WAMC / Hold - 2026 Cycle

[kabd]

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Hi! Would greatly appreciate some input on how I should take things, feeling kind of lost at this point. Becoming a physician would mean the world to me, yet knowing the rigor of the process, its competitive nature is expected. No word from any schools yet apart from a hold from Tulane (potentially soft rejection, not sure). Would be grateful for some thought based on my profile and school list, thanks!

Status:
Hold for possible interview (Tulane SOM)
Haven’t heard from other schools yet

Demographics

• ORM – Asian (Bangladeshi-American)
• MD resident

Stats

• cGPA: 3.68
• sGPA: 3.46
• MCAT: 508 (128/127/126/127)
  (503 and 500 on prior attempts)

Undergraduate Institution
University of Maryland, College Park – B.S. in Bioengineering (2024)

Institutional Action: Yes (academic dishonesty in 2021, expunged; disclosed and provided context/reflection)

Clinical Experience

• Career Firefighter/EMT – Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue (10/2024–present, 2,100 hrs completed, 2,400 anticipated)
  – Respond to fire and medical emergencies; truck operations and EMS/rescue services.
• Baltimore City FD EMT (02/2024–10/2024, 768 hrs)
  – Prehospital care in high-volume urban EMS setting.
• Emergency Department Scribe – ScribeAmerica, Reston Hospital (08/2022–02/2023, 680 hrs)
  – Real-time documentation and exposure to acute/emergency medicine workflow.
• Baltimore Running Festival Medical Runner (10/2023, 16 hrs)
  – Provided on-course medical aid while running marathon; meaningful experience.

Research

• UMD/UMB Capstone Project (350 hrs): designed hemofiltration system for acute poisoning patients.
• Biomaterials Lab, UMD School of Dentistry (756 hrs): drug delivery polymer research.
• Summer Research Fellowship, UMB Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Dept. (192 hrs): hydrogel scaffold engineering.
• Coppin State Nanotechnology Center (1,440 hrs): nanoparticle research; 2 publications (1 first-author).

Community Service / Volunteering

• Free Baltimore Mentor (08/2023–present, 228 hrs): lead support groups for underserved youth and formerly incarcerated adults.
• City of Refuge Volunteer (09/2024–01/2025, 144 hrs): distributed food to underserved Baltimore communities.

Other

• Hobby: Recreational soccer (long-term involvement)
• Letters: Committee Packet
• Residency: Maryland

Schools Applied (MD)


Albany Medical College


Central Michigan


Frank H. Netter (Quinnipiac)


Howard University


Lewis Katz (Temple)


Michigan State CHM


Penn State


UVM Larner


Rush


SUNY Downstate


Tulane (Hold)


Uniformed Services University (USUHS)


UIllinois


UKentucky


UMSOM


Thanks again!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Wait... I thought you were predental. Where's your MD/DO shadowing?

You also didn't apply to any engineering-oriented medical schools: Carle Illinois and Texas A&M EnMed should have been on this list. Fortunately for you Arizona State will be coming on line, so you might as well try them.

Your service orientation community service is not deep enough for places like Rush or Tulane. Howard may not see you as a great fit if you did not grow up immersed in a historically underserved minority culture in the US (though you have been working in Howard County so why not). I don't get why you applied to so many public schools where you are not going to fare well as an OOS applicant.

What feedback have you gotten from the prehealth team at Maryland?

 

[kabd]

Wait... I thought you were predental. Where's your MD/DO shadowing?

You also didn't apply to any engineering-oriented medical schools: Carle Illinois and Texas A&M EnMed should have been on this list. Fortunately for you Arizona State will be coming on line, so you might as well try them.

Your service orientation community service is not deep enough for places like Rush or Tulane. Howard may not see you as a great fit if you did not grow up immersed in a historically underserved minority culture in the US (though you have been working in Howard County so why not). I don't get why you applied to so many public schools where you are not going to fare well as an OOS applicant.

What feedback have you gotten from the prehealth team at Maryland?

Much of my list was curated with the prehealth office at my institution. Had always been on a premed track, was curious about the dental school outlook prior, MD shadowing came through scribing hours and through my capstone at Shock Trauma Cardiac Surgery ICU and Nephrology dept. Got a letter from the doctor I worked with closely on that end.

Felt my stats were far too low, and with the IA thought applying to Carle would be a waste.

Upbringing was low income, moved all over due to financial instability in the family. Thanks for your feedback!

 

[Faha]

You could add Arizona State School of Medical Engineering in the next week. You fit their profile. Are you interested in applying to DO schools? You are competitive for all DO schools and it is not late to apply to DO schools this cycle.