Hoping for some help from all you super experienced people. My current, short schools list is derived from MSAR data using my WARS, veteran/non-trad friendliness, and anecdotal recommendations. Also have some specific questions towards the bottom of my W&As. Applying this upcoming cycle.
cGPA: 3.84 w/ upward trajectory. Freshman year sucked.
sGPA: 3.68 (see previous)
MCAT: 514 (130/131/128/125)
Demographics: white male, Idaho resident
School Info: Service Academy, majored in Arabic
Grad School GPA: 4.0 (MPA from a state school)
DIY Post-bacc GPA: 4.0
WARS: 75, not sure how to score myself in some categories so usually went conservative
Leadership/Military: I was an officer on submarines. Primary management job was nuclear engineering; primary tactical job was leading the bridge team that made the boat go places and do things. Upward trajectory. MM#1.
Clinical experience: 160 hrs - CNA-ing in a hospital, meds pulling at a clinic, ultra-shadowing that turned very hands-on and involved. MM#2.
Non-clinical volunteering, undergrad: 270 hours - various trips to developing countries to work with disadvantaged populations & refugees. MM#3.
Non-clinical volunteering, post-grad: 548 hours - fitness instructor (unpaid), mentor for struggling teens
Shadowing: 52 hours - general surgeon, orthopedic surgeon, EM doc, radiologist
(The following experience areas are ones I'm struggling with and have questions attached)
Research: major weak area. "Research project" during grad school that was public health-related but no pub. Senior thesis from undergrad but written in Arabic/not science related, and my brain largely scrubbed that after 8 years of engineering work (feels risky to include on an app?)
Teaching: ?? hours - ROTC instructor at 2 state universities for 3 years. Still unsure how to account for this in terms of hours. Is it like time spent in the actual classroom with actual students? Time spent prepping for class/grading/etc also count? Advising? etc
Undergrad tutor (128 hours)
Awards: lots of military awards that are probably meaningless to AdComs but some of which are fairly legit to someone in my former world. Not MM so not enough space to adequately describe more than 1 or 2. Should I just stick with those or list the other important ones with no explanation?
Other random things:
1) Undergrad was 9 years ago. I did some things that took up a lot of my time, but they seem insignificant/irrelevant now compared to my life since. For example: a) president of a major academic club, b) played a varsity sport for 2 years (lettered) before a career-ending injury, c) summer internships (2 really cool intelligence agency ones but no direct science/med connection), d) various student leadership positions associated with the service academy. As a trad, these would be front and center in my W&As. As a non-trad, they are getting crowded out. Recency bias? Should I keep them out of the W&As or find a way to work em in? (I know this is super subjective.)
2) Hobbies and travel. Lots. Very very extra. Seem like a distraction from other things I want to highlight in the app. Valid concern or overthinking?
My Schools List
UWSOM (resident)
Utah
UN-Reno
Colorado
Vermont
Michigan
Dartmouth
Medical Uni of South Carolina (grew up in SC; both parents are alums)
Any for-sure additions...maybe additions...reach additions?
Y'all are the best. Cheers.
- cGPA and sGPA
- MCAT score(s) and breakdown
- State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
- Ethnicity and/or race
- Undergraduate institution or category
- Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
- Research experience and productivity
- Shadowing experience and specialties represented
- Non-clinical volunteering
- Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
- Relevant honors or awards
- Anything else not listed you think might be important
cGPA: 3.84 w/ upward trajectory. Freshman year sucked.
sGPA: 3.68 (see previous)
MCAT: 514 (130/131/128/125)
Demographics: white male, Idaho resident
School Info: Service Academy, majored in Arabic
Grad School GPA: 4.0 (MPA from a state school)
DIY Post-bacc GPA: 4.0
WARS: 75, not sure how to score myself in some categories so usually went conservative
Leadership/Military: I was an officer on submarines. Primary management job was nuclear engineering; primary tactical job was leading the bridge team that made the boat go places and do things. Upward trajectory. MM#1.
Clinical experience: 160 hrs - CNA-ing in a hospital, meds pulling at a clinic, ultra-shadowing that turned very hands-on and involved. MM#2.
Non-clinical volunteering, undergrad: 270 hours - various trips to developing countries to work with disadvantaged populations & refugees. MM#3.
Non-clinical volunteering, post-grad: 548 hours - fitness instructor (unpaid), mentor for struggling teens
Shadowing: 52 hours - general surgeon, orthopedic surgeon, EM doc, radiologist
(The following experience areas are ones I'm struggling with and have questions attached)
Research: major weak area. "Research project" during grad school that was public health-related but no pub. Senior thesis from undergrad but written in Arabic/not science related, and my brain largely scrubbed that after 8 years of engineering work (feels risky to include on an app?)
Teaching: ?? hours - ROTC instructor at 2 state universities for 3 years. Still unsure how to account for this in terms of hours. Is it like time spent in the actual classroom with actual students? Time spent prepping for class/grading/etc also count? Advising? etc
Undergrad tutor (128 hours)
Awards: lots of military awards that are probably meaningless to AdComs but some of which are fairly legit to someone in my former world. Not MM so not enough space to adequately describe more than 1 or 2. Should I just stick with those or list the other important ones with no explanation?
Other random things:
1) Undergrad was 9 years ago. I did some things that took up a lot of my time, but they seem insignificant/irrelevant now compared to my life since. For example: a) president of a major academic club, b) played a varsity sport for 2 years (lettered) before a career-ending injury, c) summer internships (2 really cool intelligence agency ones but no direct science/med connection), d) various student leadership positions associated with the service academy. As a trad, these would be front and center in my W&As. As a non-trad, they are getting crowded out. Recency bias? Should I keep them out of the W&As or find a way to work em in? (I know this is super subjective.)
2) Hobbies and travel. Lots. Very very extra. Seem like a distraction from other things I want to highlight in the app. Valid concern or overthinking?
My Schools List
UWSOM (resident)
Utah
UN-Reno
Colorado
Vermont
Michigan
Dartmouth
Medical Uni of South Carolina (grew up in SC; both parents are alums)
Any for-sure additions...maybe additions...reach additions?
Y'all are the best. Cheers.
