u/Fun_Conflict_3769

This is probably a long shot here but I’m a little desperate. Looking for a doctor (DO or MD) in the Olympia area who would potentially let me shadow them and ask for a letter of recommendation. Any specialty really, though primary care/family medicine, internal medicine, or psychiatry would be appreciated.

I’m applying to medical school and I have a strong application overall, but it’s a pretty big red flag to not have a letter from a physician. All my efforts over the last few months to network and connect with a doctor have fallen short. I volunteer at a nearby hospital and clinic but I don’t have any contact with the physicians that work there, my PCP hasn’t gotten back to me, and cold calling doctor offices also hasn’t worked so far. For context I’m a nontraditional applicant so I’m not in college and I work full time. If you know anyone or are yourself a physician and are interested in helping me out, please send me a DM. I can provide my personal statement and resume if that helps, or I’m happy to buy you a cup of coffee and chat first.

Hi everyone,
I’m a non-trad applicant planning to apply this cycle, and would really appreciate some honest feedback. I’m 31, and this will be my 4th application cycle. I’m trying to figure out whether I realistically have a shot at MD or DO programs this year.

A little background: I always wanted to become a physician, but I didn’t really have a roadmap during undergrad and went through some personal challenges that contributed to a lower GPA. I had one particularly rough semester sophomore year that significantly hurt my stats, but my grades improved steadily every semester afterward. Despite cold calling/emailing/asking my professors I could never break into clinical research during undergrad.

I applied three previous cycles:
Traditionally - during my first senior year

The following cycle - during my 5th year (I took another year in undergrad to gain shadowing hours and improve my gpa by upgrading my neuroscience minor to a major)

2 cycles later- during my first master’s in bioethics/gap-year program (I worked a few jobs doing door dash, line cook, and then as a scribe after undergrad for a year first)

The third time, I only reapplied to schools where I had previously been waitlisted, and I ultimately didn’t receive any acceptances. Looking back, I think I underestimated how much my GPA and overall application strategy mattered. I’ve always had a strong MCAT and decent volunteering, and I assumed that would carry me through. I’ve also only ever applied MD.

Across those cycles, I’ve had:
7 interviews

4 waitlists

0 acceptances

This will be my first cycle applying after completing both a Master’s in Bioethics & Medical Humanities and an MPH. Since finishing my MPH, I’ve worked for my state’s Department of Health for the past 4 years.

Stats/Experience:
Undergrad GPA: cGPA 3.34, sGPA 3.02
dual degree BS in neuroscience and biochemistry

Bioethics & Medical Humanities GPA: 3.65

MPH GPA: 3.88

MCAT: 516

Research:
60 hrs political science research

80 hrs ecological research during an international volunteer experience

2 semesters of independent MPH capstone research/analysis on vaccination policies and outcomes

4 years assisting with coordination of public health/microbiology research through my work

Clinical:
400 hrs scribing

Medical Volunteering:
156 hrs hospital volunteering

Shadowing:
20 in-person hours

25 virtual shadowing hours

Leadership:
Coordinated a public health program

Supervised and mentored an employee on an interim basis for 4 months

Work Experience:
4 years in public health with my state Department of Health

Extracurriculars:
Film club during undergrad

My main questions:
Do I realistically have a shot this cycle?

Should I focus heavily on DO schools at this point?

Are there particular MD or DO programs that tend to be more receptive to non-traditional applicants with reinvention stories?

I really appreciate any advice. Thanks everyone.