WAMC in general?

[U23527]

What are my chances in general for getting into med school? What schools should I be applying to? Stats are below. I know my volunteering in general is weak, so I plan on doing more of that this semester before I apply. Also, my GPA is fairly low, so my goal is to get a 4.0 this semester to raise it up a bit more.

Race: Asian
GPA: 3.71 --> upward trend except for one semester that killed me (physics 2, biochem, ochem 2, and ochem lab)
MCAT: 519
Clinical volunteering: ~300 hours
Non-clinical volunteering: ~100 hours
Shadowing: 100 hours
Publications: 1 officially as second author, 1 is in the process of being published (should be in the next few weeks), working on 2 more as first author
Presentations: 1 at my university, 1 at the international American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) meeting
Leadership: Co-president of a spirituality club, vice president of a language club

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[bluepeony]

What are my chances in general for getting into med school? What schools should I be applying to? Stats are below. I know my volunteering in general is weak, so I plan on doing more of that this semester before I apply. Also, my GPA is fairly low, so my goal is to get a 4.0 this semester to raise it up a bit more.

Race: Asian
GPA: 3.71 --> upward trend except for one semester that killed me (physics 2, biochem, ochem 2, and ochem lab)
MCAT: 519
Clinical volunteering: ~300 hours
Non-clinical volunteering: ~100 hours
Shadowing: 100 hours
Publications: 1 officially as second author, 1 is in the process of being published (should be in the next few weeks), working on 2 more as first author
Presentations: 1 at my university, 1 at the international American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) meeting
Leadership: Co-president of a spirituality club, vice president of a language club

I think your GPA is honestly fine. You should probably bump up the nonclinical volunteering tho.

 

[Goro]

I think your GPA is honestly fine. You should probably bump up the nonclinical volunteering tho.

Agree with this and suggest:
NYU
Vanderbilt
WashU
Yale
JHU
U Chicago
U Penn
Northwestern
Columbia
Harvard
Stanford
Mayo
Cornell
Sinai
BU
U VA
Duke
Baylor
Case
UCLA
UCSD
UCSF
U MI
Albert Einstein
Hofstra
Ohio State
Pitt
U Cincy
USF Morsani
Dartmouth
Rochester
USC/Keck
Western MI
Emory
Jefferson
Miami
SLU
Tufts
U IA
U VM
Your state school

 

[Mr.Smile12]

What are my chances in general for getting into med school? What schools should I be applying to? Stats are below. I know my volunteering in general is weak, so I plan on doing more of that this semester before I apply. Also, my GPA is fairly low, so my goal is to get a 4.0 this semester to raise it up a bit more.

Race: Asian
GPA: 3.71 --> upward trend except for one semester that killed me (physics 2, biochem, ochem 2, and ochem lab)
MCAT: 519
Clinical volunteering: ~300 hours
Non-clinical volunteering: ~100 hours
Shadowing: 100 hours
Publications: 1 officially as second author, 1 is in the process of being published (should be in the next few weeks), working on 2 more as first author
Presentations: 1 at my university, 1 at the international American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) meeting
Leadership: Co-president of a spirituality club, vice president of a language club

You're good.Networking will help. Any specific curriculum elements you feel will help you?

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[U23527]

You're good.Networking will help. Any specific curriculum elements you feel will help you?

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By curriculum elements, do you mean for the schools that I plan on applying to? I think I want to go to a school that has good research opportunities. In my application i think i’m more research heavy than volunteering heavy, so maybe i would have a better chance at schools that emphasize research more so than service since my app aligns with them.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

By curriculum elements, do you mean for the schools that I plan on applying to? I think I want to go to a school that has good research opportunities. In my application i think i’m more research heavy than volunteering heavy, so maybe i would have a better chance at schools that emphasize research more so than service since my app aligns with them.

So why not research programs (MS or PhD), especially in clinical/translational research?

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[U23527]

So why not research programs (MS or PhD), especially in clinical/translational research?

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That’s what i was planning on doing, i was hoping to shape my secondaries and primary on a research emphasis for these schools!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

That’s what i was planning on doing, i was hoping to shape my secondaries and primary on a research emphasis for these schools!

I'm sorry I didn't understand which schools or programs you are referring to. I'm talking about non-medical research programs. Even doing research as a postbac at NIH.

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[U23527]

I'm sorry I didn't understand which schools or programs you are referring to. I'm talking about non-medical research programs. Even doing research as a postbac at NIH.

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Do you mean apply to places other than medical school?

 

[Seihai]

Have you considered applying MD-PhD?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Do you mean apply to places other than medical school?

Yes, get a research degree at medical schools, or maybe MD/PhD (though you may need a higher MCAT)?

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[Seihai]

Yes, get a research degree at medical schools, or maybe MD/PhD (though you may need a higher MCAT)?

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A 519 on the MCAT makes him competitive for almost every MD-PhD program in the country. I'd be more concerned about his research hours.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

A 519 on the MCAT makes him competitive for almost every MD-PhD program in the country. I'd be more concerned about his research hours.

The OP does state a couple of presentations and papers but I would want to know how the OP is interested in any clinical or translational research. Also there are many research summer internships in hospitals, and PhD programs in biomedical science are often grant funded to cover tuition. The OP does not sound like this option was considered, and I know quite a few of those options.

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[Seihai]

The OP does state a couple of presentations and papers but I would want to know how the OP is interested in any clinical or translational research. Also there are many research summer internships in hospitals, and PhD programs in biomedical science are often grant funded to cover tuition. The OP does not sound like this option was considered, and I know quite a few of those options.

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I mostly agree that whether the OP decides to pursue an MD-PhD would be dependent on their further interest in research. However, I think the options would likely be an MD versus an MD-PhD, assuming the OP is interested in patient care, since a PhD alone wouldn't allow him to do that.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I mostly agree that whether the OP decides to pursue an MD-PhD would be dependent on their further interest in research. However, I think the options would likely be an MD versus an MD-PhD, assuming the OP is interested in patient care, since a PhD alone wouldn't allow him to do that.

We're on the same page. I just haven't heard any interest in clinic from the OP. Quote: "I think I want to go to a school that has good research opportunities. In my application i think i’m more research heavy than volunteering heavy, so maybe i would have a better chance at schools that emphasize research more so than service since my app aligns with them." Disclosed profile is much stronger for research track than going to medicine.

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[U23527]

A 519 on the MCAT makes him competitive for almost every MD-PhD program in the country. I'd be more concerned about his research hours.

I have around 600 hours, would this be sufficient if i were to choose MD/PhD?

 

[U23527]

We're on the same page. I just haven't heard any interest in clinic from the OP. Quote: "I think I want to go to a school that has good research opportunities. In my application i think i’m more research heavy than volunteering heavy, so maybe i would have a better chance at schools that emphasize research more so than service since my app aligns with them." Disclosed profile is much stronger for research track than going to medicine.

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To clarify, my main intention is to go into clinical care. I simply want to do research in medical school and, for now, leave it as that. I enjoy research, but I enjoy clinical experience much more after volunteering and shadowing.

 

[Seihai]

I have around 600 hours, would this be sufficient if i were to choose MD/PhD?

600 hours is very low for MD-PhD. Most successful applicants I've met have >3000 hours (with one or multiple gap years doing full-time research or having done research full-time over the summers).

Also,

To clarify, my main intention is to go into clinical care. I simply want to do research in medical school and, for now, leave it as that. I enjoy research, but I enjoy clinical experience much more after volunteering and shadowing.

If you like clinical care more than research, then an MD-PhD might not be the right path. Most MD-PhDs go on to have an 80/20 or close to it split with 80% research and 20% clinical practice.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

To clarify, my main intention is to go into clinical care. I simply want to do research in medical school and, for now, leave it as that. I enjoy research, but I enjoy clinical experience much more after volunteering and shadowing.

Following @Seihai, I point out my original question about shadowing and clinic experience. If you could break down your hours and why clinical care is important in your career direction. You mention research experiences as being very important earlier so what are you looking for in clinical experience in medical school?

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[U23527]

Following @Seihai, I point out my original question about shadowing and clinic experience. If you could break down your hours and why clinical care is important in your career direction. You mention research experiences as being very important earlier so what are you looking for in clinical experience in medical school?

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Absolutely. I've done about 50 hours of shadowing a surgical oncologist and 50 hours shadowing a hematologist oncologist. I have volunteered about 150 hours for a hospice over the past two years, and 150 at a local hospital. I personally just found more reward out of meeting patients and talking to them, especially hospice. The hospital volunteering was fine but not as engaging as hospice. A few of the patients and families I was assigned to had formed quite a strong attachment to me, and I was surprised to notice that after my assignment had been completed. Their letters and calls had really touched me, and I felt that if I am not seeing patients and developing that connection with them in the medical field, then I would not feel fulfilled.
I would like to continue research because I have interests in research too, but I do not wish to make an entire career out of it. I plan on continuing volunteering throughout med school as time allows. I apologize if I were not clear before, but I really want to go into clinical practice more than research. Research is just a side for me because I think it's really fascinating to be applying the scientific method. Also, it's really cool that I'm able to contribute to it, but it doesn't "feed my soul" if that makes sense. I hope this is more clear!