WAMC (523/3.98)

[<><><>]

What are my chances and any other schools to add?
I know its top-heavy but idk where else to apply
2 Gap years from T20 Private School. ORM CA.

1. cGPA and sGPA:
   cGPA: 3.98
   sGPA: 3.99
2. MCAT score and breakdown:
   1st - 523 (132/128/132/131)
3. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US): CA
4. Ethnicity and/or race: ORM
5. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer):
   - 1000 hours as a CRC for 1 year; I split CRC into 1000/1000 Clinical and Research because most of my CRC was patient interaction (taking vitals)
   - 250 hours as an OR Volunteer
6. Research experience:
   - 1000 hours as a CRC (paid)
   - 4000 hours from 1 full-time gap year + undergrad
7. Publications:
   - 1st author research (IF>25)
   - 2nd author research (IF<25)
   - 3rd author research (IF>25)
   - 4th author research (IF>25)
   - 4th author research (IF>25)
   - Coauthor sys. review (IF<25)
   - Coauthor sys. review (IF<25)
8. Pending Publications
   - Coauthor research (IF<25)
   - Coauthor research (IF<25)
   - Coauthor sys. review (IF<25)
9. Shadowing experience:
   - 100 mix of primary and surgery
10. Non-clinical volunteering:
    - 200 hours homeless shelter
    - 150 hours working COVID-related volunteering in
11. Other extracurricular activities:
    - 400 hours student government
    - 200 hours TAing
    - 500 hours of club sports
12. Relevant honors or awards: Like random ones
13. Paid Employment:
    - 2000 hours of CRC
    - 2000 hours as a research associate
14. LORs:
    - 3 from PIs (MD, PhD, PhD)
    - 2 science professor
    - 1 Humanity

School list:

1. NYU
2. John Hopkins
3. UPenn
4. Harvard
5. Stanford
6. Yale
7. Columbia
8. WashU
9. UMich
10. UChicago
11. UCSF
12. Northwestern
13. Duke
14. Vandy
15. Mayo
16. Emory
17. UPitt
18. Sinani
19. UCLA
20. Cornell
21. Brown
22. CWRU
23. Cleveland Clinic
24. USC
25. Kaiser
26. Dartmouth
27. UVA
28. Cincinnati
29. Vermont
30. OSU
31. Rochester
32. UIMed
33. Georgetown
34. Tufts
35. BU
36. Wisconsin
37. UMass
38. Hofstra
39. USF

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[Faha]

Remove Vermont since they will "yield protect" with your stats. You should receive several interviews from the other schools on your list.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Why aren't you doing a PhD? Your application screams research, research, research, research.

You can be picky, but I'm having trouble with any reason to interview you. It's like a Tiktok video that screams "influencer," but are you really someone I want to interview?

 

[<><><>]

Remove Vermont since they will "yield protect" with your stats. You should receive several interviews from the other schools on your list.

Thanks for your response! I will remove Vermont.

 

[<><><>]

Why aren't you doing a PhD? Your application screams research, research, research, research.

You can be picky, but I'm having trouble with any reason to interview you. It's like a Tiktok video that screams "influencer," but are you really someone I want to interview?

Yes, I agree with your sentiment that my application screams research, research, research, research. I was worried about that as well. Some of my research is wet-lab where it is more discovery-focused, but most of my other research is clinically heavy (I moved from wet-lab to more of a clinical side) where it is more direct clinical problem-solving-focused if this analogy makes sense. These researches were led by practicing physicians and surgeons -- most of my team members and co-authors were MDs as well.

The reason I'm not doing PhD is that I want to solve the problems in the current clinical settings and to do that I need to be in the clinical setting, and I want to be in that clinical setting as a physician as soon as possible.

Do you have any advice on how I can effectively show that these researches were clinically-focused which are not usually done by PhDs?

 

[HappyRabbit]

I had a similar research profile and was asked in many interviews why I wasn't doing a Ph.D. or to describe scenarios from my clinical experiences (an indirect way for the Admissions office to ask the former question). Just be prepared to answer this question and think of a very clear and direct answer that lines up with your narrative - even though I was asked this question a lot I had no issue converting interviews into A's. Your profile looks really good overall, good luck!

Edit: Also make sure the hours of your activities are correct, they look a bit inflated and many will probably question how an applicant was able to get 5,000 research hours and 5,000 paid employment hours while maintaining a school schedule.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Yes, I agree with your sentiment that my application screams research, research, research, research. I was worried about that as well. Some of my research is wet-lab where it is more discovery-focused, but most of my other research is clinically heavy (I moved from wet-lab to more of a clinical side) where it is more direct clinical problem-solving-focused if this analogy makes sense. These researches were led by practicing physicians and surgeons -- most of my team members and co-authors were MDs as well.

The reason I'm not doing PhD is that I want to solve the problems in the current clinical settings and to do that I need to be in the clinical setting, and I want to be in that clinical setting as a physician as soon as possible.

Do you have any advice on how I can effectively show that these researches were clinically-focused which are not usually done by PhDs?

Very good suggestions from @HappyRabbit

I always find hours (and money) speak to passions, especially if you have gap/growth years. You have thousands of research hours but only 350 hours of non-clinical volunteering (200 homeless shelter). If you had 500 service orientation hours (shelter work) during your 2 gap years. it would help show me your argument that you want to address health-related problems communities face. Your 200 hours won't disqualify you, but that's still 2 hours each week over 2 years compared to your full-time research experiences.

 

[goge69]

Very good suggestions from @HappyRabbit

I always find hours (and money) speak to passions, especially if you have gap/growth years. You have thousands of research hours but only 350 hours of non-clinical volunteering (200 homeless shelter). If you had 500 service orientation hours (shelter work) during your 2 gap years. it would help show me your argument that you want to address health-related problems communities face. Your 200 hours won't disqualify you, but that's still 2 hours each week over 2 years compared to your full-time research experiences.

Is it just me or does 2 hours each week over 2 years sound like a lot on top of a full time research job assuming OP works 8 hours a day? Do people usually volunteer 4-5 hours a week during gap years?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Is it just me or does 2 hours each week over 2 years sound like a lot on top of a full time research job assuming OP works 8 hours a day? Do people usually volunteer 4-5 hours a week during gap years?

Let's put it this way:
Is going to the gym for 2 hours a week over 2 years sound like a lot on top of a full-time job?

 

[<><><>]

I had a similar research profile and was asked in many interviews why I wasn't doing a Ph.D. or to describe scenarios from my clinical experiences (an indirect way for the Admissions office to ask the former question). Just be prepared to answer this question and think of a very clear and direct answer that lines up with your narrative - even though I was asked this question a lot I had no issue converting interviews into A's. Your profile looks really good overall, good luck!

Edit: Also make sure the hours of your activities are correct, they look a bit inflated and many will probably question how an applicant was able to get 5,000 research hours and 5,000 paid employment hours while maintaining a school schedule.

Thanks for your response! I will prepare to answer that question.

 

[<><><>]

Very good suggestions from @HappyRabbit

I always find hours (and money) speak to passions, especially if you have gap/growth years. You have thousands of research hours but only 350 hours of non-clinical volunteering (200 homeless shelter). If you had 500 service orientation hours (shelter work) during your 2 gap years. it would help show me your argument that you want to address health-related problems communities face. Your 200 hours won't disqualify you, but that's still 2 hours each week over 2 years compared to your full-time research experiences.

Thanks for your suggestion. I will try to hit at least 450 hours.

 

[lacrossegirl420]

Given what you wrote you’ll probably get in almost everywhere tbh

 

[JukeBoxHeroo]

I think having a lot of research is a good thing, esp with the schools youre applying too. Part of having a diverse med school class is having one that is diverse in terms of passions and interests. It would not make sense for a school to stack all of its spots with people who have are focused on high non-clinical hours. Research is important for medicine, and some people make that their focus (including me). My application was centered around research and, more specifically, why MD to pursue research-related specialities. It worked out for me (14 interviews, including As to T20s + some of the "service heavy schools", even tho I had low non-clinical volunteering so it still works out.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

I'd say OP at least checks the boxes with volunteering although 350 hours isn't impressing anyone at top-20 schools. That's pack fodder. The patient contact hours are excellent and seem fairly diverse (surgery, other patient contact), the research is stellar, and the stats are pack fodder for top 20s.

The OP's a solid applicant for top 20s and there are definitely top schools that love research...@LizzyM @Goro any ideas on which ones? Harvard, Stanford, and Hopkins come to mind off the top of my head.

Good luck.

 

[Goro]

I'd say OP at least checks the boxes with volunteering although 350 hours isn't impressing anyone at top-20 schools. That's pack fodder. The patient contact hours are excellent and seem fairly diverse (surgery, other patient contact), the research is stellar, and the stats are pack fodder for top 20s.

The OP's a solid applicant for top 20s and there are definitely top schools that love research...@LizzyM @Goro any ideas on which ones? Harvard, Stanford, and Hopkins come to mind off the top of my head.

Good luck.

I agree, list to follow

 

[Goro]

OP, I suggest bulking up a little more on the nonclinical volunteering and these schools:
Columbia
Cornell
Duke
Harvard
JHU
Mayo
Northwestern
NYU
U Chicago
U Penn
U VA
Vanderbilt
WashU
Yale
Case
Hofstra
Stanford
Baylor
BU
Pitt
Sinai
U MI
USF Morsani
UTSW
ALL UCs, but UCR only IF you’re from the Inland Empire
Brown
Kaiser
Rochester
SUNY-SB
U AZ-P
USC/Keck
Albert Einstein
Dartmouth
Emory
NYMC
Ohio State
U Cincy
U IA
U MA
UCSF
Gtown
Hackensack Meridian
Jefferson
Miami
NYU-LI
SLU
Tufts
U CO
U VM

Yes, it's a long list. Your job is to cull it down, based upon your needs/interests.