WAMC Texas ( 3.77cGPA/3.77sGPA/515 MCAT)

[Lonestarmedlife]

Hello, I'm applying for this upcoming cycle in TX and was a little concerned about my academic background/GPA. Summary: I've had 2 Cs and 3W at the beginning near the beginning year of college. I was working full-time, unfamiliar with the premed process, and didn't know how to study effectively. After my first year and a half, I figured things out and maintained a 4.0 ( 3.9 last semester) until finishing my undergraduate degree.

1)Overall cGPA: 3.77
Overall sGPA: 3.77
cGPA and sGPA as calculated by TMDSAS
2) MCAT: 515 (129,127,129,130)
3) TX
4) Middle Eastern & African
5) Good State School
6) 1.5 years of Hospice ( Approximately 250 hours)
7) 2 Years of research experience in an animal research lab focused on neurotrauma ( approximately 800 hours). I wrote a thesis and gave a presentation
8. 50 hours of family medicine, 40 hours of internal medicine, 30 hours neurologist, and 50 hours of virtual shadowing across 5 specialties during COVID-19
9. Social Programs coordinator for a big organization (about 1200 people). Planned events and coordinated a team of volunteers. 3 years ( approximately 600 hours) started as a volunteer and after 1.5 years I was nominated for the position.
10)
Wheelchair Supervisor at the airport ( approximately 1400 hours over 2 years)
Beekeeper ( approximately 550 hours over 5 years)
Instructor for an elementary after-school program ( 120 hours over 3 months)
Delivery driver ( 900 hours over 4 years)

11) Deans List and Research Scholar
12.

• Low SES status
• Upward trend in GPA: ( dual credit, 1,2,3,4) cGPA ( 3.00, 3.50, 3.76, 4.0, 3.94) = 3.77| sGPA (3.36, 3.76, 4.0, 3.91) = 3.77
• 3 W on transcript from the first 3 semesters in college.
• Before starting at undergrad institution I took stats and English at a community college and got C's in both classes ( I was unaware that this would impact my overall GPA!). Same with dual credit history, I took 2 classes during high school where I got a B in both.
• I worked during college to pay for living expenses, I got help from my parents but there was only so much they could do, given our family size and income.

I also have a question about my Wheelchair Job: I spent a great deal of time working there ( I was immersed, to say the least). More than 50% of my job involved lifting passengers with disabilities and transferring them onto the wheelchair and off the plane. Can I list this position as clinical experience? I've gotten mixed answers. I'm on the side that it should be considered clinical experience because, similar to a volunteer at a hospital whose role is to transfer patients, I performed comparable tasks in my position at the wheelchair job. I not only did the same but also had to physically lift individuals and safely transfer them onto a wheelchair.

I'm applying to all Texas MD schools and some out-of-state MD schools. I'm applying out of state because my GPA is relatively low for Texas. WAMC?

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[Mr.Smile12]

Some Texas campuses prefer applicants from their campus region. Where did you grow up? If you come from a low income family, did you qualify for FAP? Other financial grants like Pell or similar for Texas college students? If you are able to describe how you are low SES, it can help keep your application active for the Texas schools where you are a fit. Make sure you access the archive of admissions interviews run by the TMDSAS team on their website/YouTube channel. (IMO your GPA isn't low, but confirm your TMDSAS GPA.)

List wheelchair supervisor at the airport as nonclinical employment. It counts toward non-clinical service orientation which most schools desire. An airport is not clinical. Most premeds wouldn't consider working at an airport or realize those same patients need help everywhere else.

(Please confirm the GPA calculator link is accurate.)

 

[Lonestarmedlife]

Some Texas campuses prefer applicants from their campus region. Where did you grow up? If you come from a low income family, did you qualify for FAP? Other financial grants like Pell or similar for Texas college students? If you are able to describe how you are low SES, it can help keep your application active for the Texas schools where you are a fit. Make sure you access the archive of admissions interviews run by the TMDSAS team on their website/YouTube channel. (IMO your GPA isn't low, but confirm your TMDSAS GPA.)

List wheelchair supervisor at the airport as nonclinical employment. It counts toward non-clinical service orientation which most schools desire. An airport is not clinical. Most premeds wouldn't consider working at an airport or realize those same patients need help everywhere else.

(Please confirm the GPA calculator link is accurate.)

I grew up in the suburbs of a big Texas city. I qualified for FAP, and my EFC for financial aid was 0000. I received the Pell Grant and other federal and state grants. I confirmed that my cGPA and sGPA are 3.77. I agree with you that my GPA isn't low, but most Texas MD schools have a median GPA of 3.85 and up, which is why I say it's relatively low.

According to the AAMC, caretaker and hospice roles are considered ways of gaining clinical experience. To my knowledge, these roles aren't always in a clinical setting; for instance, a caretaker might primarily work at home. This is why I'm somewhat hesitant to categorize the airport position as non-clinical. I believe different admission officers may have varying opinions on this matter, at least that is what I've been told.

What impact do you think the Ws and Cs will have on my application?

The GPA calculator link is accurate.

 

[wysdoc]

I think you can apply to all the Texas schools.
The best way to highlight your wheelchair supervisor experience, in my opinion, is to list it as what it is, a job. Describe what the duties were briefly, then use it as one of your 3 most meaningful activities to talk more about the communication, reassurance, and safety you provided to these travelers who needed assistance.
Your point will be made and there is no need to say something like “this is equivalent to doing the same thing in a healthcare setting.”
Lower GPA the first year at college is very common.

 

[Lonestarmedlife]

I think you can apply to all the Texas schools.
The best way to highlight your wheelchair supervisor experience, in my opinion, is to list it as what it is, a job. Describe what the duties were briefly, then use it as one of your 3 most meaningful activities to talk more about the communication, reassurance, and safety you provided to these travelers who needed assistance.
Your point will be made and there is no need to say something like “this is equivalent to doing the same thing in a healthcare setting.”
Lower GPA the first year at college is very common.

Thank you! Do you think my Ws and Cs will hold me back from any Texas schools?

 

[wysdoc]

Thank you! Do you think my Ws and Cs will hold me back from any Texas schools?

No, and a W as long as there is not a large string of them can mean you had taken on too many credits and realized it before failing a course, or could simply mean you needed to change your class schedule.

 

[Lonestarmedlife]

No, and a W as long as there is not a large string of them can mean you had taken on too many credits and realized it before failing a course, or could simply mean you needed to change your class schedule.

Okay! Given my GPA ( which is 25th percentile for most Texas schools), MCAT, and EC. How do you think the cycle will go for me? In other words, how competitive is my application for TX MD programs? I’m applying to all instate MD programs.

 

[wysdoc]

About 40% of Texas residents applying to TMDSAS schools gain admission, and your MCAT is above the median matriculant.
Beyond that I don’t try to predict the future
Turn in a thoughtfully written timely application and the rest is up to you!

 

[Faha]

Apply to all your TMDSAS MD and DO schools and you should receive interviews. For AMCAS schools you could try TCU, Tulane, Belmont
Alice Walton (when it opens), Roseman (when it opens).

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Okay! Given my GPA ( which is 25th percentile for most Texas schools), MCAT, and EC. How do you think the cycle will go for me? In other words, how competitive is my application for TX MD programs? I’m applying to all instate MD programs.

Have you received encouragement from the admissions recruiters you have met with? Have you watched the TMDSAS office hours interviews with every admissions director/dean?

 

[Lonestarmedlife]

Apply to all your TMDSAS MD and DO schools and you should receive interviews. For AMCAS schools you could try TCU, Tulane, Belmont
Alice Walton (when it opens), Roseman (when it opens).

I plan on only applying to MD schools.

This is my school list
TMDSAS:
UT Southwestern Medical Center
UT Medical Branch at Galveston
Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio
McGovern Medical School
The University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School
UT Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
Texas A&M University College of Medicine
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso Paul L. Foster School of Medicine

AMCAS:
Michigan COM
Albany
UMass
Boston University
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Albany
New York Medical College
Penn State
Drexel
Jefferson
Georgetown
George Washington
Creighton
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola

What do you think? Do you also have any comments regarding my wheelchair supervisor experience? Do you see any deficiencies in my application besides the one I've listed so far? Thank you for your time, I really appreciate it!

 

[Faha]

OOS MD schools admit few Texas residents since they know from years of experience that Texas applicants will attend a Texas school. Include all your TMDSAS schools.