WAMC - CA / ORM / 3.73 cGPA 3.6 sGPA / 509 MCAT School List

[confusedsoul723]

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Hi! I'm looking to apply in the upcoming cycle and would appreciate some advice on my school list. I recently retook the MCAT and unfortunately only had a 1 point score increase. I was considering retaking for a third attempt, but was advised against it and to apply broadly.

Stats:

• CA Resident, graduated from a mid-tier UC school a year ago (currently taking gap year)
• Major: Microbiology
• GPA: 3.73; BCPM: 3.61
• MCAT: Attempt 1: 508 (127/127/127/127) Attempt 2: 509 (128/125/127/129)
• Clinical Volunteering at a Student-Run Clinic: 300 hours of actual patient work
  • Leadership Position Within this role: 300 hours
  • Other Non-clinical volunteering + work within this role: 300 hours
• Non-clinical Volunteering at my college Pantry: 100 hours
• Shadowing: 20-30 hours
• Research Associate within Emergency Department (first year was online cuz of COVID): 300 hours
• MA Job (debating including this because I left after a month to study for the mcat): 100 hours
• Hobbies (Running, Crocheting, Drawing): idk how many hobbies I should put
• Currently looking interviewing for jobs within clinical research and seeking out non-clinical volunteering

Schools (I'm not planning to apply DO as of right now):

1. University of California Davis School of Medicine
2. University of California Riverside School of Medicine
3. Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center
4. Tulane University School of Medicine
5. Albany Medical College
6. Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
7. Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine
8. California Northstate University
9. Loma Linda University School of Medicine
10. Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University
11. George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
12. Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
13. Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
14. University of Illinois College of Medicine
15. Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
16. Wayne State University School of Medicine
17. University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
18. Wake Forest University School of Medicine
19. University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences
20. Drexel University College of Medicine
21. Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
22. Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
23. Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
24. University of South Carolina School of Medicine - Greenville
25. Eastern Virginia Medical School
26. University of Washington School of Medicine
27. West Virginia University School of Medicine
28. University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
29. University of Maryland School of Medicine
30. Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
31. University of California San Francisco School of Medicine (far reach)
32. University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine (far reach)
33. Georgetown University School of Medicine (far reach)

Can someone add or subtract schools? Was shooting to get at least 40. Feeling a bit discouraged because of MCAT but don't know if it's worth trying to squeeze in another attempt before the cycle or focus on ECs.

 

[Faha]

You have several state public schools on your list that admit few non residents with your stats and no connection to the state. Schools such as Rush, Loyola and Georgetown are looking for applicants with far more clinical and non clinical volunteering hours than you have. California Northstate has accreditation issues. You should include your 100 hours as a MA. I suggest these schools:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Albany
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
Methodist (when it opens)
NOVA MD
Belmont
Alice Walton
TCU
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Roseman
Loma Linda (if you fit their mission)
California University
UC Davis
UC Riverside (if you are from that region)

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Do what you can to add more hours, especially to your food pantry work to get to 150 hours total by the time you submit your application. Otherwise your application is at risk of getting screened out at most schools.

Clinical experience: I would do what I could to get hospital-based volunteering. It might benefit you if it comes with another 20 hours of shadowing, though it's not clear what you observed from this WAMC post.

Mission fit is going to be very important so ask yourself why you are satisfied with the activities you have completed and their value to a medical school class should you be admitted. Why are you an inspiration to your patients and your (future) classmates?

 

[confusedsoul723]

Do what you can to add more hours, especially to your food pantry work to get to 150 hours total by the time you submit your application. Otherwise your application is at risk of getting screened out at most schools.

Clinical experience: I would do what I could to get hospital-based volunteering. It might benefit you if it comes with another 20 hours of shadowing, though it's not clear what you observed from this WAMC post.

Mission fit is going to be very important so ask yourself why you are satisfied with the activities you have completed and their value to a medical school class should you be admitted. Why are you an inspiration to your patients and your (future) classmates?

I'm looking into scribing to get more clinical hours and I will definitely be doing more non-clinical volunteering to get to at least 200-300 hours. Do you think that will meet the mark?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm looking into scribing to get more clinical hours and I will definitely be doing more non-clinical volunteering to get to at least 200-300 hours. Do you think that will meet the mark?

Get as many hours as you can, but you have to address your purpose and mission fit.