MD & DO WAMC/School List advice: 3.38, 517, non-trad

[Aguyfromsector2814]

1. cGPA 3.375 sGPA 3.278

Fr 2.96​

Soph 3.24​

Jun 3.49​

Sen 3.59​

Post bac (9 hrs) 4.0​

2. 517 MCAT (131, 126, 130, 130)
3. Ohio
4. ORM
5. Undergrad - Ohio State University
6. Clinical Experience -

Free Clinic volunteer - 148 h​

Clinical Research Coordinator - 607 h​

Outpatient COVID temperature screening - 22 h​

7. Research -

Research Assistant - 4117 h​

1 1st author pub​

4 2nd author pubs (not sure if I should list these in my activities or group them together?)​

1 3rd author pub​

1 poster presentation (1st author)​

8. Shadowing -

20 hours Cardiology cath lab, multiple MDs​

20 hours family med, DO​

9. Non-Clinical Volunteering -

Red Cross Disaster Action Team - 116 h​

10. Other ECs -

Leadership - Lab Manager - 1782 h​

Hobbies - Sand Volleyball - 1000 h (estimate)​

11. Honors/Awards -

Free Clinic Outstanding Community Volunteer Award - 2022​

12. Other information -

• My PS explains how I initially became interested in pursuing med school, went to college on pre-med track, lost academic confidence and gave up on med school, went into research, and then rediscovered desire to go to medical school 2 years after graduating
• Did not do a full DIY post-bacc but took 3 CH neuroscience class (prof is writing one of my LORs) and then 6 CH while working full-time and volunteering in 2021.

Tentative School List:

1. Ohio St
2. Cincinnati
3. Wright St
4. Toledo
5. Cleveland Clinic Lerner COM
6. Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
7. Michigan St College of Osteopathic Medicine
8. Albert Einstein
9. Boston University
10. LSU
11. Michigan St College of Human Medicine
12. Thomas Jefferson
13. Virginia Tech
14. Wayne St
15. Louisville
16. Illinois
17. Quinnipiac
18. Georgetown
19. Central Michigan
20. Drexel
21. New York Medical College
22. Rutgers NJMS
23. Rutgers RWJ
24. Rush
25. Temple
26. Tufts
27. University of Buffalo
28. University of Vermont

Would greatly appreciate advice on trimming/adding to list as well as where I should focus on strengthening my app if I have to reapply next cycle.

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[Faha]

You have several state public schools on your list that admit few non residents with your GPA and no connection to the state.
I suggest these MD schools with your stats:
NEOMED
Toledo
Wright State
Ohio State
Cincinnati
West Virginia
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
TCU-UNT
NOVA MD
Wake Forest
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
George Washington
Georgetown
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Hackensack
New York Medical College
Albany
Hofstra
Einstein
Vermont
Quinnipiac
For DO schools I suggest these:
OU-HCOM
LECOM (all schools)
PCOM (all schools)
NYITCOM
Touro-NY
CUSOM
MU-COM
DMU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
KCU-COM
UIWSOM
TUNCOM

 

[chilly_md]

The majority of MD schools will not consider you a strong enough student with that GPA (below the 10th percentile). Your chances are best at your state schools and DO.

And you will likely need to overhaul your PS. From an initial glance, a large part of it meanders away from why medicine and why you want to be a physician.

 

[Aguyfromsector2814]

The majority of MD schools will not consider you a strong enough student with that GPA (below the 10th percentile). Your chances are best at your state schools and DO.

And you will likely need to overhaul your PS. From an initial glance, a large part of it meanders away from why medicine and why you want to be a physician.

Got it, I've heard applicants can use the PS to explain lower GPAs, would you recommend avoiding that? Additionally, do you think taking 6 CH while working the next two semesters would help or do I need to consider a full 32 hour DIY post-bacc? I've taken a look at @Goro's guide but wasn't sure about the number of CH I would need and whether my upward trend and solid MCAT help out.

 

[chilly_md]

Got it, I've heard applicants can use the PS to explain lower GPAs, would you recommend avoiding that? Additionally, do you think taking 6 CH while working the next two semesters would help or do I need to consider a full 32 hour DIY post-bacc? I've taken a look at @Goro's guide but wasn't sure about the number of CH I would need and whether my upward trend and solid MCAT help out.

Yes, avoid that. Some of the schools you apply to could have a secondary directly asking you to discuss academic struggles or lower grades. That is when you can discuss it. Otherwise, do not. The personal statement is meant to describe why you want to be a physician and why medicine. Writing that you went into college on a premed track is also unnecessary. Research can be part of it, but does not involve patients and is hard to use as a reason for wanting to be a physician. Clinical research can obviously be an exception.

As per Goro’s guide, 1 year of classes is needed. The trend is upward but 9 credits of a 4.0 is not enough to show you are a different student. Taking another 25 or more credits of upper division science would be good. I would also advise you to gain more non-clinical volunteering to the underserved (such as at a homeless shelter, local soup kitchen/food bank, working with foster youth if you can commit etc).

 

[Aguyfromsector2814]

Yes, avoid that. Some of the schools you apply to could have a secondary directly asking you to discuss academic struggles or lower grades. That is when you can discuss it. Otherwise, do not. The personal statement is meant to describe why you want to be a physician and why medicine. Writing that you went into college on a premed track is also unnecessary. Research can be part of it, but does not involve patients and is hard to use as a reason for wanting to be a physician. Clinical research can obviously be an exception.

As per Goro’s guide, 1 year of classes is needed. The trend is upward but 9 credits of a 4.0 is not enough to show you are a different student. Taking another 25 or more credits of upper division science would be good. I would also advise you to gain more non-clinical volunteering to the underserved (such as at a homeless shelter, local soup kitchen/food bank, working with foster youth if you can commit etc).

Thanks so much, this is all really helpful. Regarding the CH, I'm limited on how many I can take based on my institution's tuition assistance program. Do schools still require as many hours if for students who are working full-time or do they take that into consideration?

 

[chilly_md]

Thanks so much, this is all really helpful. Regarding the CH, I'm limited on how many I can take based on my institution's tuition assistance program. Do schools still require as many hours if for students who are working full-time or do they take that into consideration?

How many can you do? Schools will understand if you are working full-time but 1 class each semester might not be much of a difference if you would like to apply next cycle. There might be a more economical public school near you that could provide more options.

What are the year by year trends for your sGPA?

 

[Aguyfromsector2814]

How many can you do? Schools will understand if you are working full-time but 1 class each semester might not be much of a difference if you would like to apply next cycle. There might be a more economical public school near you that could provide more options.

What are the year by year trends for your sGPA?

Up to 10 CH per semester, so I could probably get up to 12-18 more CH before applying next year if I can find 2 or 3 classes per semester.

sGPA:
Fr: 2.92
Soph: 3.02
Jun: 3.31
Sen: 3.56
Post-bacc: 4.0

 

[chilly_md]

Try to do the 16-18 CH over the two semesters if you can feel you can do well. That will give you 25-27 post-bacc hours at a higher GPA. And bulk up your non-clinical hours as it is the service-oriented schools that tend to look at students with upwards trends and post bacc classes.

 

[Aguyfromsector2814]

Try to do the 16-18 CH over the two semesters if you can feel you can do well. That will give you 25-27 post-bacc hours at a higher GPA. And bulk up your non-clinical hours as it is the service-oriented schools that tend to look at students with upwards trends and post bacc classes.

Got it, thanks for all your help I appreciate you taking the time!