WAMC? High MCAT, low sGPA, URM

[tragedysoup]

hi, thanks so much to all of you in advance! I’m struggling with my school list so I would appreciate your help to lock it in and get these secondaries out asap. I want to become a surgeon and really want to stay close to New York if possible

1. Primary Submission Date: 6/22/2023 (verified)
2. cGPA: 3.69 | 3.33 -> 3.67 -> 3.73 -> 3.94
3. sGPA: 3.46 | 3.06 -> 3.43 -> 3.46 -> 3.87
   • I took OChem the summer between junior and senior year. AMCAS counts it as senior year, otherwise my senior year GPA would be 4.00 and junior year GPA would be a bit higher. Not sure if this matters at all.
4. MCAT score(s) and breakdown: 519: 127 Chem/Phys - 131 CARS - 130 Bio/Biochem - 131 Psych/Soc
5. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US): New York
6. Ethnicity and/or race: African Nonbinary Person, URM (how much does this matter these days?)
7. Undergraduate institution or category: Top 10
8. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer):
   
   • 960 hours as a medical advocate for survivors of sexual assault
   • 1620 hours as a clinical research coordinator, working on a project about pain in people living with HIV
   • 400 hours as a sexual health counselor/STI tester, doing 1-on-1 sessions with patients about STIs, contraceptives, accessing abortion, starting gender transition, etc.
     
9. Research experience and productivity:
   
   • 200 hours on social science thesis related to race, sexuality, and sexual violence (presented at undergraduate research symposium)
   • 600 hours analyzing data on social science project about consent education
   • 160 hours (started dec 2022, 280 hours anticipated) in gender affirmation surgery outcomes research. (Finishing up manuscript of mid-author publication now but not sure if it will be accepted in time for an update letter)
   • Presentation at a national higher education conference about psychoeducation program for perpetrators of sexual assault. I wrote 50% of the presentation but wasn’t able to actually attend the conference bc of financial constraints
10. Shadowing experience and specialties represented:
    
    • 12 hours in pediatrics
    • 4 hours in emergency medicine
    • 8 hours in OB/GYN
    • 8 hours in otolaryngology
    • 8 hours in anesthesia
    • 8 hours in GI Oncology
    • 8 hours in Neurology
    • 14 hours (anticipated) in Reconstructive Urology, watching gender affirming surgery
11. Non-clinical volunteering:
    
    • 420 hours over 2.5 years at community center for underserved/homeless LGBT youth, helped with food distribution and mentorship, created hair workshop and improv workshop
    • 300 hours over 1.5 years, founded an afterschool program at local middle schools using improv to teach consent skills. I listed this as leadership.
12. Other extracurricular activities:
    
    • 1600 hours as president of improv troupe. Organized weekly shows for audiences of 300+, negotiated contracts with local venues, organized yearly tour, and created a restorative justice program
    • 1280 hours as a playwright and standup comedian. I wrote and directed 2 musicals presented at local theatres and also hosted a fundraiser comedy show raising abt $500/month in 2020 and 2021
    • 160 hours over 2 years as campus advocate for survivors of sexual assault
    • 500 hours as intern for consent education company, lead workshops to incoming freshmen and worked on presentation mentioned above
13. Relevant honors or awards:
    
    • Awarded university’s highest honor for outstanding contributions to campus and surrounding community
    • Awarded $10,000 in merit scholarship to pursue research/internships over the summers
    • I didn’t put this on my app, but my advocacy club for sexual assault survivors won an award for something like “most impactful student organization”. Would it be worth it to include somewhere in future materials?
14. Anything else not listed you think might be important:
    
    • I'm applying for a Fulbright research scholarship so I would send that as an update if accepted early 2024
    • Mission fit: i want to help people with marginalized identities (especially other black people and trans people) feel heard and become the healthiest version of themselves, I'm also super interested in advancing trans health research
    • I think my LORs are positive but not outstanding.
    • I'm a first gen immigrant
    • Am i doxxing myself? Please advise if I should edit out some info
15. School List (WILL PARSE DOWN to 20-25)
    
    • reaches:
    • harvard
    • stanford
    • UCSF*
    • Yale
    • columbia
    • uchicago*
    • NYU
    • Cornell
    • Northwestern
    • Mount sinai
    • 
      
    • Interested in:
    • University of colorado (strong ties)
    • Einstein
    • Rochester
    • USC-Keck
    • University of Illinois (UIC)
    • Boston University
    • New York Medical College
    • Albany
    • Jacobs Buffalo
    • Stony Brook
    • SUNY Upstate
    • SUNY Downstate
    • Howard
    • Kaiser
    • 
      
    • considering
    • UCLA (i didn’t take preview so this one might be out)
    • Charles Drew (not sure if oos friendly)
    • Pitt
    • Dartmouth
    • Wayne State
    • University of Maryland
    • Quinnipac
    • Geisinger
    • 
      
    • considering (low-yield)
    • Loyola (not sure if I would have issues with my interest in trans health. I also know they don’t perform abortions at their hospitals so I would have to go elsewhere for that)
    • George Washington
    • Rush
    • Tufts
    • Drexel
    • Penn state
    • Temple (lewis katz)
    • Sidney Kimmel (Jefferson)
    • UConn (not oos friendly?)
    • Rutgers newark (not OOS friendly?)
    • rutgers robert wood (not oos friendly?)

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[Mr.Smile12]

Have you connected with the Medical Student Pride Alliance yet?

If you get the Fulbright, you need to know which schools will grant you deferred admission. Many won't.

It's too early to think about performing terminations while a med student, but others can correct me here.

 

[tragedysoup]

Have you connected with the Medical Student Pride Alliance yet?

If you get the Fulbright, you need to know which schools will grant you deferred admission. Many won't.

It's too early to think about performing terminations while a med student, but others can correct me here.

Thanks so much @Mr.Smile12. Do you have any suggestions for my school list?

I’ve taken note of which schools have Medical Student Pride Alliance chapters. What would you recommend I say or ask them about when reaching out? Would the purpose be to find out about LGBT initiatives/opportunity/campus life at that school?

I will keep your other points in mind as I finalize the list. Thanks again!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm thinking about your list and your desired career goals. I do wonder why not the other HBCU medical schools like Howard and Meharry, who has experience with the patient populations you want to work with. I'm not as sure about their LGBTQ health initiatives but they very likely have that covered too.

UIC is very expensive for OOS.

Your call but I think you could try the Catholic schools. Georgetown is closer to you than Loyola.

I think you have enough community service for Rush. Go for it.

Rutgers and UConn are probably not friendly to OOS, so you need to find a mission fit with them. You have a unique profile and mission so figure out if they can help you.

The only other school I would think about is Oregon HSU, even though they may not be OOS friendly. There are many opportunities to work with trans patients out there, so maybe look for the future or a possible away rotation (as well as Denver).

 

[Faha]

You are competitive for most schools with your stats. Include all 4 SUNYS, Hofstra, Einstein, Mount Sinai, Rochester, New York Medical College

 

[tragedysoup]

You are competitive for most schools with your stats. Include all 4 SUNYS, Hofstra, Einstein, Mount Sinai, Rochester, New York Medical College

Thank you so much @Faha , that's very encouraging. Do you have any thoughts about how many reach schools it makes sense for me to include? I'm worried about having an unbalanced list.

 

[Faha]

Thank you so much @Faha , that's very encouraging. Do you have any thoughts about how many reach schools it makes sense for me to include? I'm worried about having an unbalanced list.

Include 6 or 7 that appeal to you the most. 25 schools total should be adequate.

 

[gyngyn]

You are a candidate for just about any school in the country.

 

[Goro]

You are competitive for most schools with your stats. Include all 4 SUNYS, Hofstra, Einstein, Mount Sinai, Rochester, New York Medical College

I agree with the wise faha. You can drop your low yield School list, the exception of Tufts

 

[tragedysoup]

Thank you so much everyone for your help with my list! Am I totally screwed if I haven't submitted secondaries yet? I submitted my first one 2 days ago and I'm aiming to do 2 or 3 a day until they're done. Argh. I feel like I've erased all the work I've done up to this point, would love to hear any thoughts @Goro @LizzyM @gyngyn @Faha @Mr.Smile12

 

[Faha]

Thank you so much everyone for your help with my list! Am I totally screwed if I haven't submitted secondaries yet? I submitted my first one 2 days ago and I'm aiming to do 2 or 3 a day until they're done. Argh. I feel like I've erased all the work I've done up to this point, would love to hear any thoughts @Goro @LizzyM @gyngyn @Faha @Mr.Smile12

Keep working on those secondaries. No interviews until you submit the secondary.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thank you so much everyone for your help with my list! Am I totally screwed if I haven't submitted secondaries yet? I submitted my first one 2 days ago and I'm aiming to do 2 or 3 a day until they're done. Argh. I feel like I've erased all the work I've done up to this point, would love to hear any thoughts @Goro @LizzyM @gyngyn @Faha @Mr.Smile12

Prioritize and focus. Get this done for 20 schools in AMCAS immediately. No excuses unless you want to wait and set up a better timed and prepared application next year. Understand the (minimal) risk of being considered as a reapplicant... you must show improvement in the most deficient areas and could rewrite your PS that you already submitted.

If you have pre-written essays, getting through one secondary per day will be a reasonable pace, within 2 weeks of receipt (though a 1 week goal prevents perpetual editing paralysis).

Get off SDN and the internet, and come back when you are done or need help.

 

[Goro]

Prioritize and focus. Get this done for 20 schools in AMCAS immediately. No excuses unless you want to wait and set up a better timed and prepared application next year. Understand the (minimal) risk of being considered as a reapplicant... you must show improvement in the most deficient areas and could rewrite your PS that you already submitted.

If you have pre-written essays, getting through one secondary per day will be a reasonable pace, within 2 weeks of receipt (though a 1 week goal prevents perpetual editing paralysis).

Get off SDN and the internet, and come back when you are done or need help.

Agree 1000%

 

[tragedysoup]

Prioritize and focus. Get this done for 20 schools in AMCAS immediately. No excuses unless you want to wait and set up a better timed and prepared application next year. Understand the (minimal) risk of being considered as a reapplicant... you must show improvement in the most deficient areas and could rewrite your PS that you already submitted.

If you have pre-written essays, getting through one secondary per day will be a reasonable pace, within 2 weeks of receipt (though a 1 week goal prevents perpetual editing paralysis).

Get off SDN and the internet, and come back when you are done or need help.

Just the pep talk I needed. Thanks again, everyone!