Why hasn't anything happened for me yet?

[havingwhatittakes]

Hey guys, little background, I am in this current cycle, having interviewed at two schools in the state of Michigan - WSUSOM and MSUCOM.
My MCAT was a 505 126 125 126 128
My science GPA is a 3.67 but with a strong upward trend having gotten a 3.90 junior year with 30 credits and a 3.86 senior year with 19 credits.
Cumulative GPA is a 3.70

Activities include Supplemental Instructor, anatomy teaching assistant with the special use of cadavers (prosection and dissection) in both undergraduate and graduate programs, a publication in an anatomy textbook, Pharmacy Technician, Physician shadowing, community service with Arab-american community, also President experience of a university society (Pre-Dental as I was predental at the time)

What I am wondering is basically what was wrong with my application that can be improved upon should I not make it in this cycle? My interviews were both late (February for Wayne and March for MSUCOM) I have yet to hear back from either program about a waitlist spot or acceptance or anything. I have sent in update letters to both stating my involvement as a volunteer and also with my Fall grades.

Let me say this - I really don't want to retake the MCAT. I thought that with my 505 I'd be able to make it into at least one of my 7 state schools, but all other 5 rejected me pre-II. I was looking into possibly doing more patient care as the only patient care I have is as a pharmacy technician. Any suggestions/comments?

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[Isoval]

My thoughts:

- GPA is fine for most, of not all, schools in your state.
- MCAT is below the median for most, if not all, schools in your state
- Your ECs are okay. While your SI, TA, and presidential positions are great (excellent, even) leadership experiences, I see little else of note here: no research and what seems like little community service and few clinical hours.

I doubt you had a letter issue or you would not have received multiple interviews.

I don’t mean to be harsh, but:
I do, however, think it was extremely premature to walk in with your application and expect to magically be invited to interview all over the state. Michigan is not a particularly easy state, and your application is not particularly strong. If you only applied to Michigan schools, that was potentially a fatal mistake.

 

[Forever Geebs]

How many schools did you apply to? Would you mind sharing your list? Given your stats, I would have expected you to have interviewed at more schools. Did you apply to any DO schools, by chance?

 

[CyrusHabs7695]

Did you not apply to any DO schools?

 

[havingwhatittakes]

My thoughts:

- GPA is fine for most, of not all, schools in your state.
- MCAT is below the median for most, if not all, schools in your state
- Your ECs are okay. While your SI, TA, and presidential positions are great (excellent, even) leadership experiences, I see little else of note here: no research and what seems like little community service and few clinical hours.

Do you think that if I supplemented that with work as a physical therapy tech for clinical hours it would improve any? Or is PT Tech too basic? My community service hours total in at about ~275. The research/lab work I have included in is cadaver dissection.

How many schools did you apply to? Would you mind sharing your list? Given your stats, I would have expected you to have interviewed at more schools. Did you apply to any DO schools, by chance?

I applied to all 7 schools in Michigan and 1 in Ohio
WSUSOM
U of M
OUWB
CMUSOM
WMUSOM Stryker
MSUCHM
MSUCOM
Wright State

Did you not apply to any DO schools?

Just MSU COM which I interviewed at

 

[curbsideconsult]

What were those community service hours in?

A PT Assistant is better than a Pharmacy Tech in terms of clinical/pt care.

 

[havingwhatittakes]

My thoughts:

- GPA is fine for most, of not all, schools in your state.
- MCAT is below the median for most, if not all, schools in your state
- Your ECs are okay. While your SI, TA, and presidential positions are great (excellent, even) leadership experiences, I see little else of note here: no research and what seems like little community service and few clinical hours.

I doubt you had a letter issue or you would not have received multiple interviews.

I don’t mean to be harsh, but:
I do, however, think it was extremely premature to walk in with your application and expect to magically be invited to interview all over the state. Michigan is not a particularly easy state, and your application is not particularly strong. If you only applied to Michigan schools, that was potentially a fatal mistake.

No harshness taken. I have had shadowed a physician (Who is a graduate of MSUCOM) and my letters were written by stellar professors and doctors all of whom know me very well. My community service hours were lacking but I supplemented that and garnered over 275. My one lacking aspect I believe was the fact I've only worked as a Pharmacy Tech for 4 years. I should have moved on into a different field without a doubt. However, if I have to reapply what could you recommend to do?

 

[Isoval]

Do you think that if I supplemented that with work as a physical therapy tech for clinical hours it would improve any? Or is PT Tech too basic? My community service hours total in at about ~275. The research/lab work I have included in is cadaver dissection.


I applied to all 7 schools in Michigan and 1 in Ohio
WSUSOM
U of M
OUWB
CMUSOM
WMUSOM Stryker
MSUCHM
MSUCOM
Wright State


Just MSU COM which I interviewed at

I think clinical volunteering (with direct patient contact) would be the best use of your time, and consider working in research in some capacity.

Additionally, I would look into retaking the MCAT. Considering the big leaps schools took this past year - and are continuing to take -, your 505 is becoming significantly less competitive.

I think you should be able to reel in a desirable seat with you 505, but it’s just something I would consider.

 

[havingwhatittakes]

What were those community service hours in?

A PT Assistant is better than a Pharmacy Tech in terms of clinical/pt care.

Three different volunteer experiences
1 with assisting recent middle eastern refugees with food and toiletries and basic living needs and transporting them to their houses (I am middle eastern myself)
1 with putting on a non-profit event for a local charity which raised over $40,000 over two years to be gifted to families with special needs members
1 was a personal shopper at a food bank geared towards the working poor and non working poor. All were within my community and local

 

[havingwhatittakes]

I think clinical volunteering (with direct patient contact) would be the best use of your time, and consider working in research in some capacity.

Additionally, I would look into retaking the MCAT. Considering the big leaps schools took this past year - and are continuing to take -, your 505 is becoming significantly less competitive.

I think you should be able to reel in a desirable seat with you 505, but it’s just something I would consider.

I know I should definitely reconsider retaking the MCAT, it's just not something I want to do. If necessary, I absolutely will, of course.
I was also thinking of reapplying to Wayne State to their Early Decision Program next year since it seems to be my best chance at getting in - a med school advisor there I met with on Monday recommended it should I not get in. Last year there were 12 applicants to the program with 10 being accepted. 8/10 the year before that.
This would be with new patient care as we mentioned - perhaps doing it on a volunteer basis as well as beginning as a PT tech

 

[curbsideconsult]

Three different volunteer experiences
1 with assisting recent middle eastern refugees with food and toiletries and basic living needs and transporting them to their houses (I am middle eastern myself)
1 with putting on a non-profit event for a local charity which raised over $40,000 over two years to be gifted to families with special needs members
1 was a personal shopper at a food bank geared towards the working poor and non working poor. All were within my community and local

Those are pretty good and have unique twists to them.

Did you have people look over your personal statement? Did you have a committee letter if your school has a pre-med committee?

 

[havingwhatittakes]

Those are pretty good and have unique twists to them.

Did you have people look over your personal statement? Did you have a committee letter if your school has a pre-med committee?

I had 6 LORs. 4 from professors, 2 of which I have TA'd with and are very close with. 1 from a Medical Sociology professor who I am close with. 1 From a biochem professor who I had great rapport with. One from my boss at CVS (a pharmacist) who I've worked with for 4 years. One from the doctor I shadowed - he is an Internist
I did have people read it over - everyone loved it. I wouldn't mind if you'd like to as well

 

[curbsideconsult]

I had 6 LORs. 4 from professors, 2 of which I have TA'd with and are very close with. 1 from a Medical Sociology professor who I am close with. 1 From a biochem professor who I had great rapport with. One from my boss at CVS (a pharmacist) who I've worked with for 4 years. One from the doctor I shadowed - he is an Internist
I did have people read it over - everyone loved it. I wouldn't mind if you'd like to as well

You can send it over if you want, but you don't have to, I believe you I ask these questions only because every once in a while there will be someone who hasn't had enough people read through their personal statement.

But what about the committee letter? Does your school have a pre-med committee? At many schools not having a committee letter from your undergrad institution that has a pre-med committee more or less moves your app to the bottom of the pile.

 

[havingwhatittakes]

You can send it over if you want, but you don't have to, I believe you I ask these questions only because every once in a while there will be someone who hasn't had enough people read through their personal statement.

But what about the committee letter? Does your school have a pre-med committee? At many schools not having a committee letter from your undergrad institution that has a pre-med committee more or less moves your app to the bottom of the pile.

There is no such committee at my university unfortunately

 

[curbsideconsult]

There is no such committee at my university unfortunately

Then you're fine. If your school had one, you should have gotten one, but since your school doesn't, med schools aren't going to look down on you for not having one. Does that make sense?

I think your biggest problems then, since you had a pretty solid application, is that you didn't apply broadly enough either MD or DO and that your clinical work was weak. Now with the MCAT scores being higher, you might have to take it again to boost your score before you apply. Or just use what you have and apply to a ton more schools next round. Or you could get more hours in doing clinical work and continue volunteering and wait until next cycle.

Do you already have a PT Assistant certificate?

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

I suggest applying to more DO schools next cycle and doing some clinical volunteering. Your 505 MCAT is the reason for not getting more love from MD schools. But you should get multiple acceptances if you apply to more DO schools.

 

[havingwhatittakes]

Then you're fine. If your school had one, you should have gotten one, but since your school doesn't, med schools aren't going to look down on you for not having one. Does that make sense?

I think your biggest problems then, since you had a pretty solid application, is that you didn't apply broadly enough either MD or DO and that your clinical work was weak. Now with the MCAT scores being higher, you might have to take it again to boost your score before you apply. Or just use what you have and apply to a ton more schools next round. Or you could get more hours in doing clinical work and continue volunteering and wait until next cycle.

Do you already have a PT Assistant certificate?

I do not, but it is not required in the state of Michigan (I asked a PT buddy of mine). I would definitely look into doing clinical work and volunteering some more. Thanks for all your advice!

 

[Faha]

If you apply to more DO schools in the next application cycle you should receive more interviews. You are competitive for most DO schools so apply to at least 8 and you will receive several interviews. If you reapply to MD schools apply to all your Michigan schools (except U Michigan) and consider all these schools:
Toledo
Rosalind Franklin
Creighton
Quinnipiac
New York Medical College
Seton Hall
NOVA MD
George Washington
California University (new school)

 

[havingwhatittakes]

If you apply to more DO schools in the next application cycle you should receive more interviews. You are competitive for most DO schools so apply to at least 8 and you will receive several interviews. If you reapply to MD schools apply to all your Michigan schools (except U Michigan) and consider all these schools:
Toledo
Rosalind Franklin
Creighton
Quinnipiac
New York Medical College
Seton Hall
NOVA MD
George Washington
California University (new school)

Thank you!

 

[candbgirl]

But before you reapply get that clinical experience. How much shadowing did you have ? And you need a much larger list. You applied to eight schools when most apply to 15+. You might still get in this cycle but if you don’t plan for a gap year and fix your application. Then apply in 2019.

 

[havingwhatittakes]

But before you reapply get that clinical experience. How much shadowing did you have ? And you need a much larger list. You applied to eight schools when most apply to 15+. You might still get in this cycle but if you don’t plan for a gap year and fix your application. Then apply in 2019.

Thank you. I applied to places around my area because I know I don't want to leave the area of Michigan/Ohio. I could improve the apps in Ohio though, and applying more certainly wouldn't hurt. I recognize that. I had two different shadowing experiences - as mentioned I was pre-dental before pre-med. I included in my AAMC and AACOMAS my shadowing experience with a dentist - about 40 hours - which ultimately led me to see my little passion for the field and allowed me to explore options such as medical school. My shadowing experience with the Internist was about 50 hours over the course of a few months. I have heard it one of two ways - either shadow an excessive amount, or shadow ~50 hours as that should be adequate considering he's a primary care. Should I garner more shadowing?

I am applying for volunteering (clinical) at a local Detroit hospital affiliated with Wayne State - I will be using this as some more clinical experience on a volunteer basis as well as begin as a PT tech to gain some patient care experience on a paid basis