MD WAMC + school list: Music Major & nontraditional* (cGPA: 3.95, sGPA: 3.93, MCAT: 521)

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

cardamomo

Full Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2020
Messages
11
Reaction score
1
  1. cGPA: 3.95 sGPA: 3.93
  2. MCAT: 521 (130,128,132,131)
  3. Residence: Western USA (not CA)
  4. Ethnicity: ORM
  5. Major: Music, emphasis in composition and arranging; at state university
  6. Leadership: LDS proselyting mission to Honduras: ~10,000 hours; fluent in Spanish
  7. Research experience: None. Was a TA for intro bio Lab: 65 hours
  8. Shadowing experience: 50 hours in general surgery
  9. Volunteering: Committee member of foundation for children with cancer (was started by immediate family member): ~150 hours
  10. Employment: Private music instructor, freelance composer/arranger/pianist: ~300 hours (didn't include the 1000+ hours of practice or prep in AMCAS app unfortunately)
  11. Very relevant experience (listed as other): caregiver for mother: 2,000 hours (wasn't sure how many to put; essentially 3.5 years of being available and ready for any familial responsibilities outside my classes)
  12. Good LORs

I decided to apply to medical school my senior year. I have been a caregiver for my ill and disabled mother and carried significant home for the past 3.5 years, so I have been severely limited in my ability to do most extracurricular activities, research, and clinical experiences, etc. My responsibilities as a caregiver are essentially clinical (at the level of a nurse or nurse assistant), but I did not list them as clinical because I wasn't sure if they would count as such. Due to extra family having come home relatively recently, I am able to go out of state to medical school.

Schools (in no particular order):
UCLA
UNR
UCI
Oregon
Stanford
UCSD
Utah
Columbia
Vanderbilt
Kaiser
Johns Hopkins
Harvard
NYU
Mayo
Perelman Upenn
Northwestern
Cornell
Emory
U Wisconsin
Baylor
Pritzker
USC
UNLV
Yale
WUSTL
UVA
Georgetown
St Louis U
Colorado
Duke
George Washington
UCSF
Ohio State
U Iowa
U Florida

I know this list is top-heavy and has many research-oriented schools. I have an interview invite from one state school already.

Members don't see this ad.
 
Last edited:
Your high stats will attract attention at some schools but your complete lack of clinical volunteering with patient contact (and to a lesser extent no research) will limit your chances for interviews.
 
Thanks for the reply. Do you think there is a likelihood some adcoms would overlook my lack of clinical volunteering and research due to my background and the nature of the familial responsibilities I’ve had? Or that some could interpret my caretaking experience as an acceptable substitution for patient interaction? It’s obviously not volunteering, but the nature of what I do as a caretaker has been quite clinical.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Thanks for the reply. Do you think there is a likelihood some adcoms would overlook my lack of clinical volunteering and research due to my background and the nature of the familial responsibilities I’ve had? Or that some could interpret my caretaking experience as an acceptable substitution for patient interaction? It’s obviously not volunteering, but the nature of what I do as a caretaker has been quite clinical.
It is your stats that will result in interviews. The family caretaking is something that you would be expected to do. It is not the same as clinical volunteering.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
The family caretaking is something that you would be expected to do. It is not the same as clinical volunteering.

Of course, family comes first. My experience being a caretaker has been one of the biggest influences in deciding to apply to medical school.

I guess I am just anxious how adcoms will consider that aspect of my application and whether they might believe that I lack sufficient exposure to clinical experience or patient interaction for consideration.
 
Top