Because of some bad advice I was given as well as poor decision making on my part, I applied to only 12 MD schools this past cycle and submitted all of my secondaries in September. Needless to say, it's not looking good for me right now. I have 2 Rs, 2 holds (so 2 soft Rs), and radio silence. Unfortunately, due to family issues, I have not done anything from September until now to bolster my application for this upcoming cycle. I have just now gotten a job as a medical assistant which I will be starting in a few days, but there's no way that that alone will improve my app enough to make me a good reapplicant. I applied to UMD (hold), NYMC (hold), Jefferson (R), RWJ (R), Tufts, Emory, MCW, Ohio St, Cincinnati, Miami, Tulane, Penn St.
Stats: ORM, high SES, Maryland resident, graduated from the University of Maryland in 2022 with a degree in biology (neurobiology specialization), graduated from Rutgers biomedical sciences SMP in May 2023.
GPA: 3.18 uGPA, 2.95 sGPA, 3.83 SMP GPA
MCAT: 511 (127/127/128/129)
Research: 60 hours in a mouse lab at Oregon Health and Science University in Summer 2022. Abstract written and poster was presented at Society for Pediatric Pathology.
Clinical volunteering: None
Non-clinical volunteering: 130 hours. Most of that was with an organization with my church that provided meals to homeless shelters in my county. I did that all through high school and up until Covid started when I was a sophomore in college. Also spent time as a Red Cross blood donor ambassador for 6 months.
Clinical hours: 800 as a medical assistant in an urgent care office from January-September 2023. All of these hours were earned while I was completing my SMP, meaning I had 0 coming out of undergrad.
Shadowing: 90 hours
ECs: Eagle Scout. I worked in sports operations with my undergrad university during my sophomore through senior years. Also worked as a Summer camp counselor the Summer after my freshman year of college.
Besides the fact that I submitted my app so late, my sub 3 sGPA stands out to me as a red flag, as does the fact that all of my clinical hours were earned in less than a year. I'm wondering how to go forward now. I think it would be a very bad idea to reapply to any of the 12 schools I previously applied to this coming cycle, but would it be a horrible idea to apply to an entirely different and larger set of schools this coming cycle? I'm leaning towards yes, especially because of the gap in experience between September and now. I'm not really sure the path forward I should take.
Stats: ORM, high SES, Maryland resident, graduated from the University of Maryland in 2022 with a degree in biology (neurobiology specialization), graduated from Rutgers biomedical sciences SMP in May 2023.
GPA: 3.18 uGPA, 2.95 sGPA, 3.83 SMP GPA
MCAT: 511 (127/127/128/129)
Research: 60 hours in a mouse lab at Oregon Health and Science University in Summer 2022. Abstract written and poster was presented at Society for Pediatric Pathology.
Clinical volunteering: None
Non-clinical volunteering: 130 hours. Most of that was with an organization with my church that provided meals to homeless shelters in my county. I did that all through high school and up until Covid started when I was a sophomore in college. Also spent time as a Red Cross blood donor ambassador for 6 months.
Clinical hours: 800 as a medical assistant in an urgent care office from January-September 2023. All of these hours were earned while I was completing my SMP, meaning I had 0 coming out of undergrad.
Shadowing: 90 hours
ECs: Eagle Scout. I worked in sports operations with my undergrad university during my sophomore through senior years. Also worked as a Summer camp counselor the Summer after my freshman year of college.
Besides the fact that I submitted my app so late, my sub 3 sGPA stands out to me as a red flag, as does the fact that all of my clinical hours were earned in less than a year. I'm wondering how to go forward now. I think it would be a very bad idea to reapply to any of the 12 schools I previously applied to this coming cycle, but would it be a horrible idea to apply to an entirely different and larger set of schools this coming cycle? I'm leaning towards yes, especially because of the gap in experience between September and now. I'm not really sure the path forward I should take.