MD & DO WAMC: Nontrad Applicant

[Paul19]

GPA:
cGPA: 3.65
sGPA: 3.75

MCAT
MCAT: 511 (125, 127, 131, 128)

State of Residence:
Louisiana resident

Race/ethnicity:
White

Clinical experience:
Around 1,000 hours of scribing in the ED and 50 hours of hospice volunteering.


Research:
None (one low-level biology lab was technically research-based and different than the standard lab, but I am unsure whether or not to include this)

Shadowing:
Only around 10 hours with an ENT. Looking to get it up to around 30-40 hours over the next couple of months.

Non-clinical volunteering:
No non-clinical volunteering. Considering trying to fit some in before the application cycle, but I don't want to necessarily look like I am just checking a box.


Extra curricular:
I served in the Army on active duty for 5 years and an additional 2 years in the US Army Reserve. I am still in the Reserves at this time. During my active duty time I was in a leadership position for 3 years in an infantry unit, served as my platoon's EMT (I was sent through an EMT course and passed the NREMT but did next to nothing with it), and lived abroad for 3 years.


Awards:
President's list for a couple of semesters, standard military awards, honor graduate of a non-commissioned officer leader course.


I know that my stats are nowhere near stellar, however, I am hoping that being a veteran might help me out a little bit. I pretty much did 1.5 years of college, got multiple C's my last couple of semesters- tanking my GPA down to a 3.3- and dropped out to join the military because I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do. I have had an excellent upward GPA trend since returning to school 2 years ago, and I am majoring in chemistry. However, I was a bit shaken when I saw how much the AMCAS grade conversion drops my GPA. I am honestly a bit worried about my EC's as well. I have a wife and two children, so between that, work, and keeping up good grades I frankly just do not have the time to volunteer as much as I would like. I am hoping that if I can convey this in essays I can make my case for why I am light on the EC's.

Here is my tentative school list just based on OOS acceptance rates/nearness to my stats:
LSU Shreveport
LSU New Orleans
Tulane
University of Missouri- Kansas City
USUHS
University of South Carolina Greenville
University of Kansas School of Medicine
University of Louisville
University of Oklahoma
University of South Alabama
Eastern Virginia

I am also planning on applying to 5-6 DO schools as well.

Thank you in advance.

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[Faha]

Remove schools such as Missouri, South Carolina, Louisville, Oklahoma and South Alabama since they accept few non residents with your stats and no connection to the state. You could add these schools:
TCU-UNTHSC (new school)
Creighton
St. Louis
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Quinnipiac
Vermont
New York Medical College
Seton Hall
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
Georgetown
NOVA MD
You are a strong candidate for your state public schools.

 

[Paul19]

Thank you very much for the advice. If I may ask, if you were to recommend me focusing on one EC in particular before applying which would it be?

 

[Walter Raleigh]

Your military service counts as non-clinical volunteering.

 

[Paul19]

Your military service counts as non-clinical volunteering.

Interesting. I hadn't really thought about it that way. This may be a dumb question, but would you list this under volunteering as well or does it essentially speak for itself (since I am planning on listing military experience under paid employment, leadership, and awards already)? It just seems a bit redundant at that point.

 

[precisiongraphic]

There are some schools that consider vets as in state or give preference to veterans. Eastern Tennessee State is one. Ask @Matthew9Thirtyfive for others.

Expert @LizzyM has previously posted that she thinks military vets should add a bonus for service. 0.5 to your LizzyM score is what I remember off the top of my head but maybe she can correct me if I’m wrong. The point is that military service is a boost to your application.

The non-trad forum has lots of vets as regular posters. @esob @mmaslyanko @MusicDOc124 and others are active there. They’re further along and have good advice.

GPA:
cGPA: 3.65
sGPA: 3.75

MCAT
MCAT: 511 (125, 127, 131, 128)

State of Residence:
Louisiana resident

Race/ethnicity:
White

Clinical experience:
Around 1,000 hours of scribing in the ED and 50 hours of hospice volunteering.


Research:
None (one low-level biology lab was technically research-based and different than the standard lab, but I am unsure whether or not to include this)

Shadowing:
Only around 10 hours with an ENT. Looking to get it up to around 30-40 hours over the next couple of months.

Non-clinical volunteering:
No non-clinical volunteering. Considering trying to fit some in before the application cycle, but I don't want to necessarily look like I am just checking a box.


Extra curricular:
I served in the Army on active duty for 5 years and an additional 2 years in the US Army Reserve. I am still in the Reserves at this time. During my active duty time I was in a leadership position for 3 years in an infantry unit, served as my platoon's EMT (I was sent through an EMT course and passed the NREMT but did next to nothing with it), and lived abroad for 3 years.


Awards:
President's list for a couple of semesters, standard military awards, honor graduate of a non-commissioned officer leader course.


I know that my stats are nowhere near stellar, however, I am hoping that being a veteran might help me out a little bit. I pretty much did 1.5 years of college, got multiple C's my last couple of semesters- tanking my GPA down to a 3.3- and dropped out to join the military because I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do. I have had an excellent upward GPA trend since returning to school 2 years ago, and I am majoring in chemistry. However, I was a bit shaken when I saw how much the AMCAS grade conversion drops my GPA. I am honestly a bit worried about my EC's as well. I have a wife and two children, so between that, work, and keeping up good grades I frankly just do not have the time to volunteer as much as I would like. I am hoping that if I can convey this in essays I can make my case for why I am light on the EC's.

Here is my tentative school list just based on OOS acceptance rates/nearness to my stats:
LSU Shreveport
LSU New Orleans
Tulane
University of Missouri- Kansas City
USUHS
University of South Carolina Greenville
University of Kansas School of Medicine
University of Louisville
University of Oklahoma
University of South Alabama
Eastern Virginia

I am also planning on applying to 5-6 DO schools as well.

Thank you in advance.

 

[LizzyM]

In my book, military service adds 0.5 to your GPA for the purposes of calculating your LizzyM score.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

In my book, military service adds 0.5 to your GPA for the purposes of calculating your LizzyM score.

Unless you're south of the 3.0 mark: military service won't save you there without a strong upward trend. I'd figure 0.2 GPA and 3 MCAT points, something like that.

 

[LizzyM]

Unless you're south of the 3.0 mark: military service won't save you there without a strong upward trend. I'd figure 0.2 GPA and 3 MCAT points, something like that.

In the old MCAT 0.2 GPA + 3 MCAT points is the same as 0.5 GPA when figuring your LizzyM score.

 

[EasyEveryoneWouldDoIt]

yes if you are a vet you need to apply to ETSU they give in-state preference to vets. active duty here with a worst gpa and slightly higher MCAT got II to EVMS, SLU, Netter, Tulane, Wayne St, USUSH and Washington, and ETSU so i think you have a sold chance at II at them too outside of U of Washington (WWAMI resident). good luck though