MD & DO WAMC? 513 MCAT 3.56 cGPA, 3.46 sGPA (AAMC). Do I need to do another gap year?

[premedflash]

Hi,

Here's my profile:

1. cGPA: 3.56, sGPA (by AAMC): 3.46, Bioengineering major - I think by AAMC I can't count the engineering classes as science GPA, which is unfortunate b/c these would improve my science GPA to about
2. MCAT: 513, retaking in one month (in May) - hoping to bring to 519-520.
3. 320 h scribing experience by the time of application, but will be ~1000 by the time of matriculation
4. 0 nonclinical/clinical volunteering
5. 10 h shadowing
6. 3 years of research in nanomedicine lab, 0 pubs, 2 oral presentations, 1 solo project
7. 1 summer internship @ biotech startup
8. Competing traveling dance team for 3 years, Fundraising lead for one year
9. Global Medical Brigades (ik not looked on favorably, but I did not know at the time. I found it to be good for meeting other premeds). I was a part of a brigade in Nicaragua, and was also part of fundraising committee for the club.
10. Level 1 school by WARS
11. California Resident and ORM (South Asian)

Do I have to take another gap year? Or am I ok to apply to med school this cycle? Do you think it is worth for me to build up my shadowing and nonclinical/clinical volunteering over the year and then apply next year? I'm getting 515 on my past 2 recent practice MCAT and I think I can bump my score to 518-520 over the next month. Other than that I don't think my stats change.
I know there are a lot of questions here. I'm a bit stressed when I compare my app to some of my peers.
I'm open to MD and DO.

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[Zen Arcade]

Do not retake the MCAT. Instead, spend your time getting some nonclinical volunteering and shadowing hours. That is what will help you get in, not retaking the MCAT. In fact, if you do the same or worse on the MCAT, you could potentially hurt your application significantly.

 

[premedflash]

I think that retaking 513 MCAT is a big mistake

Do not retake the MCAT. Instead, spend your time getting some nonclinical volunteering and shadowing hours. That is what will help you get in, not retaking the MCAT. In fact, if you do the same or worse on the MCAT, you could potentially hurt your application significantly.

Hmm okay. Thanks for the help. I was under the impression that retaking the MCAT and getting to the 518-520 mark would bolster my application quite a bit.

Do you think getting a bunch of nonclinical volunteering and shadowing by the end of June could bolster my app?

Or do you think a better option is to postpone a year and build up some long term nonclinical volunteering + shadowing?

 

[Zen Arcade]

What I would do is try to get as much nonclinical volunteering in as you can before June, then continue volunteering regularly throughout the application year. Working with the underserved will give you brownie points. Try to get your shadowing up to 50 hours before June and try to include shadowing in primary care. Apply in June with a good list and you will be in a good position to get in somewhere. Sure it might help you get into top 20s if you do HAPPEN to get a 518, however, this is hard to do and a hugeeee gamble. Are you willing to risk a career in medicine for that? I think it would be unwise. I would be encouraged that you really only need some shadowing and nonclinical volunteering to give yourself a decent chance of getting in somewhere.

 

[Faha]

You do need another 50 hours of shadowing and 110+ hours of clinical volunteering and 100+ hours of non clinical volunteering before you apply.

 

[premedflash]

You do need another 50 hours of shadowing and 110+ hours of clinical volunteering and 100+ hours of non clinical volunteering before you apply.

Hi Faha, do you think that it's best to postpone my app cycle to next year if i don't get that number of hours of volunteering by June? I've got shadowing days lined up for myself over the next month. I can probably hit 50-60 nonclinical volunteering by time of application, but I was planning to continue volunteering through this upcoming year.

 

[Faha]

Give us an update in June after you receive your new MCAT score. Accumulate as many shadowing, clinical and non clinical volunteering hours as possible in the meantime.

 

[premedflash]

Give us an update in June after you receive your new MCAT score. Accumulate as many shadowing, clinical and non clinical volunteering hours as possible in the meantime.

So, you disagree with Zen Arcade about how retaking MCAT is a bad idea? I got the 513 from my March MCAT. Reading Zen Arcade's comment got me pretty worried now.

 

[Faha]

So, you disagree with Zen Arcade about how retaking MCAT is a bad idea? I got the 513 from my March MCAT. Reading Zen Arcade's comment got me pretty worried now.

You do not need to retake the MCAT. The clinical hours are important and what is lacking in your application.

 

[premedflash]

Okay. I will try to build up as much clinical/nonclinical volunteering + shadowing as I can in the next two months and ask about my chances then.
Thank you.