WAMC: URM-3.2/493

[Rocky8s]

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Wondering if I have a decent shot at getting into a MD school as a first gen, black man.

Here are my stats: 3.2cGPA 2.8sGPA (Biochemistry Major) - MCAT: 493

Upward GPA trend started with a 2.3 freshman year

Deans List honors sophomore and junior year



Volunteering: 100 hours volunteering at a hospital helping out burn victims with movement

Community Service: Started a non-profit in my community: helping people get registered to vote, know when to vote and giving people resources etc (1000 hours)

Staff at Youth Organization: educated underserved communities on climate change (500 hours)

A part of Environmental clubs on my campus as well (70 hours)

Shadowing: 50 hours of shadowing reconstructive surgeons

Biomedical Engineering surgical Research @ Harvard Medical School (1000 hours) Poster & Pub in the works

Bionanotechology Research (1 semester, continuing my senior year)

LOR: From Harvard Med Professor


Although my grades aren't the best, do I have a good shot as a URM? Will I have a better shot if I can break 500? I am a low-income student who can't really afford a SMP.

 

[Faha]

Your chances are very low with a MCAT of 493 and your sGPA of 2.8.
You could take a year of undergraduate level science courses at a local college in order to increase your sGPA to 3.0 (basically a DIY post bacc)
You also need to increase your MCAT to 500 in order to receive interviews at some MD schools. 498 may be adequate for some DO schools.
You also need another 100+ hours of clinical volunteering.
Where is your state of residence ?

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Don’t apply MD unless you break 505. I think that in some cases it is doable with a 500 but not unless the GPA is high. If you don’t want to do an SMP, I believe that DO might be an option.

 

[Rocky8s]

Your chances are very low with a MCAT of 493 and your sGPA of 2.8.
You could take a year of undergraduate level science courses at a local college in order to increase your sGPA to 3.0 (basically a DIY post bacc)
You also need to increase your MCAT to 500 in order to receive interviews at some MD schools. 498 may be adequate for some DO schools.
You also need another 100+ hours of clinical volunteering.
Where is your state of residence ?

Thankyou MA!

 

[xDNA]

Hey, I had similar stats at one point just with slightly different circumstances. You can PM me.
My stats in my signature!

 

[stinkycheeseperson]

agree with Faha and Vox. How many credits would get you a 3 in sgpa? use that time to get your MCAT over 500 (use new material!)

I suspect the HBCUs and some of the more mission-y ones would like you especially if you pull up the clinical a little more. and DOs.

 

[Goro]

OP would be DOA at my DO school and many others.

OP, your MCAT score puts you in a risk zone for failing out of medical school, and or failing boards. You need to do a retake and score over 500.

 

[deleted314957]

You will be expected to demonstrate excellence in rigorous science courses. Your sGPA and MCAT do not point in that direction. I don’t think your race covers those bases. You need to develop some impressive academic talents, soon.
Harsh but true.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

As mentioned above, that MCAT score suggests a high risk of not being able to complete the curriculum or passing board exams according to research on the matter. You need to move that MCAT score higher and safely above 500. Your sGPA rise is laudable, but I don't know where you struggled. (Did you give your year-by-year sGPA trend?)

Were you involved in any academic enrichment programs or any mentoring programs for Black men in medicine (including online opportunities)? There are a number of mentoring organizations for aspiring Black physicians, so being connected with networking is really important. I always tell applicants to connect with SNMA as the other mentoring organizations usually have their connections with SNMA as well. Have you connected with any admissions professionals or student leaders at the HBCU medical schools? (Again, they're very present at SNMA/NMA events.)

 

[deleted314957]

Enrichment, networking and mentoring are all laudable.
Right NOW, none are your problem. You must develop superior study habits and and become an EXCELLENT student. Generally, you will find mentoring and networking more applicable when you are seeking jobs, research, positions, connections, etc. First things first.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Enrichment, networking and mentoring are all laudable.
Right NOW, none are your problem. You must develop superior study habits and and become an EXCELLENT student. Generally, you will find mentoring and networking more applicable when you are seeking jobs, research, positions, connections, etc. First things first.

I slightly differ with this position. There are many mentoring programs because of the dearth of Black applicants. Pipeline programs exist for college freshmen/sophomores especially to help develop study habits. As a 1G, AfrAm male, chances are that this type of help needs to be available from the start and one should not figure it out on one's own.

 

[Rocky8s]

I slightly differ with this position. There are many mentoring programs because of the dearth of Black applicants. Pipeline programs exist for college freshmen/sophomores especially to help develop study habits. As a 1G, AfrAm male, chances are that this type of help needs to be available from the start and one should not figure it out on one's own.

right!

 

[Mikiras]

I slightly differ with this position. There are many mentoring programs because of the dearth of Black applicants. Pipeline programs exist for college freshmen/sophomores especially to help develop study habits. As a 1G, AfrAm male, chances are that this type of help needs to be available from the start and one should not figure it out on one's own.

Totally agree. These networking opportunities are so important for 1st gen, African-American students. They can help point you in the right direction to find affordable MCAT prep, offer summer enrichment opportunities that may include a free MCAT course, and help you learn how to be a better learner.

Find these opportunities in conjunction with figuring out where to do a post-bac (you need one) and prepare to retake that mcat.

 

[deleted314957]

Totally agree. These networking opportunities are so important for 1st gen, African-American students. They can help point you in the right direction to find affordable MCAT prep, offer summer enrichment opportunities that may include a free MCAT course, and help you learn how to be a better learner.

Find these opportunities in conjunction with figuring out where to do a post-bac (you need one) and prepare to retake that mcat.

I may be way off base but I don’t think most folks “ learn how to be better learners” with contacts, mentors, etc.
It comes from self discipline to the extent that the student approaches school with the intensity that I ( or they should) approached my job for 35+ years. It is THE daily priority. One must adopt the view that they are no longer “ in school”. This is very difficult for a young person to do.
until you have accomplished the goals you set for yourself, you are engaging in frivolity if you if you lallygag. It is most commonly known as delayed gratification which does not seem to be politically correct anymore.

To reiterate, mentoring, etc is very important—- at a certain stage of your progress. No amount of mentoring can make you attend class and crack the books to the exclusion of needless distractions.

Remember folks—- delayed gratification. You can have it all
( i do) AFTER you take care of business. Fun? No. Stifling, yes.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I may be way off base but I don’t think most folks “ learn how to be better learners” with contacts, mentors, etc.
It comes from self discipline to the extent that the student approaches school with the intensity that I ( or they should) approached my job for 35+ years. It is THE daily priority. One must adopt the view that they are no longer “ in school”. This is very difficult for a young person to do.
until you have accomplished the goals you set for yourself, you are engaging in frivolity if you if you lallygag. It is most commonly known as delayed gratification which does not seem to be politically correct anymore.

To reiterate, mentoring, etc is very important—- at a certain stage of your progress. No amount of mentoring can make you attend class and crack the books to the exclusion of needless distractions.

Remember folks—- delayed gratification. You can have it all
( i do) AFTER you take care of business. Fun? No. Stifling, yes.

I get your point. The problem is that getting those habits to be self sufficient as a learner is usually best started in some sort of apprenticeship model. Succeeding in coursework is as much a cultural habit as it is about learning material. Just telling students you have office hours if you have problems with the material doesn't result in a lot of students coming to the office. First generation students really need that type of help navigating the culture (and many from underresourced schools and communities for that matter). After all, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers still have personal trainers and coaches, but they didn't start their habits when they were younger by themselves without guidance.

 

[Mikiras]

I may be way off base but I don’t think most folks “ learn how to be better learners” with contacts, mentors, etc.
It comes from self discipline to the extent that the student approaches school with the intensity that I ( or they should) approached my job for 35+ years. It is THE daily priority. One must adopt the view that they are no longer “ in school”. This is very difficult for a young person to do.
until you have accomplished the goals you set for yourself, you are engaging in frivolity if you if you lallygag. It is most commonly known as delayed gratification which does not seem to be politically correct anymore.

To reiterate, mentoring, etc is very important—- at a certain stage of your progress. No amount of mentoring can make you attend class and crack the books to the exclusion of needless distractions.

Remember folks—- delayed gratification. You can have it all
( i do) AFTER you take care of business. Fun? No. Stifling, yes.

This is heavily dependent upon the student. How does someone adopt a mentality that is foreign? Why should you adopt such a "grinding" mentality? How do you overcome lack of motivation and inspiration? These are questions to be answered by one's self but can also be answered through mentoring. As someone who has spent years as a mentor, one of the things I was asked the most by parents was how to foster better learning and studying skills. I have done this for kids in grade school, middle school, and high school. Over the course of a year, I've watched a young man who couldn't bother making a flashcard learn his learning style, figure out why his academic success was important to him, and completely change his behavior when it came to studying.

Does this work for every person? Not at all. But I also want to reiterate what Mr.Smile mentioned. Learning behaviors can be cultural and learned from societal contexts. First gen students, but also African American students, may not be as inclined to simply ask for help, or able to pep themselves up to be the hardest worker in the world.

I stand by the idea that OP can find some mentoring that can facilitate his progression into a better student. The events of becoming a better learner and finding a mentor need not be mutually exclusive.

 

[deleted314957]

I get your point. The problem is that getting those habits to be self sufficient as a learner is usually best started in some sort of apprenticeship model. Succeeding in coursework is as much a cultural habit as it is about learning material. Just telling students you have office hours if you have problems with the material doesn't result in a lot of students coming to the office. First generation students really need that type of help navigating the culture (and many from underresourced schools and communities for that matter). After all, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers still have personal trainers and coaches, but they didn't start their habits when they were younger by themselves without guidance.

They also throw balls for a living. I diagnosed cancer.

 

[deleted314957]

This is heavily dependent upon the student. How does someone adopt a mentality that is foreign? Why should you adopt such a "grinding" mentality? How do you overcome lack of motivation and inspiration? These are questions to be answered by one's self but can also be answered through mentoring. As someone who has spent years as a mentor, one of the things I was asked the most by parents was how to foster better learning and studying skills. I have done this for kids in grade school, middle school, and high school. Over the course of a year, I've watched a young man who couldn't bother making a flashcard learn his learning style, figure out why his academic success was important to him, and completely change his behavior when it came to studying.

Does this work for every person? Not at all. But I also want to reiterate what Mr.Smile mentioned. Learning behaviors can be cultural and learned from societal contexts. First gen students, but also African American students, may not be as inclined to simply ask for help, or able to pep themselves up to be the hardest worker in the world.

I stand by the idea that OP can find some mentoring that can facilitate his progression into a better student. The events of becoming a better learner and finding a mentor need not be mutually exclusive.

Your point is well taken. I was a “ first generation” student
and personally found mentoring most applicable to the post educational “job” world. But, whatever works.