You have great stats and research experience, but med school admission is more than just numbers. You’re missing the ECs adcomms value most highly.
In an annual survey of med schools, admission officers ranked having clinical experience, physician shadowing, non-medical community service and leadership as being of the “highest importance” when making decisions to interview and admit students. Research is ranked as being of the “least importance.”
(see p. 14 https://www.aamc.org/download/462316/data/mcatguide.pdf)
Do you have any** non-medical volunteering/community service**?
Having few or no hours is an app killer. Medicine is a service profession and adcomms are looking for evidence of your commitment to service, particularly with disadvantaged or vulnerable populations.
What types of clinical experience do you have?
Few or no hours is another app killer.
Adcomms are looking for active clinical exposure (volunteering or paid employment in clinical settings where you have direct contact with patients). Working with the acutely injured, chronically sick, mentally ill, aged & demented, physically disabled and dying every day isn’t for everyone. You need to show that you understand what kind of career you’re signing up for.
Any physician shadowing? With what specialties?
Few or no hours is an app killer.
You need to have first hand exposure to what the day-to-day life of physician is like. You’re making a lifetime commitment to medicine. Adcomms want to make sure you know what you’re getting into.
Since most med students end up in primary care fields, it’s very important to have some primary care shadowing as well as exposure to the more “exciting and glamorous” specialties.
You say you want to be a neurologist? How do you know? Do you know what a typical day in the life of neurologist is like?
(Side note: D2 was sure she wanted to be neurologist all through undergrad and her post-grad work as a clinical research manager in neuro-psychiatry. She applied to med school saying she wanted to pursue neurology. She has a degree in neuroscience, did 7 years of neuroscience/neurology research including the development of new neuro-imaging devices and the development of protocols for the treatment of glioma. She had years of hands on experience in administering neurological imaging scans (MRI, PET) and data interpretation. She shadowed multiple neurologists, observed ECT sessions, was allowed to attend neurology grand rounds, worked with and for a MD/PhD research neurologist and a PhD neuro-pathologist, volunteered with TBI patients, volunteered with mentally ill teenagers & young adults, etc. She graduated from med school last May–and her specialty? Not neurology.)
Have you held any leadership positions in any of your ECs?
Physicians are team leaders during patient treatment and adcomms prefer students who have demonstrated they are capable of acting in this capacity
Any TA, teaching or coaching experience?
Physicians-- especially in neurology since there are few “cures” in neurology, just management techniques–have a primary role as teacher to their patients whom they must educate about their condition and how to manage it.
Doctor derives from the word docere in Latin, which means to teach.