WAMC/School list help (3.94, 515, ORM Canadian citizen, US T30 Undergrad)

[chemicallycomical]

Hello SDN,

I am a Canadian citizen currently studying in the US at a T30 undergrad in the northeastern area. I am a rising senior, and graduating early (December 2024). Will be taking a gap year and a half, thus applying in Summer 2025 for 2026 entry. I need help making a list of 30-40 schools that I should apply to out of the ~70 ish that accept Canadian citizens (and also if I even have a chance).

Here are my stats:

3.94 cGPA, 3.92 sGPA

519 (130/128/130/131)

ORM, Canadian Citizen, graduating from US T30

Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer):
- 600 Hours EMT by May 2025 (~will keep doing in gap year thus another 650 projected by August 2026),
- 100 hours Medical assistant at family med clinic in Canada
- 150 hours Red Cross Blood donor clinic volunteer
- 100 hrs Generic hospital volunteering

Research experience and productivity:
- I will be joining a research lab full time after graduation as my main gap year job, thus ~800 hrs by May 2025 (full time projected), OBV no results yet but hoping for publications and poster presentations at the very least.
- 300 hrs neuroscience/biomedical engineering clinical research lab (part of school internship) no pubs or posters
- 300 hrs Neuroscience lab (no pubs or presentations),

Shadowing experience and specialties represented:
- 50 hrs with cardiothoracic surgeon (2 of them)
- 30 hrs with EM doc (2 of them)
- 30 hrs w/ family doc
- Do I need more?

Non-clinical volunteering:
- 150 hrs ice Hockey + skating instructor
- 100 hrs English ESL instructor
- 100 doing Science experiments in inner-city elementary schools as part of school Club

Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc):
- 150 hrs Biochem TA + another 150 hrs projected as a senior
- 100 hrs with aforementioned school Club as EBoard member
Gap year activities: full time research + part time EMT

Relevant honors or awards:
- none but will apply for some during senior year

Please let me know what I schools I have a shot for, and what I should do in the next 1.5 years to make my application stronger! By the way, I love doing research and would consider MD/PhD programs but obviously not expecting much as an international applicant. Let me know what you think!

Thank you.

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[Mr.Smile12]

You should decide if you want to do MD/PhD, PhD, or MD. While you still have a chance, you need community service/service orientation activities before you graduate (minimum 150 hours): food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation. The less clinical/health-adjacent the better. If you are trying for brand name schools, you will need 250 hours before submitting your application.

Right now none of your non-clinical volunteering opportunities fits the bill. Perhaps some of your Red Cross responsibilities could address service orientation, but more detail is needed. If you want to attend medical school in the US, the more you do in the US, the better.

 

[chemicallycomical]

You should decide if you want to do MD/PhD, PhD, or MD. While you still have a chance, you need community service/service orientation activities before you graduate (minimum 150 hours): food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation. The less clinical/health-adjacent the better. If you are trying for brand name schools, you will need 250 hours before submitting your application.

Right now none of your non-clinical volunteering opportunities fits the bill. Perhaps some of your Red Cross responsibilities could address service orientation, but more detail is needed. If you want to attend medical school in the US, the more you do in the US, the better.

I definitely want to do MD in the US if not MD/PhD. Are you saying I have no chance until I get more service volunteering? I thought teaching skating and hockey at least counted as community service.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I definitely want to do MD in the US if not MD/PhD. Are you saying I have no chance until I get more service volunteering? I thought teaching skating and hockey at least counted as community service.

Alleviating others' distress is a key component of service orientation. Also, it feels that teaching skating and hockey are ways to demonstrate your expertise in a hobby/sport that you have mastered. I might give a little leeway if you are teaching for the Paralympics/Special Olympics, but it doesn't carry the same weight as food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation.

MD/PhD will not put as much weight on non-clinical community service as US MD programs will, but MSTPs/MD-PhD programs will expect more on the research side.

 

[chemicallycomical]

Alleviating others' distress is a key component of service orientation. Also, it feels that teaching skating and hockey are ways to demonstrate your expertise in a hobby/sport that you have mastered. I might give a little leeway if you are teaching for the Paralympics/Special Olympics, but it doesn't carry the same weight as food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation.

MD/PhD will not put as much weight on non-clinical community service as US MD programs will, but MSTPs/MD-PhD programs will expect more on the research side.

Can you help me give me some ideas of Non-healthcare adjacent community service that alleviates other's distress? Should I continue the food shelter? What are some other examples? Maybe volunteering at a homeless shelter?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Can you help me give me some ideas of Non-healthcare adjacent community service that alleviates other's distress? Should I continue the food shelter? What are some other examples? Maybe volunteering at a homeless shelter?

Food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, housing rehabilitation.