WAMC/School List: 34 yo Non-Trad, Heavy Research, sGPA 2.6, Post-Bacc 3.9

[Dylan Lee]

Context:

• 34yo non-trad, white male, current associate director of a clinical research dept at T5 univ
• Raised “Disadvantaged”, SES, Single mother, father deceased firefighter
• Created + sold textile business in early twenties prior to college
• Have incredible physician-PI mentors that really support me
• Always really wanted to be a doctor but knew I needed to establish stability, so I aligned career with medical experience, have excelled in clinical research career.
• Bad grades are 10+ years ago, poor focus, working after class to support self, depression.

GPA:

• cGPA: 2.51 + sGPA: 2.63 (Courses 11 years old)
  • GPA is plateaued.
• Post-Bacc: 3.9 (30 credits, planning 8 more credits “upper-div” electives, retook most core science)

MCAT:
514

States:

• “Home”: PA
  • Undergrad: Pitt
• Reside: NC
• Born: MD
• Work: MD

Research: (2600 Hours Wetlab)

• RA Neurobiology Lab
• 2nd author pub, 2 posters, 2 awards, excellent PI LOR

Clinical Research: (18,000 Hours)

• Current: AD at T5 Univ
• Direct clinical trial operations, meet with PIs daily, facilitate medical monitoring, design safety protocols, prepare risk management plans, conferences, presentations, manage 13 employees, etc.
• 1 manuscript
• COVID CRC: CCM-UPitt
• Worked in-hospital ~70 hours a week enrolling patients for studies, but was basically providing treatments since none existed, discuss studies with families, assisting nurses with study requirements. Incredibly close with 12 Physicians.
• 6 publications
• Research Assistant: CCM-UPitt
• Working 24/7 x 5 enrolling in on-call cardiac arrest emergency medical intervention phase 2 study. Performed multiple hands on procedures per study protocol, trained in POCUS with med school, attended AHA, basically lived in ER.
• 1 publication, 1 poster, 1 presentation AHA
• Electrophysiology Post-Ablation Study
• Performed hands on study procedures per protocol on 30 in-patient subjects pre-ablation with repeat procedures follow up 30 days post-ablation
• 2nd author

Clinical: (240 Hours)

• Nursing School Clinicals
• 2 years

Shadowing: (300 Hours)

• Would shadow whichever MD I was on-call with almost daily
• ED, MICU, CICU, Cath Lab
• Rounds
• Morning rounds with mentor PI on his units, NICU, ICU, MICU

Volunteer: (100 Hours)

1. Local Food Bank and Community Garden

LOR:

• 6 strong physician letters
• 2 strong PI letters
• 2 strong professor letters

*Pitt: I don’t think I have much of a shot given my dead GPA, but worth trying? Was employed here 10 years in lab/RA/CRC positions, did undergrad, have all LOR from here (including many med school faculty), did nursing clinical here.

Schools:
Feel kinda stuck since I am not very competitive for “research” schools but my app is heavy with research. Also feel like DO won’t love all the research.

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[Faha]

Which state will you be claiming for residence ?

 

[Dylan Lee]

Which state will you be claiming for residence ?

PA

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'd set up an appointment with the admissions team at Pitt. Keep all in-state PA programs open for sure. Ask the Pitt team how they will view your application GPA. Your 3.9 GPA will draw many eyes.

 

[Faha]

PA

I suggest these MD schools:
Pittsburgh
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Commonwealth Geisinger
Penn State
West Virginia
Hackensack
New York Medical College
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac
George Washington
Georgetown
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
Miami
Tulane
TCU
Creighton
St. Louis
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Also apply to DO schools and I suggest these:
PCOM (all schools)
LECOM (all schools)
Touro-NY
NYITCOM
WVSOM
MU-COM
ACOM
UIWSOM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
DMU-COM
TUNCOM
AZCOM
CCOM

 

[mistertwister]

You need to avoid getting screened out. I don't have great ECs and research like yours but similar GPA/MCAT. (2.9/518) I didn't get a single interview invite last cycle. My mistake was not reaching out to schools directly. You should email/call any school you are interested in and tell them your situation. Sit down and figure out if the GPA is a dealbreaker for them. The distance from the undergrad grades and the current post-bacc helps a lot. I don't know if 30 credits is enough - again talk to the adcoms directly. Don't get screened out! Contact each and every school you are interested in.

 

[Dylan Lee]

I'd set up an appointment with the admissions team at Pitt. Keep all in-state PA programs open for sure. Ask the Pitt team how they will view your application GPA. Your 3.9 GPA will draw many eyes.

Thank you kindly for your advice. They responded with "We don't have academic counseling. Please see our website." But I will try again.

 

[Dylan Lee]

I suggest these MD schools:
Pittsburgh
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Commonwealth Geisinger
Penn State
West Virginia
Hackensack
New York Medical College
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac
George Washington
Georgetown
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
Miami
Tulane
TCU
Creighton
St. Louis
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Also apply to DO schools and I suggest these:
PCOM (all schools)
LECOM (all schools)
Touro-NY
NYITCOM
WVSOM
MU-COM
ACOM
UIWSOM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
DMU-COM
TUNCOM
AZCOM
CCOM

Thank you kindly. I am going to research each heavily and see attempt to learn about their screening process.

 

[mistertwister]

Thank you kindly for your advice. They responded with "We don't have academic counseling. Please see our website." But I will try again.

Call them, straight up.

 

[Dylan Lee]

Call them, straight up.

Was literally clicking your name to DM you about your strategy. Thank you kindly, I will get on the phone today.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Noticing if you are now living in Maryland, give them a call, as well as the DC "G" schools. Network through the AMSA chapter officers.