What are my chances for EDP at MCG?

[GaStu1994]

Applying for the Early Decision Program at the Medical College of Georgia, for the 2016-2017 application cycle.

– AMCAS submitted 6/7/2016. Verified 6/8/2016.
– MCAT: 511 (124/130/127/130)
– cGPA: 3.74
– sGPA: 3.63
– Undergrad: BS, Biology; AS, Chemistry (graduated 2016 from a state university in GA).
– Caucasian male.
– 1 year undergrad research experience.
– 1,600+ hours of physician shadowing across 6 specialties (have consistently shadowed 2010 - present).
– 95 hours of non-clinical community service volunteer work.
– Clinical volunteer work in Bolivia for 10 days during summer 2015.
– Vice-president of my university's chapter of a national pre-health academic fraternity for two semesters.
– 5 professorial LoRs (in a single university composite).
– 3 separate LoRs from physicians I have shadowed in emergency medicine, ENT, & family medicine.
– YouTube channel on which I have taught calculus & organic chemistry 2013-2015 (30k+ views).
– Lifelong GA resident; born, raised, and have lived in rural/underserved areas my entire life.
– No criminal record or institutional actions (with the exception of two minor speeding tickets).
– Working proficiency in Spanish.

Thanks!

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[Catalystik]

Applying for the Early Decision Program at the Medical College of Georgia, for the 2016-2017 application cycle.

– AMCAS submitted 6/7/2016. Verified 6/8/2016.
– MCAT: 511 (124/130/127/130)
– cGPA: 3.74
– sGPA: 3.63
– Undergrad: BS, Biology; AS, Chemistry (graduated 2016 from a state university in GA).
– Caucasian male.
– 1 year undergrad research experience.
– 1,600+ hours of physician shadowing across 6 specialties (have consistently shadowed 2010 - present).
– 95 hours of non-clinical community service volunteer work.
– Clinical volunteer work in Bolivia for 10 days during summer 2015.
– Vice-president of my university's chapter of a national pre-health academic fraternity for two semesters.
– 5 professorial LoRs (in a single university composite).
– 3 separate LoRs from physicians I have shadowed in emergency medicine, ENT, & family medicine.
– YouTube channel on which I have taught calculus & organic chemistry 2013-2015 (30k+ views).
– Lifelong GA resident; born, raised, and have lived in rural/underserved areas my entire life.
– No criminal record or institutional actions (with the exception of two minor speeding tickets).
– Working proficiency in Spanish.

Thanks!

Have you gained inside information that MCG prefers heavy shadowing hours vs US-based patient interactive experiences? That you report none of the latter concerns me.

 

[GaStu1994]

and what is the basis that makes you an exceptional fit for MCG or that MCG would want you? their mission? your geographic connection? your stats will not tell me that

I understand that. That's what the secondary application is for, of course. I'm curious

Have you gained inside information that MCG prefers heavy shadowing hours vs US-based patient interactive experiences? That you report none of the latter concerns me.

Haha, no, definitely no insider info to that effect. I should have been more specific when I said "shadowing." I used the word "shadowing" to refer to all of my domestic experiences in which I have been with a physician when he/she is seeing/treating patients. During these experiences, I have been fortunate to have had a great deal of patient interaction, having been able to ask follow-up questions of patients during H&Ps, assist in transporting patients to/from diagnostic procedures and surgery, safely assist with peripheral aspects of minor office-based procedures, etc. Additionally, I have been hired as a medical scribe during my gap year at the office of one of the ENT physicians whom I shadowed extensively, and based on my prior experiences at this practice, I anticipate that this position will provide a continuing opportunity for meaningful patient interaction in the months leading up to my (hopeful) matriculation next fall. Because a large proportion of my experiences shadowing have been in rural practices with physicians who genuinely strove to take time with each individual patient, I've been able to have more direct patient contact than would have likely otherwise been feasible.

 

[GaStu1994]

Have you gained inside information that MCG prefers heavy shadowing hours vs US-based patient interactive experiences? That you report none of the latter concerns me.

Haha, no, definitely no insider info to that effect. I should have been more specific when I said "shadowing." I used the word "shadowing" to refer to all of my domestic experiences in which I have been with a physician when he/she is seeing/treating patients. During these experiences, I have been fortunate to have had a great deal of patient interaction, having been able to ask follow-up questions of patients during H&Ps, assist in transporting patients to/from diagnostic procedures and surgery, safely assist with peripheral aspects of minor office-based procedures, etc. Additionally, I have been hired as a medical scribe during my gap year at the office of one of the ENT physicians whom I shadowed extensively, and based on my prior experiences at this practice, I anticipate that this position will provide a continuing opportunity for meaningful patient interaction in the months leading up to my (hopeful) matriculation next fall. Because a large proportion of my experiences shadowing have been in rural practices with physicians who genuinely strove to take time with each individual patient, I've been able to have more direct patient contact than would have likely otherwise been feasible.

 

[GaStu1994]

and what is the basis that makes you an exceptional fit for MCG or that MCG would want you? their mission? your geographic connection? your stats will not tell me that

I understand that. That's what the secondary application is for, of course. I'm curious in this context on the basis of my stats alone.

(My apologies for the incomplete reply posted earlier. It was unintentionally posted incomplete.)

 

[huskies403]

Have you spoken to the dean or dean of admissions of the school?? This is huge, because only he or she can give you a answer about applying ED. Normally you should not apply ED unless the school you are applying to is your number 1 choice, your stats are above average, AND you have a tie to the school/area or another reason to go (perhaps wife is at the school or something). Another thing I have heard is that applying ED does not really help your application compared to undergrad. You must already be in the top halfish of the prospective class to be accepted ED. In other words if you weren't going to be selected normal decision, you most likely won't be ED.

If you have not talked to the dean I would do so ASAP or change from ED to regular and add schools.

 

[GaStu1994]

Have you spoken to the dean or dean of admissions of the school?? This is huge, because only he or she can give you a answer about applying ED. Normally you should not apply ED unless the school you are applying to is your number 1 choice, your stats are above average, AND you have a tie to the school/area or another reason to go (perhaps wife is at the school or something). Another thing I have heard is that applying ED does not really help your application compared to undergrad. You must already be in the top halfish of the prospective class to be accepted ED. In other words if you weren't going to be selected normal decision, you most likely won't be ED.

If you have not talked to the dean I would do so ASAP or not risk applying ED

Yes, I had a private meeting with the Director of Admissions, Linda Devaughn, in June 2014, when I was a rising junior in undergrad. She was incredibly helpful, kind, and welcoming, and spent quite a bit of time with me (over an hour) going over my educational plans for the remainder of undergrad and for medical school and beyond. She brought up the EDP, spoke very favorably of the program, and encouraged me to apply EDP.

The EDP requirements are a ≥3.65 GPA and ≥509 MCAT, so my numbers do fall above that. MCG is unequivocally my number one choice, as it has been since I first began researching medical schools as a high school sophomore. My meeting with Linda Devaughn only further cemented my desire to attend MCG for my MD.

 

[Catalystik]

1) I used the word "shadowing" to refer to all of my domestic experiences in which I have been with a physician when he/she is seeing/treating patients. During these experiences, I have been fortunate to have had a great deal of patient interaction, having been able to ask follow-up questions of patients during H&Ps, assist in transporting patients to/from diagnostic procedures and surgery, safely assist with peripheral aspects of minor office-based procedures, etc.

2) Additionally, I have been hired as a medical scribe during my gap year at the office of one of the ENT physicians whom I shadowed extensively, and based on my prior experiences at this practice, I anticipate that this position will provide a continuing opportunity for meaningful patient interaction in the months leading up to my (hopeful) matriculation next fall. Because a large proportion of my experiences shadowing have been in rural practices with physicians who genuinely strove to take time with each individual patient, I've been able to have more direct patient contact than would have likely otherwise been feasible.

3) 95 hours of non-clinical community service volunteer work.

1) Did you categorize all this clinical activity under shadowing or did you split out the components of patient interaction that was helpful and their separate hours?

2) How did you make this Employment evident on the application? Or did you save it for Secondaries since it hadn't started yet?

3) What population did you serve with your volunteer work?

 

[GaStu1994]

1) Did you categorize all this clinical activity under shadowing or did you split out the components of patient interaction that was helpful and their separate hours?

2) How did you make this Employment evident on the application? Or did you save it for Secondaries since it hadn't started yet?

3) What population did you serve with your volunteer work?

1) I categorized all interaction/shadowing as "shadowing" and clustered it by specialty, but I elaborated in the 700 characters allowed for each entry with respect to how the shadowing incorporated substantial patient interaction on my part.

2) I did not include the scribe position on the application, as it will not begin until 8/15/2016, but I do plan to mention it on my Secondary. I worked as a temporary office manager for a small psychiatry practice in 2012, however, and I did list this experience on my application.

3) I served homeless populations at homeless shelters and a soup kitchen, volunteered at a shelter for victims of domestic violence (all women and their children at this shelter), and served in a very rural, low-population (<300) community doing both general repair/maintenance work on the homes of elderly individuals and working with teenagers at a small center for the developmentally impaired located there.

 

[WedgeDawg]

--> WAMC

 

[GaStu1994]

--> WAMC

What does "WAMC" mean?

 

[WedgeDawg]

What does "WAMC" mean?

It means What Are My Chances, which is the name of the forum I moved this thread to. If you look at the stickied thread in Pre-Allo, you'll see a thread title that says "Please Post What Are My Chances threads in the What Are My Chances forum" which is why I moved it.

 

[GaStu1994]

It means What Are My Chances, which is the name of the forum I moved this thread to. If you look at the stickied thread in Pre-Allo, you'll see a thread title that says "Please Post What Are My Chances threads in the What Are My Chances forum" which is why I moved it.

Ah, excellent. Thanks for the clarification and for relocating the thread to the correct forum.

 

[Catalystik]

1) I categorized all interaction/shadowing as "shadowing" and clustered it by specialty, but I elaborated in the 700 characters allowed for each entry with respect to how the shadowing incorporated substantial patient interaction on my part.

2) I did not include the scribe position on the application, as it will not begin until 8/15/2016, but I do plan to mention it on my Secondary. I worked as a temporary office manager for a small psychiatry practice in 2012, however, and I did list this experience on my application.

3) I served homeless populations at homeless shelters and a soup kitchen, volunteered at a shelter for victims of domestic violence (all women and their children at this shelter), and served in a very rural, low-population (<300) community doing both general repair/maintenance work on the homes of elderly individuals and working with teenagers at a small center for the developmentally impaired located there.

1) One hopes that initial screeners will read carefully enough not to miss the active components.

3) Excellent. This should appeal to them greatly, as you helped folks that really needed it.

 

[GaStu1994]

1) One hopes that initial screeners will read carefully enough not to miss the active components.

3) Excellent. This should appeal to them greatly, as you helped folks that rally needed it.

1) Agreed. I'm hoping that the sheer number of hours shadowing (1,600+) will be sufficient to engender pause/curiosity enough for the admissions committee members to want to read through in detail. Two of the three experiences I was able to list as "most meaningful" (and thus had an additional 1,325 characters to write about) were shadowing/patient contact entires. The third "most meaningful" was my time spent doing clinical volunteer work in Bolivia, which was 100% patient interaction, often one-on-one.

2) Thank you – I certainly hope that it will!

 

[Bethany555]

Based on your application, you obviously have a strong commitment to the rural/underserved GA community. My only advice: since it has been 2 years, I would reach out again to Linda Devaughn and let her know of your continued interest, continued commitment to GA through your recent activities, and intention to apply EDP. A few years ago, at my undergrad, the director of admissions of the associated medical school gave a presentation saying that he only received 2 EDP applications that year and accepted both. It is a very small group that applies EDP, so it's good to have that personal connection (and it's great that you already spoke with her extensively and just shows your long-term commitment).

Good luck!

 

[GaStu1994]

As an update to all those who took the time to reply to my original post, I am elated to report that I was indeed accepted at MCG via the EDP this cycle!

Thank you to all who took the time to write replies.


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[Catalystik]

As an update to all those who took the time to reply to my original post, I am elated to report that I was indeed accepted at MCG via the EDP this cycle!

Congrats! You're going to be a doctor.