WAMC/School List 3.90 cGPA/3.84 sGPA, TX resident, 527 MCAT, ORM

[tukitats]

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Hi everyone! Just feeling a bit worried for this cycle - any schools you suggest to add? Thank you for all your help!

1. cGPA: 3.90
   sGPA: 3.84
2. MCAT score(s) and breakdown: 527 (132/131/132/132)
3. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US): TX resident, Indian citizen but Permanent Resident
4. Ethnicity and/or race: Indian, ORM
5. Undergraduate institution or category: T20 Undergrade
6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer): ~400 clinical paid hours as transport EMT-B (had around 330 hrs at time of primary submission)
7. Research experience and productivity: ~ around 1100 research hours over the course of 1.5 years, 1 preprint as 3rd author
8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented: ~ around 90 hours, primary care (35 hrs), neurology (40 hrs), neurosurgery (15 hrs)
9. Non-clinical volunteering: around 300 hrs (served as a board of an event through the neuroscience society and focused on outreach for a free neuroscience competition (150 hrs), work as a volunteer tutor for underserved students (90 hrs), recently started crisis text line counseling (20 hrs))
10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc): Was part of an a cappella team for all three years of college, Paid Tutoring for the MCAT, will be conducting part-time volunteer research throughout the gap year
11. Relevant honors or awards: Received a Mentorship Award and Distinction in Research through my university
12. Other stuff: Graduated in three years (so taking a gap year for the year that I would be a senior), Minored in Asian Studies for fun, Decent LORs, generally speaking, I think (1 PI, 1 Science Professor, 1 Humanities Professor). 7-8/10 writing - I know I'm not the best writer but decent, hopefully should be ok.

School List:

• Baylor College of Medicine
• UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Long School of Medicine (UT Health San Antonio)
• McGovern Medical School (UT Health Houston)
• UTMB Galveston
• Texas A&M College of Medicine
• UT Tyler School of Medicine
• University of Houston College of Medicine
• Dell Medical School (UT Austin)

AMCAS Schools

• NYU Grossman School of Medicine
• Perelman School of Medicine (University of Pennsylvania)
• Stanford University School of Medicine
• Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
• Weill Cornell Medical College
• University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
• Harvard Medical School
• Yale School of Medicine
• Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
• Duke University School of Medicine
• Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
• Emory University School of Medicine
• Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
• Tufts University School of Medicine
• University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
• Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
• Boston University
• Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
• Mayo Clinic Alix SOM
• New York Medical College
• Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
• UCSF
• UCLA
• Washington University at St. Louis

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I would think you would get some attention from schools, but the low number of clinical and volunteer/service orientation hours (compared to other high-metrics applicants) could be a challenge. Neuroscience competitions and tutoring are demonstrations of academic competency and not service orientation. This leaves you with 20 hours of crisis text line, which is below my threshold for paying attention (too new, not enough to demonstrate commitment or interest) and it's an online activity instead of in-person. You should have 250+ hours at submission of food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparations, legal support, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation to keep pace with other high-metrics applicants who have at least twice as many hours. Clinical hours (330 at submission) also may be lower than desired, and it would help having more experiences in hospital settings (though I suspect that will come with your shadowing). Nothing is clear with a purpose as a physician other than you like neuroscience.

 

[tukitats]

I would think you would get some attention from schools, but the low number of clinical and volunteer/service orientation hours (compared to other high-metrics applicants) could be a challenge. Neuroscience competitions and tutoring are demonstrations of academic competency and not service orientation. This leaves you with 20 hours of crisis text line, which is below my threshold for paying attention (too new, not enough to demonstrate commitment or interest) and it's an online activity instead of in-person. You should have 250+ hours at submission of food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparations, legal support, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation to keep pace with other high-metrics applicants who have at least twice as many hours. Clinical hours (330 at submission) also may be lower than desired, and it would help having more experiences in hospital settings (though I suspect that will come with your shadowing). Nothing is clear with a purpose as a physician other than you like neuroscience.

Thank you so much for your detailed feedback - I really appreciate the time and insight.

I did want to clarify one point: the tutoring I’ve done has been free and specifically aimed at underserved students, including MCAT prep and academic support for those without access to paid resources. I understand how it can sometimes read as academic, but my intention and structure for it have always been service-oriented.

Similarly, the neuroscience outreach and competition I organized were created to engage students from underserved schools in the region and introduce them to STEM and neuroscience in an accessible way. I understand this might not fall cleanly under non-clinical volunteering, but I’m wondering if it could reflect community outreach or educational equity efforts?

I’ll definitely be looking to get involved in additional in-person service between now and interview season - thank you again for helping me identify those gaps early. Really appreciate all your help!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I did want to clarify one point: the tutoring I’ve done has been free and specifically aimed at underserved students, including MCAT prep and academic support for those without access to paid resources. I understand how it can sometimes read as academic, but my intention and structure for it have always been service-oriented.

It doesn't matter. Tutoring, teaching, and mentoring are all academic responsibilities. It's "service" for academic careers... that is to say, "expected responsibilities you do for free." That's why professors don't charge but are expected to write letters of recommendation. This is what all faculty know, and that's one reason why it doesn't count.

Similarly, the neuroscience outreach and competition I organized were created to engage students from underserved schools in the region and introduce them to STEM and neuroscience in an accessible way. I understand this might not fall cleanly under non-clinical volunteering, but I’m wondering if it could reflect community outreach or educational equity efforts?

My teachers (and I) engage student learning by gamifying learning. It's teaching, and it's what teachers and professors do. For free (see above, unless it's grant-funded).

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[Pile O' Nephritis]

Agree with MrSmile12, although I would add that in my opinion teaching *is* evidence of altruism and we need more teachers... it just doesn't move the needle for the med school application because everyone does it. ADCOMs are looking for something that sets you apart and helps them imagine you as a physician, and that generally involves doing some kind of unskilled, unsexy labor for the poor, hungry, sick, etc; outside of an academic context.

 

[tukitats]

Agree with MrSmile12, although I would add that in my opinion teaching *is* evidence of altruism and we need more teachers... it just doesn't move the needle for the med school application because everyone does it. ADCOMs are looking for something that sets you apart and helps them imagine you as a physician, and that generally involves doing some kind of unskilled, unsexy labor for the poor, hungry, sick, etc; outside of an academic context.

I see. Thank you both for your help! This was very informative!