Where should I apply??

[marysaurus]

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I'm a PhD student in CA who relatively recently decided to apply to med school. I have no idea where I should apply (or if I'd even get in!) and I need some advice!

-OR resident, but will be CA resident as of 9/09.
-Chemical engineering undergrad major, 3.7 overall GPA, 3.6 science GPA, 3.9 major GPA
-Biomedical engineering graduate student, 3.6 GPA
-MCAT scores: 11 PS, 11 V, 9 BS, Q (I dropped the ball on bio :-/)
-Research experience: 1 summer independent, funded research project (cancer research); 2 extracurricular, unpaid research projects (environmental engineering-based); NIH Training Grant for grad school (biomedical engineering)
-Work experience: commercial ag/botany lab, university research labs, a couple of environmental/chemical engineering internships
-Awards: numerous scholarships, undergrad research grant, environmental eng. design contest awards, graduate research grant
-Other: fluent in spanish (year abroad in HS), hospital volunteering, have shadowed doctors, very active as an undergrad in various organizations (volunteering with kids, TA for freshman intro class to chemical engineering, etc.)


With these stats, do you think I would get in? Where would I apply?

I'm a little confused about the OR/CA residency issue, as theoretically I'll be applying while still an OR resident, but will be a CA resident this fall...

Thanks!

 

[witness23]

keep your OR residency

 

[marysaurus]

I'm required to gain CA residency for my grad program, unfortunately...

 

[nina7123]

Hm...as a biomedical (or related topic) PhD student, why did you get so low on biological sciences? I'm probably just clueless as to what the PhD background is. I don't think you'll have too much of a problem applying, but I've heard the BS section of the MCAT is the most important...

In my opinion, "where to apply" should align with what your interests are. If you want to be involved in research, apply to schools that focus on research. Same goes for "primary care" schools. Even if you have the numbers, if you talk all about primary care to a 'research' school, you might be putting yourself at a disadvantage. (Of course, there are always primary care focused people who get into research schools and vice versa)

I also think that you should apply to a spectrum of schools. Some reaches, a bunch of mid-tiers, and a few "safteys". (Although there really isn't such a thing as a "saftey"!)

 

[Rzarecta]

I don't think you'll have too much of a problem applying, but I've heard the BS section of the MCAT is the most important...

I

Not true. No one section is particularly more important than any other. If there was one, general consensus suggests it to be VR.

 

[marysaurus]

Hm...as a biomedical (or related topic) PhD student, why did you get so low on biological sciences? I'm probably just clueless as to what the PhD background is. I don't think you'll have too much of a problem applying, but I've heard the BS section of the MCAT is the most important...

Just a bad test section, I think. I got my highest scores in the BS section on all my practice tests... it's also been forever since I've used any of that information for anything, since I'm an engineer now and do a lot less with biology.

 

[nina7123]

Not true. No one section is particularly more important than any other. If there was one, general consensus suggests it to be VR.

Are you saying VR is/might be the most important? I don't understand why people always say that...it makes no sense and I've actually heard from admissions members that VR is the least important... 😕 Oh well, we'll never know how the admission process truly works I guess!