WAMC? Texas reapplicant trying to guage how to improve

[KingF00L]

Hello! I'm plannin on reapplying again this cycle, so I'm trying to improve my record and figure out what I can do if I have to reapply again :/

State/Country of Residence: TX

Ties to other States/Regions: N/A

URM? (Y/N): N

Year in School: 2018-2022

Undergraduate Major(s)/Minor(s): Chemistry / Theater

Graduate Degrees (if applicable):

Cumulative GPA: 4.0

Science GPA: 4.0

MCAT Score(s): 515

Research Experience: 100 hr Chemistry Lab

Publications/Abstracts/Posters (include how you were credited e.g. first author, second author, etc.): 1 public health presentation at a conference as a secondary author

Clinical Experience (paid or volunteer): 230 hrs before, currently at ~1200 hrs.

Physician Shadowing: N/A, some virtual shadowing

Non-Clinical Volunteering: 250 hrs

Other Extracurricular Activities: Did theater in highschool, stage managed a production,

Other Employment History: Peer Tutor at my school for 3 chemistry subjects

Immediate family members in medicine? (Y/N): Y; Mom is a nurse.

Specialty of Interest (if applicable): Pediatrician, OBGYN, Cardio

Interest in Primary Care (Y/N): Y

Interest in Rural Health (Y/N): Y

Medical School List: All Texas schools (UTSW, Baylor, Dell, ext)
AMCAS Schools I applied: Albany, Albert, Boston, Case Western, Emory, Netter, Icahn, Indiana University, Mayo, Stanford, Oakland, Ohio State, Perelman, Rush, SUNY Upstate, Brown, UCLA, Pritzker, Cincinnati, Miami, Michigan, Pittsburtgh, Rochester, Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, )
No DO

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[Faha]

Did you receive any interviews or waitlist ?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Without more detail about your experiences, our help will be extremely limited. We also presume you are forthcoming and not hiding information.

First: interviews, waitlists, and outright rejections?

Second: more details on clinical and non clinical community service exposure.

Third: research in chemistry... doing???

Fourth: no in person shadowing?

Fifth: why rural health? Where did you grow up?

 

[KingF00L]

Without more detail about your experiences, our help will be extremely limited. We also presume you are forthcoming and not hiding information.

First: interviews, waitlists, and outright rejections?

Second: more details on clinical and non clinical community service exposure.

Third: research in chemistry... doing???

Fourth: no in person shadowing?

Fifth: why rural health? Where did you grow up?

1) One interview with Texas Tech Lubbock, no waitlists, and rest rejections.
2) For my clinical I had 200 hours of EMT clinicals, where I volunteered with a firestation. I also gained 40 hours of clinical work helping administer covid 19 vaccines. The ~1000 hours came from my current job as a public health worker with the state health department.
community service included 40 hours volunteering with a prehealth frat, 100 hours hospice worker, 100 hours of blood transportation with red cross, and 25 hours of volunteering with medical city dallas
3) My research in chemistry was with a lab in undergraduate, currently not working. Did not have a big role or major publications there, isn't something I'm real passionate about anyways
4) No unfortunately not. It was hard finding any after covid hit, and I tried to get some virtual shadowing just to have something. I tried to lean into more of my own experience in patient care as an EMT.
5) Rural health is actually more of a recent venture; I didn't grow up, but my current job deals a lot with tuberculosis, which disproportionately affects those in rural settings. In the past couple months I've gained a lot of experience related to rural care, but this isn't something I talked about when I was applying last cycle.

 

[PalaceLover]

Why no DO? The 2 TMDSAS DO schools would be free to add in your primary. Interest in PC and rural health plus peds interest is perfect for DO. As a reapp, I think you should have as open a mind as possible and apply to as many DOs as possible. No guarantees with TX MD, even with your solid stats. Also research OOS MD schools well as a few might bite, the schools were low-yield and top-tier for the most part. Good luck!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

So you didn't match with Lubbock?

When did you start at the public health office? I'm not sure your work there counts as clinical experience.

Basically I think shadowing doctors is preventing you from success (what do doctors do). However, focusing on the needs of the community is great, and I think it will help you for the Texas programs that really need community health focused students. I don't think you are that far away though, and you have people who can get you the shadowing before you reapply.

 

[KingF00L]

Why no DO? The 2 TMDSAS DO schools would be free to add in your primary. Interest in PC and rural health plus peds interest is perfect for DO. As a reapp, I think you should have as open a mind as possible and apply to as many DOs as possible. No guarantees with TX MD, even with your solid stats. Also research OOS MD schools well as a few might bite, the schools were low-yield and top-tier for the most part. Good luck!

Honestly last time it was cause I didn't consider because I tried the score gauge to see how many schools to apply, which had all the TX and some out-of-state. In addition, I did not have a reference from a physician/DO, which I thought was a hard requirement. I did have about 30 OOS MD, but I'll try to lower the tier next cycle

 

[KingF00L]

So you didn't match with Lubbock?

When did you start at the public health office? I'm not sure your work there counts as clinical experience.

Basically I think shadowing doctors is preventing you from success (what do doctors do). However, focusing on the needs of the community is great, and I think it will help you for the Texas programs that really need community health focused students. I don't think you are that far away though, and you have people who can get you the shadowing before you reapply.

I'm still pending for Lubbock
I started at the public health office June 2022. I would like to think it does, as I have to interact directly with patients and work with nurses for Tuberculosis case management.

For shadowing, would working with my regional medical director be an option? They're an MD, but their work isn't based in a hospital setting, its based around public health

 

[wysdoc]

So you didn't match with Lubbock?

When did you start at the public health office? I'm not sure your work there counts as clinical experience.

Basically I think shadowing doctors is preventing you from success (what do doctors do). However, focusing on the needs of the community is great, and I think it will help you for the Texas programs that really need community health focused students. I don't think you are that far away though, and you have people who can get you the shadowing before you reapply.

Match Day is coming up March 3, still could happen

 

[wysdoc]

I'm still pending for Lubbock
I started at the public health office June 2022. I would like to think it does, as I have to interact directly with patients and work with nurses for Tuberculosis case management.

For shadowing, would working with my regional medical director be an option? They're an MD, but their work isn't based in a hospital setting, its based around public health

You need to fill in that in-person shadowing deficit.
Do you go to a doctor? Does your mom, dad, aunt, brother, grandma, anybody?
Anyone can find a connection to shadow a doctor in a clinic, probably easier than doing the paperwork to get permission to do it in a hospital.
Make it a priority if you end up not matching, before next cycle.

 

[candbgirl]

Honestly last time it was cause I didn't consider because I tried the score gauge to see how many schools to apply, which had all the TX and some out-of-state. In addition, I did not have a reference from a physician/DO, which I thought was a hard requirement. I did have about 30 OOS MD, but I'll try to lower the tier next cycle

I don’t profess to know much about the Texas system but I’m pretty sure it is widely advised not to bother applying to OOS schools- especially 30 of them. Out of state schools are reluctant to interview Texas applicants because they know from years of experience Texas students will stay in Texas(and you should with the great tuition). So only apply to OOS schools you would attend over a Texas school. Good luck in March.

 

[KingF00L]

I don’t profess to know much about the Texas system but I’m pretty sure it is widely advised not to bother applying to OOS schools- especially 30 of them. Out of state schools are reluctant to interview Texas applicants because they know from years of experience Texas students will stay in Texas(and you should with the great tuition). So only apply to OOS schools you would attend over a Texas school. Good luck in March.

That's an interesting point I never thought about. I just did it to have a wide range of different schools in case I didn't hear from Texas, but I guess I should look and see all the different Texas school options.