WAMC: MCAT: 522, cGPA:4.0, ORM, School List Help

[bth92]

Hi All,

I want to preface this by thanking all of you for any and all guidance you may provide (I am extremely ignorant to a lot of this). Be as harsh and as critical as you would like.

I plan to apply to MD schools this upcoming cycle (took a gap year post-graduation) and am in the process of creating a school list, but find myself in a top-heavy situation—which I know is only good for the ego. I'd love to get in this cycle and not have a horror story situation, which I know is all too possible. Currently, I'm across Harvard teaching hospitals conducting research in the pediatric oncology/end of life/palliative care setting.

I have shared my stats, experiences, etc. below and would appreciate any advice, guidance, or criticism. More specifically, school list guidance would be amazing!

MCAT: 522
cGPA: 4.0
University: T5 Public School
Major: BS Biology
Language: English (Taken spanish for 14 yrs, but wouldn't feel confident in conveying my answers if asked to conduct interview in spanish lol, so I'm definitely not gonna mention any spanish fluency)
Demo: White Male
Residence: Wisconsin

Clinical Experience:
- 350 Hrs as a nursing assistant on a neurosurgery inpatient floor
- 150 Hrs as a nursing assistant in a nursing home
- 60 Hrs of shadowing experience : (oncology, plastic surgery, cardiology, palliative care, internal medicine, pediatrics)

Research Experience:
- 500 Hrs in Radiation Oncology Research (1 secondary authorship in medium impact journal)
- By matriculation, 4000+ Hrs of clinical research in pediatric oncology/palliative care department at Harvard hospital network. Patient interaction is around 40% of the job. (Dana-Farber, BCH, MGH) (1 expected first author publication by matriculation in Palliative Care Journal, +3 lower authorship publications, 2 abstracts/presentations)
- By matriculation, 400 Hrs in Criminal Justice Reform/Public Health Research at Northeastern Law School

Other Experiences/Volunteering:
- Teaching Assistant for upper level biology course
- Director of Kesem (650 hrs) Outreach Coordinator (300hrs), General Member (200hrs): It was the largest chapter of the organization in the nation with 200+ students. Kesem is essentially an outreach and support org for children whose parents have cancer.
- By Matriculation, 400 volunteer hrs at Christopher's Haven -- supportive community similar to Ronald McDonald house for pediatric cancer families that come to Boston for treatment
- By Matriculation, 100 volunteer hrs at homeless shelter -- I create and present presentations for homeless and at-risk youth at a homeless shelter about topics related to healthcare such as: what is a primary provider + important health habits, like sex ed.)

Top Experience:
- 4000+ Hrs: Created a nationwide non-profit that partners with collegiate athletic programs and their associated health systems. Work with close to a hundred pediatric oncology patients each year and have partnerships with orgs like American Cancer Society, Nike, UNC, UVA, and VT.

Honor(s), Summer Jobs:
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Worked 600 Hrs in a Lawn Mower Factory (Wisconsin Farmers!)
- Worked at Equinox Gym as a Sales Associate (enjoy working out)
- Worked at Nursing Home as Nursing Assistant as described above
- Worked as a soccer referee (love soccer)
- Senior summer I studied and took MCAT (one time)

If you would like me to expand or share a personal statement to help get a more holistic look, please DM me! I'd rather not open up entirely to the world lol.

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[AJS59]

Wow your application is strong! Could you maybe clarify what specifically you did at Christopher's Haven?

Also you list off a lot of your hours to be completed by matriculation, but of those hours, what portion will you have completed by the time you apply? Many on this forum will say that hours projected (that is to be completed after you submit your primary) don't weigh as much.

Anyways, a preliminary list of schools should include, at a minimum, Wisconsin and MCW (as your home state schools). Otherwise, shoot the damn moon — you have a rock star application, so apply to rock star schools. Of course, don't apply to ONLY T20s — you're going to want a good mix of schools overall. I'll leave the list making up to the experts (Faha) though.

 

[bth92]

Wow your application is strong! Could you maybe clarify what specifically you did at Christopher's Haven?

Also you list off a lot of your hours to be completed by matriculation, but of those hours, what portion will you have completed by the time you apply? Many on this forum will say that hours projected (that is to be completed after you submit your primary) don't weigh as much.

Anyways, a preliminary list of schools should include, at a minimum, Wisconsin and MCW (as your home state schools). Otherwise, shoot the damn moon — you have a rock star application, so apply to rock star schools. Of course, don't apply to ONLY T20s — you're going to want a good mix of schools overall. I'll leave the list making up to the experts (Faha) though.

I appreciate that! And right now those are definitely two schools I'm looking at heavily. Financially, those would be a dream come true.

In terms of the "at matriculation" hours, for most of these -- when I apply -- I will have around 50% of the hours listed. I know it's not the best case scenario, but I just moved to Boston this past fall/winter and so many of these are post-move.

In terms of Christopher's Haven: I essentially babysit and watch the children while their parents take naps lol. I also organize fundraisers, and galas and fundraise through outreach as well. Essentially wherever they need me, I go.

Please feel free to get more negative on this thread lol. I truly appreciate the compliments, but I won't be hurt by the negatives and at the end of the day it'll probably help lots!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Exclude all hours related to fundraising. How many hours are left? Be honest with yourself and list the hours by submission. Some admissions screeners will feel you are deliberately trying to embellish your hours to game the system. Don't be off by an order of magnitude.

So I interpret your gap year will consist of 2 years of clinical research experience full-time. We lack your chronology to know how you will accomplish getting all of your "matriculation" activity hours in before medical school starts. Most people should take some weeks off before starting medical school anyway, so you might not hit those targets.

Separate hours that should demonstrate "leadership."

What is your mission fit? What advice has your prehealth advisors given you?

 

[bth92]

Exclude all hours related to fundraising. How many hours are left? Be honest with yourself and list the hours by submission. Some admissions screeners will feel you are deliberately trying to embellish your hours to game the system. Don't be off by an order of magnitude.

So I interpret your gap year will consist of 2 years of clinical research experience full-time. We lack your chronology to know how you will accomplish getting all of your "matriculation" activity hours in before medical school starts. Most people should take some weeks off before starting medical school anyway, so you might not hit those targets.

Separate hours that should demonstrate "leadership."

What is your mission fit? What advice has your prehealth advisors given you?

That makes total sense. Could see how that could p*** off and rub adcoms the wrong way.

Chronological order: I graduated in May 2023, studied for MCAT from May-July, took MCAT late July, and moved to Boston in August 2023.

Here are my hours at time of application submission:
- Clinical Research Full Time Job: 1760 hours (I started working early August 2023 and plan to work full-time until May/June of 2025)

- Northeastern School of Law volunteer research: 120 hours (I started this position in late January of 2024. Will continue with this until May of 2025.) Currently commit around 10hrs/week.

- Christopher’s Haven (fundraising not included): 100-120 hours. I started this in October of 2023. I am in a two year agreement with my landlord, so definitely will be doing this until May of 2025.

- Homeless Shelter Presentations (excluding time spent creating the presentations and only considering time in front of YAs): 20 hours maximum by submission — usually spend 2 hours with shelter on days of presentations

- Non-Profit work: I’m essentially acting as an unpaid Exec Director and will have 4000+ hours by submission of application.

In terms of mission fit: I am extremely interested in pairing clinical practice with academic medicine so strong research is important to me. I won’t be doing primary care. Service-based programs also interest me and fit my goals. I plan to continue running the non-profit through schooling. I prefer an urban setting. Rural Wisconsin has been fun, but there’s a reason I left lol!

In terms of advisors: their advice was community based medicine/service oriented med schools.

 

[LunaOri]

I think you have a shot at any school, so craft your list around the schools you would most like to attend (do include a few mid-tiers).

 

[Mr.Smile12]

That makes total sense. Could see how that could p*** off and rub adcoms the wrong way.

Chronological order: I graduated in May 2023, studied for MCAT from May-July, took MCAT late July, and moved to Boston in August 2023.

Here are my hours at time of application submission:
- Clinical Research Full Time Job: 1760 hours (I started working early August 2023 and plan to work full-time until May/June of 2025)

- Northeastern School of Law volunteer research: 120 hours (I started this position in late January of 2024. Will continue with this until May of 2025.) Currently commit around 10hrs/week.

- Christopher’s Haven (fundraising not included): 100-120 hours. I started this in October of 2023. I am in a two year agreement with my landlord, so definitely will be doing this until May of 2025.

- Homeless Shelter Presentations (excluding time spent creating the presentations and only considering time in front of YAs): 20 hours maximum by submission — usually spend 2 hours with shelter on days of presentations

- Non-Profit work: I’m essentially acting as an unpaid Exec Director and will have 4000+ hours by submission of application.

In terms of mission fit: I am extremely interested in pairing clinical practice with academic medicine so strong research is important to me. I won’t be doing primary care. Service-based programs also interest me and fit my goals. I plan to continue running the non-profit through schooling. I prefer an urban setting. Rural Wisconsin has been fun, but there’s a reason I left lol!

In terms of advisors: their advice was community based medicine/service oriented med schools.

Nice!

I agree with my colleague you can probably do some research of your own and pick programs that feed into your current interests or help you expand them. You know Boston well, and most of them will be familiar with the work you have been doing. Check the requirements for Massachusetts residency, though most of your Boston schools are indifferent to this.

The other schools along the I-95 corridor will also be good fits. I'm sure all the NYC-area schools and Philly schools will find your work appealing. Definitely shoot for Einstein and Columbia. Reach out to dream schools on your list and make them recruit you.