Which schools should I (also) apply to?

[Morsetlis]

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Where should I apply? I graduated from UC San Diego and am a resident of San Diego. At this point I am willing to study/practice anywhere in the US. Here are my stats/ECs:

3.63 cGPA Biochemistry, 3.5 sGPA, 36T MCAT
Gay East Asian Male. The gay part caused the horrible GPA dip third year wherein I got an entire quarter of B's (which I then redeemed with a quarter of A's.) I graduated in 3 years.

I am including a letter from Psychologist I analyzed an n=188 social works paper/project for, a letter from Physics (for engineers) teacher who liked me but otherwise didn't know me, a letter from my MD/PhD mentor (or maybe PI?), a letter from Mexico trip director (has clout and loves me), and a letter from a DO and an MD I shadowed (5-6 total depending on school).

-500 hours of shadowing w/ two MD's and a DO in several hospitals and ambulatory care / offices (I have a letter from each of them). I kinda love shadowing...

-100-300 hours of ER volunteering, in 3 different hospitals, between December '09 and June '10 depending on how lazy I feel (no possible letter from this unless I really want an RN's letter of rec)

-Third author on JCI paper, to be published March '10 hardcopy (one year of 50 hrs/week work, a nice letter from MD/PhD mentor plus PI's letter)

-4-year commitment to medical missions to Mexico every few months, usually by car/bus. About to expand this to by private airplane farther into Mexico than just Tijuana, lol. I don't plan anything (but I can get a good letter from the endocrinologist director)

-EMT-B certification and intern/externship (no possible letter that means anything) - can't ****ing find a job

-TA'd for 4 classes in college, MCAT tutor for ExamKrackers, Academic Advantage high school tutor (letter from the PhD I TA'd for for several classes)

-Guild leading for 40 hours / week for two years in World of Warcraft (yes I'm including it, I kinda don't have any other clubs/leadership)

-Random LGBT volunteering, Desert Water project volunteering, Youth Center volunteering

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LIST OF SCHOOLS I AM CONSIDERING FOR JUNE 2010 APP, BESIDES DO/CARIB:

Albany Medical College
Boston U
Case Western
Creighton
Dartmouth
Drexel
Duke
Eastern Virginia
GWU
Jefferson Medical COllege
Keck/USC
Loma Linda
Medical College of Wisconsin
New York Medical College
Northwestern
Penn State
Rosalind Franklin
Saint Louis University
Temple
Tufts
Tulane
UC Los Angeles
UC San Diego
UC San Francisco
UC Davis
UC Irvine
U of Michigan
U of Pittsburgh
Wake Forest

Please help me by adding more schools that I have a decent chance at getting into. Please consider OOS issues.

 

[MiniMoo]

I would add OHSU. They LOVE diversity and non-trad students. One of their secondary essays this year specifically asked about different life experiences including culture, sexual orientation, etc.

Are you opposed to living in Ohio at all? OSU, UC, Case, Toledo all accept a good number of OOS applicants. Also, if you're applying to RFU, I'd probably also add Rush, Loyola, and UIC.

 

[Kid A]

I'd add VCU
Vermont

 

[MiniMoo]

Isn't 29 schools enough? I only sent out 12 secondaries and got 6 interviews with stats not as good as you have.

I think the OP is a reapplicant. As a reapplicant myself, I would have to say that possibly overapplying is infinitely preferable to having to apply yet AGAIN.

 

[Catalystik]

Miami and UCFlorida, because you like warm places. And UChicago. And UIowa.

 

[rHinO1]

I think you should check the LOR requirements for the schools you will be applying to. In general you need 2 science and 1 non-sci letter. Some schools also specifically state that these letters must come from a prof whose class you took (therefore PI's/research mentors may not qualify). At best it sounds like you have 1 science letter (physics prof), 1 non-science letter (psychology prof), a research letter (md/phd), and 2 supplemental letters (MD & DO).

 

[MiniMoo]

I think you should check the LOR requirements for the schools you will be applying to. In general you need 2 science and 1 non-sci letter. Some schools also specifically state that these letters must come from a prof whose class you took (therefore PI's/research mentors may not qualify). At best it sounds like you have 1 science letter (physics prof), 1 non-science letter (psychology prof), a research letter (md/phd), and 2 supplemental letters (MD & DO).

Ah true. Yea you might be short on a science letter.

 

[rHinO1]

Also, I believe Northwestern has a 10 percentile sGPA of 3.6 and Dartmouth a 10 percentile sGPA of 3.5. So I would definitely not waste my time with NW and consider removing Dartmouth as well. VCU, UVM, Loyola, Miami, Maryland, Iowa, and Toldedo would be good additions.

 

[bravofleet4]

I would add UVM, UVA, SUNY Downstate, and Ohio State.

 

[Morsetlis]

I can pass the TA letter off as a science letter most of the time.

Thank you for the good suggestions so far guys!

 

[J ROD]

Maybe it is where I am from....

but I would not mention the sexual orientation issue.

It is irrelevant to your performance as a MD.

 

[MiniMoo]

Maybe it is where I am from....

but I would not mention the sexual orientation issue.

It is irrelevant to your performance as a MD.

Yeah... South Carolina... 🙄

 

[WMike]

I can pass the TA letter off as a science letter most of the time.

Thank you for the good suggestions so far guys!

I still don't see any TA letter that you listed, but if you're sure you have it covered then .

 

[J ROD]

Yeah... South Carolina... 🙄

And damn proud!! 🙂

 

[Morsetlis]

Maybe it is where I am from....

but I would not mention the sexual orientation issue.

It is irrelevant to your performance as a MD.

Hmm I thought it'd help me empathize with certain sections of the patient population.

 

[MiniMoo]

Hmm I thought it'd help me empathize with certain sections of the patient population.

I don't see anything wrong with mentioning sexual orientation as it relates to bringing diversity to the class and special challenges you may have faced. Although not homosexual myself, I have 2 brothers who are gay and have worked pretty extensively with gay/lesbian/transgender individuals. I brought up these experiences in more than one interview. The responses of my interviewers were all 100% positive and they all commented on how my background would allow me to relate well to different patient populations. Just be yourself. If your sexual orientation has played a large role in shaping you to be who you are, then don't be afraid to talk about it.