WAMC? 3.64 GPA, 3.5 sGPA, 511 MCAT

[JohnDoeOriginal]

1. GPA: 3.64 cGPA, 3.5 sGPA, Molecular and Cell Biology Major, graduated this year (Odd GPA trend: Y1 3.81, Y2: 3.62 Y3: 3.25 (personal/relationship struggles, COVID etc.), Y4: 3.85 (while taking almost all upper-level science/biology full courseload)
2. MCAT: originally 508, just retook and received 511 (127/126/130/128).
3. State of Residence: CT
4. ORM
5. Institution: T20 undergrad, public
6. Clinical experience/volunteering: ~ 230 hospital volunteering hours, projecting additional ~100 if I can find opening on weekends. Also received EMT license but have not accumulated hours and it has expired (not including on app most likely, but may write a bit about ride-along experiences as they were impactful.
7. Research: ~1000 hours of research experience during undergrad in internal medicine department, completed bachelor's thesis and received honors, also 2 presentations (1 poster at student symposium, 1 presentation for research department). Also co-author on two pubs. Now I am working at a pharma company as a scientist, so accumulating more hours of research each day.
8. Shadowing: 50 hours pediatric NICU shadowing, 15 hours shadowing pulmonologist
9. Non-clinical volunteering/experience: ~60 hours as homeless shelter kitchen volunteer, accumulated during free time/weekends over course of year in undergrad. Looking into accumulating more non-clinical hours over course of gap year
10. Letters of rec: Research mentor who is also MD offered to write for me (should be strong as I know him well), lab PI will write me a very strong letter as I know her very well. Will hopefully have one decent science professor letter and one decent non-science.
11. Gap year activities: Scientist in pharma company in Immunology division (recently started)
12. Honors/Awards: Honors from the college I graduated, also honors from my college Biology program for thesis
13. Other info: I am shooting for MD schools. I have a good amount of research experience to date, but I'm not sure I want to solely do it my whole life. Still, it seems MD leaves that door open somewhat more than DO. Among specialties, primary care appeals most to me if that is of any relevance.

MD Schools I am thinking about applying:
1.) My state school: UCONN
2.) Vermont
3.) Drexel
4.) Medical College Wisconsin
5.) Quinnipiac
6.) NOVA MD
7.) Albany
8.) New York Medical College
9.) Temple
10.) TCU
11.) George Washington
12.) Georgetown
13.) Geisel - Dartmouth
14.) Rosalind Franklin
15.) Tufts
16.) Jacobs
17.) Thomas Jefferson
18.) Tulane
19.) Hackensack
20.) Creighton
21.) SUNYS? (I know they are heavy instate but they are close to home).
22.) UMiami
23.) Florida international
24.) Loyola
25.) Wayne State
26.) Oakland Beaumont
27.) Western Michigan
28.) Virginia Commonwealth


Some DO I am thinking about (would rather go East Coast or West Coast)
PCOM
NYITCOM

I am not sure if I have a good chance anywhere with my scores and grades, or what the best use of my time is now other than writing. Would be grateful for any advice or suggestions. Thank you for reading.

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[Mr.Smile12]

Clarify if this is for an application next year, or you've submitted.

I only see Tufts as your Boston-area school, so I'm wondering why not BU.

You shouldn't need DO's with a 511, but it's smart to consider them. However, if you'd rather go East Coast or West Coast, your list doesn't necessarily reflect that preference ass you have a fair number of midwestern schools (Creighton, Wisconsin, the Michigan schools?)

 

[Faha]

You should accumulate another 100+ hours of non clinical volunteering before you submit your application. Otherwise, you could be screened out at some schools. Your clinical and non clinical hours are too low for Loyola, Creighton, Georgetown and possible others. The SUNYs and some of the Florida schools admit few non residents with your stats and no connection to the state.
I suggest these schools from your list:
1.) My state school: UCONN
2.) Vermont
3.) Drexel
4.) Medical College Wisconsin
5.) Quinnipiac
6.) NOVA MD
7.) Albany
8.) New York Medical College
9.) Temple
10.) TCU
11.) George Washington
14.) Rosalind Franklin
15.) Tufts
17.) Thomas Jefferson
18.) Tulane
19.) Hackensack
25.) Wayne State
26.) Oakland Beaumont
28.) Virginia Commonwealth
You could add these schools:
Penn State
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
Belmont
Alice Walton
Roseman
Add UNECOM, Touro-NY and LECOM to your DO list.

 

[gyngyn]

I only see Tufts as your Boston-area school, so I'm wondering why not BU.

513 is the 10th percentile at BU...

 

[JohnDoeOriginal]

Clarify if this is for an application next year, or you've submitted.

I only see Tufts as your Boston-area school, so I'm wondering why not BU.

You shouldn't need DO's with a 511, but it's smart to consider them. However, if you'd rather go East Coast or West Coast, your list doesn't necessarily reflect that preference ass you have a fair number of midwestern schools (Creighton, Wisconsin, the Michigan schools?)

Hello,

This is how I stand currently, I have not submitted yet and am considering submitting in ~a year from now. BU seems a bit unreasonable with my grades and MCAT score. For MD, I would be more willing to go far from home as I think that is a more valuable degree in some ways. For DO, I don't think it matters as it seems pretty much all DO schools prioritize a clinical, primary care focused path, so I'd rather go somewhere that I would be "happier" and could visit my family- also there are good DO schools on the East Coast where I might be competitive. Thanks for the reply.

 

[JohnDoeOriginal]

You should accumulate another 100+ hours of non clinical volunteering before you submit your application. Otherwise, you could be screened out at some schools. Your clinical and non clinical hours are too low for Loyola, Creighton, Georgetown and possible others. The SUNYs and some of the Florida schools admit few non residents with your stats and no connection to the state.
I suggest these schools from your list:
1.) My state school: UCONN
2.) Vermont
3.) Drexel
4.) Medical College Wisconsin
5.) Quinnipiac
6.) NOVA MD
7.) Albany
8.) New York Medical College
9.) Temple
10.) TCU
11.) George Washington
14.) Rosalind Franklin
15.) Tufts
17.) Thomas Jefferson
18.) Tulane
19.) Hackensack
25.) Wayne State
26.) Oakland Beaumont
28.) Virginia Commonwealth
You could add these schools:
Penn State
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
Belmont
Alice Walton
Roseman
Add UNECOM, Touro-NY and LECOM to your DO list.

Thank you for the suggestions. I will look into those other schools.