MD WAMC: 3.85, 517 MCAT International

[serotonin78]

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[seren1051]

I think you absolutely have a shot. Retaking 517 MCAT would look questionable to most adcoms, anyways. Do you have shadowing experience?

 

[curbsideconsult]

You have great stats and decent experience, but aren't the odds more stacked against you than a domestic student? Applying to Medical School as an International Applicant I do think you have to do more volunteering with the underserved. How many of those hours do you have so far?

 

[serotonin78]

I think you absolutely have a shot. Retaking 517 MCAT would look questionable to most adcoms, anyways. Do you have shadowing experience?

Thank you for your reply! That's true, and I don't know how much better I can do even if I retake, although it's lower than many skls' median...
I don't have any shadowing experience specifically, but I feel like I do have some understanding of what doctors do (from hospital volunteering, interpreting for patients who don't speak English in out patient clinics, and scrubbing in surgeries overseas) I'll also get to shadow a resident on a few shifts through the volunteer program. Do you think that's okay? or should I start looking for actual shadowing opportunities?

 

[serotonin78]

You have great stats and decent experience, but aren't the odds more stacked against you than a domestic student? Applying to medical school as an international applicant. I do think you have to do more volunteering with the underserved. How many of those hours do you have so far?

Thank you curbsideconsult Yeah, international students have much lower acceptance rates and I think internationals are generally held at a higher standard? so I'm thinking if I should take an extra year to prepare.
The only experience I have with underserved population is through a club at school, in that case, does club meetings/trainings also count towards the hours(~200)? or do we only count hours during which we are interacting with underserved population(~100)? I'm also doing a one week summer camp for underserved youth, but that's gonna be after the application...

 

[curbsideconsult]

Thank you curbsideconsult Yeah, international students have much lower acceptance rates and I think internationals are generally held at a higher standard? so I'm thinking if I should take an extra year to prepare.
The only experience I have with underserved population is through a club at school, in that case, does club meetings/trainings also count towards the hours(~200)? or do we only count hours during which we are interacting with underserved population(~100)? I'm also doing a one week summer camp for underserved youth, but that's gonna be after the application...

It doesn't matter through which organization you do service activities, as long as those activities are good and serve the needy. As for counting those hours, for me it would depend on the nature of those meetings. If those meetings were just to hang out and catch up with other club members, then I wouldn't count those. But if those meetings were more like strategy planning meetings about how to best serve the people you're working with, then I think those should count. Others will probably have a different opinion, but that's how I would count my hours. The summer camp is great.

 

[seren1051]

Thank you for your reply! That's true, and I don't know how much better I can do even if I retake, although it's lower than many skls' median...
I don't have any shadowing experience specifically, but I feel like I do have some understanding of what doctors do (from hospital volunteering, interpreting for patients who don't speak English in out patient clinics, and scrubbing in surgeries overseas) I'll also get to shadow a resident on a few shifts through the volunteer program. Do you think that's okay? or should I start looking for actual shadowing opportunities?

I think it'll still be helpful to grab a formal shadowing opportunity. Yeah, you've seen tons from your volunteering experiences, but many adcoms won't view it in the same light. Shadowing resident is OK, but try not to make it a dominant portion of your shadowing experience. Some schools told me previously that they really want to see that 'SHADOWING' experience separate.

 

[serotonin78]

It doesn't matter through which organization you do service activities, as long as those activities are good and serve the needy. As for counting those hours, for me it would depend on the nature of those meetings. If those meetings were just to hang out and catch up with other club members, then I wouldn't count those. But if those meetings were more like strategy planning meetings about how to best serve the people you're working with, then I think those should count. Others will probably have a different opinion, but that's how I would count my hours. The summer camp is great.

I see, yeah that makes sense! Our social events are separate from meetings, which are for mostly for planning/ preparing for the event, so I would count those. As for the summer camp... since it takes place after the app is due (although we do have trainings and preparations leading up to it), can I still list it as an activity on the app? Thank you so much!!

 

[serotonin78]

I think it'll still be helpful to grab a formal shadowing opportunity. Yeah, you've seen tons from your volunteering experiences, but many adcoms won't view it in the same light. Shadowing resident is OK, but try not to make it a dominant portion of your shadowing experience. Some schools told me previously that they really want to see that 'SHADOWING' experience separate.

Oh, really? I didn't realize that... thank you for the advice! I should probably start looking for formal shadowing opportunities

 

[curbsideconsult]

I see, yeah that makes sense! Our social events are separate from meetings, which are for mostly for planning/ preparing for the event, so I would count those. As for the summer camp... since it takes place after the app is due (although we do have trainings and preparations leading up to it), can I still list it as an activity on the app? Thank you so much!!

There's no real "due date" for AMCAS. You mean the summer camp takes place after you complete your application submission? I suppose you could add it as projected hours, but I don't think adcoms will give any weight to it at all since you wouldn't have started it by the time you submit your application. If it was a summer camp activity you did last summer and are continuing with it this summer then, yes, definitely include it. But I'm assuming this summer camp activity is new for you this year? If so, again, I wouldn't include it. The training in this scenario wouldn't count because it's only training without having done the activity yet, unlike with your homeless outreach where the meetings are an integral part of your active service to the homeless. I hope this makes sense.

 

[serotonin78]

There's no real "due date" for AMCAS. You mean the summer camp takes place after you complete your application submission? I suppose you could add it as projected hours, but I don't think adcoms will give any weight to it at all since you wouldn't have started it by the time you submit your application. If it was a summer camp activity you did last summer and are continuing with it this summer then, yes, definitely include it. But I'm assuming this summer camp activity is new for you this year? If so, again, I wouldn't include it. The training in this scenario wouldn't count because it's only training without having done the activity yet, unlike with your homeless outreach where the meetings are an integral part of your active service to the homeless. I hope this makes sense.

Sorry, I meant before I should submit the app (it's my first time doing the summer camp and it's going to take place in July). Yeah, it makes sense! Thank you I wasn't really counting on it to have much weight for the app, I guess I should treat it more like sth for fun

 

[success16]

You have great stats and decent experience, but aren't the odds more stacked against you than a domestic student? Applying to Medical School as an International Applicant I do think you have to do more volunteering with the underserved. How many of those hours do you have so far?

This is not necessarily true. You don't have to volunteer with the underserved because you are international student. Volunteer with the underserved only if you really want to.

 

[success16]

Hi Guys, I was wondering if I could get any advice about whether I should apply this yr (Originally planned to, but I just saw the new MSAR scores this morning, and....). I was thinking to apply if I have a shot at the more competitive schools (top 30s, because they tend to be more friendly to international students). However, I'm worried that with my current stats and ECs I might not have a chance at those skls at all, in which case would it be better for me to do more research/clinical work next yr, retake the mcat and then apply? Any thoughts would be much appreciated!! Thank you in advance!!

International student currently attending US undergrad
cGPA: 3.88, expected to go down a little.. (didn't calculate sGPA but likely similar)
MCAT: 517, 130/128/128/131
ECs:
800 hospital volunteering hours, small leadership position
2 yrs of unpaid research (publication expected before end of this calendar yr)
2 clubs, (volunteering with underserved population-2yrs, mental health-1yr)
oversea medical internship
a little bit of clinical work experience
(3yr grad, I'm wondering if this is viewed positively at all or rather a disadvantage coz less undergrad/preparation time)

I think your stats are fantastic! There's absolutely no point in retaking your MCAT (IMO). I say go for it. Be very smart about the schools you choose to apply to though, study the MSAR. Don't just pay attention to whether or not a school accepts international students, look at how many actually matriculated, make sure those that did are not all Canadians. Take your time with your application, make sure you are telling your story in the most compelling but sincere way. Apply early but do not rush those secondary applications. If you still have time for shadowing, try to get some in.

 

[curbsideconsult]

This is not necessarily true. You don't have to volunteer with the underserved because you are international student. Volunteer with the underserved only if you really want to.

That's not what I said. Serving the poor/needy/destitute/etc. is something most competitive medical school applicants do and it's usually a pretty good idea to have a lot of those types of hours.