According to the conventional Thanksgiving rule, I will probably need to reapply next cycle. Although I’d like to think it’s not over for a while still given all the delays, I can’t wait until March to make plans to reapply so I need advice on what to do next. I posted not too long ago but I still have not heard good news from anyone and I didn’t really take away any concrete direction to work towards, so I am seeking reapp advice.
AAMC cGPA/sGPA: 3.59(HS 3.49, 2.97, 3.78, 3.90, 3.76)/3.66. I was originally a Computer Science major in college but switched after my first year, hence the sub-optimal GPA. I also took 4 community college courses in HS which has to get factored in as well, unfortunately.
MCAT: 509 (126/128/128/127)
Not URM
Clinical hours: ~2000 paid, split between ophthalmic assistant at an eye clinic and medical assistant for a primary care clinic
Shadowing: 100 hours with peds pulm and primary care doctors
Research: 200 hours over 6 months on 1 project (which ended in a poster presentation at my school's research conference), 380 hours over 1 year with biomechanics and ergonomics lab (which I think led to abstract publications but I was not an author), and 250 hours over 8 weeks with the pediatric pulmonology department at NYMC
Volunteering: 30 hours over 1 semester tutoring public high schoolers with reading/writing/college apps, ~1300 hours since 2014 as a volunteer firefighter (although a majority of the hours came from high school, I accumulated a decent amount in college and I am still on call whenever I go home, I just don't get to go home often), 150 hours over 2.5 years as a volunteer with Special Olympics (we started as a small, unofficial group and one annual event and grew the club to create a fully recognized club on campus with 30+ members and partnership with Special Olympics MA)
Extracurriculars: 3250 hours over 2.5 years as a Resident Assistant, 1800 hours over 4.5 years as an athlete with an intercollegiate club sport, 450 hours over 3.5 years as an intramural referee for a part-time job
Post Grad work to date: Full-time job as a surgical residency support coordinator at a mid-size program/reputable medical school since late July and ~6 hrs/wk with my sport.
My school list is below:
Residence: NY, living in MA for the past 6 years
Georgetown (R)
GW (R)
Tulane (R)
Chicago Medical School (R)
Wake Forrest (R)
Tufts (R)
NYMC (hold)
SUNY Upstate (hold)
Albany
SUNY Downstate
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Stony Brook
Michigan State
Penn State
Geisinger
EVMS
Virginia Tech
UMASS
Loyola
Rush
I thought my application was well-rounded enough to secure at least one interview by this point, but something must have gone awry. In addition to rewriting everything, I have a few ideas as to where to direct my energy for next cycle that aren’t mutually exclusive, but I don’t know what I would really benefit from or if I absolutely need to do any of it. I would love to hear any new ideas too, as I am venturing out through this process without much guidance.
- Retake MCAT in April 2021. I’m okay with a 509, but a score bump could help balance out my GPA (I hate my position on that AAMC GPA/MCAT chart). I would take a few practices and make sure I am well clear of my previous score so I am confident and not risk a score drop on a retake.
- Work full time as a residence director. I would count it as a leadership position since I would essentially be promoted from RA to RD. In this case, I do not know for sure that I would able to add volunteering hours since I would have to do so on nights/weekends and my area does not have many open positions during that time.
- Add more volunteer hours with my fire department. I could add about 7 hrs/wk or 350 total with just FD, and I might also be able to take the EMT course and add 500+ hours that way. In this case, I would find whatever job I could because I don’t think I would be too pressed for a health-related job.
- Adjust the school list. I was afraid going into the cycle that I may have been too low-yield heavy, but I didn’t know where else to apply given my stats and ECs. I will apply to more MD schools next cycle and include DO, but I don’t know at which MD/DO programs I would be a strong applicant for.
Any advice?
