Does anyone think I have a shot at some of the lower end MD schools? How do I look for DO? Here's what I got for ya, as honest as I can be:
GPA:
3.3 cGPA overall. However, I was a slow bloomer. I studied abroad in Spain for 6 months during first semester of my fourth year of undergrad (I did 5 years total). Over the next three semesters, I got myself together and my cGPA for those three semesters was 3.6 and my science GPA was 3.53, even while taking organic chem and biochem. I was a physiology major with a philosophy minor.
MCAT:
Just took it yesterday. Scored a 33, 33, and 35 on my three AAMC practice tests. I went over a lot of my answers on BS and PS (I remembered most of them) and I've come to the conclusion that I probably scored a 32 at worst and a 35 at best.
Research:
Since college, I have had a paid job doing research at an urban safety net hospital in a major metropolitan area. I am currently working on a paper that should be in submission to journals well before my application date, and I will likely have it published by the time I apply. The paper has to do with early predictors of depression outcomes during a trial of a novel therapy for depression and I will be primary author. The other part of my job involves spending time in the quality improvement department at the hospital, where I often meet with doctors to discuss potential interventions to improve quality of care. Specifically, I am starting a project around reducing health-care disparities by ethnicity and language.
Volunteering:
During the last year, I have spent over 50 hours volunteering for a health fair, where I have taken blood pressures and BMIs and generally making the patients feel welcome. Other than that, I have done some fundraising for AMSA during undergrad. I am unable to show a real long commitment to volunteer work and most of my experience will have to be derived from my job.
Shadowing:
I am currently shadowing the primary care doctor who I report to for my research. So far, I have about 20 hours, but I will have more (maybe double that) before my application is done.
Other extra-curriculars:
During college, I played club inline hockey for a year and club ultimate frisbee for a year. I also captained a few intramural sports teams. I was a member of AMSA and attended all of the meetings. I also did a year of TAing (taught computer classes) before I was laid off due to budget issues. During my senior year, I did a lot of tutoring in the hard sciences and for SAT/ACT (I worked for the Princeton Review, but I don't know if I want to reveal that, since they might see my strong MCAT as a reflection of my job). Unfortunately, a good part of my time was spent working part-time jobs wherever I could, which meant hours upon hours of food service.
Recommendations:
I should have two solid recommendations from doctors I work with. One of them is the PCP I report directly to for my research, and the other is the medical director in quality improvement at the hospital. My science professor recommendations will be tougher. I haven't spoken with any of them since I graduated, though I do remember my neurophysiology professor liking me quite well and I think he might be able to give me a solid rec.
Other info:
Just some other miscellaneous information... I am a 24 y/o white male. I consider myself to have average to above average social skills (I have no problem feeling comfortable talking to people I don't know and I tend to interview fairly well.)
I know this is a lot of info, but I wanted to be as thorough as possible. I completely and totally appreciate all responses, negative or positive. Thanks guys.
GPA:
3.3 cGPA overall. However, I was a slow bloomer. I studied abroad in Spain for 6 months during first semester of my fourth year of undergrad (I did 5 years total). Over the next three semesters, I got myself together and my cGPA for those three semesters was 3.6 and my science GPA was 3.53, even while taking organic chem and biochem. I was a physiology major with a philosophy minor.
MCAT:
Just took it yesterday. Scored a 33, 33, and 35 on my three AAMC practice tests. I went over a lot of my answers on BS and PS (I remembered most of them) and I've come to the conclusion that I probably scored a 32 at worst and a 35 at best.
Research:
Since college, I have had a paid job doing research at an urban safety net hospital in a major metropolitan area. I am currently working on a paper that should be in submission to journals well before my application date, and I will likely have it published by the time I apply. The paper has to do with early predictors of depression outcomes during a trial of a novel therapy for depression and I will be primary author. The other part of my job involves spending time in the quality improvement department at the hospital, where I often meet with doctors to discuss potential interventions to improve quality of care. Specifically, I am starting a project around reducing health-care disparities by ethnicity and language.
Volunteering:
During the last year, I have spent over 50 hours volunteering for a health fair, where I have taken blood pressures and BMIs and generally making the patients feel welcome. Other than that, I have done some fundraising for AMSA during undergrad. I am unable to show a real long commitment to volunteer work and most of my experience will have to be derived from my job.
Shadowing:
I am currently shadowing the primary care doctor who I report to for my research. So far, I have about 20 hours, but I will have more (maybe double that) before my application is done.
Other extra-curriculars:
During college, I played club inline hockey for a year and club ultimate frisbee for a year. I also captained a few intramural sports teams. I was a member of AMSA and attended all of the meetings. I also did a year of TAing (taught computer classes) before I was laid off due to budget issues. During my senior year, I did a lot of tutoring in the hard sciences and for SAT/ACT (I worked for the Princeton Review, but I don't know if I want to reveal that, since they might see my strong MCAT as a reflection of my job). Unfortunately, a good part of my time was spent working part-time jobs wherever I could, which meant hours upon hours of food service.
Recommendations:
I should have two solid recommendations from doctors I work with. One of them is the PCP I report directly to for my research, and the other is the medical director in quality improvement at the hospital. My science professor recommendations will be tougher. I haven't spoken with any of them since I graduated, though I do remember my neurophysiology professor liking me quite well and I think he might be able to give me a solid rec.
Other info:
Just some other miscellaneous information... I am a 24 y/o white male. I consider myself to have average to above average social skills (I have no problem feeling comfortable talking to people I don't know and I tend to interview fairly well.)
I know this is a lot of info, but I wanted to be as thorough as possible. I completely and totally appreciate all responses, negative or positive. Thanks guys.