What Are My Chances?

[cjfarrell21]

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[TopTomato]

male from CA

Okie doke. Just got my mcat score back and I'll work with it. Retakes aren't really an option.
MCAT 1: 26 (9/8/9)
MCAT 2: 27 (9/7/11)

cGPA: 3.62 sGPA: 3.52
- strong upward trend (had a 3.8 my junior year and a 4.0 my senior year)

ECs
Research:
1.5 years w/ poster presentation

Volunteer Work:
Hospital A: 100 hours
Hospital B: 280 hours

Athletics:
intercollegiate club volleyball 4 years

Non Medical Work
Intramural supervisor: 3 years
Fitness Attendant: 1 year

Medical Related work:
Full Time Medical Scribe- will be 1.5 years by the time I apply. I am also Site Manager for the site I scribe at and have been for the past year

LOR:
1 sci, 1 non sci, 1 research, 1 DO, 1 from my scribe company CEO who I am very close with
- all my LORs I believe are/will be strong

I'm obviously lacking in the non-medical volunteering and I haven't done any true shadowing.
Also, my MCAT a isn't super amazing so yah. Any advice/suggestion on where to apply would be great!

I would like to practice in CA in the future too. Thanks 🙂

So far I have:
Western- Pomona
Nova
PCOM
LECON- Bradenton/PA
OU-COM
KCUMB
CCOM
PNWU
NYCOM

Chances are good. Some of the schools your MCAT is slightly lower than their avg, PCOM, CCOM, and NOVA, however you can still be accepted with your score. Just a side note for PCOM if you don't have a comittee letter you'll need 3 LoR's from 2 science and 1 nonscience professors. Otherwise your application looks good.

 

[cjfarrell21]

Chances are good. Some of the schools your MCAT is slightly lower than their avg, PCOM, CCOM, and NOVA, however you can still be accepted with your score. Just a side note for PCOM if you don't have a comittee letter you'll need 3 LoR's from 2 science and 1 nonscience professors. Otherwise your application looks good.

Any other suggestions for schools to add to the list?

And about the 2 science professors re/ PCOM's LOR my undergrad allowed me to take my research as a class w/ a class code, so this allowed me to get a letter grade for it. Do you know if my PI's letter would count for that science letter then?

 

[karling]

Any other suggestions for schools to add to the list?

And about the 2 science professors re/ PCOM's LOR my undergrad allowed me to take my research as a class w/ a class code, so this allowed me to get a letter grade for it. Do you know if my PI's letter would count for that science letter then?

I'd call them and ask.

No shadowing is a weakness. Some secondaries specifically ask you to write about your experiences shadowing a physician. Western has that question on their secondary, for example, and they specify shadowing an osteopathic physician. So if you can't write about that, scratch Western off your list.

OU-HCOM requires you to sign a contract to stay and work in Ohio for 5 years after graduation. If you're not willing to do that, don't apply there.

If you want to stay in the West, I would add RVU, ATSU-SOMA (they have CHCs in CA, although I don't know details), and Touro NV. Maybe AZCOM too. They told me and others earlier in the cycle that they wouldn't interview anyone with an MCAT below 29 until after the New Year, but a poster on here mentioned that someone they knew got an interview in the fall with a 27. Though that person seems to be an outlier.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Your GPA and MCAT are good enough to land you an interview at any D.O. school. However, your lack of shadowing may hurt you. In my interviews, they always asked how my shadowing experiences were. It also shows that you took initiative to go and see what it is like in the day of a surgeon, PCP, or cardiologist. Go online and find about 50 D.O. docs, type up letters, and MAIL them snail mail. This is how I got my shadowing experiences. Many docs actually hand wrote me messages back which was pretty cool.

As far as practicing in Cali, Western has the best "hook-ups" with the hospitals in Cali, however when I interviewed there I HATED it. You can get a residency in ANY state from ANY school, but obviously you will have a better chance if you go to Western.

 

[cjfarrell21]

I'd call them and ask.

No shadowing is a weakness. Some secondaries specifically ask you to write about your experiences shadowing a physician. Western has that question on their secondary, for example, and they specify shadowing an osteopathic physician. So if you can't write about that, scratch Western off your list.

OU-HCOM requires you to sign a contract to stay and work in Ohio for 5 years after graduation. If you're not willing to do that, don't apply there.

If you want to stay in the West, I would add RVU, ATSU-SOMA (they have CHCs in CA, although I don't know details), and Touro NV. Maybe AZCOM too. They told me and others earlier in the cycle that they wouldn't interview anyone with an MCAT below 29 until after the New Year, but a poster on here mentioned that someone they knew got an interview in the fall with a 27. Though that person seems to be an outlier.

Your GPA and MCAT are good enough to land you an interview at any D.O. school. However, your lack of shadowing may hurt you. In my interviews, they always asked how my shadowing experiences were. It also shows that you took initiative to go and see what it is like in the day of a surgeon, PCP, or cardiologist. Go online and find about 50 D.O. docs, type up letters, and MAIL them snail mail. This is how I got my shadowing experiences. Many docs actually hand wrote me messages back which was pretty cool.

As far as practicing in Cali, Western has the best "hook-ups" with the hospitals in Cali, however when I interviewed there I HATED it. You can get a residency in ANY state from ANY school, but obviously you will have a better chance if you go to Western.

Regarding the lack of shadowing. Does scribing not count or is it viewed as a separate entity?
Additionally, the office I scribe for has 4 DOs who I have a close relationship with and have witnessed perform OMM. Even though this isn't official "shadowing" I could still bring it up in secondaries and interviews right?

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Regarding the lack of shadowing. Does scribing not count or is it viewed as a separate entity?
Additionally, the office I scribe for has 4 DOs who I have a close relationship with and have witnessed perform OMM. Even though this isn't official "shadowing" I could still bring it up in secondaries and interviews right?

I missed the scribe part. Yes, scribing would work as shadowing.

 

[emkayveedee]

Regarding the lack of shadowing. Does scribing not count or is it viewed as a separate entity?
Additionally, the office I scribe for has 4 DOs who I have a close relationship with and have witnessed perform OMM. Even though this isn't official "shadowing" I could still bring it up in secondaries and interviews right?

I didn't have many shadow hours at all. Like under 50. So even just shadowing one physician (preferably a DO), for two weeks would look good. I think the scribing for the DOs would be great to talk about in secondaries and interviews too. Potentially could be enough to make up for the fact that there are no shadowing hours.

 

[MightBeACylon439]

You seem to be good overall candidate. I think if you sell yourself and your experiences well in your personal statement and then again in your secondary essays you'll be fine.

Make sure you have a nice suit and groom yourself well for interviews. Also, make eye contact and don't cross your legs or arms when speaking or being spoken to (this makes you seem like you are closing yourself off to others).

 

[cjfarrell21]

Thank you everyone for the advice!

I missed the scribe part. Yes, scribing would work as shadowing.

I didn't have many shadow hours at all. Like under 50. So even just shadowing one physician (preferably a DO), for two weeks would look good. I think the scribing for the DOs would be great to talk about in secondaries and interviews too. Potentially could be enough to make up for the fact that there are no shadowing hours.

Ok good to know since I have quite a lot of experience in both ER and Family Practice. I should also note that I shadowed my research PI around during an AM round since he offered to let the undergrads shadow him one day, but that was only for 4 hours. Is that worth mentioning?

You seem to be good overall candidate. I think if you sell yourself and your experiences well in your personal statement and then again in your secondary essays you'll be fine.

Make sure you have a nice suit and groom yourself well for interviews. Also, make eye contact and don't cross your legs or arms when speaking or being spoken to (this makes you seem like you are closing yourself off to others).

I feel like I am a personable individual, so I will do my best to sell myself. Thank you for the advice!

Any thing else to add/remove/question on the school list? I feel like I should add a few more to be on the safe side.
Are Michigan St and Oaklahoma St worth it? And what about Western-OR... I've heard they only like it if you apply to one or the other COMPs...

Western- Pomona
Nova
PCOM
LECON- Bradenton/PA
OU-COM
KCUMB
CCOM
PNWU
RVU
ATSU-SOMA

 

[premedkid16]

male from CA

Okie doke. Just got my mcat score back and I'll work with it. Retakes aren't really an option.
MCAT 1: 26 (9/8/9)
MCAT 2: 27 (9/7/11)

cGPA: 3.62 sGPA: 3.52
- strong upward trend (had a 3.8 my junior year and a 4.0 my senior year)

ECs
Research:
1.5 years w/ poster presentation

Volunteer Work:
Hospital A: 100 hours
Hospital B: 280 hours

Athletics:
intercollegiate club volleyball 4 years

Non Medical Work
Intramural supervisor: 3 years
Fitness Attendant: 1 year

Medical Related work:
Full Time Medical Scribe- will be 1.5 years by the time I apply. I am also Site Manager for the site I scribe at and have been for the past year

LOR:
1 sci, 1 non sci, 1 research, 1 DO, 1 from my scribe company CEO who I am very close with
- all my LORs I believe are/will be strong

I'm obviously lacking in the non-medical volunteering and I haven't done any true shadowing.
Also, my MCAT a isn't super amazing so yah. Any advice/suggestion on where to apply would be great!

I would like to practice in CA in the future too. Thanks 🙂

So far I have:
Western- Pomona
Nova
PCOM
LECON- Bradenton/PA
OU-COM
KCUMB
CCOM
PNWU
NYCOM

yo dude, you and I have similar academic stats! I will be applying DO this year as well!

 

[TopTomato]

Thank you everyone for the advice!





Ok good to know since I have quite a lot of experience in both ER and Family Practice. I should also note that I shadowed my research PI around during an AM round since he offered to let the undergrads shadow him one day, but that was only for 4 hours. Is that worth mentioning?



I feel like I am a personable individual, so I will do my best to sell myself. Thank you for the advice!

Any thing else to add/remove/question on the school list? I feel like I should add a few more to be on the safe side.
Are Michigan St and Oaklahoma St worth it? And what about Western-OR... I've heard they only like it if you apply to one or the other COMPs...

Western- Pomona
Nova
PCOM
LECON- Bradenton/PA
OU-COM
KCUMB
CCOM
PNWU
RVU
ATSU-SOMA

Michigan has a heavy instate bias

 

[cjfarrell21]

Michigan has a heavy instate bias

good to know, thanks!

 

[referee3]

I would cross out CCOM. You will get screened out with that MCAT.

 

[ananasmed]

I would cross out CCOM. You will get screened out with that MCAT.

Eh, not true. I was accepted this cycle with a 27. Sure, a 26.5 is below CCOM's average, but I would hardly say that OP's score would be grounds for screening out. It's never bad to have reaches on your list 🙂