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GPAs
I have had quite a journey during my 20s, and pursuing medicine is something that I am extremely passionate about. I received poor advice and mentorship when finishing college re: my poor GPA and attempting the MCAT -- I really feel my numerous attempts btwn 2015-2017 and a horrible undergraduate GPA hurt me immensely. I was still motivated and looked for ways to better myself and simply prove to myself that I was capable of what I 'thought' I could do and was able to do well in graduate school and in a post-baccalaureate program and my professional roles. I have had many, many, many people (close friends, peers, colleagues, advisors, and even family) tell me to give up and stop pursuing this, but I am still proud of the strides I have made and I am a totally different person than I was when I was 21.
I did not have much hope for the application process, but when I applied two cycles ago, I received an interview at the end of August and that gave me hope that maybe someone out there could see the effort put in to overcome silly (but detrimental) mistakes as a young adult. While the cycle did not pan out in my favor, I have always lurked SDN and found good advice and thoughts from those ahead of me who also faced similar obstacles. IF you made it this far, thank you for hearing me out.
- undergraduate ('12-'16): BCPM: 2.29, AO: 3.01, cGPA: 2.54
- graduate ('17-'18): 4.00 (M.S. in Biology)
- post-baccalaureate ('19-'20): 4.00
- cumulative undergraduate (including post-baccalaureate): BCPM: 2.83, AO: 3.01, cGPA: 2.88
- 2015: 494 (125/123/123/123)
- 2016: 499 (124/124/125/126)
- 2017: 502 (125/124/126/127)
- completed MS in Biology
- 2018: 511 (128/126/128/129)
- applied (0 IIs)
- completed post-baccalaureate, applied (1 MD II -> deferred -> waitlisted -> rejected)
- 2022: 515 (130/125/129/131) - 2018 score expired so I retook in Apr/2022
- 28 y.o., Male, PA (strong ties/grew up in CA), ORM (Asian)
- undergraduate institution: UC San Diego
- post-baccalaureate institution: University of Pennsylvania
- ED Volunteer (50 hrs)
- Global Brigades Volunteer (50 hrs)
- Clinical Psychometrist (paid, 1600 hrs)
- Clinical Research Coordinator (paid, ~8000 hrs)
- Research Assistant (1200 hrs)
- Graduate Research Assistant (50 hrs)
- Clinical Research Coordinator (same role listed above in clinical experience)
- four publications (1 first author, 1 second author, 1 third author, 1 middle author -- all in top 2 IF journals for specialty)
- three conferences (four abstract/poster presentations, one oral presentation by me at national specialty meeting)
- ~ 1500 hrs
- Specialties: Neurology, Psychiatry, Neuropsychology, Otorhinolaryngology (ENT), Sleep Medicine, Radiology
- Clinical Observation: shadowed attendings, fellows, residents, nurses, operating room technicians/perioperative staff
- Volunteer Tutor for low SES families (200 hrs)
- Student Council President of undergraduate institution (something I am proud of, but placed far too much effort in this basket that resulted in a poor uGPA)
- Gap Year: 2016-2017 - research assistant at UCLA conducting Alzheimer's disease/dementia research
- Gap Year: 2017-2018 - enrolled full-time in graduate program
- Gap Year: 2018-2019 - employed full-time psychometrist/TMS technician at neuroscience institute (CA)
- Gap Year: 2019-2020 - enrolled full-time in post-baccalaureate program while employed full-time as Clinical Research Coordinator
- Gap Years: 2020 to Present
- Teaching Assistant for two professors (Cell Biology, Physiology, Pathophysiology, Histology)
- DEI Committee Member (Otorhinolaryngology)
- Executive Committee Member for Clinical Research (1 of 5 nominated/voted in members
- Dean of Student Affairs Award (presented to 2 undergraduate seniors)
- Executive Committee Member for Clinical Research Professionals, Perelman School of Medicine
I have had quite a journey during my 20s, and pursuing medicine is something that I am extremely passionate about. I received poor advice and mentorship when finishing college re: my poor GPA and attempting the MCAT -- I really feel my numerous attempts btwn 2015-2017 and a horrible undergraduate GPA hurt me immensely. I was still motivated and looked for ways to better myself and simply prove to myself that I was capable of what I 'thought' I could do and was able to do well in graduate school and in a post-baccalaureate program and my professional roles. I have had many, many, many people (close friends, peers, colleagues, advisors, and even family) tell me to give up and stop pursuing this, but I am still proud of the strides I have made and I am a totally different person than I was when I was 21.
I did not have much hope for the application process, but when I applied two cycles ago, I received an interview at the end of August and that gave me hope that maybe someone out there could see the effort put in to overcome silly (but detrimental) mistakes as a young adult. While the cycle did not pan out in my favor, I have always lurked SDN and found good advice and thoughts from those ahead of me who also faced similar obstacles. IF you made it this far, thank you for hearing me out.
