WAMC School List Help (4.0, 519)

[bean64]

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GPA. 4.0
MCAT. 514 first attempt (130,127,130,127), 519 second attempt (131,127,132,129).
ORM

Clinical experience: ~140 patient-facing volunteering in a hospital, 2400 hrs emergency department scribing, 240 hrs volunteer clinic scribing, ~120 hours volunteer EMS.
Research experience:. 600 hours in one lab with a pre-print pending per review. 1600 hours in another lab. Both of which non-clinical research.
Shadowing:. ~240 hours via a shadowing program, all oncology.
Non-clinical volunteering: Unfortunately, not that many, ~40 hours working at my county's health department.
Held a leadership position in a blood drive club for one year.
This upcoming 2025-2026 cycle will be my third cycle. Here is a school list, let me know.

• Boston
• Wake Forest
• Tufts
• Geisel
• Sydney Kimmel
• Duke
• Albert Einstein
• Rosalind Franklin
• RWJ
• Stony Brook
• Drexel
• Maryland
• Pittsburgh
• Ohio
• Emory
• Michigan
• Temple
• Hackensack
• George Washington
• Georgetown
• UIC
• Penn State
• Case Western
• NJMS (I plan on applying early decision, as this is my state school)
• Florida

 

[ecobio]

What has changed since your last cycle?

Id recommend another year so you can demonstrate more service orientation. I only had a successful third cycle because i boosted my volunteering from ~50 to ~800. Honestly the lack of volunteering is probably the reason why you havent had any success, otherwise you seem like a great candidate.

 

[bean64]

I'm sorry, I should have added more information. First cycle I received 1 interview invite at one of my state schools, I lacked the ED scribing, EMS, and majority of my hospital volunteering. Second cycle I received 2 interview invites after adding on ED scribing and I believe better writing, one at RWJ and one at NJMS which I am applying ED to, however I believe it was my interview skills that made me fumble the acceptances. This cycle, I have started another hospital volunteer position, I have a hospice volunteer position lined up, and I have started volunteer EMS. Unfortunately, I should have made this before I submitted my primary, as you are right, I am lacking in terms of volunteering. I asked one of the schools I interviewed at for advice, they mentioned that I had not known much about the school and they felt I was not fully committed to medicine. I have changed my personal statement significantly and plan to work on my interviewing skills to make sure I articulate my passion better.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Did you interview twice at RWJ or NJMS?

The non-clinical volunteering is the huge hole to me. Only 40 hours working for the county public health department doesn't satisfy most schools' expectations of service orientation. You should have 150 hours minimum when you submit your application: food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, legal support, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation. Otherwise, your app is good enough for your in-states to interview you, but perhaps your interview improvement could be linked to more insight about the local communities' needs (health and non-health). It also sounds like you haven't done any homework about mission fit and purpose.

I ask about where you might have interviewed twice. You also must add DO schools so pick up PCOM, RowanDO. RowanMD, and perhaps a Philly school (Drexel, Temple).

Many schools average all MCAT attempts for screening purposes.

 

[bean64]

Hi, first cycle I interviewed for Hackensack, second cycle I interviewed for RWJ and NJMS. I did not interview twice at the same location.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I presume if you are apply ED to NJMS that they explained how they used Early Decision and encouraged you. Did they give you the advice about your personal statement and experience hours?