Hey everyone, I’m putting together my school list and would really appreciate some honest feedback/suggestions.
Stats:
- GPA: ~3.3 cumulative (~3.2 science)
- MCAT: Waiting on score from April 11th (practice exams consistently ~505 -->510)
- State: NJ resident
- URM
Background / Narrative:
My application is heavily centered around health justice, health disparities, and serving underserved communities. I grew up in an underserved area and have seen firsthand how the lack of access and education impacts health outcomes. That’s been a consistent theme across my experiences and why I’m pursuing medicine
I’m also a former Division I football player, which shaped a lot of my resilience, discipline, and leadership. I had a career-ending injury that shifted my perspective and ultimately pushed me further toward medicine.
Experiences (high level):
- ~4000+ clinical hours (medical assistant, patient navigator, etc.)
- ~4000 hours in Research (health disparities + behavioral health)
- Strong service/advocacy focus (working with underserved populations)
- Leadership (exec board roles, athletics leadership)
- Shadowing including orthopedics, ENT, Infectious Disease(goal specialty)
What I’m Looking For:
- MD + DO schools where I realistically have a shot
- Schools that value mission fit (service, underserved, health equity)
- Programs with solid outcomes for competitive specialties (ortho is long-term goal, but I understand that’s down the line and I open to seeing where school takes me)
Current Thoughts:
- Definitely applying DO broadly
- MD list will likely focus on mission-driven + mid-tier schools
- Considering schools like: Howard, Morehouse, Drexel, Temple, GW, etc.
Questions:
- Based on my profile, what MCAT score range changes my strategy the most?
- What schools should I DEFINITELY add that I might be missing?
- Any that I should avoid given GPA?
- How aggressive should I be with MD vs DO?
Appreciate any help—trying to be strategic and maximize my chances this cycle.