What are my chances?

[colts1]

Hi everyone,

I have never posted on this site but I have been reading the forum for awhile now. I was wondering what people think my chances are of getting in to allopathic medical school? I scored a 28M on the MCAT, have a 3.786 GPA at the U of A, and a 3.70 GPA at PCC. My bachelor’s degree is in physiology, and I graduate in December 2010. I have done BME research for the past year-year½ and have one publication out. I have worked at a hospital since November of last year as a medical technician, and have worked in blood bank, blood gas, and central receiving and processing. I am Caucasian, but come from a very poor family (25,000 roughly for a family of 6). On both sides of my family neither parents or grandparents have bachelor’s degrees. My mother has been divorced twice, and raised my 3 brothers and me. I had many hardships in my life such as dropping out of high school at the age of 15 and moving out of my famlies home do to the amount of dysfunction, poverty and heartache that was there. I have held numerous jobs, gained a lot of life experienced, and dealt with true adversity for most of my life. I have worked all through college, (as much as 60 hours a week for two years) and have pushed as hard as I can to get to this point. Being a doctor is truly my dream, and I really am hoping that my academics and MCAT score are good enough.

Any advice or thoughts help, I really appreciate it.

Colts1

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[Catalystik]

Which U of A would that be?

 

[colts1]

I forgot to mention that I have shadowed and volunteered at a dr office for roughly a year as well.

 

[colts1]

Which U of A would that be?

The University of Arizona.

 

[Catalystik]

While stats table would suggest that you have a 50ish% chance of an MD acceptance, coming from a state will a smaller applicant base, and having good ECs, improves your odds. Your research will be above average (and an accepted pub adds glamour) and your clinical experience sounds superb. Average for shadowing is 50 hours split among a few types of doc and I'd expect you probably have more than that. I assume you'll apply as disadvantaged, which might help some. I know you've had to work heavy hours, and happily still have a terrific GPA, but by any chance do you have any nonmedical community service, hobbies, sports, or artistic endeavors?

 

[colts1]

While stats table would suggest that you have a 50ish% chance of an MD acceptance, coming from a state will a smaller applicant base, and having good ECs, improves your odds. Your research will be above average (and an accepted pub adds glamour) and your clinical experience sounds superb Average for shadowing is 50 hours split among a few types of doc. I assume you'll apply as disadvantaged, which might help some. I know you've had to work heavy hours, and happily still have a terrific GPA, but by any chance do you have any nonmedical community service, hobbies, sports, or artistic endeavors?

I really have not been able to do anything other then my general weight training, and outside nutritional studying. I was a personal trainer for roughly 4 years and exercising in a large part of my life. Besides that, I have worked roughly 40 hours a week the last two years of college, and have been in my research lab for apprx 12-15 hours a week. A large problem for me was that since I dropped out of high school so early I had to take a lot of basic classes to get caught up and graduate in four years. To be exact, I have taken 167 credits over the last four years, which has taken a lot of my time. I really hope they see that I can handle a busy schedule, but this has left me with very little free time :-(.

 

[Catalystik]

I have taken 167 credits over the last four years, which has taken a lot of my time. I really hope they see that I can handle a busy schedule, but this has left me with very little free time :-(.

It's important that your application reflects the heavy load you've carried as it reflects well on you.

 

[colts1]

It's important that your application reflects the heavy load you've carried as it reflects well on you.

Thank you for the advice Catalystik, I appreciate it.

Colts1