Thank you for taking the time to read my post and help me with my situation.
I was planning on applying this upcoming cycle (will be my 3rd consecutive cycle) but recently I have been wondering if I should wait another year or two before reapplying to really strengthen my application. Across my previous 2 cycles I received 5 interviews and 4 waitlists (currently on one now but don't have much hope considering this school waitlists everyone they interview).
I am a TX resident with a 3.65 cGPA and 3.64 sGPA, 514 MCAT. I have volunteered 70 hrs in an ER, 42 hours at a community health clinic, 85 hours as a medical assistant at a different community clinic (ongoing), and 57 hours in hospice (ongoing). I have 15 hours of shadowing (all primary care). I volunteered my junior and senior year in a research lab at my undergrad (640 hours, 3 poster presentations), and have been working full time in a research lab for the past 7 months (no publications yet). Additionally, I volunteered at concession stands to raise money for the American Cancer Society (135 hours), at the Boys and Girls Club (94 hours), Relay for Life (28 hours), and at various other community volunteer activities (98 hours). During college I was an involved member of a service fraternity (served as Academic chair, VP of Membership and on the Executive Board), I worked at a tire shop throughout college and was a member of AMSA and Nu Rho Psi (Neuroscience honor society).
My first cycle I only applied through TMDSAS (recieved 3 II and 3 waitlists) and my second cycle I applied to about 15 OOS schools (as well as all schools through TMDSAS) that fit my stats decently well (according to MSAR). I am not surprised I had worse luck the 2nd time around because I really hurt my GPA my senior year after I overloaded with ECs and work (worked about 25 hours a week while taking 17hours and doing other volunteering). Since graduating in May of 2018 I have taken 10 hours of online classes at a community college to establish an upward trend (I asked 2 med schools about using CC classes for this and they said it was acceptable because I was taking relevant classes like anatomy and nutrition). Aside from my GPA I believe my limited shadowing is another possible red flag on my application (I have not had any luck getting physicians to let me shadow and those that are willing aren't allowed to because of departmental policy). However, much of my volunteer work at both the community clinics involved close physician contact (even presenting patients to the physicians) and might as well have been shadowing coupled with volunteering. Do you think I should take another year or two off to obtain real shadowing hours and possibly pursue a masters program to improve my GPA prior to reapplying? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
