PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE THIS MESSAGE
Hi all, am currently preparing for a reapplication. Have already received great advice from some of the experts on SDN but still wanted to make this more public post to get more perspectives as I start reapplying in earnest.
Going to try to thread the needle between being too vague and being too identifiable. Am still on two WLs, so am a bit paranoid about this post being tracked down by the programs I'm still in the running for. Happy to DM more specific info if that would help people give better advice.
Applied to 16 MD PhD programs and 2 MD programs this cycle (see below for list) with the majority of my completion dates falling between August-October. Was invited to interview at 4 MD PhD programs (t5, t30, and 2 t50s) and ultimately actually interviewed at 3 (t10 and 2 t50s). Currently waitlisted at the t5 and one of the t50s. Would be overjoyed to get off the WLs and pursue my MD PhD dreams, but am not betting on it at this point, especially as funding shenanigans continue and programs get more cautious and conservative with acceptances.
For various personal reasons, I am leaning towards applying MD only this next round. I do still have the research bug, but my understanding is that I should have a chance to get back into research in a major way later if I can get into the appropriate residencies.
Anyways, WAMC if I reapply MD only this cycle? Any advice on what I can do before and during the next app cycle to improve my chances of acceptance?
Previously submitted primary plus expected improvements when resubmitting primary:
way too large rn, appreciate suggestions on what schools to remove or add including DO, trying to shave this down to ~30-35 programs, figure its probably best to focus on schools that favor stats and research given state of my current app?
Hi all, am currently preparing for a reapplication. Have already received great advice from some of the experts on SDN but still wanted to make this more public post to get more perspectives as I start reapplying in earnest.
Going to try to thread the needle between being too vague and being too identifiable. Am still on two WLs, so am a bit paranoid about this post being tracked down by the programs I'm still in the running for. Happy to DM more specific info if that would help people give better advice.
Applied to 16 MD PhD programs and 2 MD programs this cycle (see below for list) with the majority of my completion dates falling between August-October. Was invited to interview at 4 MD PhD programs (t5, t30, and 2 t50s) and ultimately actually interviewed at 3 (t10 and 2 t50s). Currently waitlisted at the t5 and one of the t50s. Would be overjoyed to get off the WLs and pursue my MD PhD dreams, but am not betting on it at this point, especially as funding shenanigans continue and programs get more cautious and conservative with acceptances.
For various personal reasons, I am leaning towards applying MD only this next round. I do still have the research bug, but my understanding is that I should have a chance to get back into research in a major way later if I can get into the appropriate residencies.
Anyways, WAMC if I reapply MD only this cycle? Any advice on what I can do before and during the next app cycle to improve my chances of acceptance?
Previously submitted primary plus expected improvements when resubmitting primary:
- cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS
- AMCAS cGPA 3.99, sGPA 4.00 - MCAT score(s) and breakdown. Include all (non-voided) attempts.
- Total 522 - State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
- CA - Ethnicity and/or race
- Asian - Undergraduate institution or category
- T1 large public research university - Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
- ~150 hrs as predominantly front desk volunteer in large safety net hospital, will add for reapp primary ~130 hrs volunteering on patient care floor in same hospital helping nurses clean, move, feed, etc. patients
- exploring also adding some hospice volunteering but will have to stop current hospital volunteering so not entirely sure that it is worth, thoughts?
- planning to pursue actual clinic work (dialysis tech, scribe, MA, etc.) after finishing secondary submissions - Research experience and productivity
- ~3000 hrs total, will add 1720 hrs for reapp primary; various basic science research experiences including full time work during gap years
- co authored a conference poster before primary submission, co authored a paper published in ~30 IF Nature Portfolio journal during secondaries, will add a co author preprint (currently under review) for reapp primary - Shadowing experience and specialties represented
- ~80 hrs total in primary care settings, planning to add more but have only secured some geriatric shadowing currently - Non-clinical volunteering HELP DESIRED
- ~50 hrs science outreach at underserved elementary schools
- ~200 hrs mentoring low income high schoolers in robotics
- Consider this to be a weak point right now. Figure I have the time to roughly add ~100 hrs before submitting reapp primary. Currently deciding on whether or not to engage in either crisis text line (CTL) or foodbank or both. Have a fairly deep personal reason and interest in doing CTL. That being said, as has been pointed out to me, foodbank would be actually in person and could help me grow in ways that I have not been able to since I haven't really engaged in these types of activities before. Right now, leaning towards just doing both for ~50 hrs each. Thoughts on the best course of action here? Split my attention and do both or really dive into just one of these activities? - Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
- ~100 hrs as a STEM course tutor - Relevant honors or awards
- 2 major merit scholarships
- 1 minor funding award for undergrad research
- several academic recognitions (e.g. Dean's List, etc.) - Anything else not listed you think might be important
- have LOR from all research mentors and several science professors
- imo, writing was rushed and not great, working to make it much better this time
- also working to ensure that apps are going to be completed much earlier this time
- Harvard MSTP
- Stanford MSTP
- UCSF MSTP
- Columbia MSTP
- UPenn MSTP
- UCLA MSTP
- Northwestern MSTP
- UMich MSTP
- Cornell MSTP
- UCSD MSTP
- Mayo MSTP
- URochester MSTP
- UC Irvine MSTP
- Einstein MSTP
- UMinnesota MSTP
- UC Davis MD PhD
- USC MD
- SKMC MD
way too large rn, appreciate suggestions on what schools to remove or add including DO, trying to shave this down to ~30-35 programs, figure its probably best to focus on schools that favor stats and research given state of my current app?
- Harvard (reapplicant)
- Johns Hopkins (reapplicant)
- UPenn (reapplicant)
- Columbia (reapplicant)
- Duke
- Stanford (reapplicant)
- UCSF (reapplicant)
- Vanderbilt
- WashU St Louis
- Cornell (reapplicant)
- NYU (reapplicant)
- Yale (reapplicant)
- Mayo (reapplicant)
- Northwestern (reapplicant)
- UMich (reapplicant)
- UPitt (reapplicant)
- Mt. Sinai (reapplicant)
- UChicago (reapplicant)
- UCLA (reapplicant)
- UCSD (reapplicant)
- Emory
- Case Western
- UColorado
- Ohio State (reapplicant)
- USC (reapplicant)
- UVirginia
- Boston Uni
- URochester (reapplicant)
- UCincinnati
- Einstein (reapplicant)
- UC Irvine (reapplicant)
- Dartmouth
- Wake Forest
- UC Davis (reapplicant) grew up right next to them
- Tufts (reapplicant)
- SKMC (reapplicant)
- UIllinois
- UArizona Tucson birthplace
- Virginia Tech
- NYMC
- Albany
- California Northstate
- California University of Science and Medicine
- Carle (reapplicant)
- Kaiser (reapplicant)
- UPenn (reapplicant) Edit: meant Penn State
- UArizona Phoenix (reapplicant)
- Western Michigan
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