WAMC - school list help! 525/3.93 NC resident, high stat weak research

[cjfblueberry]

Hello! I’m applying this cycle and struggling with putting together my school list since I’ve been recommended research-heavy schools based on stats, but research is a weakness on my application and I’d really appreciate any suggestions for realistic schools to make a balanced list! Doing Americorps for my 2 gap years, which has been really meaningful and will be central to my application.

NC resident ORM - state public institution

MCAT 525 (131/131/131/132) cGPA 3.93, sGPA 3.95.

Community Service (700 hrs, gap year)

• Americorps in rural community - teach weekly nutrition classes + help run a free community resource center at local middle school + support with community health assessment and coalition of community stakeholders.

Clinical (1000 hrs, this is also under same Americorps program as above)

• Scribing at rural primary care clinic (gap year)

Research

• 2 years in neuropsychology lab (400 hrs), 1 poster about honors thesis at university symposium (honestly didnt feel like i did much here, this research may not have been the best fit for me)
• 90 hours doing nutrition research in rural community, mainly participant recruitment (currently doing in gap year, maybe 175 by time i apply)

Leadership

• National President of prehealth student organization (2 year commitment, but longstanding with the organization, involved since high school). Led/planned leadership retreat for 300+ student group + held student workshops at conferences across US + sat on national board and state board of directors + helped run social media and grew following +4k in 2 years + various initiatives (~1000 hours)
• 150 hours in minor leadership role in prehealth org on campus doing graphic design/social media/merchandise (2yrs)
• 80 hours student goverment in communications dept. doing graphic design for social media

Nonclinical volunteering

• (150 hours) taught afterschool nutrition/cooking classes to elementary students
• (150 hours) volunteering for same national student organization as above at conferences + (50 hours) doing free graphic design for them - made all of their conference t shirts, logos, program books, pins, merch

Other employment

• 500 hours as cook in food service (gap semester freshman fall, worked full time then and summer after freshman year too)
• 50 hrs caregiver for elderly (paid)

Shadowing (hopefully 50 hrs but i need to get on this)

Honors

• Phi Beta Kappa
• GPA Based x 2

I made this list but it feels top heavy:

UNC

Duke (PC Leadership Track)

ECU

BU

UChicago

Einstein

Columbia Bassett (maybe)

Emory

WashU

Mt. Sinai

Would really appreciate any help/advice in general! Thank you so much!

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[Faha]

You could add any of these schools to your application:
Harvard
Yale
Cornell
Pittsburgh
UPenn
Johns Hopkins
Georgetown
U Virginia
Vanderbilt
Northwestern
U Michigan
Case Western
Cincinnati
Mayo
UCSF

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Dude, you got this. Every North Carolina school should fight for you: ECU, UNC, Wake, Duke, Campbell. You can call your shot to any public institution in the country, especially if they have a rural health track (see PRIME programs at the UC schools).

Choose your list, connect with the schools, and make them recruit you. Focus on opportunities for rural health/lifestyle health/food as medicine experiences, including AHECs or specialized clinics and rotations. See if you can apply to HPSP or NHSC so you bring in your own money, acquire no additional debt, and can call your shot (in whatever way it can be controlled) when it comes to a school you would like to attend if you get offers. You probably should look at the tuition-free schools (NYU, Einstein, Hopkins, CCLCM) but inquire about programs that match your purpose. In short, value your purpose and find communities that will value it too.

Application Advice for Future Rural Health Professionals - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

AHECs Provide Students Opportunities to Help the Underserved - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net