WAMC/Pls help with school list

[Determined2024]

I am a Texas resident, male, age 25, and URiM (Hispanic). I have a BS from a T10 University and an MS from a SMP program associated with a T25 medical school. I am currently scribing for two surgeons. I applied unsuccessfully in the 23-24 cycle and was told that my school list was too aggressive and that I needed to apply earlier. I got the second part covered, but I am still struggling with which AMCAS & DO schools to put on my "realistic school list." Please help.

1. Undergrad: cGPA 3.4 and sGPA 3.3 (Biology/Microbiology). Strong upward trajectory of 2.84, 2.83, 3.45. 3.89.
2. Graduate: cGPA 4.0 and sGPA 4.0 (Physiology)
3. MCAT: 509 (228 Chem/125 CARS/130 BIO/126 PSY).
4. Clinical experience - volunteer: worked in two different children's hospitals (300 hours)
5. Clinical experience - non-volunteer: I worked one summer as a medical assistant at a community clinic in an underserved community (400 hours); currently working as a FT scribe (1,500 hours to date)
6. Research experience: I worked in two wet labs both involving biomedical engineering projects (700 hours); one project resulted in a publication in which I am listed as a second author.
7. Shadowing experience: I have shadowed 3 MDs and 1 DO in the following practice areas anesthesiology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, and OB/GYN.
8. Non-clinical volunteering: I am currently volunteering at a homeless shelter with 1:1 contact with the residents
9. Teaching: during my second year in grad school I was selected to TA the incoming first year class.
10. Honors or awards: 4 year University scholarship during college.
11. I am semi-fluent in Spanish and plan to take a class in Medical Spanish.

MD schools currently on my list (Note: I would be a re-applicant at the schools I underscored):
1. All Texas schools (previously applied to the top 8)
2. Wright State, NEOMED & U Toledo - I went to grad school in Cleveland
3. Rush & Loyola - I went to college in Chicago
4. U KY & U Louisville - my father was from KY, attended UK, and I have lots of family in KY (aunt, uncle, cousins)
5. Meharry, Morehouse & Howard (wondering if these HBCs look favorably on other minority candidates?)
6. Albany
7. Drexel
8. Loma Linda
9. Medical College Wisconsin
10. Oakland
11. Penn State
12. Temple
13. Tulane
14. U Arizona (Tucson)
15. U Vermont
16. Belmont (is it too risky to apply to such a new school?)

DO schools currently on my list (Note: I did not apply to any DO schools last cycle):
1. All Texas schools (TCOM, Sam Houston & IW)
2. LECOM
3. Ohio U - Heritage
4. Rowan - Virtua
5. Touro (NV)
6. Midwestern (AZ)

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[AJS59]

Could you give the hours for your shadowing and non-clinical volunteering? This will help us determine if Rush and Loyola are reasonable fits.

You may want to reach out to Kentucky and Louisville directly to confirm that your ties to the state would be considered strong enough for a competitive application.

Not sure I would describe Belmont as completely risky...it is accredited provisionally, yes, but there's no signs of distress yet. Better to give it a go than not in my opinion.

Do you have a strong religious background? Loma Linda puts preference towards students like that.

I don't know a ton about DO so others can comment on those. Same thing with the HBCUs and URMs.

 

[Faha]

OOS MD schools admit few Texas applicants since they know from years of experience that Texas applicants will attend a Texas school. You could try some of the MD schools in areas with large Hispanic populations and the newer schools.
I suggest these AMCAS schools:
TCU
Tulane
Belmont
Creighton
Arizona (Tucson and Phoenix)
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
George Washington
Drexel
Temple
Hackensack
Vermont
Quinnipiac
On your DO list Ohio and Rowan admit few non residents. You could add these schools:
AZCOM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
Touro-NY
NYITCOM
PCOM

 

[wysdoc]

As @Faha points out, Texans have a hard path finding a welcome from OOS schools.
Neomed is very regional but I think Toledo and Wright State are worth a try, as well as the other Illinois schools they listed.
If you are interested in FL try UCF
Look at adding to your DO list with
Touro-CA
Western U (2 locations Pomona CA and Lebanon OR).
PNWU
VCOM Virginia or Auburn

Last of all, even though you are a reapplicant your chances are best in Texas so be sure to write your secondaries to be relevant to each school and what they find important.
Unless you grew up in East Texas you can leave off UT Tyler.

 

[Determined2024]

Could you give the hours for your shadowing and non-clinical volunteering? This will help us determine if Rush and Loyola are reasonable fits.

You may want to reach out to Kentucky and Louisville directly to confirm that your ties to the state would be considered strong enough for a competitive application.

Not sure I would describe Belmont as completely risky...it is accredited provisionally, yes, but there's no signs of distress yet. Better to give it a go than not in my opinion.

Do you have a strong religious background? Loma Linda puts preference towards students like that.

I don't know a ton about DO so others can comment on those. Same thing with the HBCUs and URMs.

Shadowing: 90 hours
Volunteering: 250 hours (play room at hospitals = 100 + homeless shelter = 100 + Alzheimer's event = 50)
Good advice on the KY schools, I will contact them as their websites are not detailed on this point.
I went to a religious high school but wouldn't consider myself strongly religious. Should I drop Loma Linda?
Let me know if there's any other information that would be helpful. Thanks for your advice and guidance!

 

[Determined2024]

As @Faha points out, Texans have a hard path finding a welcome from OOS schools.
Neomed is very regional but I think Toledo and Wright State are worth a try, as well as the other Illinois schools they listed.
If you are interested in FL try UCF
Look at adding to your DO list with
Touro-CA
Western U (2 locations Pomona CA and Lebanon OR).
PNWU
VCOM Virginia or Auburn

Last of all, even though you are a reapplicant your chances are best in Texas so be sure to write your secondaries to be relevant to each school and what they find important.
Unless you grew up in East Texas you can leave off UT Tyler.

Thanks wysdoc for the advice. Yes, I have heard that my TX residency will discourage OOS schools but since I went to college and grad school OOS,I am hoping they will at least give me a look. As for TDMSAS, I have heard that Tyler is very regional but do you think they won't consider anyone who isn't from E.TX or are the chances just so slim its not worth the effort? I was also told that the TDMSAS schools can see which schools you selected and (to avoid looking like you are too choosy) it is best to choose them all and then just not fill out a secondary. Wondering, if this consistent with what you have heard?

 

[candbgirl]

Shadowing: 90 hours
Volunteering: 250 hours (play room at hospitals = 100 + homeless shelter = 100 + Alzheimer's event = 50)
Good advice on the KY schools, I will contact them as their websites are not detailed on this point.
I went to a religious high school but wouldn't consider myself strongly religious. Should I drop Loma Linda?
Let me know if there's any other information that would be helpful. Thanks for your advice and guidance!

They used to have a very strict code of conduct for their students. Poke around their website and see what you can find.

 

[wysdoc]

Thanks wysdoc for the advice. Yes, I have heard that my TX residency will discourage OOS schools but since I went to college and grad school OOS,I am hoping they will at least give me a look. As for TDMSAS, I have heard that Tyler is very regional but do you think they won't consider anyone who isn't from E.TX or are the chances just so slim its not worth the effort? I was also told that the TDMSAS schools can see which schools you selected and (to avoid looking like you are too choosy) it is best to choose them all and then just not fill out a secondary. Wondering, if this consistent with what you have heard?

It’s a myth about having to choose all the schools.
If you look at the UT Tyler secondary and see that 3 out of 4 questions are about E Texas ties, if you aren’t from there you will have nothing to say.
Tyler has a class size of 40 and in the 2 years they have been open they have taken only 1 OOS student, and that one grew up in Tyler but moved away recently

 

[Determined2024]

It’s a myth about having to choose all the schools.
If you look at the UT Tyler secondary and see that 3 out of 4 questions are about E Texas ties, if you aren’t from there you will have nothing to say.
Tyler has a class size of 40 and in the 2 years they have been open they have taken only 1 OOS student, and that one grew up in Tyler but moved away recently

Thanks for the insight. Other than boy scout camp (every summer for 5+ years), I have not spent time in E.TX, so I will take that one off my list.