Hello, I recently found out that I have been waitlisted at the only two Texas MD schools I interviewed at, which are both known for automatically adding people who did not match onto the waitlist. This has been disheartening since this 2020-2021 cycle has been my second time applying, but I have decided to keep a realistic mindset and plan for a third cycle. My question is that I am not sure how to improve my application within a span of 2-3 months before TMDSAS applications reopen. While I am aware that it would be more beneficial take an extra 1-2 years to do a masters program or perhaps AmeriCorps/Teach for America, unfortunately my parents have told me that they are only willing to support me for one more year of trying to apply into medical school, before they want me to switch to a different career path. As an ORM female, it is hard for me to go against my culture and dishonor my parents' wishes. These are my current thoughts and I was wondering if there were better suggestions? I have also included my stats and info below for context.
1) Retake the MCAT. This would be my fourth retake. My previous results are 499 in June 2019, 506 in August 2019, 510 in June 2020. I am confident that I should be able to improve my score in 2-3 months, but this would mean stopping my current job as a medical scribe, where I have been working for 1.5 years, at least until after I take the MCAT.
2) Address my prior potential red flag (lack of LOR from research PI at a lab I worked at for 3+ years with senior thesis and submitted pub under review) by applying to work as a research assistant/ clinical research coordinator under another PI.
3) Increase my non-clinical and clinical volunteer hours. I am been volunteering at my religious institution by teaching children, but otherwise have not had any recent clinical or nonclinical volunteering after graduating my undergrad in 2019.
3.7 cGPA, 3.57 sGPA
MCAT: 499, 506, 510
State: TX
Undergraduate institution: Ivy
Gap years: 2
Clinical experience: medical scribe and translator (1300+ hrs), hospice volunteer and hypertension community outreach (160 hrs), shadowing (180 hrs)
Research experience: 1500+ hrs in basic science lab with honors thesis, publication submitted for review
Non-clinical volunteering: 300 hrs (tutoring in math and writing with highschool students and federal prison, teaching children at religious institution)
Other ECs: President of undergraduate medical journal, published in undergraduate literary journal, working with other recent graduates on memorial for COVID
