Hi everyone,
I'm hoping you guys can give me some advice! Also, sorry this post is so long but I hope I'm clear in describing my situation.
I applied this application cycle and got zero interview invites... I applied rather top-heavy but I was expecting at least an II from at least some of my schools. I'd really appreciate any insight - even my premed advisor is pretty surprised at my abysmal results this attempt.
A summary of my stats and application are below:
Graduated in 2010, BS in biomedical engineering from an engineering-only school.
cGPA: 3.73
BCPM: 3.68
MCAT: 33Q
Research:
I've had some sort of research work in addition to classes since freshman year, as well a yearlong senior project that was sponsored by a well-known medical device company. My research is varied, some engineering related, some more biology-leaning research.
Research through school opportunities: Medical device development (1+ yrs, including freshman year summer), cancer cell biology (2yrs), senior project mentioned above
Sophomore yr internship: Proteomics research related to aging
Junior yr internship: a clinical/research internship focused on translational research, and included a human-dissection based anatomy course and clinical shadowing rotations.
I'm currently working at a major research hospital conducting medical device development, more on the engineering side but I work closely with biologists and other scientists. We just started a pilot study using our technology.
No publications. Just bad timing in terms of when I joined my various projects.
College extracurriculars:
I was very involved in a circus performing arts club throughout college and was president for 2 years, organizing and participating in multiple performances every year.
I was a TA for our intro biology class for 3 semesters
I also did a concentration in the visual arts and had several pieces displayed in school galleries.
Volunteering:
200+ hours at a local hospital. I bring around a book cart to patients, and I serve lunch to patients in certain clinics. I didn't start volunteering at all until I graduated college, but have been volunteering ever since.
Clinical Experience:
~105 hrs of physician shadowing, 80% of which took place during my junior year summer internship. This was across ~6 physicians but in a variety of clinics (Ob/Gyn, orthopedics, emergency medicine, oncology)
Recommendations:
I went to a small school so I know my professor recommenders well. I asked 3 professors: biomedical engineering (did the cancer cell biology research with), mechanical engineering (advisor for my my medical device senior project), biology (TAed her intro to biology class, she also taught a few of the art classes I took)
I also had 2 summer internship advisors write a letter (Harvard needed letters from anyone you did research under) My premed committee said they were great and recommended I send them to all my schools, rather than just Harvard.
Lastly, the head of my lab at work. He used to be involved in admissions several years ago and is also really surprised. No letters from MDs, unfortunately.
Schools applied to:
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine
Columbia University College of P & S
George Washington University Sch of Med & Hlth Sci
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Mayo Medical School
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
New York University
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicin
Rush Medical College
Stanford University School of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
University of California San Diego
University of Chicago - Pritzker
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Yale University School of Medicine
My current plan is to take another year to regroup and strategize and apply next year. I'm definitely planning to up my clinical shadowing with some of the physicians I currently work with, as I know I'm a bit lacking in that area. I'm also hoping to take on some additional projects at work to try and get published, as I wonder if it looks bad to have done so much research but no publications. I'll also have to retake my MCATs because they'll expire by the time I reapply if i take another year, and I'm afraid of reapplying immediately with the same application.
I'd appreciate any and all advice! Thank you in advance :)
I'm hoping you guys can give me some advice! Also, sorry this post is so long but I hope I'm clear in describing my situation.
I applied this application cycle and got zero interview invites... I applied rather top-heavy but I was expecting at least an II from at least some of my schools. I'd really appreciate any insight - even my premed advisor is pretty surprised at my abysmal results this attempt.
A summary of my stats and application are below:
Graduated in 2010, BS in biomedical engineering from an engineering-only school.
cGPA: 3.73
BCPM: 3.68
MCAT: 33Q
Research:
I've had some sort of research work in addition to classes since freshman year, as well a yearlong senior project that was sponsored by a well-known medical device company. My research is varied, some engineering related, some more biology-leaning research.
Research through school opportunities: Medical device development (1+ yrs, including freshman year summer), cancer cell biology (2yrs), senior project mentioned above
Sophomore yr internship: Proteomics research related to aging
Junior yr internship: a clinical/research internship focused on translational research, and included a human-dissection based anatomy course and clinical shadowing rotations.
I'm currently working at a major research hospital conducting medical device development, more on the engineering side but I work closely with biologists and other scientists. We just started a pilot study using our technology.
No publications. Just bad timing in terms of when I joined my various projects.
College extracurriculars:
I was very involved in a circus performing arts club throughout college and was president for 2 years, organizing and participating in multiple performances every year.
I was a TA for our intro biology class for 3 semesters
I also did a concentration in the visual arts and had several pieces displayed in school galleries.
Volunteering:
200+ hours at a local hospital. I bring around a book cart to patients, and I serve lunch to patients in certain clinics. I didn't start volunteering at all until I graduated college, but have been volunteering ever since.
Clinical Experience:
~105 hrs of physician shadowing, 80% of which took place during my junior year summer internship. This was across ~6 physicians but in a variety of clinics (Ob/Gyn, orthopedics, emergency medicine, oncology)
Recommendations:
I went to a small school so I know my professor recommenders well. I asked 3 professors: biomedical engineering (did the cancer cell biology research with), mechanical engineering (advisor for my my medical device senior project), biology (TAed her intro to biology class, she also taught a few of the art classes I took)
I also had 2 summer internship advisors write a letter (Harvard needed letters from anyone you did research under) My premed committee said they were great and recommended I send them to all my schools, rather than just Harvard.
Lastly, the head of my lab at work. He used to be involved in admissions several years ago and is also really surprised. No letters from MDs, unfortunately.
Schools applied to:
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine
Columbia University College of P & S
George Washington University Sch of Med & Hlth Sci
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Mayo Medical School
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
New York University
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicin
Rush Medical College
Stanford University School of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
University of California San Diego
University of Chicago - Pritzker
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Yale University School of Medicine
My current plan is to take another year to regroup and strategize and apply next year. I'm definitely planning to up my clinical shadowing with some of the physicians I currently work with, as I know I'm a bit lacking in that area. I'm also hoping to take on some additional projects at work to try and get published, as I wonder if it looks bad to have done so much research but no publications. I'll also have to retake my MCATs because they'll expire by the time I reapply if i take another year, and I'm afraid of reapplying immediately with the same application.
I'd appreciate any and all advice! Thank you in advance :)