WAMC, cGPA: 3.736, sGPA: 3.77, MCAT: 521

[teacake]

Hi everyone! I have been really conflicted on whether or not I should apply this cycle (as a junior), or next cycle (at the end of my senior year). My premed advisors have strongly recommended to not apply, and to wait till next year, but others like my PI have encouraged me to go ahead and apply, so I'm pretty conflicted. I also don't really know if my school list makes sense, so looking for suggestions there :^).

• State of Residence: CA
• Ties to other States/Regions: No
• URM: No
• Year in School: Junior
• Major: Computer Science
• Cumulative GPA: 3.736
• Science GPA: 3.77
• MCAT Score: 521
• Research Experience:
  • 500 hours in a computational biology lab
  • 300 hours of computational epidemiology research
• Publications/Abstracts/Posters:
  • 1 mid author publication to be published in Nature Biotechnology
• Clinical Experience (paid or volunteer):
  • 400 hours over 5 years in various roles at my community's free clinic (triage, greeter, reception)
• Physician Shadowing: 0 hours :^(
• Non-Clinical Volunteering:
  • 100 hours tutoring elementary schoolers at a YMCA
• Other Extracurricular Activities:
  • Created and taught largest student run course at my university (200 students enrolled)
  • College debater ranked in the top 50 in the nation
  • Software engineering internship at Google Life Sciences
• Immediate family members in medicine? Yes, my mother is a physician (not alumni of US med school)
• Interest in Primary Care: No
• Interest in Rural Health: No
• Medical School List:
  • UCLA-Geffen
  • UCSF
  • UC Davis
  • UCSD
  • UC Irvine
  • Kaiser (Bernard J Tyson SOM)
  • USC
  • Stanford
  • Carle Illinois
  • UChicago
  • Northwestern
  • Ohio State
  • University of Michigan Ann Arbor
  • University of Illinois Chicago
  • Columbia
  • Mount Sinai
  • NYU
  • Weill Cornell
  • UPenn Perelman
  • Hopkins
  • BU
  • Harvard
  • Dartmouth
  • Mayo-MN
  • UVA
  • Case Western
  • Hofstra
  • U Maryland
  • Stony Brook
  • University of Minnesota

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[Faha]

Remove U Minnesota unless you have some strong connection to the state. You could add these schools:
Washington University
Western Michigan
Cincinnati
Rochester
Pittsburgh
Hofstra
Einstein
Miami
USF Morsani

 

[Banco]

Agree with Faha, add those schools.

Why specifically are your pre-med advisors telling you not to apply?


With regards to shadowing, could you squeeze some in before your app, just to check the box?

 

[teacake]

My school advisor said not to apply because most people take gap years now a days and that's what medical schools like to see. She also said I should buff up my application by getting more volunteering hours. What do you think?

Thanks for the school recommendations as well, I'll definitely add them and take off Minnesota!

And yeah, I'm trying to get some shadowing near me but a lot of places aren't accepting people for covid. I'm going to try to reach out more widely though

 

[Banco]

My school advisor said not to apply because most people take gap years now a days and that's what medical schools like to see. She also said I should buff up my application by getting more volunteering hours. What do you think?

Thanks for the school recommendations as well, I'll definitely add them and take off Minnesota!

And yeah, I'm trying to get some shadowing near me but a lot of places aren't accepting people for covid. I'm going to try to reach out more widely though

I mean if you want to take a gap year, you could, but it's not necessary for admission to medical school.

Also you have 400 hours at a free clinic over years. You can continue to do nonclinical volunteering but I really think your app is good to go.

 

[deleted314957]

The pre med advisor at U of ILL had no clue what he was talking about in the mid 1970’s. Sounds like things have not changed in some places. Get yourself into the game ASAP.

 

[teacake]

Thanks all!! I did not expect this, my advisor really made it seem like I didn't have a shot this time. Thanks @Banco, @mikesheree, @Faha!