WAMC/Current Applicant, cGPA 3.78/sGPA 3.65/ 505 MCAT

[Nemo520]

1. cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS cGPA: 3.78 sGPA: 3.65
2. MCAT score(s) and breakdown 505 (128/126/125/126), 500 (126/122/125/127), 497 (128/122/122/125) I know I have a very low MCAT, but I am worried that taking a fourth time would actually hurt my application. What should I do?
3. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US) MN
4. Ethnicity and/or race Asian
5. Undergraduate institution or category Large public state school
6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)

• Has been working as a CRC for over one year (~2500 hours): This included a lot of face-to-face patient interaction and communications with doctors, PIs, and sponsors. Lead CRC on three FDA IDE studies.
• ER Medical Scribe (~600 hours)

1. Research experience and productivity

• Research assistant (~2200 hours): worked in a research lab throughout entire college, 1 pub and 1 more in the process of getting published, 3 posters, 2 presentations at conferences

1. Shadowing experience and specialties represented

• I do not have shadowing experiences but was wondering if being a medical scribe would count. As a CRC, I am often in the OR for the entire procedure and also in the patient room during their consultation with the physicians. I am not sure if these count as shadowing experiences or if I need to get other experiences.

1. Non-clinical volunteering

• Ronald McDonald House (~100 hours)
• Homeless shelter (~200 hours)
• International Mission trip (~500 hours)

1. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)

• Leadership roles for three student clubs
• Public health case competition
• Scuba diving/calligraphy/piano

1. Relevant honors or awards

• Dean’s honors list
• Research scholarship
• Several other scholarships throughout college

1. Anything else not listed you think might be important

I am a first time applicant and has applied to 18 schools with no IIs yet…Not sure if this is because I applied late (late August/early September) or just that my application is weak. I got rejected by my state school which makes me think my chances at other schools are fairly low at this point. Any suggestions on the school list for the next cycle? What aspects of my application can I improve? Should I even try to retake the MCAT even if that’ll be the fourth time retaking? I was born in CA but grew up in another country and I’m currently an MN resident. Will this make my chances of getting into a CA school higher if I were to apply next cycle?

Schools I applied to this cycle: Albany, Drexel, George Washington (R), Georgetown (R), New York Medical College (H), OUWB, Rush (R), Ohio State, Rutgers, Rutgers RWJ (R), Jefferson, Tufts, Arizona-Tucson (H), Illinois, Minnesota (R), Rochester, VCU (R), Wake Forest (R)

I greatly appreciate all the help

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[Mr.Smile12]

Scribing is often looked at as more active/trained shadowing, so I don't have a big issue with it. You still should do what you can to diversify your observations to cover primary care and some specialties. Still, you can glean insight from written interviews as articles that SDN and other places publish. You can try to couch your time as a CRC observing the ER as some shadowing, but I'm not sure you are watching what doctors do for the entire day or week in that role. Need more info.

International mission trip... remember this won't be as highly valued as non-clinical community service.

But if your best/latest MCAT was 505, yes, that's a low score for allopathic. You are in a great spot for DO programs if you applied for any, but it does look like you didn't. You've baked yourself into a 500-505 range applicant that unless you can get a remarkably improved MCAT (+10 improvement), it might be a challenge. Many schools will average all of your MCAT attempts for screening purposes.

Sometimes the WAMC template doesn't tell me what your purpose or passion is for a medical career, and that's the case here based on the information provided. Being part of a clinical research team seems to be your wheelhouse based on hours and accomplishments.

How did you come up with your list? What feedback from your prehealth advisors or any mentors have you had?
1) Rush wants significantly more community service hours than you listed.
2) GW and Georgetown field over 10K applications and your MCAT won't be competitive. But if you applied to Georgetown, why not the other Jesuit med schools like Loyola or Creighton?

 

[Nemo520]

@Mr.Smile12
Thank you for the feedback!

I work as a CRC in OBGYN and was a scribe in the ER. Because of the studies that I work on as a CRC, I get to observe surgeries like hysterectomies, reconstructive pelvic surgeries, and other clinical device trial procedures. My job during these surgeries is to prepare the devices and record data for the sponsors.

I’m really hoping to get into MD programs as I would like to avoid having difficulties matching into the specialties I am interested in (currently thinking urogynecology). Do you have any suggestions on MD school lists based on my stats and EC’s?

I came up with the list on my own based on my stats and the areas I’d like to stay at. My latest MCAT was taken after I graduated in 2022 so I didn’t go to my school’s prehealth advisors but I do plan to do that for the new cycle.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You need to check the MSAR about whether your 500/505 is above the 10th percentile (ideally 25th percentile) of the schools on your list. For MD schools it could be a challenge. I do focus on mission-fit a ton, and I'm not sure where you are going from the information you provided.

 

[candbgirl]

@Mr.Smile12
Thank you for the feedback!

I work as a CRC in OBGYN and was a scribe in the ER. Because of the studies that I work on as a CRC, I get to observe surgeries like hysterectomies, reconstructive pelvic surgeries, and other clinical device trial procedures. My job during these surgeries is to prepare the devices and record data for the sponsors.

I’m really hoping to get into MD programs as I would like to avoid having difficulties matching into the specialties I am interested in (currently thinking urogynecology). Do you have any suggestions on MD school lists based on my stats and EC’s?

I came up with the list on my own based on my stats and the areas I’d like to stay at. My latest MCAT was taken after I graduated in 2022 so I didn’t go to my school’s prehealth advisors but I do plan to do that for the new cycle.

Please read @Mr.Smile12 ’s response again. He has given wonderful advice. Your MCAT scores are not competitive for MD and if some schools average them ( AMCAS rec that schools average multiple scores) you have an average around 501. Don’t retake the MCAT unless your absolutely sure you can score 512+. It does seem that you may have maxed out.

You international trip won’t impress ADCOMS. But your service at the homeless shelter is good.

I think your main problem is your list. You have good stats for DO schools. I know you don’t want to go that route and that is your choice. But remember that during each application cycle only around 40% of all applicants are accepted to any med school. Of that number about half are accepted to one school. So at some point you will have to decide is you want to be a doctor or you only want to be a MD. (But don’t choose DO if you will be miserable for the rest of your life.)

 

[Aksea23]

Remember that PLENTY of OB/Gyns match from DO programs, and the way to get into urogynecology is to first match into OB and then do a fellowship in Urogyn. You will have the opportunity to prove in medical school (even as a DO) and residency that you are an excellent candidate for your chosen specialty. You could even present a compelling narrative about your passion for urogynecology in one of your secondaries.

 

[Faha]

Is your 505 MCAT your most recent score ?

 

[Nemo520]

Is your 505 MCAT your most recent score ?

Yes, it is.

 

[Faha]

Yes, it is.

I suggest these DO schools with your stats:
CCOM
DMU-COM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
AZCOM
TUNCOM
MU-COM
ACOM
CUSOM
PCOM (all schools)
LECOM (all schools)
NYITCOM
TOURO-NY
NOVA
For MD schools I suggest these:
Minnesota
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Creighton
TCU
NOVA MD
Wake Forest
George Washington
Drexel
Temple
Penn State
Hackensack
New York Medical College
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Belmont (when they open)
Your best chances are at the DO schools.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Have to agree with above--it was worth giving it a go for MD schools on your first cycle, but while obviously everyone would choose MD over DO if given the option chances are that you can achieve a good career by going to a DO school. It seems like you have likely hit your ceiling on the MCAT and so it is time to accept what your numbers are telling you.