What are the chances? vs What are...

[aspiringdoc09]

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Sorry if I am asking these questions in the wrong forum, but I have to ask. Please move mod if needed. This is not me at all. Thanks for reading and replying.



What are the chances? A person with:

No clinical/non-clinical experience, 4.0 gpa overall and b/t 30-35 MCAT, musical hobby, Bio major, 10 hr part-time work will get accepted? Applied late and invited for interview at a state school.

Also, will the person above have a better shot at acceptance than a person, who has obtained the average clinical/non-clinical experience, other extracurriculars, but lower MCAT (~25-27) and lower gpa ~3.3 sgpa nd 3.5 cgpa, and turned app in early.

Will stats trump everything else during the application process?

 

[sector9]

Sorry if I am asking these questions in the wrong forum, but I have to ask. Please move mod if needed. This is not me at all. Thanks for reading and replying.



What are the chances? A person with:

No clinical/non-clinical experience, 4.0 gpa overall and b/t 30-35 MCAT, musical hobby, Bio major, 10 hr part-time work will get accepted? Applied late and invited for interview at a state school.

Also, will the person above have a better shot at acceptance than a person, who has obtained the average clinical/non-clinical experience, other extracurriculars, but lower MCAT (~25-27) and lower gpa ~3.3 sgpa nd 3.5 cgpa, and turned app in early.

Will stats trump everything else during the application process?

I don't know... TBH I don't think either one is going to be accepted at an MD school. The second one has a good shot at a DO school.

Just to be clear, the first one has NO clinical experience? I don't think that person has any chance

 

[flodhi1]

Sorry if I am asking these questions in the wrong forum, but I have to ask. Please move mod if needed. This is not me at all. Thanks for reading and replying.



What are the chances? A person with:

No clinical/non-clinical experience, 4.0 gpa overall and b/t 30-35 MCAT, musical hobby, Bio major, 10 hr part-time work will get accepted? Applied late and invited for interview at a state school.

Also, will the person above have a better shot at acceptance than a person, who has obtained the average clinical/non-clinical experience, other extracurriculars, but lower MCAT (~25-27) and lower gpa ~3.3 sgpa nd 3.5 cgpa, and turned app in early.

Will stats trump everything else during the application process?

As sector9 stated both would not get accepted. The first shows little to no knowledge about the profession and the other shows no academic competence. To get into medical school you would need a balance between everything. You have to show some sort of academic competence, commitment, knowledge and diverse ECs.
For example number 1 to get accepted he would need to get at least 50 hours of shadowing and at least 6 months of clinical and non clinical volunteering to stand absolutely any chance.
For example number 2 he would have to score > 29 on the MCAT and way above average clinical/non-clinical experience. I'm talking about at least 2 years of clinical and non-clinical experience. Most likely example 2 will also need an upward trend in the grades to justify the low sGPA and MCAT.

 

[aspiringdoc09]

I don't know... TBH I don't think either one is going to be accepted at an MD school. The second one has a good shot at a DO school.

Just to be clear, the first one has NO clinical experience? I don't think that person has any chance

That's correct! The first one has NO clinical or any other ECs besides musical background. I know in my state (don't want to say) that once you are invited to interview, then there is a good chance you will be accepted unless you do terribly. Maybe they are trying to feel seats or trying to compose alternate list. The other person is a hypothetical, but i just wanted to see if maybe stats are more important than all other things on the application. Like many forum posts have stated, adcoms want individuals to be able to do well on the boards, and if they can do well on MCAT then that is a good indicator.

This process is very confusing. I plan to reapply (1st app 2010 matriculation) next year. VERY EARLY. I have stats similar to hypothetical with lower MCAT, which I am studying to retake. I don't have much clinical (not average/<40 hrs b/t shadowing and volunteering), do have work experience, research, and non-clinical ECs (leadership and teaching included). I have had a harder time gaining clinical experience (work full-time) and the MCAT I can fix. I am URM but I don't want that to be a reason to do less than stellar to gain acceptance. I'm not a test taker, that's why I am working to correct the issue. I have B.S. in Biochem and Bio (as nonformal postbac; upward gpa trend). I find obtaining clinical experience a hurdle because there is no flexibility and LOTS of red tape (liability issues and schedules) and hoops to jump through. I have tried and failed but will keep trying until I get something. If I can use shadowing as clinical that will be better because i have a better chance at getting that but it's difficult too.

But...not to make this about me. I am just shocked that adcoms even offered the II when he has done nothing to prove he knows what medicine is like and cares about going. He is one of those people who don't care either way.

 

[gmcguitar4]

Yep you pretty much know what you have to do.
1) retake MCAT
2) send AMCAS June 1st
3) complete secondaries within 2 weeks of receiving
4) start working on your personal statement
5) Solid LOR's

This is not in order of importance although retaking MCAT is definately #1 considering you said you have lower MCAT than the person with a 25-27 and similar GPA. If you prepare well enough there is no reason to get below a 30. Your first take shows you probably didn't have a strong grasp on the sciences(assuming balanced score). I think you can do it!

Also for clinical experience, contact the volunteer office at local hospitals, the bigger system the better. After volunteering for a period of time you get to know people and move around in different areas. It landed me a job after a while! Without connections, this is definately the way to go. If the hospital is affiliated with a medical school that is even better because then you can make connections and they probably also have more research opportunities.

 

[Goro]

What are the chances? A person with:
No clinical/non-clinical experience, 4.0 gpa overall and b/t 30-35 MCAT, musical hobby, Bio major, 10 hr part-time work will get accepted? Applied late and invited for interview at a state school.

At our school this person would be interviewed, and then rejected. It's happened.

Also, will the person above have a better shot at acceptance than a person, who has obtained the average clinical/non-clinical experience, other extracurriculars, but lower MCAT (~25-27) and lower gpa ~3.3 sgpa nd 3.5 cgpa, and turned app in early.
Nope, we accepted lots of people with the latter numbers

Will stats trump everything else during the application process?
Well, you have to have your minimum requirements.

Clinical exposure in necessary because a) we want you to know what you're getting into. Common sense, really. Some peope find out too late that they don't like touching patients. Obviously, they're in the wrong field. B), That by interacting with patients you're showing a necessary degree of altruism.

 

[aspiringdoc09]

What are the chances? A person with:
No clinical/non-clinical experience, 4.0 gpa overall and b/t 30-35 MCAT, musical hobby, Bio major, 10 hr part-time work will get accepted? Applied late and invited for interview at a state school.

At our school this person would be interviewed, and then rejected. It's happened.

Also, will the person above have a better shot at acceptance than a person, who has obtained the average clinical/non-clinical experience, other extracurriculars, but lower MCAT (~25-27) and lower gpa ~3.3 sgpa nd 3.5 cgpa, and turned app in early.
Nope, we accepted lots of people with the latter numbers

Will stats trump everything else during the application process?
Well, you have to have your minimum requirements.

Clinical exposure in necessary because a) we want you to know what you're getting into. Common sense, really. Some peope find out too late that they don't like touching patients. Obviously, they're in the wrong field. B), That by interacting with patients you're showing a necessary degree of altruism.

Goro, thanks for responding. I expect that it can happen, though.

 

[aspiringdoc09]

BUMP

This person interviewed and was rejected the next day. I wonder why the adcom even wasted their's and the applicant's time interviewing? It's weird. Maybe he didn't seal the interview deal, but he thought it went well.

 

[Goro]

Keep in mind that ECs are not required for admission for medical school, but necessary. There's a difference.

You never know what the person has to offer until they're sitting in front of you, and you hear their story.

For example, suppose the interviewee had to support their family all through undergrad? Being able to do that, and perform well in school, is a big plus. This was the story of an actual applicant I interviewed.

But most people do have the opportunity to gain, and then do patient contact experience, but if there's no compelling reason for them to lack this, why should I accept them, when I have at least five other equally qualified candidates who do have the experience???

BUMP

This person interviewed and was rejected the next day. I wonder why the adcom even wasted their's and the applicant's time interviewing? It's weird. Maybe he didn't seal the interview deal, but he thought it went well.