WAMC (More so Advice on Where Would I Fit and What I Need, 3.88/519)

[SakiS]

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Greetings SDN , I'm having a little imposter syndrome and getting nervous that my app is weak on the EC side of things. I'm taking 2 gap years to finish my MPH right out of undergrad because I'm interested in getting epidemiological skills, so we apply for the 2025 cycle to join 2026? I just need help in how I can round out what I can in my application for an MD at a research school of sorts when I apply in 9 months (I was conservative in estimating my hours and experiences). Thanks!!!

1. MCAT Score (9/13 2024):

• 519 (129/127/132/131)

2. GPA:

• Undergraduate (2024) (Anticipating 2 Letters from PI/Professor, and Professor Here):
  
  • Institution: University of Massachusetts - Amherst
  • Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • cGPA: 3.88/4.0 scale
  • sGPA: 3.83/4.0 scale
• Graduate (2026) (Anticipating One Letter from Professor Here):
  
  • Institution: Emory University
  • Program: MPH in Epidemiology
  • GPA: [Update when available]
  • MPH Certificate: Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology
  • MPH Applied Experience: [Update when available]

3. Research Experience 1 (2021-2024):

• Duration: 2 years 10 months
• Lab: Biochemistry Lab
• Topic: Proteomics CAMKII
• Role: Undergraduate Researcher, progressed to mentoring lab members and leading team meetings
• Outputs:
  • Non-first author publication in Nature Communications
  • Poster presentation
  • Written thesis
• Estimated Hours: 1530-2040 hours

4. Research Experience 2 (2024-Present) (Anticipating Two Letters from PIs Here):

• Current Status: Ongoing (2 months in, 6-7 months anticipated)
• Lab: Clinical research with a medical doctor
• Funding: HERCULES Exposome grant, NIH Grant
• Topic: Persistent Organic Pollutants and Heavy Metals: Alterations in the Gut Metagenome and Links with Insulin Resistance and Body Composition Following Bariatric Surgery
• Role: Graduate Researcher
• Responsibilities: Independent data analysis, mentored learning, writer
• Outputs (Anticipated):
  • First-author publication on gut microbiome diversity following bariatric surgery
  • First-author literature review on the effects of PFAS/POPs
  • MPH thesis on metabolomics
  • MPH presentation on metabolomics
• Time Commitment: 12-20 hours/week
• Estimated Hours: 384-720 hours

5. Clinical Experience (Anticipating One letter from here): *

Volunteering: Winship Cancer Institute (3 months current, 6 months anticipated) - Serving meals, assisting patients, providing companionship (Estimated 180 hours)

Shadowing*: Geriatric and primary care clinic (3 months in 2022) - 96 hours

6. Volunteering and Community Service: * Science tutoring for underprivileged students (2 hours/week for a month, ongoing) - Estimated 56 hours * Volunteering as a distributor and organizer for homeless population in Tokyo (4 months in 2023) - 96 hours

7. Leadership Roles: * Teaching assistant in a laboratory: Helped students with lab techniques * Research mentor: Provided guidance to other researchers

8. Awards, Honors: Phi Beta Kappa * Cum Laude * Dean's List *

Skills: * Languages: Japanese (conversational), Telugu (native) * Photography: Professional photographer * Mechanical skills: Enjoys working on and fixing cars * Athletics: Intramural baseball * AHA BLS Certification * Programming: SAS, R * Salesforce

 

[mike-sheree]

You seem to have a fine record. But, asking others “ where you would fit” is a bit like asking strangers if a prospective spouse will be “ compatible “. Kinda a question for your own deliberation and personal insight perhaps? A “better “ approach, imo, would be:”After extensive research, here are the places that sync with me and I can be comfy. How do I best go about getting into any one of them?” eg.- do you hate big cities, do you have a strong desire to be near either coast, do you live to ski, are you enthralled with the arts, are you driven by a specific mission, etc. I know this advice seems “doh” and very generic but it is more important than you are currently aware of.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Agreeing with post above... if you're going to take 2 growth years in your MPH, you will have to be able to describe what puzzle you want to fit into after you are finished. Be reasonable about how much time you will dedicate to "continuing" what you are learning while in medical school. In the end, we want to know why you took the MPH route if your goal is clinical care.

Finding Your Purpose as a Health Professional | SDN

In the 2004 Tony-award-winning musical Avenue Q, Princeton, a recent college graduate (with an English degree from a prestigious university), searches to

www.studentdoctor.net

As for your EC's, yes, more "traditional" community service will help you. Tutoring/mentoring is an academic competency. Look for serving individuals more directly in food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation. At least 150 hours before submitting an application, at least 250 if you want brand-name schools.

Finding Your Greatest Common Factors with Successful Students | SDN

The Greatest Common Factor (GCF) between two numbers is the largest positive integer that can divide both numbers evenly (without remainders). Prime

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[SakiS]

You seem to have a fine record. But, asking others “ where you would fit” is a bit like asking strangers if a prospective spouse will be “ compatible “. Kinda a question for your own deliberation and personal insight perhaps? A “better “ approach, imo, would be:”After extensive research, here are the places that sync with me and I can be comfy. How do I best go about getting into any one of them?” eg.- do you hate big cities, do you have a strong desire to be near either coast, do you live to ski, are you enthralled with the arts, are you driven by a specific mission, etc. I know this advice seems “doh” and very generic but it is more important than you are currently aware of.

You're absolutely right, I probably should've thought of that when asking haha 😅 Asking where I "fit" is ultimately a question I need to answer for myself. I appreciate you pointing that out and offering a more constructive approach. Thank you

 

[SakiS]

Agreeing with post above... if you're going to take 2 growth years in your MPH, you will have to be able to describe what puzzle you want to fit into after you are finished. Be reasonable about how much time you will dedicate to "continuing" what you are learning while in medical school. In the end, we want to know why you took the MPH route if your goal is clinical care.

Finding Your Purpose as a Health Professional | SDN

In the 2004 Tony-award-winning musical Avenue Q, Princeton, a recent college graduate (with an English degree from a prestigious university), searches to

www.studentdoctor.net

As for your EC's, yes, more "traditional" community service will help you. Tutoring/mentoring is an academic competency. Look for serving individuals more directly in food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation. At least 150 hours before submitting an application, at least 250 if you want brand-name schools.

Finding Your Greatest Common Factors with Successful Students | SDN

The Greatest Common Factor (GCF) between two numbers is the largest positive integer that can divide both numbers evenly (without remainders). Prime

www.studentdoctor.net

This is incredibly helpful advice, thank you! I understand the importance of articulating my purpose and how an MPH aligns with I would plan to do in medical school. I'll definitely dedicate time to reflecting on this and developing a clear explanation. EC Wise, I'm trying to figure out whether to devote more time to clinical or traditional, I think you're right that it would greatly benefit me to do traditional. However, can I only choose one or the other, or can one experience fill both criteria. Thank you again.