WAMC MD: 3.75, 517

[ajf302]

I plan on applying this upcoming 2025-2026 cycle. Currently working as a medical scribe / medical assistant during my gap year. I've been doing volunteer work on the weekends and I'm working on increasing my shadowing hours. I'll include everything below as what my application will look like by the time I apply in the beginning of June.

1. Stats: GPA 3.75, MCAT 517 (128/128/129/132)
2. State: Massachusetts, USA
3. Ethnicity and/or race: White
4. Undergraduate: private local undergrad
5. Clinical experience: 1950 hours as medical scribe & medical assistant (anticipated ~3900 hours by matriculation if accepted)
6. Research experience: 740 hours neuroscience research (1 publication and 2 posters)
7. Shadowing: 40 hours shadowing
8. Non-clinical volunteering: 60 hours soup kitchen
9. Other ECs: PLTL tutor (38 hours), Peer mentor for incoming students (10 hours), Nu Rho Psi Vice President (12 hours), Weightlifting (2900 hours), YMCA Welcome Center Representative (228 hours)
10. Relevant honors: Research Excellence in Neuroscience, Dean's List 8 semesters

Any feedback and/or advice would be much appreciated!

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[Mr.Smile12]

You need more soup kitchen hours before you submit your application. Applicants get screened out if they do not report having 150 hours (anticipated hours do not count) on their primary application. If you are applying to higher tier "brand name" programs, you should have at least 250 hours minimum and realize you are competing against applicants with hundreds more hours. I need more info on being a Welcome Center Rep.

Campus leadership also feels a little light. I'm guessing you have more activities, but I usually disregard activities with fewer than 50 hours (other than shadowing).

Also important is the argument why you want to attend specific programs. Everyone ultimately looks and sounds the same with comparable GPA's, MCAT's, and activities. What is your purpose and mission fit with the schools you eventually want to attend? We have a number of articles in the blog/articles section of SDN over the last few years that can help you frame your application's "narrative" or "theme" for the school list you will eventually develop.

That said, on the metrics, you should be a solid candidate once you get the non-clinical community service hours up. Nothing you have listed makes me eager to send you an interview invitation, but that's your choice to keep your identity anonymous. (Dean's list mentions just validate you have a high GPA.)

 

[Faha]

Assuming that you have 150+ hours of non clinical volunteering when you submit your application, I suggest these schools:
UMass
Tufts
Boston University
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Dartmouth
Brown
Rochester
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
New York Medical College
Albany
Jefferson
Pittsburgh
Drexel
Temple
Georgetown
George Washington
USF Morsani
Miami
Cincinnati
Ohio State
U Michigan
Western Michigan
St. Louis
Tulane

 

[ajf302]

You need more soup kitchen hours before you submit your application. Applicants get screened out if they do not report having 150 hours (anticipated hours do not count) on their primary application. If you are applying to higher tier "brand name" programs, you should have at least 250 hours minimum and realize you are competing against applicants with hundreds more hours. I need more info on being a Welcome Center Rep.

Campus leadership also feels a little light. I'm guessing you have more activities, but I usually disregard activities with fewer than 50 hours (other than shadowing).

Also important is the argument why you want to attend specific programs. Everyone ultimately looks and sounds the same with comparable GPA's, MCAT's, and activities. What is your purpose and mission fit with the schools you eventually want to attend? We have a number of articles in the blog/articles section of SDN over the last few years that can help you frame your application's "narrative" or "theme" for the school list you will eventually develop.

That said, on the metrics, you should be a solid candidate once you get the non-clinical community service hours up. Nothing you have listed makes me eager to send you an interview invitation, but that's your choice to keep your identity anonymous. (Dean's list mentions just validate you have a high GPA.)

I agree. The volunteer experience is the weakest aspect of my application - I was behind the curve on this and only started recently (1.5 months ago). YMCA Welcome Center Representative was a regular gym desk job (with a few exceptions, as it was at the YMCA and mainly focused on local communities). I did this during my senior year spring semester. Aiming to describe the community that I was able to be a part of and promote a welcoming atmosphere for all members/non-members.

Thanks for your feedback! Any additional advice for obtaining non-clinical volunteer hours? I don't foresee myself being able to get 150 by June 1st. Would I benefit from holding back my app until I reach that number? I currently only have 20 hours at the soup kitchen and would hit 60 by the time I apply June 1st. I could try to get more hours and increase 60 to maybe 80-90, however, that seems unlikely and still doesn't reach 150 hours.

Thanks again!

 

[LunaOri]

I agree. The volunteer experience is the weakest aspect of my application - I was behind the curve on this and only started recently (1.5 months ago). YMCA Welcome Center Representative was a regular gym desk job (with a few exceptions, as it was at the YMCA and mainly focused on local communities). I did this during my senior year spring semester. Aiming to describe the community that I was able to be a part of and promote a welcoming atmosphere for all members/non-members.

Thanks for your feedback! Any additional advice for obtaining non-clinical volunteer hours? I don't foresee myself being able to get 150 by June 1st. Would I benefit from holding back my app until I reach that number? I currently only have 20 hours at the soup kitchen and would hit 60 by the time I apply June 1st. I could try to get more hours and increase 60 to maybe 80-90, however, that seems unlikely and still doesn't reach 150 hours.

Thanks again!

Why can't you volunteer more hours at the soup kitchen? Also, there are plenty of other volunteer opportunities in your area--check out Boston Healthcare for the Homeless, or one of the many shelters.

 

[ajf302]

Why can't you volunteer more hours at the soup kitchen? Also, there are plenty of other volunteer opportunities in your area--check out Boston Healthcare for the Homeless, or one of the many shelters.

I currently have about 20 hours at the soup kitchen. I continue volunteering on the weekends, and anticipated I'd have about 60 hours by the time I apply. Unfortunately, I can't volunteer throughout the week due to my full-time job as a MA / scribe.

Fortunately, however, I re-calculated some of my math and if everything goes according to plan, I can get to about 158 hours of volunteer work at the soup kitchen by the time I apply. It comes with dedicating my entire weekend to volunteering and isolating myself from my family/friends/girlfriend for the next 4.5 months, however. This is also conditional to if I can get these hours as soon as sign ups open for volunteering.

As far as your other suggestion of volunteering, I've heard that its best to have dedicated time to one activity instead of dispersing hours across several.

Thanks for your response!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Fortunately, however, I re-calculated some of my math and if everything goes according to plan, I can get to about 158 hours of volunteer work at the soup kitchen by the time I apply. It comes with dedicating my entire weekend to volunteering and isolating myself from my family/friends/girlfriend for the next 4.5 months, however. This is also conditional to if I can get these hours as soon as sign ups open for volunteering.

As far as your other suggestion of volunteering, I've heard that its best to have dedicated time to one activity instead of dispersing hours across several.

Not knowing you and your circumstances, I can't tell you how to schedule your life, but "volunteering and isolating myself from family/friends/girlfriend for the next 4.5 months" is small compared to a commitment to 4 years of medical school and subsequent years of training where you have to make sacrifices between your training time and your personal time. Time management is critical for anyone going into the health professions, and "professionalism" often requires you to make the tough choice to serve others.

Whether you dedicate this time to focus on one activity or spreading yourself among multiple ones, I'm sure it's easier to develop relationships with your co-workers if you are shown to be reliable and caring. Do whichever activity that excites you and clarifies your desire and purpose to serve as a physician.

Finding Your Purpose as a Health Professional - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[ajf302]

Not knowing you and your circumstances, I can't tell you how to schedule your life, but "volunteering and isolating myself from family/friends/girlfriend for the next 4.5 months" is small compared to a commitment to 4 years of medical school and subsequent years of training where you have to make sacrifices between your training time and your personal time. Time management is critical for anyone going into the health professions, and "professionalism" often requires you to make the tough choice to serve others.

Whether you dedicate this time to focus on one activity or spreading yourself among multiple ones, I'm sure it's easier to develop relationships with your co-workers if you are shown to be reliable and caring. Do whichever activity that excites you and clarifies your desire and purpose to serve as a physician.

Finding Your Purpose as a Health Professional - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

This commitment is understood! I apologize if my statement was portrayed as be begrudging or disappointment, I am aware this period is short in comparison to the expectations medical school holds.

Had it not been for your original guidance, I would be in a much worse position and have far less hours volunteering, so again I thank you. I do want to make it clear that I enjoy the time spent in the soup kitchen. Much like anything else, I think balance is very important and should be considered when scheduling ahead. Unfortunately, I was unaware of the many "soft-requirements" that medical schools require for admission and did not focus on my leadership activities nor volunteering until the latter half of college. I could ruminate on this, but that does no good. Instead I've been playing "catch-up".

With that being said, I appreciate your advice and understanding in keeping my anonymity.

 

[LunaOri]

I think "leadership" is less necessary than volunteering. As an MA or scribe, you may be tapped to train and orient new staff, or supervise others, and that counts as leadership. Although extended commitment to one activity is certainly desirable, many applicants have several different non-clinical volunteering gigs. We understand that folks who have to work full-time can only volunteer evenings and weekends, so they may have to use several different activities to get 150 hrs.

 

[wysdoc]

This commitment is understood! I apologize if my statement was portrayed as be begrudging or disappointment, I am aware this period is short in comparison to the expectations medical school holds.

Had it not been for your original guidance, I would be in a much worse position and have far less hours volunteering, so again I thank you. I do want to make it clear that I enjoy the time spent in the soup kitchen. Much like anything else, I think balance is very important and should be considered when scheduling ahead. Unfortunately, I was unaware of the many "soft-requirements" that medical schools require for admission and did not focus on my leadership activities nor volunteering until the latter half of college. I could ruminate on this, but that does no good. Instead I've been playing "catch-up".

With that being said, I appreciate your advice and understanding in keeping my anonymity.

Bring a friend or your girlfriend to the volunteer site with you! More time together and more helpers for them

 

[ajf302]

Bring a friend or your girlfriend to the volunteer site with you! More time together and more helpers for them

This is an excellent idea! It would actually be a lot of fun too.