Medical WAMC (URM, low sGPA, retaking MCAT, apply or postbacc/SMP?)

[Mr.Smile12]

Hello SDN,

I am a somewhat nontraditional, URM reapplicant hoping to apply in the upcoming cycle, and I’m looking for some feedback on my application. I applied in 2018 for the 2019 cycle and realize now that it was a mistake given my stats, but I’m determined to right the ship and have since been trying to strengthen my app. My goal is to practice in an urban area to help combat health disparities due to race and ethnicity, and my preferred schools are the HBCUs and other similarly missioned schools. I think the most glaring weaknesses of my first application were the GPAs (especially sGPA) and MCAT, which I will be retaking in May, as well as (essentially) a lack of clinical experience. Two questions I have are, is my sGPA too low to apply this cycle, even if I were to get a high MCAT score? And if it’s not too low, what MCAT score would I need to get to have a potentially successful cycle? (numbers with ~ reflect ongoing commitment and are low-end estimates for May 2020)


I’m happy to clarify/provide more info, and thanks in advance!

• GPAs:
• cGPA: 3.34 (3.1, 3.4, 3.2, 3.6)
• sGPA: 2.93 (2.7, 2.7, 2.9, 3.3)
• No grades below C except C- in physics 1 (B in physics 2)
• MCAT: 1st: 497 (122/128/122/125), 2018; currently studying and plan to retake in a few months
• State: Southern state
• Race: Black and white (non-Hispanic)
• Undergraduate: Public university with its own medical school
• Clinical Volunteering: ~150 hours, checking vitals/interpreting at clinic for the uninsured Hispanic community
• Research: 0
• Shadowing: ~40 hours, (immunology, ER, primary)
• Non-clinical volunteering: 350 hours
• 180 hours homework help with ESL children
• 90 hours helping immigrants/refugees learn English
• 50 hours mentoring black youth
• 30 hours different places (including at children’s home for abused/neglected children)
• Paid work experience: 1.5 years/1700 hours (8 months/800 hours as supervisor), multinational shipping company
• Leadership: 700 hours during undergrad
• 2 scholarship programs for social justice/community involvement/leadership: 600 hours
• 2 executive positions in student organizations (university’s chapter of NAACP, organization for holding discussions about race relations): 100 hours
• Honors and awards: Unsure if they count but: (during undergrad)
• Selected as panel member for discussion on the university’s racial climate/remedying racial injustice
• Asked to write/deliver speech in honor of MLK, Jr. with the theme of continuing his legacy of hope (few hundred people, city mayor in attendance)
• Other things: Fluent in Spanish, physical disability, FAP, SMDEP alum.
• Hobbies: music production, freelance translating, barbering
• What I’m doing currently: volunteering at clinic for the uninsured, enrolled in a (Spanish) graduate translation and interpreting program, some shadowing, and studying for MCAT.
• What I’ve done since first application: all work experience, all clinical volunteering, some more shadowing, becoming fluent in Spanish, graduate program, handful of non-clinical volunteer hours, (soon to be) second MCAT score.

School list?:

My state schools
Drexel
GWU
Howard
Loyola
Meharry
Michigan State
Morehouse
NYMC
Penn state
Quinnipiac
Rosalind Franklin
Rush
Temple
UCLA Drew
Wayne State

No bets until there is an official MCAT result. Practice results don't count here.

As an SMDEP/SHPEP alumnus, you should still reach out to your mentors there. Some schools will take a closer look at you because of it. That said your shadowing hours listed are low, but you have a lot of social justice history which will help.

I would check on NHSC and whether you would get a good candidate for the scholarship program. If you are, that may help you later on if schools doubt your value to their program.

Sent from my SM-N960U using SDN mobile

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[MusicDOc124]

Just as above, nothing can be said until your next MCAT is taken. With that said, even though you don't have your next MCAT yet, your GPAs (one sub-3.0, and other on the low side) and previous MCAT (sub-500), despite URM status, suggest you should apply to DO schools as well. Keep in mind that some schools will average your MCATs, and we don't know how much of a change there will be on your next MCAT until it's back.

 

[Goro]

So far you have only a single strong SR year, and a lethal MCAT. Even with a good MCAT score on the second take, I recommend a SMP or DIY postbac. No med school will be doing you any favors by admitting you when you're at risk to do poorly.

Read this:

• Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention