WAMC: Texas applicant OOS school list help 3.98 /520

[hdp0816]

Would anyone help me review my school list? I am a Texas applicant planning to apply to all Texas schools with around 5-7 OOS schools.

GPA: 3.98. MCAT: 520

Ethnicity: Asian

Undergraduate: public state school in Houston

Research: none.

Committee letter: none. I have 2 science prof and 1 physician letter.

Volunteer: 250h hospital volunteering. 200h non clinical volunteering (administrative task for local cancer org/American Red Cross)

Shadowing: 40h ophthalmologist

Paid clinical experience: 2000h by the time I apply (scribe/MA/medical interpreter over 2 years)

Extracurricular: leadership experience in student event planning in college.


I have heard that Texas applicants don't receive much love from OOS schools, and I have 0 research experience. I also don't use a committee letter. My school list is as follow:

All Texas Schools

Mayo
Pitt
Virginia Commonwealth
Arizona Phoenix
Western Michigan Stryker
USF Morsani
Cincinnati


Any advice is appreciated!

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[Mr.Smile12]

There are some schools in nearby states that would consider Texas residents. Outside of that you need to show you are basically a superstar that really fits the mission of the school. Your metrics suggest you have a good shot, but your narrative and mission fit need to resonate. Be wary of how much research is emphasized among the schools on your list (like Mayo, which I think loves research-oriented, self-directed student-scholars).

I guess it's not obvious to me how much primary care exposure you have. I presume your scribe/MA work may cover some of this.

Non-clinical volunteering: how much of your work is client-facing?

 

[chilly_md]

Some of the additional schools you are considering likely will not think they can compete against the IS tuition you will receive from the TX schools. You could try:

Mayo
Cincinnati
UVA
WUSTL
Vanderbilt

The lack of research may be an issue though, especially if your main activities outside clinical experience were helping with admin tasks as opposed to out in the community. Do you have any fluency in Spanish?

 

[hdp0816]

I guess it's not obvious to me how much primary care exposure you have. I presume your scribe/MA work may cover some of this.

Non-clinical volunteering: how much of your work is client-facing?

I do not have much primary care exposure since I am working as an assistant in an ophthalmology office. Is it not good that I don't have primary care experience?

As for non clinical volunteering, I believe around 200 hours I volunteered as a receptionist in a Red Cross volunteer office, so a lot of talking and engaging volunteers. Would that be okay?

 

[hdp0816]

Some of the additional schools you are considering likely will not think they can compete against the IS tuition you will receive from the TX schools. You could try:

Mayo
Cincinnati
UVA
WUSTL
Vanderbilt

The lack of research may be an issue though, especially if your main activities outside clinical experience were helping with admin tasks as opposed to out in the community. Do you have any fluency in Spanish?

I don't speak Spanish but Vietnamese is my primary language. I never thought that non clinical volunteering had to be dealing with people. One position I hold was receptionist talking with volunteers coming in. Is that sufficient?

 

[chilly_md]

I don't speak Spanish but Vietnamese is my primary language. I never thought that non clinical volunteering had to be dealing with people. One position I hold was receptionist talking with volunteers coming in. Is that sufficient?

No, but try adding UCSF to your list if you are Vietnamese. If you can start volunteering at a local homeless shelter or food bank, that will help.