MD WAMC 3.86/515, ORM, CA resident, Reapplicant

[kym]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi everyone, just found out about this amazing forum while applying this cycle (2024-2025) and wanted to get opinions on why I didn't receive any interviews and what I can do to strengthen my application. I'm planning on reapplying next cycle (2025-2026) and am currently studying for an MCAT retake. It would also be amazing for anyone to recommend any medical schools other than the ones on my list. Here are my stats:

• cGPA: 3.86, sGPA: 3.84
• MCAT: 515 (131/125/129/130)
• PREview: 8
• US citizen, CA resident
• ORM (Asian American)
• Undergrad from school that rhymes with bopkins
• Clinical Experience (~1430 hours total)
  • Volunteer in PED (550 hours)
  • Medical volunteering in developing country (880 hours over four months)
• Research (~1930 hours total)/Pubs
  • 3 different labs starting from computational bio to now neurology
  • Internship at a medtech startup
  • 6 pubs, most are 5th+ author but one is corresponding author (I did the entire project)
• Shadowing (~250 hours total)
  • 3 different doctors with specialties in cardiac surgery, ped surgery, and rehab
• Non-clinical (~180 hours total)
  • Made an inventory management software for a hospital
  • *Likely need to improve here
• Other
  • Acapella (500 hours)
  • Did some social justice/advocacy work where I helped develop surgical plan for developing country (400 hours)

Schools I applied to this cycle:

• Stanford University
• Harvard University
• University of Pennsylvania
• Yale University
• Northwestern University
• Columbia University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• University of Chicago
• Cornell University
• Brown University
• Dartmouth College
• Emory University
• Case Western Reserve University
• Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai
• Mayo Clinic School of Medicine
• University of California - Irvine
• University of California - Los Angeles
• University of California - San Diego
• University of California - San Francisco
• University of California - Davis
• University of Michigan
• University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
• Georgetown University
• Tufts University
• University of Missouri - Kansas City

I understand my school list is just all the top schools and I reached a little too high... Any suggestions for improvements to my applications to make me at least a little competitive for the T20s would be greatly appreciated! Also curious about what I should do about LOR, my school says I can use the same ones but is it recommended? Should I try to find other letter writers? Thanks!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

What feedback have you received from your prehealth advisors?

Where are your non-clinical community service orientation activities? Inventory management???

 

[kym]

Welcome to the forums.

What feedback have you received from your prehealth advisors?

Where are your non-clinical community service orientation activities? Inventory management???

Thanks for the response!

My prehealth advisor said to increase the number of non-clinical volunteering hours and, if possible, improve MCAT score. I'm currently looking to start a free tutoring service for my local community.

My current non-clinical community service was creating a software that can help sort and manage a small hospital's supplies and inventory. They use it to keep track of medical equipment and materials.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thanks for the response!

My prehealth advisor said to increase the number of non-clinical volunteering hours and, if possible, improve MCAT score. I'm currently looking to start a free tutoring service for my local community.

My current non-clinical community service was creating a software that can help sort and manage a small hospital's supplies and inventory. They use it to keep track of medical equipment and materials.

Every prehealth student does tutoring, which will not help you stand out in the ocean of applicants, especially with your stats. Tutoring and mentoring are academic competencies and show us you understand what the expectations are for academics. It won't help you in the admissions process otherwise.

Service orientation activities include food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, and housing rehabilitation. All activities should be in-person/face-to-face (not virtual), and they should build on stretching beyond your comfort zone, not in the role of an expert. Ideally, it should give you personal, experiential insight into the impact of social and environmental factors on community well-being. You should have 150 hours completed before submitting your application to avoid getting screened out at most schools; you should have 250 minimum for "brand name" schools and higher for more service-mission schools (500+).

Your significant number of hours outside the US healthcare system likely contributed to getting screened out as well. If your goal is to become more involved in global health, choose focused activities that show such a trajectory, especially during gap years... however you really need more US-based clinical experiences so find a job there. You don't need more shadowing.

Benefits of Global Health Education for Future Doctors | SDN

Many aspiring health professionals are attracted to opportunities that impact health outside the nation’s boundaries, but they find limited advice on

www.studentdoctor.net

Application Tips: Showing a Global Health Focus | SDN

We previously discussed how study abroad opportunities could give future physicians better insights into global health challenges. Many health professions

www.studentdoctor.net

I presume that by coding software you are in computer science or engineering. You may want to look into the few "engineering" medical school curricula. What you did sounds like a place like Carle would appreciate this effort.

How to Engineer a Health Professional Career | SDN

NOTE: In this article, “engineering” can refer to quantitative analytical subjects like physics, mathematics, computer science, or finance/economics, but

www.studentdoctor.net

Q&A with Carle Illinois College of Medicine: Developing Innovation and Entrepreneurship as Health Professionals | SDN

In a previous article, I discussed the advantages engineering-trained applicants bring to the health professions. For this article, we asked the

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[Faha]

Your lack of non clinical volunteering was a major factor in your poor application cycle. Accumulate 150+ hours of non clinical volunteering such as food bank, homeless shelter, etc. before you reapply. Your school list was top heavy with your lack of non clinical volunteering and MCAT of 515.
I suggest these schools when you reapply:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
UMass
Albany
New York Medical College
Hofstra
Rochester
Hackensack
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Pittsburgh
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
USF Morsani
Belmont
Alice Walton
TCU
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Illinois
Iowa
Colorado
Arizona (Phoenix)
Roseman (when it opens)
Methodist (when it opens)
California University
Kaiser
Loma Linda (if you fit their mission)
The UCs (except Riverside unless you are from that region)