How important is geography when it comes to MD admissions?

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
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<p>I was just wondering the effect that geographic residence had on admission to med schools. Does it simply mean that (for public schools), there is just a preference for in-state applicants? Of the OOS applicants, are applicants preferred that are in close geometric proximity (i.e. a Midwestern OOS applicants would be favored for a Midwestern med school, Southern applicants for a Southern school, etc)?</p>

<p>And what effect does a preference for in-state applicants have on selectivity? I assume that since OOS applicants to a public school are extremely competitive, the average OOS applicant has higher academic statistics, etc than the average matriculated student. Is this a correct assumption; and would this mean in-state students likely have lower stats than the average for the class? </p>

<p>I ask this as an undergrad at Iowa. My first preference is med school at Iowa (Carver), and then MD schools nearby (Nebraska, Minnesota, etc). Just from a cursory glance at statistics on the interwebz, I see that 96/138 of the MD (non MTSP) class at Iowa was in state. Of 321 instate applicants, 260 were interviews, and 98 matriculated. 29 of the 96 did their undergrad at UIowa, and 136 undergrads from UIowa applied to MD schools. I should note that I am an ORM (although, LOL, ain’t no such thing in Iowa). 16/136 of UIowa undergrad applicants are minorities, while 36 (or 24%...13% ORM) of Carver’s med class was minority. It seems that as an ORM resident undergrad at Iowa, Carver obv offers the best chance for admission (statistically).</p>

<p>I'm also wondering what schools to look at besides Iowa. Carver is the only MD school in Iowa, and does have fairly selective criteria (3.69 BCMP, 3.73 overall, 31.7P MCAT). I’d guess my GPA at application time would be 3.6-3.7, my MCAT other aspects would be similar to the mean. I’m guessing stats like that don’t make me overly competitive as an OOS applicant to nearby schools. Am I SOL if I don’t get into Carver since it is my only in-state option, and happens to be more selective? Any other schools I should target? Also, please excuse my gross incompetence if this is a topic that has been answered before.</p>