WAMC 3.53/512

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PuffBlueCat

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5+ Year Member
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24 YO White Male

Year in School: Graduated December 2018 BS in Biochemistry, Psychology minor

State of Residence: Wisconsin

Undergrad: Mid-size state school in UW system

Schools to which you are applying:

  • Medical College of Wisconsin
  • University of Wisconsin
  • Creighton University
  • Rosalind Franklin
  • University of Colorado
  • Robert Larner SOM
  • Penn State
  • Michigan State
  • University of Minnesota
  • University of Utah
  • Western Michigan?
  • DO Schools?
  • MAYBE South Dakota, MAYBE U Washington (GF has very strong ties to Wyoming and South Dakota)
cGPA: 3.53 (Upward Trend – 2.65 Freshman Year)**

sGPA: 3.47 (Upward Trend – 8cr of C- Freshman Year)**

MCAT: 512 128/127/129/128 on 9/14/2019

Research: MINIMAL. Spring 2017 ~100hrs assisting in microbiology lab Spring 2017. Credited in presentation. Fall 2017 ~40hrs researching and writing a literature review paper for PI. No publications.

Clinical Volunteering: 55hrs Hospital ED 2-4hrs/week Spring-Summer 2019

Shadowing: 87hrs across IM, ENT, Psych (34+hrs), Gastroenterology, Family med, Sports med, Neurology, Radiology/interventional Radiology, Ophthalmology.

Non-Clinical Volunteering: MINIMAL. Mexico Mission trip Summer 2014 - 4 work days, Sporadic volunteering through Football and SAAC - approx. 50hrs (football camps, boys and girls club, elementary school reading, Hope Starts here run/walk, Salvation Army meal serving, bell ringing) throughout undergrad.

Extracurricular Activities: SAAC Co-President 2018, Volunteer Coordinator 2017-2018, WIAC SAAC 2017-2018, D2 Football team – freshman year, D3 football team sophomore-graduation (Leadership council and captain), other various hobbies. Plus various notable honors awarded throughout undergrad.

Employment history: Mover(~100hr), Deli Counter Associate (~600hrs), TMS Therapy Technician (~1300hrs), Tutor in Math and Science (~400hrs), Honors Intern – Sociology Dept (~500hrs), Bartender/Server/Bar Back at two different restaurants (~800hrs).

Immediate family in Medicine: Nope (Great uncle on mom’s side was an EM doc for many years since retired)

Specialty of Interest: Many - Favorites are Psychiatry, Radiology/IR, Ortho/sports medicine, and Gastroenterology

Graduate degrees: post-bacc EMT cert lol

Rural Health Interest: Definitely yes

Overall, I think I have an OK application, but would love to hear your thoughts. I wonder if I have too many public schools on my list. Between my stats and geographic preferences (would strongly prefer to stay in midwest/western states), I ruled out many private schools. Are there any others I should add or maybe some I should take away? Any established, reputable DO schools in the Midwest/West I should add? Any general advice on my application and my school list is greatly appreciated. I appreciate your time!

**GPA - I attended a small, academically rigorous private school my freshman year (2 semesters). In hindsight, I was NOT ready for college, i.e. finished with a 2.63 GPA including 8.0cr of C-'s in Calc I and II. Summer after freshman year, I transferred to a smaller public school in the University of Wisconsin system, and averaged a 3.76 GPA in my remaining 7 semesters (dean's list every semester and highest honors 3 semesters including an A- in a Calc I retake). I am worried adcoms will be skeptical of my GPA differences between the two schools and subsequent upward trend.
 
You do have too many state public schools on your list. Are you aware that U Washington accepts less than 1% of applicants who are not from states in the Northwest (and most of those few are MD-PhD applicants). Your low clinical and non clinical volunteering hours will limit your chances for interviews. I suggest these schools with your stats:
U Wisconsin
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
TCU-UNT
NOVA MD
George Washington
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
Seton Hall
New York Medical College
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Also apply broadly to DO schools and I suggest these:
CCOM
MU-COM
DMU-COM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
AZCOM
TUNCOM
CUSOM
VCOM (all schools)
PCOM (all schools)
LECOM (all schools)
 
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