MD WAMC

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I am really torn because I don't know whether I should take a gap year, but my lack of research experience, shadowing hours, and low MCAT score make me want to take one.

cGPA 3.80

MCAT: 506 (retaking soon)

State: New York

Demographic: ORM

Clinical experience: Paid EMT for about a year (1000+ hours)

Research experience: no research

Shadowing: no shadowing

Non-clinical volunteering: Tutoring underserved middle school students (about a year, one of my most meaningful activities. about 200 hours so far). MealsOnWheels (about a year, 70 hours). Mentoring kids with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) (about a year and a half, 110 hours). Habitat for Humanity (about half a year, 30 hours). Veterans Home (assisting nurses and CNA's basically, for about 6 months, 200 hours). Food Pantry (1 year, about 100 hours).

Other extra-curricular activities: Teaching Assistant for Gen Chem 1 + 2, Teaching Assistant for Organic Chem 1 + 2, Teaching Assistant for Political Science

Letters of Recommendation: 1 non-science from Political Science professor, 1 from ecology lab, 1 from biostatistics. Should I try to get a clinical letter from my EMT job or a letter from one of my non-clinical opportunities (tutoring)? I don't know how easy it would be to get it from EMT since I haven't had many chances to interact with my supervisors, and thus, they wouldn't really know me well enough to write one.

 

[Faha]

You should accumulate 40+ hours of in person physician shadowing before you submit your application. When are you retaking the MCAT?

 

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You should accumulate 40+ hours of in person physician shadowing before you submit your application. When are you retaking the MCAT?

My MCAT is far below the median MCAT for matriculants in NY. I believe the lowest median MCAT score for any New York school is around 513 (SUNY Downstate). I don't want to risk applying this cycle with such a low MCAT and then being a reapplicant for the next cycle (which I do not want to have to do).

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You need in-person shadowing and probably 1 more science professor letter (from what you told us). I would think one of your chem professors should be in a position to write a strong letter for you. Why didn't you explore research opportunities?

 

[Faha]

My MCAT is far below the median MCAT for matriculants in NY. I believe the lowest median MCAT score for any New York school is around 513 (SUNY Downstate). I don't want to risk applying this cycle with such a low MCAT and then being a reapplicant for the next cycle (which I do not want to have to do).

Post your new MCAT score here when available.

 

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You need in-person shadowing and probably 1 more science professor letter (from what you told us). I would think one of your chem professors should be in a position to write a strong letter for you. Why didn't you explore research opportunities?

Why do I need one more science letter? I thought two was the minimum required. I graduated last year and haven't been in touch with any of my previous professors, so it would be very challenging to get a letter at this point.

As for research, I wasn't particularly interested in the research process itself, so I never sought out opportunities to get involved. However, I have recently developed an interest in joining a psychology lab, so I am currently searching for one.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Why do I need one more science letter? I thought two was the minimum required. I graduated last year and haven't been in touch with any of my previous professors, so it would be very challenging to get a letter at this point.

As for research, I wasn't particularly interested in the research process itself, so I never sought out opportunities to get involved. However, I have recently developed an interest in joining a psychology lab, so I am currently searching for one.

If your school list does not have additional conditions on your science letters, you should be fine. For example:

Letters of Recommendation | MD University Program | Case Western Reserve University

Letters of recommendation are very important in our decision-making process. These letters should come from individuals who know the candidate well an...

case.edu

How do we define letters from "science advisors or science course instructors"?
We will accept letters from instructors or advisors in the disciplines of:

• Life Sciences (Biology, Zoology, Human Biology, Physiology, Microbiology, Immunology, Neuroscience, etc.)
• Physical Sciences (Physics & Chemistry)
• Mathematics (Calculus, Statistics, Biostatistics)
• Engineering Sciences (Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, etc.)
• Exercise Science or Physiology
• Nursing

We will not accept letters from Psychology, Earth Sciences (Geology, Ecology, Oceanography, and Botany), and Computer Sciences as satisfying the science letters requirement but are acceptable as additional letters of recommendation.

 

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If your school list does not have additional conditions on your science letters, you should be fine. For example:

Letters of Recommendation | MD University Program | Case Western Reserve University

Letters of recommendation are very important in our decision-making process. These letters should come from individuals who know the candidate well an...

case.edu

How do we define letters from "science advisors or science course instructors"?
We will accept letters from instructors or advisors in the disciplines of:

• Life Sciences (Biology, Zoology, Human Biology, Physiology, Microbiology, Immunology, Neuroscience, etc.)
• Physical Sciences (Physics & Chemistry)
• Mathematics (Calculus, Statistics, Biostatistics)
• Engineering Sciences (Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, etc.)
• Exercise Science or Physiology
• Nursing

We will not accept letters from Psychology, Earth Sciences (Geology, Ecology, Oceanography, and Botany), and Computer Sciences as satisfying the science letters requirement but are acceptable as additional letters of recommendation.

Interesting, I did not know that schools had those types of conditions. Good to know, thanks!

 

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Hello, I will be taking a gap year and will be applying next cycle. I would like to know how I can improve my application throughout the following year (besides gaining research experience, shadowing, or raising my MCAT score, as I already know those are my weak points). As for research, I am looking to do psychology research. Should I aim to do wet lab research, or does the research type not matter in the eyes of Adcoms?

cGPA 3.80

MCAT: 506 (retaking soon)

State: New York

Demographic: ORM

Clinical experience: Paid EMT for about a year (1000+ hours)

Research experience: no research

Shadowing: no shadowing

Non-clinical volunteering: Tutoring underserved middle school students (about a year, one of my most meaningful activities, about 200 hours so far). MealsOnWheels (about a year, 70 hours). Mentoring kids with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) (about a year and a half, 110 hours). Habitat for Humanity (about half a year, 30 hours). Veterans Home (assisting nurses and CNA's basically, for about 6 months, 200 hours). Food Pantry (1 year, about 100 hours).

Other extra-curricular activities: Teaching Assistant for Gen Chem 1 + 2, Teaching Assistant for Organic Chem 1 + 2, Teaching Assistant for Political Science

Letters of Recommendation: 1 non-science from Political Science professor, 1 from ecology lab, 1 from biostatistics. Perhaps will be getting another from one of my volunteering activities.

 

[CBass2288]

did you apply DO? maybe post your school list so we can suggest changes to that. if you don't get your MCAT above 511, gotta apply DO too. i would even say regardless of your score since you're a reapp.

your non-clinical volunteering is all over the place. it looks like you can't commit. under 50 hours at 1 place according to a lot of the professionals on here doesn't count. get some hours in at one place, can be somewhere you already worked, aim for 500.

you need some shadowing. try and get 100 hours.

any research is better than no research. if you're contributing to a research project, it doesn't really matter what it is. i was fine with ~750 hours and no production whatsoever. if you want to be really competitive, you gotta aim for some posters or pubs, but research hours on their own can easily get you in at the places you should be applying to.