WAMC 3.75/510 Non-Trad Californian

[whichbreath]

GPA: 3.75, MCAT: 510 (128/128/126/128)
Extracurriculars: PhD student, teaching assistant/grading, cellist, swimming (casual), reading novels
Research: 2 publications (about cello and biology, respectively), have worked on statistical research, also journal articles in progress
Clinical/volunteer: healthcare navigator (about 250 hours by next July), hospice volunteer (just starting)
Clubs: Christian club
Background: LGBT, mathematical science undergrad/stats grad nontrad
Familiar with mental health due to going to the gym and managing depression
California, age:29, ORM (Asian)

Would I benefit from waiting until next cycle (2025-2026) even though there are 6-7 months to go until 2024-2025 starts? What can I do to improve my chances? My school list contains 10 schools from each of the 4 geographic regions of the US, plus 10 DO schools, for 50 total. Should I bother applying in-state even though people say to do that?

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[Dr_Pediatrics]

I would get some more non-clinical volunteer hours. Many of the MD schools that are attainable with your stats are very focused on applicants with lots of volunteering experience and community service to underserved populations. Also definitely apply to California University. Also see if you fit any of the mission statements for UC-Riverside (living in/strong ties to the Inland Empire) and UC Davis (low-income, first-gen, etc.). Good luck!