WAMC - 5 Year Non-Trad (ORM/3.88/511)

[HumbleYodler]

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1) cGPA/sGPA: 3.88/3.83 with an upward trend (rough freshman year). Graduated 2020.

2) MCAT: 511 (129/123/129/130)

3) State/Residence: MI

4) Ethnicity/Race: ORM - Middle Eastern (27 y/o)

5) Undergraduate Institution/Category: Unranked Private (B.S. in Biology) - First Gen; Low SES

6) Clinical Experience: 2,150 hours currently; 850 hours as a Neurosurgery Scribe; 1,250 as a Derm MA (still working; expect to be around 1,650 before I apply); a little over 50 hours in Hospice.

7) Research Experience/Productivity: 400 hours during undergrad on protein folding and drug development for an orphan disease with a symposium and poster presentation (passionate about this)

8) Shadowing Experiences/Specialties: ~50 hours in total; 10 hours in IM; 8 hours in OMFS; 26 hours in Neurosurgery OR; 7 hours in Derm.

9) Non-Clinical Volunteering: A little over 150 hours over 4 years with a non-profit that makes blankets for children in hospitals.

10) Other Extracurricular Activities:

- 300 hours independent senior research on proteins, made a poster and presented at school symposium.

- 7,000 hours as a realtor

11) Awards/Honors:

- CC Departmental award for exceptional performances in chemistry while I was a freshman (I doubt this is worth including though).

- Outstanding Impact award from my volunteer organization; gave a speech in front of our board of directors and sponsors.

12) Intangibles:

4 LOR

13) School List:

1) Albany
2) Rosaland Franklin
3) Drexel
4) Quinnipac
5) Indiana
6) Temple
7) Loyola
8) Wisconsin
9) Penn State
10) Vermont
11) Oakland
12) Western Michigan
13) Central Michigan

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Let's wait until you get your official MCAT results.

I don't know how you are saying zero leadership with that description. You ran a business.

 

[HumbleYodler]

Let's wait until you get your official MCAT results.

I don't know how you are saying zero leadership with that description. You ran a business.

Agreed; I'll touch back in a couple of months then! Thank you!

 

[HumbleYodler]

Let's wait until you get your official MCAT results.

I don't know how you are saying zero leadership with that description. You ran a business.

I was wondering if you could check over my app now? Thanks! @Faha If you would be so kind as well!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

First, include all of your in-state Michigan schools (UMich may be the exception, but you may have a strong mission fit). I'm not sure if Toledo is in play, but I suspect they will take a fair number from Michigan.

Check the OOS stats for Albany and Indiana. I'm not sure they should be on the list.

If you have geographical constraints and want to avoid being a reapplicant, think about MSU (MD and DO) and Marian COM.

 

[Faha]

You lack of non clinical volunteering will limit your chances for interviews. I suggest these schools with your stats:
Central Michigan
Western Michigan
Michigan State
Wayne State
Oakland Beaumont
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
TCU
Roseman
Alice Walton
Belmont
NOVA MD
Wake Forest
Methodist (when it opens)
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
George Washington
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac

 

[HumbleYodler]

Thank you both!

 

[HumbleYodler]

First, include all of your in-state Michigan schools (UMich may be the exception, but you may have a strong mission fit). I'm not sure if Toledo is in play, but I suspect they will take a fair number from Michigan.

Check the OOS stats for Albany and Indiana. I'm not sure they should be on the list.

If you have geographical constraints and want to avoid being a reapplicant, think about MSU (MD and DO) and Marian COM.

Sorry to bother, but would it be wise to add like 5-6 DO schools (or more) in the mix to minimize reapplication risk instead? Like Faha mentioned, my minimal volunteering does not help, nor does my CARS.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Sorry to bother, but would it be wise to add like 5-6 DO schools (or more) in the mix to minimize reapplication risk instead? Like Faha mentioned, my minimal volunteering does not help, nor does my CARS.

You can, though you need to get your volunteering up and clarify your purpose as a physician. The usual suspects should be included:
MSUCOM DO
Marian
CCOM
LECOM
PCOM
VCOM
(IllinoisCOM is new so look at them.)

 

[MD_Maker]

That's a decent MCAT score. If you were going to be low in any section, CARS is the one that's often forgivable (especially for ESL students). You have a nice balance of activities, just sparse on non-clinical volunteering. What I'm not seeing is a cohesive through-line or anything about your application that will help you standout, not sure if that stuff was just not listed here. Luckily, Michigan will have plenty of options for you across MD and DO.
As for school list, you can see my recent post on this. But I'd definitely plump up your list with your state schools and some more OOS public that are more research oriented.

 

[HumbleYodler]

That's a decent MCAT score. If you were going to be low in any section, CARS is the one that's often forgivable (especially for ESL students). You have a nice balance of activities, just sparse on non-clinical volunteering. What I'm not seeing is a cohesive through-line or anything about your application that will help you standout, not sure if that stuff was just not listed here. Luckily, Michigan will have plenty of options for you across MD and DO.
As for school list, you can see my recent post on this. But I'd definitely plump up your list with your state schools and some more OOS public that are more research oriented.

Thank you so much for the input; I went ahead and added some from your list as well as applied to all Michigan schools (except UofM because of their MCAT cutoff).
I am hoping to address that through-line you said with my writing across OIE/PS/Activities, but we'll see how the process unfolds!