WAMC/School list, 3.64/499, reapplicant

[itsTuesday!]

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Hello! I hope everyone’s staying warm in this crazy weather. I was hoping to get some advice and possibly learn about areas for improvement. I plan to reapply for the 2026-2027 cycle, as I have not received any interest from this cycle. Please don’t hold back any criticism; I am all ears and am willing to improve. I am currently studying to retake the MCAT in May, and am studying for it. Besides studying for the MCAT, I am obtaining my MPH at a medical school, and have maintained a 4.0 GPA. If there is anything that I should add, please let me know. Thank you all in advance.


1. Graduated uGrad in 2025

• 3.64 cGPA
• 3.57 sGPA (1 D -> A, Zoology, same institution, 1 C OChem 2, during the summer)
• 4.0 Grad-MPH GPA
• All AMCAS GPA

2. 488: (125/122/120/121), 499: (126/123/124/126)
3. AR resident
4. White/Middle East (caucasian) (depending on the census), M
5. R2 Carnegie Institution
6.

• Paid (PCT): 478 hours (Oncology/Hospice unit); involved in vitals, blood draws, charting, and patient comfort.
• Paid (Phlebotomist): 238 hours; during the COVID-19 pandemic, while in high school (senior year).
• Volunteer: 51 hours; student-led free clinic performing phlebotomy, lab testing, and data entry.

7.

• Experience: 2,571 hours at UGrad and a federal lab. antimicrobial research.
• Leadership: Independently led a division of my PI’s lab (my grad student mentor graduated in my first semester, and I was the only one trained); mentored high school and undergraduate students.
• Productivity: 1 low IF, second author pub
• Presentations: 11 total conferences, including oral presentations at an international conference.
• Grants: Received $11,000 in research grants.

8.

• Total: 200 hours across 23 different physicians.
• Specialties: Oncology, Interventional Radiology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, GI, ENT, Anesthesiology, Urology, FM, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Radiation Oncology, Plastic Surgery, ER, Nephrology, OB/GYN, and Pediatric Neurosurgery.

9.

• STEM Outreach: 78 hours with a Club; operated a planetarium at different schools to spark interest in science.
• Mentoring: 564 hours mentoring a high school student in drug synthesis and bacterial culturing.

10.

• Leadership: 1,527 hours Founder and President of a club on campus; grew to 203 members, secured over $3000 in funding from the university for events/workshops/food, and hosted 54 seminars.
• Teaching/Tutoring: 91 hours as a TA, 909 hours as a university tutor (Biology/Chemistry).
• Work Experience: 2,836 hoursas a Pharmacy Technician (started in high school, continued during college).
• Gap Year: Currently earning an MPH; 4.0 GPA.

11.

• Scholarship: Full-ride academic scholarship uGrad (Full tuition, stipend, housing).
• Internships: 1 competitive, at a Children’s Hospital.
• Academic: Dean’s List (2021–2025) and Chancellor’s List (2024, 2025).
• Research Recognition: Multiple awards (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place) at various symposia at local, state, and regional levels.
• Funding: Two state-wide competitive grants ($8,000) and three university-wide grants ($3,000).

12.

• Certifications: Certified Phlebotomist, Pharmacy Technician, and Patient Care Technician.
• Background: First-generation immigrant; moved here at the age of 13. Resident of a medically underserved/rural part of the state.
• CASPer 2025: 3rd Q

Current List/list of schools that I applied to this year (I really like WMED and UICOM, but I'm indifferent to where I end up):

Albany Medical College
California Northstate
Central Michigan University
Hackensack Meridian
Howard
Meharry
Morehouse
New York Medical College
University of Vermont
Rush
Toledo
Belmont
Tufts
Tulane
University of Arizona – Tucson
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
University of Illinois
UKentucky College of Medicine
University of Oklahoma
Pittsburgh
Rochester
Tennessee
Virginia Tech
Wayne State
Western Michigan
Wright State


Thank you very much!!

 

[Faha]

MD schools are not realistic with MCAT scores of 488 and 499. You could try your Arkansas state MD school. You could receive interviews at some DO schools and I suggest these:
ARCOM
NYIT-AR
BUCOM
WCU-COM
UIWSOM
OSU-COM
ACOM
VCOM (all 4 schools)
LMU-DCOM (all schools)
WVSOM
UP-KYCOM
DUQCOM
D'Youville (new school)
Illinois COM (new school)
VALLEY (Arizona-new school)
ICOM
NOORDA-COM
KHSC-COM
LECOM (all schools)
BCOM (both schools)
OCOM

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

Did you apply to DO schools? You have a 499... you must be realistic in applying to MD programs.

Why did you apply to MD schools that are outside your immediate state? Did you try Alice Walton... I don't see it on your list. Why not UAMS? How did you get this school list?

Even with an MPH, that does not help you. What is your community service project associated with the MPH? Will you be able to continue it after you earn your degree? You don't have any service orientation activities listed.

Seriously, who advised you on applying?

 

[itsTuesday!]

MD schools are not realistic with MCAT scores of 488 and 499. You could try your Arkansas state MD school. You could receive interviews at some DO schools and I suggest these:
ARCOM
NYIT-AR
BUCOM
WCU-COM
UIWSOM
OSU-COM
ACOM
VCOM (all 4 schools)
LMU-DCOM (all schools)
WVSOM
UP-KYCOM
DUQCOM
D'Youville (new school)
Illinois COM (new school)
VALLEY (Arizona-new school)
ICOM
NOORDA-COM
KHSC-COM
LECOM (all schools)
BCOM (both schools)
OCOM

Thank you for the list, will update mine and include these. All the best!

 

[itsTuesday!]

Welcome to the forums.

Did you apply to DO schools? You have a 499... you must be realistic in applying to MD programs.

Why did you apply to MD schools that are outside your immediate state? Did you try Alice Walton... I don't see it on your list. Why not UAMS? How did you get this school list?

Even with an MPH, that does not help you. What is your community service project associated with the MPH? Will you be able to continue it after you earn your degree? You don't have any service orientation activities listed.

Seriously, who advised you on applying?

Thank you for your message.

I did not apply to DO in case I would be accepted to MDs that have had a history of accepting students in the 490s or any that fit my mission.

I did not apply to AWSOM because of their hard MCAT cutoff of 500, verified.

I did apply to UAMS, and I spelled the institution's name out in case people were unfamiliar with the acronym. They also have a hard MCAT cutoff of 500 (thanks to AWSOM).

I will be assigned an advisor at the end of this semester to plan for the community service project.

If not service, what would you/adcoms consider: stem-outreach, mentoring students, and drawing blood at a free health clinic? Would it serve me well if I took on the more traditionally labeled service roles?

Also, regarding who advised me: I've had to trek through this all by myself. The Premed advisor at our institution was not very experienced, and the club I started was actually a prehealth club with the mission to bring speakers (physicians, dentists, ADCOMS, etc) to talk about the journey before us pre-health professional students. It's been a rough ride. I would personally focus more on academics if I were to go back and redo everything, but I didn't have anyone to tell me to keep my head in the books.

Thanks!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thank you for your message.

I did not apply to DO in case I would be accepted to MDs that have had a history of accepting students in the 490s or any that fit my mission.

That explains the inclusion of the HBCU schools to your list. Mission fit is a two-way street: how do you fit their mission, and why do they accept students with 490 MCAT scores? Exactly how have your activities affirmed your mission? And exactly what is your mission?

I did not apply to AWSOM because of their hard MCAT cutoff of 500, verified.

I did apply to UAMS, and I spelled the institution's name out in case people were unfamiliar with the acronym. They also have a hard MCAT cutoff of 500 (thanks to AWSOM).

I will be assigned an advisor at the end of this semester to plan for the community service project.

If not service, what would you/adcoms consider: stem-outreach, mentoring students, and drawing blood at a free health clinic? Would it serve me well if I took on the more traditionally labeled service roles?

Teaching, tutoring, and mentoring demonstrate academic competency. You can't teach if you don't know your material well.

Drawing blood is a clinic/clinic-adjacent activity.

It should serve you well to do more service where you are not the subject matter expert in an area of great social need. Food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, legal support, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation.

Also, regarding who advised me: I've had to trek through this all by myself. The Premed advisor at our institution was not very experienced, and the club I started was actually a prehealth club with the mission to bring speakers (physicians, dentists, ADCOMS, etc) to talk about the journey before us pre-health professional students. It's been a rough ride. I would personally focus more on academics if I were to go back and redo everything, but I didn't have anyone to tell me to keep my head in the books.

Thanks!

First-Generation and F1 Visa Students Prehealth Pathways | SDN

New research reveals significant disparities between first-generation and immigrant/F1 students versus their prehealth peers.

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[itsTuesday!]

Thank you. I will immediately implement these changes. Have a great weekend!