WAMC not so great stats

[emickyd]

1. GPAs
   1. cGPA: 3.41 (failed 2 classes and retook the next semester)
   2. sGPA (AMCAs): 2.9
   3. sGPA (AACOMAS): 3.0
2. MCAT score
   1. 501 (125/124/125/127)
   2. just completed second attempt 3/8
3. PA resident as of 9 months ago but was CO resident all my life
4. White
5. Penn State University (graduated Spring 2024)
6. Clinical experience
   1. 2,076 hours as an EMT at Penn State
   2. 250 hours so far as an ED Technician
   3. Also working part-time as an EMT for pediatric critical care
   4. did 60 hours of clinical hours for AEMT course
7. Research experience and productivity
   1. was accepted to a summer undergraduate research program, was given a grant to complete my own research project
      1. did this for 400 hours + some during the semesters following
      2. made a research poster which was presented twice
   2. was accepted into selective study abroad program (24 selected out of 150ish)
      1. class was about history of anatomy and medicine and went to Italy for 10 days as part of it
8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
   1. 12 hours in the ED
   2. working on more, lacking here
9. Non-clinical volunteering
   1. teaching assistant for EMR course (volunteer)
   2. learning assistant for biostatistics
   3. some library volunteering
10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
    1. became advanced EMT during first gap year
    2. THON planning for Penn State EMS (scheduling, coordination with those running it, ensuring proper equipment)
    3. Vice president and Interim president for Emergency Medical Services Foundation at my school (vice president first semester senior year, president last semester of my senior year)
11. Relevant honors or awards
    1. dean's list for 3 semesters
    2. 2 research scholarships from my research program
12. Anything else not listed you think might be important

I am working on building my list and am trying to figure out how many schools I should realistically apply to with my stats. I know they aren't great but I struggled with a lot of mental health issues throughout college as well as getting a pacemaker while in college. I am putting the list I have so far, there are a few that are pretty much impossible but have always been my dream so I would like to keep them on there. I am open to all suggestions. I have been wanting to do more volunteering and stuff like that but have been dedicating all my time to working, sleeping, and studying for the MCAT. The MCAT has also taken a toll on my motivation and mental health so I am trying to bounce back from that and am willing to try whatever!! I am also setting up shadowing with ortho currently so will be able to do that soon. I feel like I have done a lot but then see other people's stats and want to cry so let me know what would help me!!! Thanks in advance!!!!

DO Schools:
Rocky Vista
Marian
Edward Via
University of New England
Michigan State
Campbell
Rowan
New York Institute of Technology
Oklahoma State
Western University
Lake Erie
Philadelphia COM
Lincoln Memorial DeBusk
Arkansas COM
William Carey University
University of Pikeville
West Virginia

MD Schools:
University of Colorado
Howard
Rush
Tulane
Johns Hopkins (my far far reach but i have to)
Michigan State
University of Mississippi
Dartmouth (again reach but my dream)
SUNY Upstate
Wright State
Oregon Health and Science University
Penn State
Drexel
Geisinger
University of South Carolina Greenville
University of Houston

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[Faha]

You are not competitive for MD schools with your stats so concentrate on your DO application. You could receive interviews at some DO schools and I suggest these:
LECOM (all schools)
PCOM (all schools)
DUQCOM
WVSOM
UP-KYCOM
MU-COM
LUCOM
OCOM
LMU-DCOM (all schools)
WCU-COM
ACOM
ARCOM
NYIT-AR
BUCOM
UIWSOM
BCOM (both schools)
KHSC-COM
Noorda-COM
ICOM
Touro-NY
RVU-Montana
TUNCOM

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Did you meet with prehealth advisors recently? What did they say given your academic record?

Your mental health is essential, and unfortunately, I think you are digging a hole with now having an MCAT that is not competitive for MD on your record when you should have focused more on GPA repair. We don't have your GPA trends, but your science and BCPM GPA must be better (think SMP), and I would like to see your performance on intermediate and advanced biomedical science courses before you retake the MCAT. Fortunately it's easier to post a higher score if you're starting at 501, but be aware that many schools average MCAT scores for screening; if you post at least 510, the recent higher score might be given more credit. I hope your second attempt demonstrates this, but now you must show strong academic performance.

Furthermore, you applied with very few experiences that persuade an admissions committee you are ready. Shadowing: you applied with 12 hours when you need 50 by submission. Because most of your clinical experiences revolve around EMT/ED, you are better served seeking a specialty with a different cadence of patient flow. You don't need much (30-40 hours), but consider geriatrics, psychiatry, oncology, functional/integrative medicine, or family/internal medicine.

Non-clinical volunteering involves teaching and tutoring, which are academic activities all premeds seem to have. (Library work isn't directly involved in teaching, but it supports academics.) You have not listed any service orientation activities that help individuals with critical social services: food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, legal support, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation. You must have 150 hours when you submit your application, or schools will likely screen you out.

It's clear being an EMT is extremely meaningful and transformative for you with your career goals. The problem is that you won't be immersed in emergent care for your entire 4 years. Medicine is funny where having a specific specialty focus is a two-edged sword as an applicant, but by not showing an openness to other ways people need healthcare, you rule yourself out. The premed perception of being an excellent well-rounded "jack of all trades" has some meaning, and the submitted WAMC profile doesn't help show that broad curiosity or willingness to grow that will make many adcoms (who have no interest in emergency med) willing to interview you.

There is no shame in applying to DO schools. Sure, you can needlessly throw a few hundred in donations to MD schools you have always dreamed about. Or you can spend that money on an SMP. Focus on truly attainable goals and not go into early debt trouble (see those interest rates climb!). Too many of us believe that the American dream is all about punching above your own weight class without realizing how much you have to do in the gym or mentally to succeed.

We will cheer you on if you truly reinvent yourself and your GPA to get into medical school (see Goro's Guide to Reinvention). But you need to decide where you put your resources and focus in a way that gets you to your ultimate goal of becoming a physician, and DO schools right now are the most viable option that gets you there sooner, provided you address the above issues with your experiences. And yes, my perception that you could be a good candidate for MD schools may change once you get that experience with a very strong SMP GPA.