Hello all. I am 23M applying for the first time this upcoming 25'-26' cycle. I am hoping to get advice from any advice. I've run into a situation where I've tried getting my application reviewed by consultant companies and the 'free sessions' have been pretty mundane.
Demographics:
Asian
URM (I come from low SES, so I think that's URM? Some have said being Asian makes you ORM...thoughts?)
Residence: CA
First-gen American w/ immigrant parents
State School (Didn't know how long COVID was going to be around and I couldn't afford going to a UC since I was paying for school myself)
Here's my stats:
MCAT: 511 --- 127/126/130/128 (Studied after I graduated from undergrad last spring for 3 months... low score relative to other Asians... I know I'm a disappointment...)
cGPA: 3.70
sGPA: 3.72
EC/Activities: Paid Clinical
- 2023-Current: ER Scribe (3200 hrs) -- 1.5 years in this role (junior-senior year undergrad + after graduating... was working 40hrs/wk while in undergrad and while studying for my MCAT) -- Most memorable
- 2024-Current: ER Tech (1100 hrs) -- 6 months in this role (currently in this role as of now... 40hrs/week) -- Most memorable
- 2021: Immunization Technician (360 hrs) -- 6 months in this role...CVS trained us to start giving vaccines... I did mobile clinics with a few pharmacists around care facilities in our area)
- 2020-2021: Caregiver (1000 hrs) -- took care of my grandfather while he was sick...he's my 'how I got interested in medicine'... I'm hesitant to put this as a clinical experience, AAMC says so but I'm not sure it is/what else to list it as...Most memorable
EC/Activities: Paid Non-clinical
- 2018-2020: Starbucks barista (from 16y-19y w/ 2500 hrs... worth mentioning? first job and how I funded my business that I talk about below this)
- 2020-2024: Sneaker Reseller (1000 hrs) -- 4 years in this role...started my own business and it's how I paid off my undergraduate degree
- 2020-2023: Pharmacy Technician (2750 hrs) -- 3 years in this role (fresh-junior year in undergrad)
EC/Activities: Volunteer Non-clinical
- 2022-2024: Summer Camp Basketball Coach (3 summers ~ 300 hrs) -- wanted to help give back to my school/community and build ties with upcoming players in my local town/area
- 2024-2025: High School Basketball Assistant Coach (350 hrs) -- wanted to take part in rebuilding a powerhouse program here in NorCal so kids can start playing for scholarships again (a lot of kids still depend on them to attend college)...NCAA transfer portal has made it hard so that's why I'm so passionate about it.
- 2024-2025: Fundraising with Muslim Student Association (100 hrs) -- raised money to send a student back to Afghanistan to see his family... I was inspired to do this because he is an immigrant like my Dad... I'm super happy I did this because it helped me become more interest in learning from other cultures...
EC/Activities: Volunteer Clinical
- 2025: Volunteer at addiction clinic (120 hrs by end of May) -- free buprenorphine clinic...needle exchange...fentanyl testing...etc -- did this because of how much I saw addiction in the ER (which we couldn't treat)... wanted to help out in this way because I saw so much opiate withdrawal and OD's in the ER
- 2025: Potential Opportunity - Street Medicine Clinic with FM attending at UC Davis Medical Center (pending approval) -- very passionate about street medicine... inspired by encountering so many unhoused patients in the ER
EC/Activities: Teaching/Tutoring/Teaching Assistant
- 2022-2024: Organic Chemistry Tutoring through Peer Assisted Learning (180 hrs) -- Program offered at my undergrad to tutor our peers in STEM classes using integrative team methods instead of 1-on-1.
- 2023-2025: Human Physiology Teaching Assistant (400 hrs) -- I did so much because my school does not have a lot of free resources for students to learn, this is my way of giving back to my school.
EC/Activities: Research
- 2024-2025: Systematic Review of RSV bronchiolitis and bacterial pneumonia co-infection using SQL (100 hrs) -- (I learned SQL so I could build the database...my undergrad was in Bio...my PI is an EM physician at the ED I work at... was inspired to do this because exposure to peds EM at my ER)
EC/Activities: Hobbies
- Basketball, reading, traveling
EC/Activities: Other
- 2025: Consultant company -- Helping one of the EM physicians I work with to create his own consulting company by helping him grow a social media following on TikTok, Meta, X, FB, etc. (He helps me some with my application, but would like to get more eyes)
In Summary:
I don't have a ton of unique experiences that I think will knock anyone's socks off, but I am extremely proud of these experiences, and I was passionate about pursuing each of them. I didn't do an experience if I didn't have a purpose in pursuing it. I hope to get some good feedback, or any feedback really. I appreciate anyone who took their time to read and comment! Thank you!
Demographics:
Asian
URM (I come from low SES, so I think that's URM? Some have said being Asian makes you ORM...thoughts?)
Residence: CA
First-gen American w/ immigrant parents
State School (Didn't know how long COVID was going to be around and I couldn't afford going to a UC since I was paying for school myself)
Here's my stats:
MCAT: 511 --- 127/126/130/128 (Studied after I graduated from undergrad last spring for 3 months... low score relative to other Asians... I know I'm a disappointment...)
cGPA: 3.70
sGPA: 3.72
EC/Activities: Paid Clinical
- 2023-Current: ER Scribe (3200 hrs) -- 1.5 years in this role (junior-senior year undergrad + after graduating... was working 40hrs/wk while in undergrad and while studying for my MCAT) -- Most memorable
- 2024-Current: ER Tech (1100 hrs) -- 6 months in this role (currently in this role as of now... 40hrs/week) -- Most memorable
- 2021: Immunization Technician (360 hrs) -- 6 months in this role...CVS trained us to start giving vaccines... I did mobile clinics with a few pharmacists around care facilities in our area)
- 2020-2021: Caregiver (1000 hrs) -- took care of my grandfather while he was sick...he's my 'how I got interested in medicine'... I'm hesitant to put this as a clinical experience, AAMC says so but I'm not sure it is/what else to list it as...Most memorable
EC/Activities: Paid Non-clinical
- 2018-2020: Starbucks barista (from 16y-19y w/ 2500 hrs... worth mentioning? first job and how I funded my business that I talk about below this)
- 2020-2024: Sneaker Reseller (1000 hrs) -- 4 years in this role...started my own business and it's how I paid off my undergraduate degree
- 2020-2023: Pharmacy Technician (2750 hrs) -- 3 years in this role (fresh-junior year in undergrad)
EC/Activities: Volunteer Non-clinical
- 2022-2024: Summer Camp Basketball Coach (3 summers ~ 300 hrs) -- wanted to help give back to my school/community and build ties with upcoming players in my local town/area
- 2024-2025: High School Basketball Assistant Coach (350 hrs) -- wanted to take part in rebuilding a powerhouse program here in NorCal so kids can start playing for scholarships again (a lot of kids still depend on them to attend college)...NCAA transfer portal has made it hard so that's why I'm so passionate about it.
- 2024-2025: Fundraising with Muslim Student Association (100 hrs) -- raised money to send a student back to Afghanistan to see his family... I was inspired to do this because he is an immigrant like my Dad... I'm super happy I did this because it helped me become more interest in learning from other cultures...
EC/Activities: Volunteer Clinical
- 2025: Volunteer at addiction clinic (120 hrs by end of May) -- free buprenorphine clinic...needle exchange...fentanyl testing...etc -- did this because of how much I saw addiction in the ER (which we couldn't treat)... wanted to help out in this way because I saw so much opiate withdrawal and OD's in the ER
- 2025: Potential Opportunity - Street Medicine Clinic with FM attending at UC Davis Medical Center (pending approval) -- very passionate about street medicine... inspired by encountering so many unhoused patients in the ER
EC/Activities: Teaching/Tutoring/Teaching Assistant
- 2022-2024: Organic Chemistry Tutoring through Peer Assisted Learning (180 hrs) -- Program offered at my undergrad to tutor our peers in STEM classes using integrative team methods instead of 1-on-1.
- 2023-2025: Human Physiology Teaching Assistant (400 hrs) -- I did so much because my school does not have a lot of free resources for students to learn, this is my way of giving back to my school.
EC/Activities: Research
- 2024-2025: Systematic Review of RSV bronchiolitis and bacterial pneumonia co-infection using SQL (100 hrs) -- (I learned SQL so I could build the database...my undergrad was in Bio...my PI is an EM physician at the ED I work at... was inspired to do this because exposure to peds EM at my ER)
EC/Activities: Hobbies
- Basketball, reading, traveling
EC/Activities: Other
- 2025: Consultant company -- Helping one of the EM physicians I work with to create his own consulting company by helping him grow a social media following on TikTok, Meta, X, FB, etc. (He helps me some with my application, but would like to get more eyes)
In Summary:
I don't have a ton of unique experiences that I think will knock anyone's socks off, but I am extremely proud of these experiences, and I was passionate about pursuing each of them. I didn't do an experience if I didn't have a purpose in pursuing it. I hope to get some good feedback, or any feedback really. I appreciate anyone who took their time to read and comment! Thank you!