u/Standard_Tree_1506

Hi everyone! I worked in a lab previously as a research assistant, and I got a 3rd author pub and a 1st author pub in review. I also presented at a conference. However, I cannot get a LOR from this lab/PI (this is definite).

For context, the lab is not related to biology/medicine, it was more so environmental.

As time progressed, I’ve been involved in two other labs both focused on cancer and will be getting LORs from both (one strong, one good). However, I unfortunately do not have any pubs or conferences in these labs.

Is this a huge red flag that will seriously impact my application? For both MD and MD/PhD programs.

If I do get a pub (prob a lit review- not original research unfortunately) and/or conference presentation in one of my cancer biology labs, will the lack of LOR from the other lab be less of a problem?

Thank you in advance! Also wondering if I should address that I don’t have the LOR from that PI in my application or if I should just ignore it since I’ll have 2 other PI LORs that are more related to medicine/biology research.

Hi everyone! I’d love to receive some feedback on my applications’ weaknesses and my school list draft. Thank you so much in advance!!

Some background info about myself, which I used to create my school list draft:
- im considered an international student (not a citizen, dont hv a green card, and not daca)
- my entire education has been in the US, including college (so I will be getting my degree from a US institution)
- im 17 rn, planning to apply next cycle so ill be 18. Will be 19 if i get any interviews. **Should i mention in my application that i am young and how its shaped my educational journey positively, or steer clear from it incase they see me as not mature enough?
- i took some of my prereqs at community college, online, and through AP exams so that cuts a good amount of med schools out even from the ones that accept internationals
- i will be taking a gap year, please see under “Gap Year Possibilities” and lmk what type of gap year activity may be best considering my application.

Stats:

GPA: 4.00 , MCAT: 52X

Hospital volunteer - 150 hrs *is this too low? I could get it up to 300?

Family medicine shadowing - 100 hrs

Neurosurgery shadowing in clinic & or - 80 hrs - could get LOR, opinions?

Research lab #1 (not related to medicine) - 1 year, 1200 hrs - two journal pubs 3rd author, one international conference - no LOR from this lab *will that be a red flag??

Research lab #2 (cancer bio, wet lab) - 2 years, 1700 hrs - no pubs or posters (hopefully will get 1-2 posters by my application date, def no pubs) - will get a LOR, prob good maybe a bit strong

Research lab #3 (also cancer, wet lab + mice work) - 1 year, 1000 hrs - no pubs, 1 poster (a pub or lit review might be submitted by the time of my application, but will not be accepted in time. Maybe 1 more poster.) - will get LOR, prob good

2 small leadership positions in my school’s bio club - half a year - 200 hrs each

Nonclinical volunteering (nothing special) - 150 hrs *should i get this up? Or like volunteer at a food bank instead?

Chemistry tutor/TA - 350 hrs - will get LOR, prob okay

health International conference back in high school for research - 600 hrs (including actual project)

Accepted for a grant for my independent medical research in high school - 300 hrs (including the actual research, also won a small award)

Gap Year Possibilities:
- get a job as a medical assistant
- continue a bit with lab #2 and a good amount with lab #3, plus get into a new lab #4 thats more into clinical research to get a medical-related pub + LOR
- do some clinical volunteering at a homeless clinic w physician (possible LOR? Opinions on that?)
- do a masters lowkey?? Im not really into this option as i dont really have a desire to pursue a masters, but if itll help my application since im an international student then id consider it
- what other options do i have?? Im not sure

School List:
Keck
Stanford
UC Davis
UColorado
Georgetown
Howard
USF
Emory (md & mdphd)
Loyola
Northwestern (md & mdphd)
Chicago pritzker (md & mdphd)
Uni of Illinois
Tulane
Boston (md & mdphd)
Johns hopkins (md & mdphd)
Maryland
Mayo clinic
WashU (md & mdphd)
Duke
UNC
Dartmouth (md & mdphd)
NYU long island
NYU grossman
Stony brook (md & mdphd)
Cornell
Case western
Wright state university
Perelman UPenn (md & mdphd)
Sidney Kimmel (md & mdphd)
Belmont
Vanderbilt (md & mdphd)
Baylor (mdphd)
Uni of Virginia (md & mdphd)
West virginia
UT southwestern (mdphd)
Uni of Minnesota (mdphd)
UT San Antonio (mdphd)

My list is kinda top heavy unfortunately, but these r the only ones i could find that would even consider me based on being an international student and having done some prereqs online, in community college, or through ap credit.

Please lmk if I should add any or remove any who may have heavy in-state bias or dont actually accept internationals!

Overall, i hv a very research-focused application. Ik a lot of ppl talk about a narrative but i dont rlly have one, mine is just that i want to focus on translational research and simultaneously caring for these same patients directly as a physician. Thank you again for reading this whole thing! Please feel free to be absolutely blunt w what is weak in my application, how horrible my school list is lol, what i should change, and what my gap year should focus on! 🤗