Hello folks! I'm a first-time applicant and have been getting getting a bunch of conflicting information about the process (from my advisors, the MSAR, LizzyM, MSAR, etc.) and was really hoping to get some help with my school list! I'm set on applying to MD-PhD and MSTP programs, but am worried that my MCAT score and relatively low shadowing might hold me back. I'm a 20 yo ORM Asian American male.
State/Country of Residence: Arizona
Year in School: Graduating with a B.S. in May 2021 (Rising Senior)
Undergraduate Major(s)/Minor(s): Majors in Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Minors in Mathematics, Music, and Spanish
Graduate Degrees (if applicable): N/A
cGPA: 3.98
sGPA: 3.97
MCAT Score: 517 (128/128/132/129) **note I'm not quite happy with this score, I consistently scored 520+ on all four of the official AAMC full-lengths. Thoughts on a possible re-take?**
Research Experience: 4 years in the same lab working studying cellular biology/genetics, ~4000 hours. Leading independent project and working towards first-author manuscript, hoping to submit to a high-impact journal in early Fall. Winner of the 2020 Astronaut Scholarship (nationally competitive scholarship for undergrad research)
Publications/Abstracts/Posters: Working on the manuscript mentioned above, second author on a methods paper submitted to eLIFE. Presented at two school-level poster conferences, abstract accepted to a regional ASBMB conference (cancelled due to COVID)
Clinical Experience (paid or volunteer): 360 hours as volunteer scribe/translator at free medical clinic, 248 hours as an intern at the local teaching hospital, 152 hours as a volunteer in the ED (Total ~750 hours)
Shadowing: 80 hours with a couple of different providers
Non-Clinical Volunteering: 600 hours in a homeless shelter
Other Extracurricular Activities: I am the president of a pre-med club on campus for 2 years, and treasurer for a third, in charge of organizing and planning international medical brigades. Participant in a competitive undergrad program specific to my school. Reasonably decent concert pianist (I played Carnegie Hall in high school. I still play for my music minor but don't compete/perform anymore). I've served as a teaching assistant for three different professors over the last two years.
Other Employment History: Paid research assistant for the last two years.
Immediate family members in medicine?: No
Specialty of Interest (if applicable): Oncology, but I'm very open to anything
Interest in Primary Care (Y/N): Yes, but other specialties may fit with my PhD a little better
Interest in Rural Health (Y/N): No
School List: Here's where I'm having trouble. My stats aren't as solid as I had been hoping. My previous list was mostly T20s, but now I'm fairly uncertain.
Long Shots (Probably unreasonable now):
NYU Grossman
Harvard
Washington U St. Louis
Hopkins
Mayo
U Chicago
Duke
Columbia
Northwestern
Cornell
Stanford
Tentative Adds:
Brown
UCSF
Einstein
Sinai
Colorado
Baylor
Boston U
Safety:
U Arizona
Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Thoughts @Goro and @Faha ?
State/Country of Residence: Arizona
Year in School: Graduating with a B.S. in May 2021 (Rising Senior)
Undergraduate Major(s)/Minor(s): Majors in Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Minors in Mathematics, Music, and Spanish
Graduate Degrees (if applicable): N/A
cGPA: 3.98
sGPA: 3.97
MCAT Score: 517 (128/128/132/129) **note I'm not quite happy with this score, I consistently scored 520+ on all four of the official AAMC full-lengths. Thoughts on a possible re-take?**
Research Experience: 4 years in the same lab working studying cellular biology/genetics, ~4000 hours. Leading independent project and working towards first-author manuscript, hoping to submit to a high-impact journal in early Fall. Winner of the 2020 Astronaut Scholarship (nationally competitive scholarship for undergrad research)
Publications/Abstracts/Posters: Working on the manuscript mentioned above, second author on a methods paper submitted to eLIFE. Presented at two school-level poster conferences, abstract accepted to a regional ASBMB conference (cancelled due to COVID)
Clinical Experience (paid or volunteer): 360 hours as volunteer scribe/translator at free medical clinic, 248 hours as an intern at the local teaching hospital, 152 hours as a volunteer in the ED (Total ~750 hours)
Shadowing: 80 hours with a couple of different providers
Non-Clinical Volunteering: 600 hours in a homeless shelter
Other Extracurricular Activities: I am the president of a pre-med club on campus for 2 years, and treasurer for a third, in charge of organizing and planning international medical brigades. Participant in a competitive undergrad program specific to my school. Reasonably decent concert pianist (I played Carnegie Hall in high school. I still play for my music minor but don't compete/perform anymore). I've served as a teaching assistant for three different professors over the last two years.
Other Employment History: Paid research assistant for the last two years.
Immediate family members in medicine?: No
Specialty of Interest (if applicable): Oncology, but I'm very open to anything
Interest in Primary Care (Y/N): Yes, but other specialties may fit with my PhD a little better
Interest in Rural Health (Y/N): No
School List: Here's where I'm having trouble. My stats aren't as solid as I had been hoping. My previous list was mostly T20s, but now I'm fairly uncertain.
Long Shots (Probably unreasonable now):
NYU Grossman
Harvard
Washington U St. Louis
Hopkins
Mayo
U Chicago
Duke
Columbia
Northwestern
Cornell
Stanford
Tentative Adds:
Brown
UCSF
Einstein
Sinai
Colorado
Baylor
Boston U
Safety:
U Arizona
Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Thoughts @Goro and @Faha ?
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