Advice needed on my pre-med path!!!

[kmcclellan21]

Hello everyone, this is my first post! Also, I'm sorry if it is annoying.

I would just like a little advice on my game plan from now until medical school. Please let me know if I need to change anything! Currently I am about to start my sophomore year of college and I am getting my degree in biology.

My plan:

I finished my first year with a 3.8 GPA, and I plan on maintaining that. I should mention that I'm doing my first 2 years at a community college and then transferring to a university. I am aware that for some schools that automatically puts me at a disadvantage.

I'm going to get a job as a medical scribe, I'm hoping to use that as shadowing AND clinical experience. I'm hoping to get this job pretty soon and keep in until med school.

Volunteer work at organization that helps people with disabilities from now until med school.

2 years of some kind of research experience, when I transfer schools.

Obviously I can't really say what I'll get on the MCAT, but in the past I've been a very good test taker.

EDIT: I feel I should also add that I speak Spanish, and am working on becoming fluent in ASL. I thought this could be my "something special" for my app.

That's it! Mostly I would like to know if this feels like it is lacking, and if I should seek extra clinical experience outside of being a medical scribe. Do you think I could get into a good or decent school if I stick to this plan? Any advice is appreciated.

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[On Eagle's Wings]

GPA looks decent. Because you are going to a community college, and medical schools often believe that community college courses are easier and less rigorous(mine wasn't though; it used the same textbooks and format my 4-year university uses), it is important to try to get all A's in your classes, especially biology, chemistry, and other pre-med courses. This is party because most community colleges do not use +/- grading system, so if you don't get an A, you get a B, which can hut your GPA. When you transfer, it is important as well to get A's in your upper-division science classes, to show that you understand the material and can do well with rigorous course material. Because of the knowledge that community college is easier, you have to show with the grades that you can excel with tough courses and that you are not trying to find easy classes to boost your GPA.

Make sure you get to know a professor or two at your community college that you can get letters of rec from. Same for when you transfer. Also, you'll need a physician, so either a letter from someone you are shadowing or doing scribing for.

Definitely try to find research opportunities when you transfer. It will be a little tougher, since you will not have taken lower-division science courses there and you likely will not immediately know professors there willing to take a transfer student into their lab. I didn't get into a lab until my senior year. I finally got into a lab by emailing several professors and setting up meetings with them to discuss research opportunities. I was fortunate that one PI was kind enough to interview me and take me into her lab.

Medical scribe looks good. Add some additional community service and volunteer work to round out your application. For your remaining summers, try doing an internship, medical missions, or volunteer/clinical work.

At community college, try to get some leadership experience and join some clubs. I personally was a club president and joined the college speech and debate team. When you transfer, again find some organizations to join to accumulate leadership experience and extracurricular activities.

I will note that one challenge for transfer students is that after transferring, you are essentially "starting over" with a new school where no one knows you and you know few people. Just stick with it, try to acclimate quickly, and immerse yourself in some new activities there. It will be harder to have continuous leadership experience/club involvement because of transferring, but just get involved as quickly as you can.

At the end of the day, try to have 15 solid activities for your application. I tell people that in your early college years, plan ahead since you need 15 activities for your application. Count how many you have right now and try to get some more if you are lacking.
Let me know if you have additional questions. Welcome to SDN!

 

[kmcclellan21]

Thank you so much for your advice!