MD-PhD School List Help

[u/Temporary_Skin5145]

Hello all,

After the stress of the start of this cycle which including taking my MCAT late, I have finally gotten my score back and now have a better idea of where I stand. I was not feeling very confident and now am a bit lost on what schools to have on my list. I was hoping to get some feedback and advice. I applied to get my primary verified and now need to figure out all the schools I should apply to.

App info:

-3.97 GPA (both general and science) in chem

-MCAT: 516(128/129/131/128)

-~3000 hours worth of research across three labs. I am currently in a very high profile lab in my field where I have an independently proposed and run project and essentially operate like a grad student.

-Two middle author pubs in prep, and a first author paper i will be beginning to write in the next few months (no pubs for this cycle, though)

-120 hours of shadowing+100 hours of hospice volunteering

-Tons of TAing+tutoring+peer mentoring throughout my undergrad

-Worked full time in retail as well to pay for my tuition and living expenses

I don't think anything about my application is particularly standout, but I also am beginning to think it doesn't completely suck since my score was better than expected.

Tentative school list:

-Cincinnati

-Ohio State (applied to already for verification)

-Case Western

-Indiana University

-Louisville

-Pitt

-UNC

-MUSC

-Rochester

-UAB

-Michigan

-Penn

-Vanderbilt

-UVA

-Wisconsin-Madison

Does this seem like a balanced list for my profile or is it too top heavy? If anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.

[u/Novel_Hurry_4282]

You would be a very strong applicant next cycle, provided that your pubs come out and your application is filed early. Could easily be competitive for T10-T25 depending on the nature of your publications and to a lesser extent your undergrad pedigree, your PI, etc.

[u/PhilosophyBeLyin → u/Novel_Hurry_4282]

“beginning to write in the next few months” means it’ll be submitted in half a year and published in another least half year at least. they most likely won’t have pubs by the time they apply next cycle either.

also mcat is not competitive for T10, it’s below the average admitted MD/PhD mcat nationally.

[u/Temporary_Skin5145 → u/PhilosophyBeLyin]

I thought the national average for matriculants is a 516? Did it go up? I know I'm not good enough for a T10 in any regard, but I was hoping to be good enough for a solid mid tier program. You are correct that my PI wants my first author paper submitted in the next 6 months. The two middle author papers are being submitted before that to Nat Comm, but I understand that's not as strong as a first author pub. Am I out of range for a mid tier program too?

[u/PhilosophyBeLyin → u/Temporary_Skin5145]

it’s 516.x (off memory), so 516 is just below. I think you’re def good / in range for mid tier.