How can I improve?

[waj11]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post!

I am a senior at a regionally-respected private liberal arts college. My major is Spanish. I decided, why go too hard on the sciences when pre-med courses cover entry requirements?

I've completed all my pre-med reqs except for Bio-organic, Biochem, Physics II, and Calc, so I'll be taking the MCAT in Spring 2017.

cGPA: 3.902
sGPA: 3.857 (should be higher but A- is a 3.7)
I've gotten a solid 4.0 in Gen Chem I & II, o-chem (highest score in class of 60), genetics (highest score in class of 30), physics I. Lowest science was Bio Research & Analysis, B+ (3.3)

MCAT: preparing now for spring.

ECs:
TA for Genetics prof
40 hours of shadowing OS during clinicals
Peer tutor all three years, bio and Spanish
Student librarian on campus, 3 years
Freshman honor society
VP for student org. 1 year
Orientation assistant/mentor for incoming international freshmen
Held PT job since grade 10
Worked with start-up textbook company

LORs:
Two profs guaranteed, Spanish and Genetics.

Red flags:
Studied abroad last semester for Spanish major
Little to no volunteering (volunteered 20 hrs last summer)
No research outside of coursework
Spanish major
No science ECs until junior year

During my gap year I hope to work and travel in Australia, looking into research assistant positions.

I applied to several internships/research programs for this past summer, but didn't get an acceptance due to lack of experience. Lab experience limited to class project in year 2 bio where two classmates and I designed and completed a research project about the effects of estrogenic chemicals on cnidarian reproduction. I submitted a grant proposal and wrote an article about the research. Professor incorporated findings in her research.

I have been offered a position on a research team that will collect demographic info about Hispanic community around college for this semester. Basically applying Spanish skills to research: interview in Spanish and translate documents. I am not sure if I should take this position, but I just found out I was offered yesterday and have to decide by tomorrow. I'm leaning toward not taking it and applying to a clinical internship at campus health facility or volunteering in local hospital.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

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[Monoloco357]

Just as I have felt I had to do on my personal statement for being an engineer, why did you choose Spanish?
Edit: I really don't think medical schools look down on any undergraduate degree as long as you prove yourself with the foundational sciences and MCAT.

 

[wysdoc]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post!

I am a senior at a regionally-respected private liberal arts college. My major is Spanish. I decided, why go too hard on the sciences when pre-med courses cover entry requirements?

I've completed all my pre-med reqs except for Bio-organic, Biochem, Physics II, and Calc, so I'll be taking the MCAT in Spring 2017.

cGPA: 3.902
sGPA: 3.857 (should be higher but A- is a 3.7)
I've gotten a solid 4.0 in Gen Chem I & II, o-chem (highest score in class of 60), genetics (highest score in class of 30), physics I. Lowest science was Bio Research & Analysis, B+ (3.3)

MCAT: preparing now for spring.

ECs:
TA for Genetics prof
40 hours of shadowing OS during clinicals
Peer tutor all three years, bio and Spanish
Student librarian on campus, 3 years
Freshman honor society
VP for student org. 1 year
Orientation assistant/mentor for incoming international freshmen
Held PT job since grade 10
Worked with start-up textbook company

LORs:
Two profs guaranteed, Spanish and Genetics.

Red flags:
Studied abroad last semester for Spanish major
Little to no volunteering (volunteered 20 hrs last summer)
No research outside of coursework
Spanish major
No science ECs until junior year

During my gap year I hope to work and travel in Australia, looking into research assistant positions.

I applied to several internships/research programs for this past summer, but didn't get an acceptance due to lack of experience. Lab experience limited to class project in year 2 bio where two classmates and I designed and completed a research project about the effects of estrogenic chemicals on cnidarian reproduction. I submitted a grant proposal and wrote an article about the research. Professor incorporated findings in her research.

I have been offered a position on a research team that will collect demographic info about Hispanic community around college for this semester. Basically applying Spanish skills to research: interview in Spanish and translate documents. I am not sure if I should take this position, but I just found out I was offered yesterday and have to decide by tomorrow. I'm leaning toward not taking it and applying to a clinical internship at campus health facility or volunteering in local hospital.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Will you be finished with Physics, Calculus, and Biochem by the time you take the MCAT? If not, it will be very hard to do well on the test.

 

[waj11]

I'll have finished all those before taking the MCAT.

I choose Spanish for the opportunity to study abroad, and my freshman Spanish prof said I couldn't not continue it as I was gifted in the language.

Also, being bilingual in Spanish is going to be a requirement soon, especially in areas with greater Latino populations.

 

[candbgirl]

You should really work on your ECs. They are scattered and you seem to have little to no clinical experience or volunteering in the community. Your major doesn't matter and being fluent in Spanish is a plus. Why are you going to Australia? And when? Will you be applying that year? So many questions.


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[Goro]

Shadow a doctor
Volunteer with patients
Volunteer with people less fortunate than yourself
Do well on MCAT.


\

Hello everyone,

This is my first post!

 

[DoctorLongDog]

I'll have finished all those before taking the MCAT.

I choose Spanish for the opportunity to study abroad, and my freshman Spanish prof said I couldn't not continue it as I was gifted in the language.

Also, being bilingual in Spanish is going to be a requirement soon, especially in areas with greater Latino populations.

Spanish will be a requirement for who?

 

[Monoloco357]

I'll have finished all those before taking the MCAT.

I choose Spanish for the opportunity to study abroad, and my freshman Spanish prof said I couldn't not continue it as I was gifted in the language.

Also, being bilingual in Spanish is going to be a requirement soon, especially in areas with greater Latino populations.

That's great! If you were actually able to study abroad, you can use that in your personal statement as a means of expressing how you grew as an individual.
Edit: I see that you've listed that as a red flag... if you spin it the right way, you can make it a big fat green flag.