School Tier: Mid/low tier in NYC area

Step2: 263

Grades: H in IM, OBGYN, peds; HP surgery, neuro, psych. Honored IM sub-i

AOA/GHHS: No

Research: 43 items. 17 papers (5 first author) and 26 abstracts (11 first author). Did research fellowship before medical school. Received 2 national research grants during medical school

Geographical Signals: Pacific, New England, Mid-atlantic

Hometown: SF Bay Area

I'm worried about mixed clinical grades and non-AOA. Have gotten conflicting advice from my advisors whether signal list is too passive/aggressive and was informed Columbia/NYU are reaches based on non-AOA status. Also concerned that programs in CA won't reliably convert into interviews and so maybe need a more conservative East Coast list (vs moving a signal or 2 to BWH/Yale/JHU)

Thoughts and advice are sincerely appreciated. Goal is an academic program in a coastal city to set me up for h/o fellowship. Cheers.