WAMC/Options (Low stats)

[Rayau9]

Female, 22 years old
Cannot apply next year
MCAT 2020: 480
MCAT 2022: 486
Was scoring 495 on practice exam
Gpa: 3.47
Sgpa: 3.3
1000+ of clinical hour experience and 1000+ volunteer experience
Shadowing 100+ hours
Solid letter of recs
Caretaker of grandma and tragedy with family business so had to help all my undergrad. Not disadvantaged. First generation, Asian

Any do schools that might look at my app holistically?
If not, carribbean or podiatry? Thank you.

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[lno1999]

Never carribbean.

 

[TolJoob]

You still have options, retake MCAT and get over 500 and complete SMP or postbacc to raise GPA. Seems like extracurriculars are good, so just focus on MCAT in this gap year.

 

[candbgirl]

So if you aren’t planning to apply next cycle, when do you plan to apply.

 

[Faha]

You are not ready to apply to medical school with a MCAT of 486. You need to increase your score to at least 498 .

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Podiatry

 

[Goro]

Female, 22 years old
Cannot apply next year
MCAT 2020: 480
MCAT 2022: 486
Was scoring 495 on practice exam
Gpa: 3.47
Sgpa: 3.3
1000+ of clinical hour experience and 1000+ volunteer experience
Shadowing 100+ hours
Solid letter of recs
Caretaker of grandma and tragedy with family business so had to help all my undergrad. Not disadvantaged. First generation, Asian

Any do schools that might look at my app holistically?
If not, carribbean or podiatry? Thank you.

No medical school is doing you any favors by admitting you when your MCAT score is in a zone that predicts that you will either fail out of medical school and or fail boards.

The Caribbean Predators will be happy to accept you and steal your tuition money, and then dismiss you.

 

[2024 or 5 ?]

What is wrong with Caribbean? They post very high residency acceptance rates.

 

[chilly_md]

What is wrong with Caribbean? They post very high residency acceptance rates.

No they don’t. Look for the actual match rate that includes all the people who started and didn’t make it to the 4th year (which is many, many students while there is low to no attrition at US medical schools). The growing number of US MD and DO schools also means that those who do make it through the 4th year at a Caribbean school will face an even tougher time matching than those in the past.

 

[2024 or 5 ?]

I have not applied to the Caribbean, but I get tons of emails/ messages where they say over 90% get in US residencies.

 

[m1redsox]

I have not applied to the Caribbean, but I get tons of emails/ messages where they say over 90% get in US residencies.

90% *of students who apply* match after the SOAP (students who don’t match but are given supplemental offers for placement at a different program or specialty) and:
1) who don’t drop out (notoriously high drop out rates)
2) who don’t flunk out (need to pass board exams to apply in the first place - anyone with a sub-500 MCAT should be extremely cautious because they will likely struggle on STEPs 1, 2, and 3. They are no joke)
3) Most SOAP positions are for preliminary or transitional years (ie they will have a position for one year only and will have to reapply and likely repeat that wasted intern year)

Not to mention the vast majority of their matches are limited to non-competitive specialties (FM, IM, EM, peds, psych, neuro) at undesirable programs. There is little to no chance of matching derm or a surgical subspecialty (although, we have a resident who matched here for ortho from the carib, but she graduated 5 years ago and completed an entire PhD at our program before being allowed to match. They applied gen surg the first time and didn’t match)

On top of all that, Caribbean schools are some of the most expensive, so they often have more debt (in private loans with higher interest rates) and have a harder time paying it off since they are limited to the lower-compensating specialties like FM and peds. Students who drop out or fail are completely out of luck.

 

[gyngyn]

I have not applied to the Caribbean, but I get tons of emails/ messages where they say over 90% get in US residencies.

As you have noted, people lie all the time.