MD & DO What Are My Chances 508 MCAT & School List Help for Borderline Reapplicant

[Potatus]

Hi all, I am looking for some guidance on how to better portray my application and narrowing down a school list for reapplying to MD/DO (mostly DO) this cycle. I am aware of my terrible science gpa and the uphill battle I face with admissions, but believe that I have a compelling application to get a serious look by some DO schools. I had zero luck this cycle obtaining an interview, most likely limited by challenges to my overall and science gpa’s. (received secondaries for almost all apps), as well as officially submitting most secondaries mid August. For the most part, I have tried to follow wise reinvention advice of sdn users like @Goro since graduating from my undergrad in 2015. I also plan to hit submit on my application MUCH earlier this go-around. (early June)

I'm a 26 y/o caucasian male from CT
Graduated with a degree in Neuroscience in 2015
cGPA: 3.16 improved from <3.0
sGPA: 2.95 improved from <2.7 (after 60 hrs postbac/graduate coursework @3.7)
MCAT: 508 (125,125,127,131)-(2019) third attempt from a 505(2017), and 498(2016)
Major: Neuroscience (2015)
MS in Biomolecular Science (2019)

Research: 3 poster presentations, (not published)
-Internship. Junior Spring of undergrad, presented poster presentation on Concussive Symptoms in Youth Athletes
-Graduate student-researcher. Molecular Biology/Genetics Lab; Molecular Cloning, Dopamine Signaling – LOR from Principle Investigator

ECs: Extensive
-1000’s of hours paid healthcare experience (3.5yrs) as full-time Emergency Dept. Technician @ level one trauma center
-600 hrs volunteer EMT
-100 hrs shadowing across EM, oncology, ortho, primary care
-300 hrs non-clinical volunteering at a local food pantry/ as a food runner
Leadership Roles
-Unit Practice Council Member in Emergency Dept.
-Rugby Club Captain/President
-Rugby Club Treasurer


What elements have I added to my application this time around?
-Earned my Master’s Degree in BMS (December, 2019)
-Semester-long graduate research
-New LOR from graduate research PI
-Maintain full-time employment as technician in the ED
-Continuing part-time post-bacc coursework (microbio&lab)

So to sum up, I think some pros to my app would include:
-demonstrated commitment to healthcare
-confirmation of my desire to pursue this profession
-instilling the right motivations and study habits
-significant sustained improvements (>50 hours) to my transcript in mostly rigorous upper-level sciences.

The question then is: how do I get an admissions committee to take a chance on me for an interview?

I am creating the following school list based on stats, regional preference, and healthcare exposure from a combination of MSAR and the DO Explorer. However, I would really appreciate any advice or feedback out there on this list. Most admission’s offices I have contacted do not offer individual advice or feedback on applications.

DO
Rowan
NYITCOM
UNECOM
PCOM
Campbell
Chicago CCOM
AZCOM
KCUCOM
LECOM-Bradenton
MarianCOM
OkSUCOM
UNT/TCOM
WesternUCOMP-Lebanon

MD
UCONN (in-state)
Quinnipiac
University of Vermont
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
TCU/UNTHSC
Creighton
Buffalo (Jacobs SOM)
USUHS
--------------
Tulane*
EVMS*
Albany*
NYMC*
Miami Miller*

*Borderline schools, low-yield compared to # apps received

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[Faha]

Apply broadly to DO schools and you should receive interviews. I suggest these schools:
UNECOM
LECOM (all schools)
MU-COM
UIWSOM
ACOM
ARCOM
NYIT-ARKANSAS
PCOM Georgia and South Georgia
UP-KYCOM
WVSOM
ATSU-SOMA
LMU-DCOM
WCU-COM
BCOM
ICOM
CHSU-COM
LUCOM
Some of these schools are more desirable than others but with your GPA you need to apply broadly. ACOM, WCU-COM and ATSU-SOMA are increasing their admitted class size so that will be to your advantage at those schools.
From your MD list you could try UConn, Quinnipiac, Vermont, Albany, NYMC, Oakland.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

What was your grad (MS) GPA, and where did you take this degree? Will you have a letter from the program director and/or key faculty who are accustomed to writing letters for medical school admissions? Where have graduates from your program gone for medical school?

 

[Potatus]

Apply broadly to DO schools and you should receive interviews. I suggest these schools:
UNECOM
LECOM (all schools)
MU-COM
UIWSOM
ACOM
ARCOM
NYIT-ARKANSAS
PCOM Georgia and South Georgia
UP-KYCOM
WVSOM
ATSU-SOMA
LMU-DCOM
WCU-COM
BCOM
ICOM
CHSU-COM
LUCOM
Some of these schools are more desirable than others but with your GPA you need to apply broadly. ACOM, WCU-COM and ATSU-SOMA are increasing their admitted class size so that will be to your advantage at those schools.
From your MD list you could try UConn, Quinnipiac, Vermont, Albany, NYMC, Oakland.

@Faha Thank you for your feedback and taking the time to review my thread. I am definitely planning on applying broadly to DO and will add some of these schools. I felt like NYMC was kind of a waste this past cycle without a secondary on their application (how are you supposed to stick out of a pile of applications). I am considering replacing NYMC with an application to Penn State, they appear to have OOS-friendly numbers, and I did not initially realize they are private.

 

[Potatus]

What was your grad (MS) GPA, and where did you take this degree? Will you have a letter from the program director and/or key faculty who are accustomed to writing letters for medical school admissions? Where have graduates from your program gone for medical school?

@Mr.Smile12 My graduate gpa was a 3.7, and sgpa 3.7, which consisted mostly of hard science courses with the exception of a few seminars. I completed my program at "Cardinal Direction _______ State University", but the school does not have a medical school associated with it. I was able to obtain a LOR from my grad research professor, and I was also able to obtain a committee letter from the pre-med advisory committee via my graduate advisor whom knows my performance and narrative very well. I don't have access to the data on where students have successfully matriculated into medical school since about half end up applying to PhD programs. However, one of my professors has told me that our graduates have been successful getting into UConn (in-state) and several DO programs around the country.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

@Mr.Smile12 My graduate gpa was a 3.7, and sgpa 3.7, which consisted mostly of hard science courses with the exception of a few seminars. I completed my program at "Cardinal Direction _______ State University", but the school does not have a medical school associated with it. I was able to obtain a LOR from my grad research professor, and I was also able to obtain a committee letter from the pre-med advisory committee via my graduate advisor whom knows my performance and narrative very well. I don't have access to the data on where students have successfully matriculated into medical school since about half end up applying to PhD programs. However, one of my professors has told me that our graduates have been successful getting into UConn (in-state) and several DO programs around the country.

Great! Good luck! Historical patterns of where candidates have been accepted is useful to know that some schools have a track record with participants in your program.