Hey everyone!
I’m graduating next year, and I’m at a bit of a crossroads. Any insight would be most helpful. I’m not looking into making this a “What are my chances?” thread, but I feel this information is useful.
GPA: 3.55 (Molecular Genetics BS/ Chemistry BA/ Music and Sociology minors)
MCAT: 505
ECs: Residential advisor x3 years, Scribe 2000 hours (internal, emergency, and family medicine), Manager of an a cappella group, club tennis.
Research: Wet lab ~800 hours, one poster, no pubs. Translational research through GI this upcoming academic year
LORs: 2 Docs (Fmaily MD, transplant surgeon DO), 1 sociology professor, 1 residential life coordinator, 1 PI.
Phew! So, this is what I’m working with. I’m pretty set on applying for an SMP to boost my academic criteria for medical school. I’m not applying now because I’m recently engaged, my fiance is moving down to NYC (she’s a dancer, just got a job on Broadway), and I don’t want to go to school where she can’t find work! She’s been working her whole life to make it on broadway and it would break my heart if I got into a medical school far away. I’m just not going to compromise her dream, you know?
My logic is, if I go to NYMC (SMP) or Mount Sinai for their biomedical science masters, kill it, maybe take the MCAT again, I could get into medical school in the NYC area! Then my lady and I would get the best of both worlds!
I’ve also already committed myself to the HPSP through the Air Force. I know NYMC has a history of supporting service men and women (from their website, at least), but would this in addition to my soon-to-be family situation be enough to justify applying early decision?
I’ve been having a hard time narrowing down options for my upcoming couple of years before I apply, and I guess I’d like to know what you guys thought!
Thanks!
McGoo
Your grades aren’t terrible, you seem very well-rounded, and if you take the MCAT again and bring up the score a little, you should be fine without spend 1-2 years in a masters program I think. That money could be better spent on an MCAT prep course or something. There are a few schools around NY that would make you broadway-adjacent. Keep in mind that geographically narrowing your options may make it harder to gain an acceptance (though there are people even on this site who only apply to 1 program and it works out…). When I interviewed at NYMC, I don’t remember anything that stood out as overly “supportive” to the military (i’m both prior mil + current HPSP). Their website has pretty standard “support” that pretty much any school would offer (ie VA paperwork). Yellow Ribbon is a bonus but wouldn’t apply to you as an HPSP student. I wouldn’t count the HPSP as a reason for them to consider you for early decision, but for sure the family situation is one that you could pursue. Don’t forget about the other schools (both MD and DO) in the general area.
If keeping your fiance is NYC for the long term is a family goal, then HPSP might not be for you. There are no military residencies in that area, and your assignment after residency is a major crap shoot. The AF doesn’t have any active duty bases (that I can think of right now) in NY, and the military health care environment is in flux right now, so there might be fewer basing options for you depending on what specialty you go for.
Hey Kennymac, thanks for the insight. This has not been the only time I’ve been told to take the MCAT again instead of getting a masters…I just really don’t want to go through that again! I guess I should suck it up and do it again. I took a kaplan course before, I was just working full time while studying and did not give myself enough time. I guess I should look into having extended access to their materials?
The NYC idea is not for long-long term, since Dancers usually stop finding work after they turn 30 or so, and by that time I would be finishing up medical school so we would be fine with moving to wherever uncle Sam tells be to go.
Hey Kennymac, thanks for the insight. This has not been the only time I’ve been told to take the MCAT again instead of getting a masters…I just really don’t want to go through that again! I guess I should suck it up and do it again. I took a kaplan course before, I was just working full time while studying and did not give myself enough time. I guess I should look into having extended access to their materials?
The NYC idea is not for long-long term, since Dancers usually stop finding work after they turn 30 or so, and by that time I would be finishing up medical school so we would be fine with moving to wherever uncle Sam tells be to go.
If you could find an SMP with a linkage to admissions, and your mcat meets the minimum, then I’d do that over taking that evil test again.