WAMC/School list help - Low MCAT strong ECs

[cd4224]

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I am a third-year student at a small school with a low MD acceptance rate for us pre-meds. I did not do well on my first MCAT, but applied to some schools based on MSAR data: SUNY Upstate, SUNY Downstate, Buffalo, and Temple (due to personal connection). I got my second MCAT score back and improved on all sections except CARS. Curious what my ECs and GPA can make up for on the MCAT side of my app.

1. cGPA - 3.76 sGPA - 3.79 last 2 semesters -3.91
2. MCAT 1 - 504 126/125/127/126. MCAT 2 - 507 127/123/128/129
3. New York
4. White
5. Salve Regina
6. Clinical: PCT at trauma center ED - 500 hours (paid - nights), PCT at critical access ED - 400 hours (paid - days and nights), EMT - 150 ride hours (volunteer)
7. 2 projects set to be published this year, affiliated with MGH and HMS, one on COVID-19 and one on Glioblastoma, (one of the main writers for the COVID project, also set to present at NCRC at Harvard) ~300 hours
8. 100 hours of shadowing experience: Ob/gyn, Orthopedics (in clinic as well as OR), General surgery, urology, emergency medicine.
9. Non-clinical volunteer experience: Ski patrol (getting certification right now, 50 anticipated hours), Animal Shelter - 40 hours, Adaptive sports club for children with special needs - 50 hours
10. Other extracurricular activities: 2 years of collegiate baseball, 1 year of collegiate football. Tutoring ~ 60 hours
11. Dean's list x6 semesters
12. I come from a rural MUA in New York facing significant healthcare shortages. I have tied this into my essays and do want to eventually practice in a rural setting.
13. Strong LOR from two surgeons whom I had lots of experience shadowing, as well as my research professor and teachers, with whom I have a strong rapport.

Do I need another retake, or do I see if I get any bites this cycle, and worst case, reapply next year to more schools?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

If you grew up for most of your life in rural New York, meet with admissions officers for your in-state programs, including LECOM which has the Elmira campus. Check out NHSC, HPSP, and AHEC programs in the state. Look for other programs with rural health tracks.

I think you need more service orientation activities. Of those listed, your work with children with special needs comes close depending on your responsibilities. You must have 150 hours in this category before applying or your application could get screened out at most schools. Additional options include food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, legal support, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation.

 

[Faha]

If you are not accepted this cycle I suggest applying to many more MD and DO schools in June 2026. You should accumulate 150 hours of non clinical volunteering such as food bank, homeless shelter, etc, before you submit your application. I suggest these MD schools:
All 4 SUNYs
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Drexel
Temple
Penn State
Commonwealth Geisinger
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
Methodist
NOVA MD
Belmont
Alice Walton
Roseman
TCU
Ponce (St. Louis)
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
For DO schools I suggest these:
LECOM (all schools)
UNECOM
NYITCOM
Touro-NY
MU-COM
DMU-COM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
UIWSOM
AZCOM
PCOM (all schools)
CUSOM
WVSOM