WAMC/School list

[trueheater43]

23 ORM.
CA resident
MCAT history:
Sept 2022: 500 (125/125/125/125)
May 2023: 508 (125/125/130/128)
Mar 2024: 507 (129/125/125/128)

cGPA is 3.38, BCPM GPA is 3.16. BCP GPA is 3.24.
No upward trend, my GPA fluctuated a lot over the last 2 years. Graduated college about 6 months ago.

ECs:
Clinical experience: ~230 hours clinical experience (hospital volunteering in 2 hospitals over the course of 2 years, lots of patient interactions).
Research: ~150 hrs as a volunteer research assistant. No pubs.
Shadowing: ~50 hrs shadowing several doctors for about 9 hours each.
Teaching/Tutoring: ~100 hrs as an unpaid Teaching assistant (In a previous thread talking about my ECs I had written 80 hrs...after double checking, it was actually closer to 100 hours. 10 hours a week for 10 weeks, class was in the quarter system.)

Nervous about my recent MCAT plateau/going down 1 point. Hoping to get a school list recommendation. Any advice on how to proceed with making my app more competitive would also be appreciated.

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[Mr.Smile12]

State residency? Please adhere to the template. Demographics and details of your activities matter. Service orientation activities are missing (food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation); you need 150 hours minimum by submission to avoid getting screened out. Teaching and clinical work does not count towards this category.

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence ?

 

[trueheater43]

Where is your state of residence ?

CA @Faha @Mr.Smile12

 

[Faha]

Accumulate 150+ hours of non clinical volunteering (food bank, homeless shelter, etc. ) before you submit your application.
I suggest these DO schools with your stats:
WESTERN
TUCOM-CA
TUNCOM
AZCOM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
DMU-COM
ACOM
CUSOM
PCOM (all schools)
LECOM (all schools)
NYITCOM
Touro-NY
MU-COM
ACOM
WVSOM
MD schools are unlikely with your stats and ECs but you could try these:
California University
Loma Linda (if you fit their mission)
Belmont
Roseman (when it opens)
Alice Walton (when it opens)

 

[Goro]

To Faha's list, add UIW, ARCOM, and Sam Houston State.

 

[trueheater43]

@Goro @Faha @Mr.Smile12
Considering the AACOMAS opens on May 5, I only have a little under 3 weeks to accumulate non clinical volunteering hours. Realistically in that time period I can do 30-50 hours before May 5th, are you guys sure that schools screen out people who have less than 150 non clinical hours? Are there schools that have this as a written rule somewhere like in their admissions FAQs? I feel like if I actually did manage to get 150 hours in a few weeks it would look like I'm just trying to check a box. And isn't there an option on the application to indicate your expected number of hours that will be completed in the future?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

@Goro @Faha @Mr.Smile12
Considering the AACOMAS opens on May 5, I only have a little under 3 weeks to accumulate non clinical volunteering hours. Realistically in that time period I can do 30-50 hours before May 5th, are you guys sure that schools screen out people who have less than 150 non clinical hours? Are there schools that have this as a written rule somewhere like in their admissions FAQs? I feel like if I actually did manage to get 150 hours in a few weeks it would look like I'm just trying to check a box. And isn't there an option on the application to indicate your expected number of hours that will be completed in the future?

AACOMAS schools may not be hardcore with the 150 hours requirement compared to AMCAS schools. The applicant pool behaviors and numbers are remarkably different, and there are no schools that have this rubric element down in public (because it can change with the applicant pool). Also, an "early" application for AACOMAS is a little later compared to AMCAS.

Just get started. Sure it might look more like box-checking to some, but it's better than having none.

 

[chilly_md]

Thread moved to WAMC forums.

 

[trueheater43]

AACOMAS schools may not be hardcore with the 150 hours requirement compared to AMCAS schools. The applicant pool behaviors and numbers are remarkably different, and there are no schools that have this rubric element down in public (because it can change with the applicant pool). Also, an "early" application for AACOMAS is a little later compared to AMCAS.

Just get started. Sure it might look more like box-checking to some, but it's better than having none.

At what point after the applications open would you say a submission for the AACOMAS vs the AMCAS is considered late? I know obviously everyone should strive to get it done on the exact day it comes out, but would it look bad if you apply 1 week after the submission date opens vs 1 month after it on either of them?

 

[Faha]

@Goro @Faha @Mr.Smile12
Considering the AACOMAS opens on May 5, I only have a little under 3 weeks to accumulate non clinical volunteering hours. Realistically in that time period I can do 30-50 hours before May 5th, are you guys sure that schools screen out people who have less than 150 non clinical hours? Are there schools that have this as a written rule somewhere like in their admissions FAQs? I feel like if I actually did manage to get 150 hours in a few weeks it would look like I'm just trying to check a box. And isn't there an option on the application to indicate your expected number of hours that will be completed in the future?

November is considered late for a DO application. You could submit for DO schools in August and that is plenty of time to accumulate those hours. For MD schools you could submit in late June and still not be late.

 

[Goro]

AACOMAS schools may not be hardcore with the 150 hours requirement compared to AMCAS schools. The applicant pool behaviors and numbers are remarkably different, and there are no schools that have this rubric element down in public (because it can change with the applicant pool). Also, an "early" application for AACOMAS is a little later compared to AMCAS.

Just get started. Sure it might look more like box-checking to some, but it's better than having none.

Agree 100% with my learned colleague.

 

[trueheater43]

Accumulate 150+ hours of non clinical volunteering (food bank, homeless shelter, etc. ) before you submit your application.
I suggest these DO schools with your stats:
WESTERN
TUCOM-CA
TUNCOM
AZCOM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
DMU-COM
ACOM
CUSOM
PCOM (all schools)
LECOM (all schools)
NYITCOM
Touro-NY
MU-COM
ACOM
WVSOM
MD schools are unlikely with your stats and ECs but you could try these:
California University
Loma Linda (if you fit their mission)
Belmont
Roseman (when it opens)
Alice Walton (when it opens)

can i ask why you highlighted those specific MD schools?

 

[Faha]

can i ask why you highlighted those specific MD schools?

Belmont, Alice Walton and Roseman are all new schools so they will have smaller applicant pools. If you fit Loma Linda's mission apply there. California University is the only other realistic school for instate.