Medical WAMC - should I apply 2021?

[GoSpursGo]

Hello! I appreciate this forum and all the information I have gained from it so far.

I planned to apply this upcoming cycle (MD), but am debating waiting another year to further study for the MCAT while I finish up my last semester of a DIY post-bacc. I haven't officially taken the exam yet (scheduled 5/2021) and this is based off by FL scores. I also realize that my current course load will be more rigorous as the semester goes on, so it may be less than ideal to stick with this original test date.

I graduated in 2019 with a liberal arts degree from a public college in NY before switching to pre-med. I was deemed not eligible for a Committee Letter by my undergrad institution with my current stats. I could attempt to apply for a letter again if I stayed an extra year, although there is no guarantee either. I was also considering applying to accelerated 3+3 programs for FM but not sure if it is worth doing so with my stats (although would be applying to the same 4 year programs there regardless).

GPA: 3.77 cGPA, 3.62 sGPA (no significant upward trend)
MCAT: ~503
State: NY
Ethnicity: ORM/Asian Female, FAP recipient
Clinical Experience: 2000+ as an ER scribe over 2 years
Research: 400 hours as a research assistant over 1 year, no publications but direct patient contact
Shadowing: None.
Non-clinical volunteering: 120 hours of Crisis Text Line over 1 year, 50 hours working with kids through autism-focused nonprofit over 1.5 years, 80 hours leading SAT prep courses in underserved school districts over 2 years, 80 hours of sporadic food pantry and adult education work over 3 years.
Other EC: 5000+ hours as a manager at a chain restaurant over 4 years (had to support myself through college, I stayed for an additional 1 year part-time just for retained benefits), 300 hours as a teaching intern in public schools.

School List:
All NY and NJ schools.
Ohio State
Penn State
Quinnipac
UConn
UMaryland
Georgetown

Thank you again for your assistance!

I would be very hesitant to take the MCAT if you’re getting a 503 on your practice exams. There is obviously a range of how you could perform on the actual day, so if you score a standard deviation below that score that would look really bad. If your course load is going to get harder, then it doesn’t seem like you’re ready to take the test TBH.

Furthermore, even if you got a 503 I think you would need to add DO schools.

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[GoSpursGo]

Thank you very much for the reply! I've been considering DO and it seems to be the right move to apply there as well.

Other than shadowing/MCAT/more continuous volunteering, are there any other areas of improvement that may be beneficial? I will not be taking classes if I do defer another year so would (hopefully) have time to focus on those elements.

Of those MCAT is definitely the most pressing. activities helping the less fortunate would also be good. Shadowing might help, but at least my perception is that it becomes less of an absolute necessity when you have an abundance of other clinical exposure as you do, provided that you have interacted with plenty of physicians. Not sure if other experts have a differing opinion.

 

[Goro]

As of right now that MCAT score is circling the drain for MD schools and meh for DO.
You do need to get shadowing experience.
All other Ecs are great
Just get a better MCAT score and the shadowing and you're good to go. Do NOT take that exam until you are 100% ready. You have wiggle room; even early August is an OK exam date.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

The GPAs you listed...are those including your post-bac work? Need to get MCAT up to around 505-506 for DO and 510-511 for MD. Make sure you are 100% ready to take exam and scoring ABOVE your goal score as things can happen on the real day.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm less worried on the shadowing of you have that much scribing. But could you describe that more? I would want to know why you aren't eligible for an undergraduate committee letter.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I scribe in the adult and pediatric ERs at 2 sister hospitals, one of which is more community-focused and the other is a teaching hospital. I dipped my toe into Telehealth but have less than 50 hours.

Okay... that definitely helps knowing the context.

For my committee letter, you are eligible to apply for a packet once you have followed with advisor meetings every semester for 2 years, attended orientations, have taken/passed the required classes, have faculty/supervisory LORs on file, and have continuous clinical experience preceding the 12 months prior to application submission. There was a volunteering requirement with a similar timeline but this was waived for everyone given COVID. I met all those requirements so I applied, but was not chosen to receive a packet. I did email my advisor to ask where I could improve in the event that I decided to apply next year and would therefore re-apply for a Committee letter. However, since I am not on the list of students receiving a packet for the next cycle, my next meeting with her to discuss this further is scheduled only at the end of the semester. Since I am more confident in deciding to defer another year, I will be applying for the letter again as well. Thank you for taking the time to read.

Well, for what it's worth, it's easy to overrate the value of a committee letter. That said, it sounds like your MCAT may have played a factor if no one is able to give you a reason why you aren't eligible if you met all the requirements. It also could be grades, presuming you are being honest with us, but I can't see why. If you met with the advisor team as prescribed and described, you should not have had any surprises about not being eligible for a committee letter. So something doesn't make sense to me as a former prehealth advisor who did committee letters.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Deferring the year will definitely give me more time to get shadowing experience given current restrictions, since I've only scribed in EM so I am missing other primary care exposure. I will reschedule my MCAT - thank you!

Yes, GPAs include my original undergrad coursework and my DIY post-bacc. I calculated my post-bacc alone and got a cGPA of 3.65, sGPA of 3.55. I'm a bit of a pessimist so it was weighing on me that the 503 was not the worst case scenario either and that I could do worse, depending on the circumstances. I will study more once the semester is over so I have a more organized attempt on my first MCAT. I appreciate the input!

I scribe in the adult and pediatric ERs at 2 sister hospitals, one of which is more community-focused and the other is a teaching hospital. I dipped my toe into Telehealth but have less than 50 hours. For my committee letter, you are eligible to apply for a packet once you have followed with advisor meetings every semester for 2 years, attended orientations, have taken/passed the required classes, have faculty/supervisory LORs on file, and have continuous clinical experience preceding the 12 months prior to application submission. There was a volunteering requirement with a similar timeline but this was waived for everyone given COVID. I met all those requirements so I applied, but was not chosen to receive a packet.

I did email my advisor to ask where I could improve in the event that I decided to apply next year and would therefore re-apply for a Committee letter. However, since I am not on the list of students receiving a packet for the next cycle, my next meeting with her to discuss this further is scheduled only at the end of the semester. Since I am more confident in deciding to defer another year, I will be applying for the letter again as well. Thank you for taking the time to read.

Unfortunately, a 3.65 cGPA and 3.55 sGPA post-bac are not going to do you any favors. To be honest, I am not 100% sure you needed a post-bac in the first place as you had a 3.7+ cGPA and 3.6+ sGPA (which is low, but with a 3.7, you may have still been good without the post-bac). Now, you did the post-bac with subpar performance. Your main issue is your MCAT. That is what needs your attention.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Sorry for the confusion - I did not have any of the prerequisites done (except 2 at my prior school from freshman year for general education requirements) so these were undergrad classes taken as a second BA at my alma mater. I am not finishing the second BA, I was just enrolled as such for biology, physics, and chemistry. I did not take a formal post-bacc program.

I realize that I failed to manage my time effectively around my work schedule when I began taking pre-med classes, hence my subpar grades. I will focus on the MCAT this upcoming year since I'll only be working, not juggling any additional classes. It was an unrealistic expectation, now that I look back, to have planned enough time studying for the MCAT this semester while also working and taking my last semester of prerequisites.

Gotcha.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Hello, I figured I would post an update (although this is a private forum, I wanted to close the story)!

Ultimately, I misunderstood a requirement regarding letters of recommendation. While my 2 science letters were written by my lecture professors (of major-level classes), they were not from the specific classes that the committee wanted (I had perceived this to be a recommendation and not a requirement based on the phrasing of the form).

After I found this out, I reached out to one of my former professors who did fulfill this requirement, and so I will have that checked off for my upcoming application! My adviser confirmed that this was the only thing keeping me back and everything else on my application was satisfactory.

Of course, taking another gap year was the right call anyway for the sake of my MCAT, but this was just another issue that I had to resolve. Thank you again for all the helpful input!

Sounds like a solid plan. Good luck and thank you for the update.