Hi everyone! I am unsure of what schools I want to apply to so any school list is greatly appreciated! I have all IS and HCBUs so far. I do not mind where I apply but prefer MD. This is my first application cycle and I am really new to everything. I am scared that my GPA and clinical experience could hold me back. Should I try and find more clinical experience or clinical volunteering? Should I try and go DO? I am applying early this cycle. I appreciate any general advice too. Thank you. And for good luck @Goro @Faha @Mr.Smile12
- cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS
- 3.1 cGPA | 3.5 sGPA / first two years low, last two years high ; upward trend, last two years A's and 3 B's, retook all bad grades for A's
- Can easily articulate poor first two years.
- MCAT score(s) and breakdown. Include all (non-voided) attempts.
- 510
- 127 | 124 | 128 | 131
- State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
- TN (applying) & AR (strong ties)
- Ethnicity and/or race
- Black or African American (specifically Nigerian, first generation immigrant), Male
- Undergraduate institution or category
- Public school in TN
- What is your purpose as a physician?
- App is centered around serving my underserved community and educating patients here. PS revolves on role strain as an immigrant with different cultures
- I want to serve in an underserved community. City or rural is fine. Balancing between primary care or complex surgery.
- Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
- Volunteer
- Maybe ~20 hours. Volunteered at ER but wasn't significant. Desk work. I am thinking of volunteering at our local med (if y'all believe I need more hours)
- Non-volunteer -
- ~1,000 hours working as a COVID screener. Screen patients for COVID and swab them. Encountered both patients and patient families.
- ~2,000 hours working as a lab assistant, blood bank/chemistry/hematology assistant, and pathology assistant. Drawing blood from patients, collecting COVID swabs, conducting lab tests, doing frozen sections with pathologist, working with doctors and nurses, versed in epic, pathnet and charting
- ~10 hours working as a patient care assistant - transporter. Transporting patients from floors
- Volunteer
- Research experience and productivity
- ~1,000 hours of research. Mixed wet/dry lab. Created own research project under PI involving biology and medicine. Did entire experiment solo with aide. 1 thesis, 1 abstract presented and 1 poster presentation at collegiate association. No publication, but incorporated my research into school curriculum in our Micro department
- Shadowing experience and specialties represented
- ~200 hours shadowing NPs, PAs, nurses, (to see the interpersonal communication) and largely MD's. Most hours come from MD's. 5 pathologists, 6 surgical oncologists, 1 OBGYN, 2 plastic surgeons, 1 cardiologist, 1 GAS, 1 primary care doctor. No DO.
- Non-clinical volunteering
- ~40 hours volunteering everyday in September for my city - various activities from covering up graffiti, making food for the homeless, dashing
- ~100 hours underserved volunteering at local food bank / low SES areas - various duties
- ~20 hours volunteering at a shelter for endangered/vulnerable raptors
- ~50 hours volunteering at local church
- ~50 hours volunteering at my Nigerian association
- ~20 hours volunteering at St. Jude and fundraising/canning
- Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
- Advancing in (medical) Spanish - want to better communicate with the high amount of Latino patients at my hospital (currently intermediate - advance, conversational, not fluent)
- President of Fraternity / Elected Teacher of Fraternity - leadership role working with others who are not similar to me, leading large group of guys to volunteer, can, etc.
- Intrafraternity Council leader - leading fraternities and sororities who are different and alleviating greviances and working for better relationships
- Starbucks shift supervisor - leading green beans (new hires), working under high stress situations, dealing with nasty customers, ensuring store runs smoothly, schedule work
- Assistant Manager at local gym - similar to Starbucks
- Gap year - traveled back home to Nigeria and did clinical volunteer work in the hospitals and for elderly patients, work involved in low SES areas. Various activities similar to what an MA would do. Obtained majority of my hours through this gap year.
- Hobbies & Interests: bird watching & photography, raptor conservation, comic book history and literacy, extreme vocals
- Networking
- Good networking with local med school
- Relevant honors or awards
- Dean's list - junior and senior year
- Leadership, academic scholarship
- Member of honors program at school
- Member of large fraternity
- Member of Tri-Beta
- Recommendation Letters
- 1 MD (could be strong or weak due to it being shadowing letter)
- 1 Biology teacher (strong), 1 Biology teacher (PI , strong)
- 1 Religion & Philosophy teacher (exceptional)
- Anything else not listed you think might be important
- Family ties to TN, AR, and NY (Rochester COM)
- I am trilingual (English, Spanish, native tongue) and very familiar with Mexican culture.
- Low SES, disadvantaged, first generation, FAP
- Honed my story and Why medicine.
