WAMC - 3.7sGPA/512 MCAT, weak non-clinical volunteering

[heppiphleb]

1. cGPA: 3.79, sGPA: 3.71
2. 3 MCATs:

503: 127 chem, 124 cars, 127 bio, 125 psych
509: 127, 123, 127, 125
512: 129, 126, 128, 129

1. Colorado resident
2. Asian American (Cambodian)
3. University of Colorado Boulder undergrad
4. Clinical Experience: 3770 hrs
   
   20 health fair volunteering
   2900 family caregiving (basically most of my life)
   850 formally working as a phlebotomist
   
   
5. Research Experience: 65 hours for a year, but unproductive - not exactly a highlight on my application
6. Shadowing: 106 hours
   
   77 hours online/virtual
   29 in-person representing pediatrics and general surgery
   
   
7. Virtually no non-clinical volunteering - nothing seemingly worth noting on AMCAS
8. Other/Extracurriculars: nationally certified phlebotomy tech, teaching assistant for human anatomy in college (1 semester), volunteered on a panel for a conference on mindfulness, spend some of my free time studying Korean
9. Honors/Awards: part of a competitive and small scholars group in college, Dean’s list, graduated with distinction
10. Anything else worth noting: first generation Cambodian American, and I am a reapplicant from last cycle. COVID also impacted my ability to shadow any physicians in-person.

I know my absence of non-clinical volunteering is a killer, and it really worries me about my chances. Hard to find the time when I already spend most of it looking after my family. Really want to try and stay in Colorado, but whatever happens, happens. I'll take any advice about anything.

Thank you all!!!


Working list of schools:

Boston University
Dartmouth
Northwestern
Penn State
Brown
Tufts
CU Anschutz
UMass Chan
U of Michigan
Rochester
U of Virginia
U of Miami
Quinnipiac
Drexel
Rosalind Franklin
NYMC
Wake Forest
U of Vermont
Temple
Western Michigan

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[Faha]

The 2900 hours of caring for your own family is not clinical volunteering. You are not ready to apply this year with no non clinical volunteering and only 29 hours of in pesron physician shadowing. You should accumulate another 20 hours of in person physician shadowing and 200+ hours of non clinical volunteering (homeless shelter, food bank, etc.). The majority of the schools on your list are not realistic with your MCAT scores since schools will average your scores.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You need to get serious and stop relying on your excuses to get you in. You knew that non-clinical community service is a big red flag, and yet you want to reapply. Where did you send applications, and did you get any interviews?

As a reapplicant and a 3x MCAT, you put yourself behind the 8-ball at many schools. You must show significant improvement in a reapplication to those schools you have applied to, and still maintaining zero hours of service orientation community service will likely set you back to being a 3x reapplicant.

Being Cambodian is also in some schools being Asian URM. Unfortunately California schools will likely be the only ones who will consider you in this way. Connect with APAMSA or similar affinity groups at the schools on your wishlist.

The family caregiving can go into your Other Impactful Experiences, but not your W/A. You can discuss the challenges from COVID in appropriate secondary essay prompts, but realize virtual shadowing won't help you anymore.

TL/DR: Don't waste your money on a reapp this cycle until you get at least 150-200 hours of non-clinical volunteering and another 20-30 hours of physician shadowing in-person to avoid getting screened out. Network to find other Cambodian medical students at schools where you want to go.