WAMC - Will my low mcat sink my chances?

[aragoon]

My fairytale pre-med storybook ending burnt down in flames when I received my MCAT score (not unexpected given the circumstances see below). I'm curious about what people think. Should apply this cycle? My MCAT & GPA are definitely at odds with each other...


MCAT 504: 126/125/127/126

GPA: 3.98, BCPM GPA: 3.97 (Graduated)

Residence: Wisconsin Born: Hawaii

URM: Filipino/Native Hawaiian Mix

Research Experience: None

Publications: None

Extracurriculars:

Ran a student organization as President +2 years, VP another 1.5 years (500 hrs) (x2 awards won)

Organized and led the University's mission trip to a Navajo reservation (150 hrs)

Founded a community volunteer resource (+20 non-profits and organizations) (100 hrs) (Won an award)

Volunteered across multiple organizations throughout college all non-clinical (from shelters and soup kitchens to children's organizations) (650 hrs)

Class Commencement Speaker at Graduation

Keynote speaker and presenter in the community (twice as an interim director)

Employment / Shadowing (clinical):

C.N.A (3 years - 1400 hrs), worked during the pandemic in a nursing home

Physician shadowing (104 hrs) across Family Medicine (10 hrs), Internal Medicine (68 hrs), General Surgery (18 hrs), and Sports Medicine (8hrs).

Employment (non-clinical):

Game Day Operations on the sideline for the Green Bay Packers (3 szns 100 hrs each)

(MCAT KILLER) Visitation Supervisor (4 yrs) --> Interim Executive Director (5 months) (4000 hrs) for a medium-sized non-profit (government grants, +10 employees, +45 years in operation).

The organization supervises visits for social services and court cases, holds respite care for foster children, provides parent education classes and programs, and is a community safety net distribution center. Works primarily with children and families involving trauma, absolute poverty, and homelessness. Instead of full-time studying for MCAT three months out like I had planned, I worked full-time (plus weekends) and studied part-time. The trade-off, the non-profit is flourishing (interviewed, hired, & trained 6 new employees and lots of grant $$$) and my board has voted to let me continue running the organization until I go to medical school.

I'm leaning towards applying this cycle, with an emphasis on Wisconsin schools (MCW, UW-MAD). I doubt this application would get me into any schools out of state though.

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[chilly_md]

It could be worth it to have actual time set aside for MCAT studying for a few months and see if your score would improve. A significant score increase would open more options.

Aside from the Wisconsin schools, you could try:

Hawaii
Loyola
Drexel
Rush
Oakland
Wayne State
Penn State
Tulane

But a 504 really holds you back and if you do apply with that score, you would have to include DO schools. I suggest:

PCOM
KCU
DMU
Marian
KCOM
Campbell
LECOM

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I would encourage you to prepare properly for your MCAT retake. You can get into DO programs but you seem capable enough to do better where there are more MD schools that would welcome your social impact record.

You could have a chance with service oriented schools but the MCAT makes it difficult. Reach out to a few of them like Rush and Loyola. You might not get an interview, but you could get some attention and advice.

You also may have to take Casper or PREview. That won't take as much time but you need to be prepared anyway.

What is your plan to let go of your nonprofit if you get into medical school? Will you go for NHSC or HPSP?

 

[aragoon]

I would encourage you to prepare properly for your MCAT retake. You can get into DO programs but you seem capable enough to do better where there are more MD schools that would welcome your social impact record.

You could have a chance with service oriented schools but the MCAT makes it difficult. Reach out to a few of them like Rush and Loyola. You might not get an interview, but you could get some attention and advice.

Your also may have to take Casper or PREview. That won't take as much time but you need to be prepared anyway.

What is your plan to let go of your nonprofit if you get into medical school? Will you go for NHSC or HPSP?

The non-profit has been in operation for 46 years, I'm just the (long-term) interim director. I have been given approval to lead the organization until medical school when I would step down. Helping to develop this non-profit to its current state has been a passion of mine. I plan on moving forward with applying this cycle, but if I don't get the outcome I want this cycle I would re-take but study part-time for 6-9 months (which should be more than enough time, now that I fully understand the format). During that time, I would still run the non-profit. My board of directors is fully aware of my situation and is prepared to hire another executive director if I need to fully prioritize studying. I plan on pursuing the HPSP to pay for medical school.

 

[Gh0stInAJar]

You could have a lot more options if you waited and retook your MCAT, given your GPA and ECs.

That being said, you fit Hawaii’s medical school mission which is highly service oriented and wants to raise up more native Hawaiian physicians who would serve its community. (JABSOM (Hawaii) awards more admission points if you’re native Hawaiian.) While I wouldn’t bank on one school (acceptances are released all in March so it’s a long wait of not knowing), you could also apply to their post-bacc program in tandem (so if you don’t get into the school they may offer you post bacc acceptances). If you get accepted, you don’t have to take the MCAT again but you have to go through the program and pass a series of exams. If you fail a unit you get kicked out before the program finishes. It’s intense and an extra year of paying for school, but also an option because you get guarantee acceptance into the next class if you make it through. My friend with lower stats than you got into their postbacc program.

Do you meet at least 3 criteria to be considered in-state applicant for Hawaii? (You meet at least one criteria which is being born there, but if your parents are still there and you attended school then it also counts). Your odds also increase significantly.