Advice on Reapplication

[DrDee99]

Hey all!

I'm a longtime lurker on this site, and I just wanted to share where I am so far in the app cycle. I am hoping to gain some advice on how to proceed, so please bear with me as this post may be long!

I applied this past cycle 2015-2016 with the following app:

Residency: CA

Stats:

cGPA: 3.89 (from top 20 public university)
sGPA: 3.8

MCAT: 27, 29

ECs (at the time of first application):

-2000+ hours working in dev. biology lab
- 4 years of competitive dancing on national award winning collegiate dance team
-served on board of said dance team for 1 yr (my senior year)
- served as VP and Prez of a different club for 2 consecutive years
- 40 hrs shadowing
-100+ hrs volunteering in cardiology clinic
-completed a research award grant awarded by the AGA
-various honors and awards for academic performance throughout undergrad years
-service in Global Brigades in Honduras for 2 consecutive summers (cumulative 100 hrs)

List of Schools I applied to:

SUNY downstate
stony brook
U of Rochester
GW
OUWB
Georgetown
FIU
TCMC
Quinnipiac
U of Michigan
SUNY Buffalo
U of Virgina
Tufts
Tulane
U Vermont
cooper rowan
NYMC
EVMS
UC Davis
U maryland
Wake Forest
Albany Medical College
Penn State
UCSD
Temple
wayne state
Drexel
U Utah
VCU
UC Irvine
UCLA
WVU
Submitted on June 7th, secondaries all done by mid to late August.
I received interviews from Quinnipiac and U of Vermont, and have been waitlisted by both. Everywhere else at this point I have been rejected.

My weaknesses:

MCAT: I know that many of you are going to say I am barely within distance of US MD with these scores, and for those who want to demean me, you can save it---I have already gone through many telling me as such. I had hoped that my others ECs would overcome it, but it has become clear I will need to take it again for a reapp.

Residency: It is what it is, but there is a plan to rectify that I will detail soon.

Interviews: It is possible I underperformed at these, and should I get more in another cycle, I will devote far more time to prep.

Written PS: I had a lot of eyes on my PS and my secondaries, but I guess I will expand the net further in a future app.

What has changed since my last app:
-1 full year of being a research associate in the lab that I worked in as an undergrad, transitioned to a full-time position upon graduating, so now upwards of ~3500 research hours. I will continue to work this job again in the upcoming year, potentially as a promotion (if I want it) to Lab Manager.
- Recently published in December 2015 with two more publications on the way
-poster presentation at a regional dev. biology conference
- 100 hours of shadowing between a gastroenterologist and a pediatrician with a potential to gain some more before June 2016
-250+ hours clinical volunteering ( and will be continuing in upcoming year)
- Worked as a fitness instructor for this past year, which was a new and unexpectedly inspiring job which has only further cemented my passion for medicine and will feature in a future PS. I will continue to work this job this upcoming year.

My Plan to apply in the 2016-2017 cycle:

-Rectify MCAT by taking it in August 2016
-Apply with the rest of my app early, similar to the timeline I followed for my previous app cycle
-Apply as a Michigan resident, which I have now gained status as since I have been living and working here for a year and will continue to be here for the upcoming year as a reapply (Note: different from CA resident in initial cycle)
-Apply DO as well ( which I did not do last time)

My Question to the SDN community is:

1. Is this plan sound or should I be taking an additional year of and reapply the following cycle?
2. What else can I improve plan-wise or EC wise?
3. Is there anything else I am missing?
4. Will the residency change make an impact?
5. How much will an August MCAT hurt me?

Please keep the feedback as constructive as possible!

@Goro @WedgeDawg @DrMidlife @gyngyn and other gurus

Thanks for all who made it through the post!

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[ZedsDed]

@DrDee99 Why Michigan?

 

[DrDee99]

@ZedsDed applying as a Michigan resident instead of as a CA resident

 

[DrDee99]

Because I currently live in Michigan

 

[ZedsDed]

@ZedsDed applying as a Michigan resident instead of as a CA resident

I understand. What I mean is that there are much better "lucky" states to apply from, such as Mississippi (if indeed that is why you moved.)

I would be vigilant in communicating your reasons for moving across the county. The IS schools might be suspicious of your dedication to serve Michigan if they perceive you as having moved there primarily to get into med school.

 

[DrDee99]

@ZedsDed Well I moved to go to undergrad in Michigan and then stayed because of a job, med school wasn't the ulterior motive at the time, and just trying to make it work to my advantage now

 

[ZedsDed]

@ZedsDed Well I moved to go to undergrad in Michigan and then stayed because of a job, med school wasn't the ulterior motive at the time, and just trying to make it work to my advantage now

Ah, OK.

I don't think there is much else to be done at this point. In your shoes I would be hesitant to retake the MCAT after failing to break 30 twice (especially with the new one study for,) but it's your choice and it may well be necessary if you're gunning for MD. Throw in a few DO schools and you should be fine.

 

[italiancowgirl]

Solid improvements, but taking the mcat in august puts your app in really late. Commit to waiting and improving your mcat for next year or don't do it now. Don't cram it in because it will be rushed, late, and too high stakes. I think you have a more solid app and it shows real growth if you can talk about it all with a sense of understanding. GL! I think with the right list of schools you could do well.

 

[DrDee99]

bump