serving communities if that is your story. No one gave you feedback on the low hours?

 

[ecobio]

So the asterisks span TWO years? (Clarifying, you last submitted an application for 2022-2023.)

1) 4500 hours of scribing is plenty of clinical experience and shadowing for your original application. You didn't really need to shadow 100 hours though DO shadowing may be helpful for some DO schools.

2) Presuming at least one gap year from your last application, only 275 hours of non-clinical volunteering is rather disappointing, especially with just 50 hours of service orientation activity (food bank) since tutoring is an academic activity (arguably ecological preservation too for a science major). It looks like you checked a box and aren't fully invested in serving communities if that is your story. No one gave you feedback on the low hours?

Yes asterisks are about 2 years!

1) To clarify, my first application only had 1-2 months of scribing, and then my second application probably had ~2000 hours. But I see what youre saying, i guess shadowing was a moot point

2) Yeah, I know 🙁 I was really invested in my volunteer work doing crisis counseling for LGBT youth (~400 hours) but when applying I classified it as clinical instead of non-clinical. Is that gonna totally screw me over? 😵 I didn't really think about the separation of clinical vs non-clinical prior to joining SDN, which was after my primary was submitted. And no, I didnt get feedback on it, presumably because I combined my clinical and nonclinical volunteering when discussing it (for closer to 750 hrs)

 

[wysdoc]

Thank you for the feedback, Faha. 🥰 Yeah, I know I have quite a few reaches, but I figured I might as well just apply as broadly as I can with the money I saved up. Plus was hoping my MCAT would make up for my GPA a little.

Do you think I have a chance with MD?

And should I add more DO schools now, or wait until Oct/Nov to see if I get any interviews? I applied to the DO schools where I was most interested in living or for their reputation. Could definitely add a couple more from that list.

Add more DO schools now would be my advice. Why wait, get your app in front of their eyes sooner

 

[Faha]

Thank you for the feedback, Faha. 🥰 Yeah, I know I have quite a few reaches, but I figured I might as well just apply as broadly as I can with the money I saved up. Plus was hoping my MCAT would make up for my GPA a little.

Do you think I have a chance with MD?

And should I add more DO schools now, or wait until Oct/Nov to see if I get any interviews? I applied to the DO schools where I was most interested in living or for their reputation. Could definitely add a couple more from that list.

The GPA-MCAT grid shows you have a ~50% chance for a MD acceptance. You should definitely apply to DO schools this month.

 

[ecobio]

Just as an update, I ended up adding TUNCOM, PCOM, both LECOM, and Touro CA for now. My credit cards are sobbing but It'll be worth it!

Thank y'all for the guidance, it's really appreciated. Hopefully things go well this cycle for me. 😵

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

The GPA-MCAT grid shows you have a ~50% chance for a MD acceptance. You should definitely apply to DO schools this month.

I'd say the OP's got better than a 50 percent chance; their upward trend means a lot and there's no doubt about academic ability. The first cycle they got skunked on was due to failure to check the boxes; the second was the result of poor judgment and research - which is a bit of a black mark against them, but very plausible. Failing to classify the LGBT crisis line volunteering as nonclinical when they were weak in that area might have been what did them in, as well as the lack of anything that they classified as shadowing. It's not that the OP's ECs were lacking, but that they weren't playing the game and seem a bit unaware of the rules. Good luck - and they could stand to lurk these boards a bit more and seek advice on interviewing.

 

[ecobio]

I'd say the OP's got better than a 50 percent chance; their upward trend means a lot and there's no doubt about academic ability. The first cycle they got skunked on was due to failure to check the boxes; the second was the result of poor judgment and research - which is a bit of a black mark against them, but very plausible. Failing to classify the LGBT crisis line volunteering as nonclinical when they were weak in that area might have been what did them in, as well as the lack of anything that they classified as shadowing. It's not that the OP's ECs were lacking, but that they weren't playing the game and seem a bit unaware of the rules. Good luck - and they could stand to lurk these boards a bit more and seek advice on interviewing.

Thank you for your perspective! I appreciate it a lot. Hoping for the best 🙂

 

[ecobio]

well folks -- I DID IT!!! after 3 cycles and countless applications, just got my first acceptance at Quinnipiac 🙂 so grateful for your support as well as the support of SDN as a whole.