WAMC? School List? URM & Disadvantaged, 3.3 cGPA, 3.0 sGPA, 4.0 gGPA, 507 MCAT

[brainznbeauty]

Hello All,

Forgive me if this post is redundant in any case, as I am new to SDN.

So in my subject line are my general stat #s.

I’m an African American Georgia resident, who worked two jobs in undergrad + ran a business I developed to help support my family. Thousands of philanthropic/leadership/shadowing/volunteer hours.

Philanthropic: $1000 scholarship for a woman in Africa to attend school, led/pioneered multiple charity work/fundraisers, etc.

Leadership: multiple roles including mentorship, etc

Shadowing: 800+ in internal medicine/pediatrics/health admin roles

Volunteer: homeless shelters

Personal statement: Solid. Genuinely attests to my story and difficulty in undergrad due to familial circumstances.


My biggest worry, however, is my undergraduate GPA. Balanced it by acing my Biomedical and Health Sciences masters program + an above average MCAT (I believe) for AA’s. Would love feedback on applicants who have been accepted with similar numbers.



Also really need help with a school list!!! Thank you.

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[[Time]]

Welcome to Reddit!

Please move this to WAMC

 

[ciestar]

Sorry if I missed it but where is your clinical experience?

 

[brainznbeauty]

Welcome to Reddit!

Please move this to WAMC

Lol sorry! I initially posted to reddit but removed it after figuring SDN May be a better resource.

Also, can you link that forum?

 

[brainznbeauty]

Sorry if I missed it but where is your clinical experience?

It’s under shadowing. I had two summer long commitments that were 90 shadowing 10% volunteering when needed at the practice.

Didn’t have much room in my schedule to gain clinically related experience outside of shadowing due to my family/work obligations

 

[puahate]

It’s under shadowing. I had two summer long commitments that were 90 shadowing 10% volunteering when needed at the practice.

Didn’t have much room in my schedule to gain clinically related experience outside of shadowing due to my family/work obligations

volunteer in a hospital

 

[Faha]

When do you plan to apply ?

 

[brainznbeauty]

When do you plan to apply ?

I am applying this cycle. I am thinking its to late to gain clinical volunteer experience.

 

[brainznbeauty]

volunteer in a hospital

I am applying this cycle, it may be to late to I am thinking? Correct me if I am wrong.

Will not having any clinical volunteering be detrimental to my application?

 

[puahate]

Your issue is lack of any clinical experience. clinical volunteering will help with that. You can project your hours just try to find something now. You are an ok applicant but you are missing a big piece from your app

 

[Goro]

I am applying this cycle, it may be to late to I am thinking? Correct me if I am wrong.

Will not having any clinical volunteering be detrimental to my application?

What are you going to say when asked how you know you are suited for a life of caring for the sick and suffering? “That you just know”? Imagine how that will go over!

Here's the deal: You need to show AdComs that you know what you're getting into, and show off your altruistic, humanistic side. We need to know that you're going to like being around sick or injured people for the next 40 years.

Here's another way of looking at it: would you buy a new car without test driving it? Buy a new suit or dress without trying it on??

We're also not looking for merely for good medical students, we're looking for people who will make good doctors, and 4.0 GPA robots are a dime-a-dozen.

I've seen plenty of posts here from high GPA/high MCAT candidates who were rejected because they had little patient contact experience.

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics.

Some types of volunteer activities are more appealing than others. Volunteering in a nice suburban hospital is all very well and good and all, but doesn't show that you're willing to dig in and get your hands dirty in the same way that working with the developmentally disabled (or homeless, the dying, or Alzheimers or mentally ill or elderly or ESL or domestic, rural impoverished) does. The uncomfortable situations are the ones that really demonstrate your altruism and get you 'brownie points'. Plus, they frankly teach you more -- they develop your compassion and humanity in ways comfortable situations can't.

We need URM doctors, but you owe it to yourself to find out if you want to be around sick people, many of whom are not very nice.