WAMC/Reapplicant

[yayparty112]

Hi, I am posting this because I am most likely going to have to re-apply and feel like I should start preparing. Here is my list and new updates. I am also going to expand my list and apply to DO schools but don't know much about them so would love advice on that and also any areas I should work on to strengthen my application and better my chances!

1. cGPA-3.78 and sGPA-3.82
2. MCAT score and breakdown: August 2022 513 (128/126/131/128)-CASPER to be taken this cycle and Preview 8
3. State of residence: CA
4. Ethnicity and/or race: white
5. Undergraduate institution or category: University of Michigan
6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer): 600 hours (91 as a paid MA in a flu shot clinic and around 500 expected by the time of re-application as an MA at a pediatrician's office. In my position I am actively working with patients--rooming getting vitals, providing immunizations, running labs, etc. 25 hours volunteering in the hospital where I greeted patients/families and guided them to their destination within the large hospital campus, answered questions, and acted as a friendly and comforting presence.
7. Research experience and productivity: 2000 hours in a Cancer-based lab. Currently in the process of getting published as second author (paper is under review). Participated in this lab during undergrad and my first gap year full-time. Mastered a lot of techniques including cell culture, western blotting, and protein purification, and learned how to ethically work with animals in a research setting.
8. 
   
9. Shadowing experience and specialties represented: 25 hours shadowing in a Cancer Genetics clinic (combination of Genetics and Oncology), 15 hours in pediatrics.
10. Non-clinical volunteering (260 hours)- 210 hours tutoring kids at an underserved elementary school. 50 expected hours with the American Red Cross
11. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc): 300 hours as Vice President of a student org during undergrad. 75 hours as a member of the American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) throughout undergrad as well.
12. Relevant honors or awards- University Honors Designation

2024-2025 current MD school list:

1. Albany Medical College
2. Albert Einstein College of Medicine
3. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
4. Penn State
5. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
6. Kaiser Permanente
7. Northwestern University
8. University of Utah
9. University of Arizona—Phoenix
10. University of Arizona—Tucson
11. UC Davis
12. UCLA
13. UC Riverside
14. UCSD
15. UCSF
16. USC
17. Massachusetts (T.H. Chan School of Medicine)
18. Michigan
19. Minnesota
20. Wayne State
21. Wake Forest
22. NYMC
23. University of Colorado
24. UNLV
25. George Washington
26. Loma Linda
27. Rush university

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Faha]

Rush expects far more non clinical volunteering hours than you have. UNLV, Minnesota, Utah, Arizona (Phoenix and Tucson), UMass admit few non residents with your stats and no connection to the state. Northwestern, Icahn and Einstein are reaches. I suggest these schools with your stats:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Albany
New York Medical College
Hackensack
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
Belmont
TCU
Creighton
St. Louis
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
UMichigan
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Alice Walton (when it opens)
California University
Kaiser
UC Riverside (only if you are from that region)
UC Davis
UC Riverside
Loma Linda (if you fit their mission)
For DO schools I suggest these:
WESTERN
TUCOM-CA
TUNCOM
AZCOM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
DMU-COM
MU-COM
PCOM (all schools)
LECOM (all schools)
NYITCOM
CUSOM

 

[Mr.Smile12]

25 hours volunteering in the hospital where I greeted patients/families and guided them to their destination within the large hospital campus, answered questions, and acted as a friendly and comforting presence.

Experiences with fewer than 50 hours aren't significant to use a W/A space on. I discount activities with fewer than 50 hours unless it's shadowing.

Shadowing experience and specialties represented: 25 hours shadowing in a Cancer Genetics clinic (combination of Genetics and Oncology), 15 hours in pediatrics.

Get your hours closer to 50, but you should be very precise describing what shadowing in a "cancer genetics" clinic entails since it's a niche subspecialty that is related to your research lab. Something that is more a traditional specialty would be preferable to complement what you have observed.

Non-clinical volunteering (260 hours)- 210 hours tutoring kids at an underserved elementary school. 50 expected hours with the American Red Cross

These are not service orientation activities. Tutoring is teaching, and tons of premeds tutor underserved students. ARC is generally non-clinical, but I need more details on how you alleviated others' distress. You need to get to 150 hours minimum to avoid getting screened out, and tutoring hours will not count towards this.

If you are applying to Loma Linda, pay attention to how you are asked to demonstrate your spirituality in adherence to their mission/identity.

Otherwise, how do you fit the mission of the schools you are applying to on your list? We need good researchers in oncology/cell biology. Why aren't you interested in going in that direction since most of your accomplishments seem to be under research?

 

[candbgirl]

So how have you significantly improved your application for your next cycle? Where did you apply last time? Any II? Michigan?
Projected hours don’t count for much, if anything.
Skip Rush. They expect and get hundreds , if not thousands of hours,in service activities.

 

[yayparty112]

Experiences with fewer than 50 hours aren't significant to use a W/A space on. I discount activities with fewer than 50 hours unless it's shadowing.


Get your hours closer to 50, but you should be very precise describing what shadowing in a "cancer genetics" clinic entails since it's a niche subspecialty that is related to your research lab. Something that is more a traditional specialty would be preferable to complement what you have observed.

These are not service orientation activities. Tutoring is teaching, and tons of premeds tutor underserved students. ARC is generally non-clinical, but I need more details on how you alleviated others' distress. You need to get to 150 hours minimum to avoid getting screened out, and tutoring hours will not count towards this.

If you are applying to Loma Linda, pay attention to how you are asked to demonstrate your spirituality in adherence to their mission/identity.

Otherwise, how do you fit the mission of the schools you are applying to on your list? We need good researchers in oncology/cell biology. Why aren't you interested in going in that direction since most of your accomplishments seem to be under research?

Thank you for all of the advice! AT ARC I work blood drives so working directly with the people that donate etc. What are other community service opportunities you think are valuable to my application that I should be looking into (like food pantry work?)

And for the shadowing would you suggest I shadow in oncology? Or something else to show that I've explored different areas in medicine?

Thanks again!

 

[yayparty112]

So how have you significantly improved your application for your next cycle? Where did you apply last time? Any II? Michigan?
Projected hours don’t count for much, if anything.
Skip Rush. They expect and get hundreds , if not thousands of hours,in service activities.

Since submitting my last application I started my job as an MA at a pediatrician's office, started volunteering for the ARC, and got published.

The schools I applied to last cycle were too competitive for me to even have a chance (I think) but here's the list--I applied to no DO schools

1. Albany
2. Albert Einstein
3. Case Western
4. Rosalind Franklin
5. Emory
6. FIU
7. Georgetown
8. Mt Sinai
9. Kaiser Permanente
10. USC
11. Northwestern
12. NYU Long Island
13. Ohio State
14. Penn State
15. Jefferson
16. Utah
17. Stanford
18. SUNY downstate
19. Brown
20. Tufts
21. U of A Tucson
22. U of A Phoenix
23. UCD
24. UCSD
25. UCSF
26. UCLA
27. UCR
28. Hawaii
29. Maryland
30. T H Chan at Massachusetts
31. Michigan
32. Minnesota
33. South Carolina Columbia campus
34. Wisconsin
35. Wayne State

I only got one II from Hawaii (still haven't heard back) but given how competitive it is to get in oos my hopes aren't too high. Tried to look at MSAR and find schools that matched my scores/gpa a bit more closely as well as the mission and strengths of the schools.