WAMC/School List help, low stats applicant MD/PhD

[KiGnome]

---

Members don't see this ad.

WAMC MD/PhD (open to MD-only too if you advise)

URM (Latino) / WV Resident / LM 68.30 / WARS 81 / Admit Score 608

GPA 3.73, sGPA 3.70, MCAT 511 (129/124/130/128) 82%ile

CASPer pending, PREview don’t plan to take

Research (1820h + 1800h projected)

• Transparent Wood Project 2022-24 (~500h)
  • Regional Grant Award
• Vanderbilt Summer 2022 + 2023 (800h)
  • LOR from PI
  • Mid-author Pub submitted to Cell Metabolism
• Collaborative Project 2022-23 (120h)
• U. of Kentucky Summer 2024 (450h)
  • LOR from PI
  • Writing Chemotherapy Review (not submitted yet)
• U. of Kentucky Postbacc 2025-26 (~1800h projected +1 more gap yr if needed)

Clinical Volunteering (210h)

• Student-led group with Senior Center/Dementia Clinic 2021-25

Non-clinical Volunteering (~80h)

• Accumulated from small projects (i.e. cooking for holiday, card making, clubs)

Shadowing (71h)

• Online 2021-22 (31h)
• Vanderbilt, Vascular Surgeon 2023 (20h)
  • LOR from Physician
• U. of Kentucky, Oncology specialties 2024 (20h)

Non-clinical paid-employment (1280h)

• Woodworking, Work-study position for fin. aid
  • LOR from supervisor

Other Leadership

• Chemistry/Premed Club President and VP (2yr; ~142h)

Other Activities

• Latin Dance (~170h)
• Gym & Sports
• Blogging

Awards & Presentations

• 10 Conferences, 5 Presentations
• Several certificates, awards, grants, and honors

TL;DR SUMMARY

• 1820h Research
• Mid-author pub submitted Cell Metabolism
• 210h Clinical Volunteering
• 80h Non-clinical Volunteering
• 71h Shadowing
• 142h Leadership
• Other activities: Latin Dance, gym, blogging
• LORS: 2 PIs, 1 physician, 1 committee letter, 1 work supervisor
• Interests in cancer biology

My school list so far (didn’t qualify for FAP yet Pell Grant eligible, money is an issue)

• Vanderbilt MSTP (applied), strong ties, probably a donation
• Albert Einstein MSTP (applied), probably a donation
• Stony Brook MSTP (applied), probably a donation
• U. Cincinatti MSTP (applied)
• UT Houston McGovern MSTP (applied)
• U. of Kentucky MD/PhD (applied), strong ties
• West Virginia U. MD/PhD (applied)
• U. Wisconsin – Madison MSTP
• Medical College of Wisconsin MSTP
• Virginia Commonwealth MSTP

I am open to school list feedback and suggestions. I am curious about what to add? My MCAT was not expected (I suck at CARS!) and I had to restructure my list. Some schools already applied (before I received my abysmal MCAT) but now I’m looking to add more within realistic range.

 

[dimplesage]

I would consider adding UNC, University of Minnesota, and maybe UVA or Ohio state depending on fit?

 

[trilobites10294814]

If you have strong ties to Kentucky i.e. Midwest/South region I would consider adding more schools from that region. Consider Emory, which is more holistic (515-ish average MCAT for MSTP), UAB, MUSC,

 

[KiGnome]

thank you all, this is my updated list now:

Vanderbilt University (I'm rejecting myself here...)
Albert Einstein MSTP
Stony Brook MSTP
U. Cincinatti MSTP
UT Houston McGovern MSTP
U. Kentucky MD/PhD (research ties, 1summer, postbacc soon)
West Virginia U. MD/PhD (in-state)
U. Wisconsin-Madison MSTP
Medical College of Wisconsin MSTP
Virginia Commonwealth U. MSTP
Indiana University MSTP
U. Minnesota MSTP
Pennsylvania State U. MSTP
U. Washington MSTP
U. Maryland MSTP
U. Illinois (UIC) MSTP
Medical U. of South Carolina MSTP

Blue = applied already
Grey = will likely add
Yellow = hmm, maybe

Altogether, from MSAR data, this is approximately 150 MD/PhD positions. I feel most comfortable with WVU (IS) and UK (Summer/Postbacc research soon). Do you like my chances at getting into at least one? What about at least one beyond WVU and UK?

 

[trilobites10294814]

I still feel like your school list should be 20-30 schools to be broad. Some of the non-MSTP programs are very low yield in that they seek very very few matriculants. So it can be splitting hairs when choosing for their class. Look at AAMC Table B-8.

Consider: UT San Antonio (no secondary), UTSW (very short secondaries)