WAMC and School List (513, 3.74, NY, not outstanding)

[pinkbowbunny]

1. cGPA: 3.74.
   sGPACurrently am unsure about my sGPA. I am a current senior in UG double majoring in biology and psychology, and am unsure if some of my psych courses count as science according to AMCAS or not. Some of my psych courses are cross-listed with neurobio, whereas others are more humanities-focused. If anyone could guide me on this, I would appreciate it very much.
2. MCAT: 513 (128/126/128/131).
3. State of residence: NY. No significant ties to other states.
4. Ethnicity and/or race: White
5. Undergraduate institution or category: Non-HYP Ivy
6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer):
   ED scribe (550 hours)
   Ophthalmic technician (~150 hours and counting)
   KDSAP volunteer (~15 hours and counting).
7. Research experience and productivity:Two different research labs, one in biology, one in psychology. Combined 550 hours, no poster, no publications.
8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented:Total of 58 hours across EM, IM (psychiatric internist), pediatrics, derm, neurology, FM.
9. Non-clinical volunteering:
   Health education club that teaches overlooked health topics to rural schoolchildren (~100 hours)
   NAMI (~100 hours: presented in schools, fundraised, attended a national conference, community outreach).
10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc):
    Creative writing (currently writing a novel)
    Making art.
11. Relevant honors or awards: None
12. Anything else not listed you think might be important:
    Strong interest in psychiatry, as suggested by majoring in psychology and my work with NAMI. I also have a strong interest in rural medicine; most of my clinical experience has been in a rural area.

I am aware that my GPA and MCAT are competitive for US MD schools, but not outstanding. However, I am wondering if my demonstrated interest in psychiatry and mental health will help to distinguish myself from other applicants. Please help with my school list! Currently I intend to apply to the four SUNY schools since I am a NYS resident, but am not sure where else as I just received my MCAT score today. I intend applying MD only.

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[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

Can I request your school list? You didn't post one.

Given your interest in mental health, why not clinical psychology?

 

[pinkbowbunny]

Welcome to the forums.

Can I request your school list? You didn't post one.

Given your interest in mental health, why not clinical psychology?

I do not have a school list yet. This is why I am looking for recommendations. I am not interested in clinical psychology because I want the responsibilities of a physician such as prescribing medications. I also want the education and training necessary to effectively handle complex cases, and I believe the physician route will best prepare me for this.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I do not have a school list yet. This is why I am looking for recommendations. I am not interested in clinical psychology because I want the responsibilities of a physician such as prescribing medications. I also want the education and training necessary to effectively handle complex cases, and I believe the physician route will best prepare me for this.

Then why haven't you sought face-to-face community service positions that can help hone your counseling/listening skills, such as a shelter volunteer (homeless, LGBTQ+, endangered women/children, veterans)? You list education and fundraising/advocacy activities, but nothing is obvious for face-to-face outside a clinical setting. Your clinical experience is straightforward (ED, ophthal tech), and kidney disease awareness is also health education (but I tend to discount anything with fewer than 50 hours if it's not shadowing).

We are in the midst of a serious mental health epidemic, but not everyone needs medication to treat, do they? If you want to focus on mental health, why not continue into clinical psychology? We need good professionals as we see so many more people asking for help that isn't available. (Same thing with primary care.)

EDIT: I assure you I have seen a LOT of applications from med students who want to address mental health challenges, either from personal, familial, or friend-associated experiences. You won't be unique, and every med school should have a psych rotation and a student wellness program (of varying efficacy).

 

[Faha]

I suggest these schools with your stats:
All 4 SUNYs
Albany
New York Medical College
Vermont
Quinnipiac
UMass
Hackensack
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
Belmont
TCU
Alice Walton
Ponce (St. Louis)
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Roseman
Methodist (when it opens)
Also accumulate 150+ hours of non clinical volunteering such as food bank, homeless shelter, etc. before you submit your application.

 

[pinkbowbunny]

I suggest these schools with your stats:
All 4 SUNYs
Albany
New York Medical College
Vermont
Quinnipiac
UMass
Hackensack
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
Belmont
TCU
Alice Walton
Ponce (St. Louis)
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Roseman
Methodist (when it opens)
Also accumulate 150+ hours of non clinical volunteering such as food bank, homeless shelter, etc. before you submit your application.

What should I do differently about my non clinical volunteering (health education and NAMI)? Not challenging your critique- I just want to know what exactly to do.

 

[pinkbowbunny]

Then why haven't you sought face-to-face community service positions that can help hone your counseling/listening skills, such as a shelter volunteer (homeless, LGBTQ+, endangered women/children, veterans)? You list education and fundraising/advocacy activities, but nothing is obvious for face-to-face outside a clinical setting. Your clinical experience is straightforward (ED, ophthal tech), and kidney disease awareness is also health education (but I tend to discount anything with fewer than 50 hours if it's not shadowing).

We are in the midst of a serious mental health epidemic, but not everyone needs medication to treat, do they? If you want to focus on mental health, why not continue into clinical psychology? We need good professionals as we see so many more people asking for help that isn't available. (Same thing with primary care.)

EDIT: I assure you I have seen a LOT of applications from med students who want to address mental health challenges, either from personal, familial, or friend-associated experiences. You won't be unique, and every med school should have a psych rotation and a student wellness program (of varying efficacy).

What additional activity should I do before I apply this May? A couple years ago I volunteered at a soup kitchen and have perhaps 50 hours from that. Should I restart doing that?

 

[Faha]

What should I do differently about my non clinical volunteering (health educationT and NAMI)? Not challenging your critique- I just want to know what exactly to do.

Add another 100 hours at the soup kitchen and you will have 150 hours. That should be adequate.

 

[pinkbowbunny]

Then why haven't you sought face-to-face community service positions that can help hone your counseling/listening skills, such as a shelter volunteer (homeless, LGBTQ+, endangered women/children, veterans)? You list education and fundraising/advocacy activities, but nothing is obvious for face-to-face outside a clinical setting. Your clinical experience is straightforward (ED, ophthal tech), and kidney disease awareness is also health education (but I tend to discount anything with fewer than 50 hours if it's not shadowing).

We are in the midst of a serious mental health epidemic, but not everyone needs medication to treat, do they? If you want to focus on mental health, why not continue into clinical psychology? We need good professionals as we see so many more people asking for help that isn't available. (Same thing with primary care.)

EDIT: I assure you I have seen a LOT of applications from med students who want to address mental health challenges, either from personal, familial, or friend-associated experiences. You won't be unique, and every med school should have a psych rotation and a student wellness program (of varying efficacy).

How can I make it known to med schools that I am interested in psychiatry, not primary care or clinical psychology? Is there something else I should do with my extracurricular that would better demonstrate this interest? Thank you.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

How can I make it known to med schools that I am interested in psychiatry, not primary care or clinical psychology? Is there something else I should do with my extracurricular that would better demonstrate this interest? Thank you.

Here's your challenge: do you believe mental health care is primary care? Most of us now recognize that the answer is yes, and you will likely have some coverage to recognize mental health issues among patients during primary care visits. You don't have to do the argument that you want to be involved in mental health because every school agrees with you.

The problem is that I'm not getting the impression you would enjoy everything else you have to learn about medicine. You might see relevance with mental health in every rotation you do, but you're in a urology clerkship to learn about what you would do as a urologist. There are more rotations that aren't what you're envisioning as a psychiatrist. There's more you will learn that has nothing to do (on the obvious side) with being a psychiatrist.

If you have a background in psychology and a strong desire to play in the mental health arena, I would like to know why you want to take on the debt and extraneous education to manifest your goals? Is it worth the power to prescribe? Will you be satisfied with financial models that determine your pay as a psychiatrist since you will likely be considered the ultimate last resort for help?

Our suggestion is simply to diversify your clinical experience so I know you will enjoy radiology rotations. Immerse your activities by helping people even as you are uncomfortable. You already have a strong purpose wanting to be involved in mental health, but I want to know why is it necessary for you to go through medical school. The answer can't just be "the power to prescribe."

Faha and I agree: Get 150+ hours of food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, legal support, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation before applying. That's an explicit suggestion of what you should do.

[I suppose if you want me to really summarize: saying you're committed to a specialty can be a turn-off to evaluators who want to see applicants who are more open to their impact as physicians in all aspects of their health. It's like walking in saying you want to be an ophthalmologist based only on working as a ophth tech and being involved with educating children about limiting screen time to save their vision.]

 

[pinkbowbunny]

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Here's your challenge: do you believe mental health care is primary care? Most of us now recognize that the answer is yes, and you will likely have some coverage to recognize mental health issues among patients during primary care visits. You don't have to do the argument that you want to be involved in mental health because every school agrees with you.

The problem is that I'm not getting the impression you would enjoy everything else you have to learn about medicine. You might see relevance with mental health in every rotation you do, but you're in a urology clerkship to learn about what you would do as a urologist. There are more rotations that aren't what you're envisioning as a psychiatrist. There's more you will learn that has nothing to do (on the obvious side) with being a psychiatrist.

If you have a background in psychology and a strong desire to play in the mental health arena, I would like to know why you want to take on the debt and extraneous education to manifest your goals? Is it worth the power to prescribe? Will you be satisfied with financial models that determine your pay as a psychiatrist since you will likely be considered the ultimate last resort for help?

Our suggestion is simply to diversify your clinical experience so I know you will enjoy radiology rotations. Immerse your activities by helping people even as you are uncomfortable. You already have a strong purpose wanting to be involved in mental health, but I want to know why is it necessary for you to go through medical school. The answer can't just be "the power to prescribe."

Faha and I agree: Get [emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]+ hours of food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, legal support, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation before applying. That's an explicit suggestion of what you should do.

[I suppose if you want me to really summarize: saying you're committed to a specialty can be a turn-off to evaluators who want to see applicants who are more open to their impact as physicians in all aspects of their health. It's like walking in saying you want to be an ophthalmologist based only on working as a ophth tech and being involved with educating children about limiting screen time to save their vision.]

You make a very good point. At the moment I am also interested in dermatology, neurology, and possibly neurosurgery. I won’t really understand until my rotations what specialty I want to pursue. I am not sure how to make my application “stand out” though with mediocre stats and ecs. My background is not unique either. I fear I will be just another “okay” applicant.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Keep in mind, not many people want to do rural medicine. If you are serious, are you looking at NHSC? Rural health tracks at medical schools like Illinois RMED or Wisconsin WARM? Were you ever an AHEC scholar (Students - Central New York Area Health Education Center, Inc.)?

 

[pinkbowbunny]

Keep in mind, not many people want to do rural medicine. If you are serious, are you looking at NHSC? Rural health tracks at medical schools like Illinois RMED or Wisconsin WARM? Were you ever an AHEC scholar (Students - Central New York Area Health Education Center, Inc.)?

Yes, I am very interested in rural medicine! All my clinical experience has also been in a rural area, as my university is in a rural area. I am from a mid-size city originally, and living in a rural area made me realize the shortage of medical care of all kinds. I am not an AHEC scholar- should I apply for this? As for NHSC, I am not interested in doing military service.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Yes, I am very interested in rural medicine! All my clinical experience has also been in a rural area, as my university is in a rural area. I am from a mid-size city originally, and living in a rural area made me realize the shortage of medical care of all kinds. I am not an AHEC scholar- should I apply for this? As for NHSC, I am not interested in doing military service.

NHSC is not military service; HPSP is.

You don't apply to be an AHEC scholar unless you are part of an AHEC program. Read

AHECs Provide Students Opportunities to Help the Underserved - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[pinkbowbunny]

NHSC is not military service; HPSP is.

You don't apply to be an AHEC scholar unless you are part of an AHEC program. Read

AHECs Provide Students Opportunities to Help the Underserved - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

Oh, I see, thank you. I did more research on NHSC and I am very interested in it. Psychiatry is also an approved residency according to their website, if I choose to pursue psychiatry. I think I have to wait until I am a med student in order to be eligible to apply (correct me if I have misunderstood). Once in med school I will apply to NHSC then. I reached out to AHEC via their website, also.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Oh, I see, thank you. I did more research on NHSC and I am very interested in it. Psychiatry is also an approved residency according to their website, if I choose to pursue psychiatry. I think I have to wait until I am a med student in order to be eligible to apply (correct me if I have misunderstood). Once in med school I will apply to NHSC then. I reached out to AHEC via their website, also.

I think you can try to apply before. Reach out to them and see.