WAMC/School List: 517 MCAT, 3.43 cGPA/ 3.27 sGPA, NonTrad

[SagebrushSea]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Background: I’m a nontrad applicant, having worked in bench research for ~5 years after undergrad before doing a postbacc in Computer Science and switching to a tech career where I’ve worked for 9 years. My main concerns are my low GPA as well as my low clinical hours. I’ve done my best the last couple years working full-time and not having any credentials but I know they are quite low to be competitive. I’m hoping my MCAT opens more interview doors though.

Age: 37

Occupation: Tech / Team Lead

cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS

cGPA 3.43 AMCAS & AACOMAS

sGPA 3.27 AMCAS

sGPA 3.32 AACOMAS

MCAT score(s) and breakdown

517 ( 130 / 127 / 129 / 131 )

State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)

Oregon

Ethnicity and/or race

White

Undergraduate institution or category

Public state university in Oregon

Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)

120 hours Hospice

Non-clinical volunteering

100 hours Crisis Text Line
20 hours homeless shelter/kitchen serving
400 hours with a non-profit dog rescue.

Research experience

10,000 hours from working as a Research Assistant/Associate for 5 years. 6 publications.

Shadowing experience

60 hours - Internal Medicine (30) and Emergency Medicine (30)


Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)

I’m unsure what info is relevant here as I didn’t play any collegiate sports or anything. My free time is mostly hiking, running, rock climbing/bouldering, mountain biking, and playing guitar/bass. Leadership-wise I’ve become a team lead in my current role over the last few years.

Relevant honors or awards

N/A

Anything else not listed you think might be important

Science postbacc of 21 credits for some grade repair and to show recent science coursework, had a 4.0 for OChem 1 & 2, and Human A&P 1-3. (2024).

My target is to choose 10 MD and 10 DO schools for a total of 20 (just based on cost and time needed for secondaries), but I’m pretty lost on where to start. If my stats mean I should only apply to my in-state MD school and favor DO for the rest I’ll do that instead.

So far I have a strong preference for MD and staying on the western side of the US (like no further east than Colorado) but I’m becoming more flexible I think as I review my stats/chances.

As for DO schools, I don’t want to attend any that are brand new, don’t allow federal loans, or don’t have local affiliated rotations for their students. I also have a strong preference for P/F but if it’s graded A-F it’s not a dealbreaker.

Preliminary MD List:
*OHSU (top choice, would love to stay in Oregon)
UCLA
UCSD
Colorado
Arizona
Vermont
Rush

Preliminary DO List:
PNWU-COM
ICOM
RVU-COM
TUN-COM
TUCOM
WesternU/COMP

 

[Faha]

Your main weakness is your low clinical and non clinical volunteering hours. Your 100 hours of crisis text line is non clinical volunteering. So you have 120 hours clinical at hospice and many schools screen at 150 hours. Your 400 hours at dog rescue is not what schools are looking for non clinical volunteering. You have 100 hours crisis text line and many schools screen at 150 hours.
You could receive interviews at DO schools and I suggest these:
PNWU-COM
TUNCOM
AZCOM
TUCOM-CA
WESTERN
ATSU-KCOM
KCU-COM
DMU-COM
CCOM
MU-COM
CUSOM
PCOM
LECOM
NYITCOM
Touro-NY
WVSOM
ICOM

 

[SagebrushSea]

Your main weakness is your low clinical and non clinical volunteering hours. Your 100 hours of crisis text line is non clinical volunteering. So you have 120 hours clinical at hospice and many schools screen at 150 hours. Your 400 hours at dog rescue is not what schools are looking for non clinical volunteering. You have 100 hours crisis text line and many schools screen at 150 hours.
You could receive interviews at DO schools and I suggest these:
PNWU-COM
TUNCOM
AZCOM
TUCOM-CA
WESTERN
ATSU-KCOM
KCU-COM
DMU-COM
CCOM
MU-COM
CUSOM
PCOM
LECOM
NYITCOM
Touro-NY
WVSOM
ICOM

Thank you! I'll re-categorize Crisis Text Line to non-clinical.

When you say school's screen at 150 hours, does that include projected hours or not?

 

[Faha]

Thank you! I'll re-categorize Crisis Text Line to non-clinical.

When you say school's screen at 150 hours, does that include projected hours or not?

Projected hours do not count. It is hours completed on your application when it is submitted.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Bump up your hours before applying. If you want to stay in Oregon, PNWU should be on your list. OHSU is a given, but the lower sGPA and lower hours might hinder you.

 

[SagebrushSea]

Bump up your hours before applying. If you want to stay in Oregon, PNWU should be on your list. OHSU is a given, but the lower sGPA and lower hours might hinder you.

Thanks! Is trying to reach 150 hours worth delaying my application to July you think? I can't squeeze 40 more hours in May, but I may be able to if going through June as well but then will be a bit late applying.

 

[Faha]

Thanks! Is trying to reach 150 hours worth delaying my application to July you think? I can't squeeze 40 more hours in May, but I may be able to if going through June as well but then will be a bit late applying.

Yes. July is not late to apply. You need another 30+ hours of clinical volunteering (hospice is fine) and another 50+ hours of non clinical volunteering (food bank or homeless shelter would be ideal). If you have those hours I suggest these MD schools:
Oregon
Roseman
Arizona State University School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering (when it opens)
Alice Walton
Belmont
Methodist (when it opens)
TCU
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
NOVA MD
Wake Forest
Virginia Commonwealth
George Washington
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
Hackensack
New York Medical College
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac

 

[GooshGoosh111]

Haha do it. If your clinical hours and overall experiences as communicated in your activities sections are good enough, you have a good chance. I suggest NEOMED too.

 

[SagebrushSea]

Haha do it. If your clinical hours and overall experiences as communicated in your activities sections are good enough, you have a good chance. I suggest NEOMED too.

Thanks, and congrats on your acceptance! I saw that you also had a big spread between GPA but with an awesome 517 MCAT. =) I'm going to move ahead with applying, but be working on getting in more volunteer hours this next year so that if I have to re-apply I'll be much better prepared.