WAMC MD/DO: ORM Texas 3.5 512 MCAT

[temperatechimps]

1. cGPA: 3.5 / 3.1
3. MCAT: 512
4. ORM, TX
5. Clinical Exp (volunteer/paid)

-EKG Technician (paid)
-ER scribe (paid)
-Urgent care volunteer (unpaid)

8. Non clinical volunteering:

11. Anything Else:

I feel competitive for DO but could be wrong because I've seen lots of people say <3.2 sGPA is lethal. Are my MD chances next to zero?

Below will be my school list:

All TMDSAS (except UTSW, Dell, UT Health San antonio, and Baylor COM because with my stats they will feel like donations?)

Applying:

AACOMAS:
UIWSOM
NYIT-AR
ACOM
WCU-COM
CUSOM
TUNCOM
KCU-COM
ATSU (both schools)
PCOM (all schools)
MU-COM
UP-KYCOM
Both Westerns
Both Touros
AZCOM
DMU-COM
CCOM
PNWU-COM

AMCAS:
TCU

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[chilly_md]

Your chances are very low for MD, particularly with TMDAS’s focus on higher GPAs. Chances for DO such as UIWSOM or Sam Houston are better. However, there are some concerns with your app.

Your clinical experience is extensive and great. However, it comes across that you continued to work while your grades declined and with your free time, you dedicated it to playing smash and being part of the collegiate team. That is an interesting activity to have, but it comes across that you did not prioritize properly in college. Being a competitive and top ranked player in 2 other video games on top of that would not transmit the best message to a reader.

Non-clinical volunteering is spotty and not really in the spirit of the category. Hospice would be clinical volunteering in my opinion. Fundraising for your clubs funds does not count. The piano playing (20 hours) is not worth listing. Projected hours do not count for much, and the activity should not even be listed if you have not gone yet when you submit. I am unsure why you want to travel outside the country to teach English. You have a great skill and used it a bit with translating legal documents. I think it would have been valuable to have continued that, especially earlier on in college, and helped interpret for immigrants to get them signed up for government programs and other outreach.

Skip that hospital certificate.

Do not apply to AMCAS schools (even TCU). Do not apply to RVU. You can take a trip to Colorado one day instead. The post bacc classes helped you obtain a pre-req you hadn’t passed before. They don’t really help beyond that given you took 1 class a semester instead of a full course load.

 

[temperatechimps]

Your chances are very low for MD, particularly with TMDAS’s focus on higher GPAs. Chances for DO such as UIWSOM or Sam Houston are better. However, there are some concerns with your app.

Your clinical experience is extensive and great. However, it comes across that you continued to work while your grades declined and with your free time, you dedicated it to playing smash and being part of the collegiate team. That is an interesting activity to have, but it comes across that you did not prioritize properly in college. Being a competitive and top ranked player in 2 other video games on top of that would not transmit the best message to a reader.

Non-clinical volunteering is spotty and not really in the spirit of the category. Hospice would be clinical volunteering in my opinion. Fundraising for your clubs funds does not count. The piano playing (20 hours) is not worth listing. Projected hours do not count for much, and the activity should not even be listed if you have not gone yet when you submit. I am unsure why you want to travel outside the country to teach English. You have a great skill and used it a bit with translating legal documents. I think it would have been valuable to have continued that, especially earlier on in college, and helped interpret for immigrants to get them signed up for government programs and other outreach.

Skip that hospital certificate.

Do not apply to AMCAS schools (even TCU). Do not apply to RVU. You can take a trip to Colorado one day instead. The post bacc classes helped you obtain a pre-req you hadn’t passed before. They don’t really help beyond that given you took 1 class a semester instead of a full course load.

Hi there thank you for your input.

In regards to the translation of legal documents, it was a set program through a Spanish class at my school that had a predetermined duration. I wish I could've continued that as well.

For hospice volunteering I would just be keeping the patient company by talking to them, reading to them, or doing any other activity that they would like to do. Would you still consider this clinical?

To answer the question about why I would like to travel away to teach English, I would like to improve my Spanish and I enjoy teaching. Is that a bad reason to go? I feel like it is something I could talk about and be involved with passionately.

To address the concerns with my app, do you suggest forgoing the trip to another country to teach English and find another nonclinical volunteering opportunity locally? I work full time night shifts so it's kind of difficult finding volunteer opportunities that will work with my schedule but I'm sure I will find something. Will this ease the concerns if I'm starting this close to the cycle start?

Finally: so my Applying list is appropriate except for TCU? Do you recommend any other schools that I can add that I may have left out?

 

[chilly_md]

Hospice would be clinical. You are interacting with those near the end of their life. That’s a side of medicine most students don’t face.

You could improve your Spanish within the US. It is unlikely you could talk about the trip on your app given you won’t be going till summer, and doing something for two weeks does not really add much. Even a month. Do non clinical volunteer activities locally instead such as at a homeless shelter, interpreting for refugees or teaching them English, soup kitchen etc. It is up to you if you can change your work schedule to make it more conducive to this. I understand if you need to support yourself though. You should have done this college as you might have had more flexibility back then.

Your school list should be:
DO:
UIWSOM
NYIT-AR
ACOM
WCU-COM
CUSOM
TUNCOM
KCU-COM (check if GPA cut-off)
ATSU (both schools)
PCOM (all schools)
MU-COM
Both Touros
AZCOM
DMU-COM
CCOM
PNWU-COM
WVSOM
Sam Houston State
UIWSOM
TCOM

For MD, just:
University of Houston
UTRGV

Check GPA cut-offs for these schools just to be sure.

 

[temperatechimps]

Hospice would be clinical. You are interacting with those near the end of their life. That’s a side of medicine most students don’t face.

You could improve your Spanish within the US. It is unlikely you could talk about the trip on your app given you won’t be going till summer, and doing something for two weeks does not really add much. Even a month. Do non clinical volunteer activities locally instead such as at a homeless shelter, interpreting for refugees or teaching them English, soup kitchen etc. It is up to you if you can change your work schedule to make it more conducive to this. I understand if you need to support yourself though. You should have done this college as you might have had more flexibility back then.

Your school list should be:
DO:
UIWSOM
NYIT-AR
ACOM
WCU-COM
CUSOM
TUNCOM
KCU-COM (check if GPA cut-off)
ATSU (both schools)
PCOM (all schools)
MU-COM
Both Touros
AZCOM
DMU-COM
CCOM
PNWU-COM
WVSOM
Sam Houston State
UIWSOM
TCOM

For MD, just:
University of Houston
UTRGV

Check GPA cut-offs for these schools just to be sure.

Okay thank you so much for your help. I have one last question: you list WVSOM. On the Pre-Osteopathic Helpful Links section under which schools require a DO letter, it says that WVSOM requires a DO letter. Is that list not up to date?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

@chilly_md is spot on. Community service hours and descriptions don't quite meet threshold expectations. Furthermore, as a Texas resident, your choices in MD are mostly locked into in-state, and the GPA won't help you at all out of state. DO may be a little smoother if you can get a bit more community service that really shows an interest in working with underresourced or disenfranchised communities. Check the websites for individual schools if you must have a DO letter from shadowing.

 

[chilly_md]

Okay thank you so much for your help. I have one last question: you list WVSOM. On the Pre-Osteopathic Helpful Links section under which schools require a DO letter, it says that WVSOM requires a DO letter. Is that list not up to date?

As Mr. Smile said, it is best to check the individual websites for the most accurate info. It seems that it is strongly recommended for a DO one, but an MD letter will fulfill the requirement.

 

[temperatechimps]

Okay thank you both for your help, I really appreciate it. I will be sure to check the requirements on those schools and try and find more volunteering.