MD & DO WAMC (517/3.36) Texas URM

[carson16666]

Hi, I'm looking for advice on my application. I'm applying to mostly MD schools, and hopefully applying this upcoming cycle. Thank you

1. cGPA - 3.36 (very strong upward trend, 2.7 at community college, 3.9 at undergrad)
sGPA - 3.4 AMCAS

2. 517 (130/129/129/129)

3. Residency - Texas resident (went to undergrad in Arkansas)

4. URM/ORM - half Hispanic, half white

5. Undergraduate - Biology major at a public state school

6. Clinical hours - 200 hours working as a scribe in ER (very meaningful hours)
-400 hours working as medical assistant
-50 hours volunteering with hospice patients

7. Research - ~900 hours: about 500 for a psychology lab, 400 doing DNA replication stuff
-1 first author publication (not accepted yet though)
-1 poster presentation

8. Shadowing - 30 hours in ER (same guy I worked for)
-20 hours podiatry
-probably going to get abt 10 hours of primary care before I apply

9. Nonclinical volunteering - 100 hours in a food pantry during COVID, (I had 100 additional hours at the same place during high school, should I count those?)
-60 hours for an organization for my school teaching kids about space

10. Extracurriculars - I have about 300 hours tutoring student-athletes (good leadership experience)
-I became an Eagle Scout in high school, but was active in my troop until sophomore year of college
-During gap year, plan on working full time as a medical assistant

Random hobbies (idk if these are relevant)
-In my free time I make silly little contraptions. Recently I made a full-size hang-glider and a go-kart. I love working on cars too
-Captained an intramural soccer team
-I play piano, violin, and guitar and I'm in a band with some of my friends.
-ongoing goal to visit every MLB stadium (11/30 so far)

11. Rec letters - 2 letters from biology professors
-1 letter from MD (guy I worked for in the ER, we hang out too sometimes)
-1 letter from PI
-1 letter from psychology professor

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[Mr.Smile12]

Where did you grow up in Texas? Are you fluent in Spanish? A few Texas schools favor applicants who grew up in their area.

Obviously the pod shadowing isn't going to help you with an MD application so you don't need to list it. So you need to get to 50 hours shadowing (+10).

You cannot really add your food pantry hours from high school, but you could mention your involvement as an Eagle Scout (though the hours don't really count). You should try to add another 50 hours at another food pantry or a non-clinical volunteering opportunity (shelter work, job/tax preparation, transportation services, housing rehabilitation). Tutoring is overrepresented among premeds and doesn't help you stand out.

What is your purpose as a physician? Where do you feel you have a mission fit?

 

[carson16666]

Where did you grow up in Texas? Are you fluent in Spanish? A few Texas schools favor applicants who grew up in their area.

Obviously the pod shadowing isn't going to help you with an MD application so you don't need to list it. So you need to get to 50 hours shadowing (+10).

You cannot really add your food pantry hours from high school, but you could mention your involvement as an Eagle Scout (though the hours don't really count). You should try to add another 50 hours at another food pantry or a non-clinical volunteering opportunity (shelter work, job/tax preparation, transportation services, housing rehabilitation). Tutoring is overrepresented among premeds and doesn't help you stand out.

What is your purpose as a physician? Where do you feel you have a mission fit?

I grew up in Dallas. I'm not totally fluent in Spanish but I can hold a conversation. Also I had no idea podiatry didn't count towards shadowing. The doctor was a total dingus to patients and it was a pretty eye-opening experience (showed me what kind of physician I DON'T want to be), would that be worth mentioning on the application? Thanks !!

I'm still working those last questions out, lol.

 

[pablo213]

would that be worth mentioning on the application?

I would not mention that even though it may be true. Better to focus on positives IMO

 

[carson16666]

I would not mention that even though it may be true. Better to focus on positives IMO

I've always heard that, but what's the reason? That specific experience was a fairly significant reason as to why I'm motivated to become a decent physician. I feel like it would be beneficial to spin that in a way that highlight positive aspects of myself that I didn't see in him.

 

[pablo213]

I've always heard that, but what's the reason? That specific experience was a fairly significant reason as to why I'm motivated to become a decent physician. I feel like it would be beneficial to spin that in a way that highlight positive aspects of myself that I didn't see in him.

I think the main reasons I've seen described on here is that you need to be very careful with how you describe the incident so you don't come across as if you know better or could do better than the doctor. Could also hurt your reason for why medicine if you don't phrase it correctly.

The strat could work, but it's high risk and may not exactly be high reward. @Goro Thoughts?

 

[carson16666]

I think the main reasons I've seen described on here is that you need to be very careful with how you describe the incident so you don't come across as if you know better or could do better than the doctor. Could also hurt your reason for why medicine if you don't phrase it correctly.

The strat could work, but it's high risk and may not exactly be high reward. @Goro Thoughts?

Fair enough, I guess it's just better to leave it off. Thanks!

 

[pablo213]

Fair enough, I guess it's just better to leave it off. Thanks!

Of course, and i'm sorry if I came off cold. A lot of this is just playing the game the Adcoms want us to play rather than really being true to ourselves. Just want to see you succeed

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Collegiality is a desirable professional trait, even if it means tolerating "bad apples." You're not in a position where you can bad-mouth anyone with more training than you in medicine.

 

[Goro]

I think the main reasons I've seen described on here is that you need to be very careful with how you describe the incident so you don't come across as if you know better or could do better than the doctor. Could also hurt your reason for why medicine if you don't phrase it correctly.

The strat could work, but it's high risk and may not exactly be high reward. @Goro Thoughts?

It's never good for an applicant to throw shade on a clinician