Lawyer thinking about postback - am I competitive?

[Mr. Tea]

Hi all.

I am a lawyer thinking about transitioning into a basic sciences pre-med program (have not taken any of the science courses needed for med school.) I'm trying to get a gauge of how competitive I am and get a handle on what I should be doing. Can I apply for this upccoming cycle or do I need a year of volunteering under my belt? All advice appreciated. Also, with the below stats, what schools should I be shooting for? What are my reach schools? thanks!

Stats
undergrad major - classics
undergrad gpa - 3.37 (strong upward trend over the 4 years)
law school gpa - 3.7 (top quartile of my class, magna cum laude)
SAT - 1420
GRE - 750 verbal (99th percentile), 790 quant (92nd percentile)
LSAT - 176 (99th percentile
volunteer - I think this is my weakpoint - I have ~5-6 service trips of about a week each to a hospital in an impoverished area of a developing country which I took with my dad (a doctor) during my high school and college years. I don't know how much this is worth
work - 2 year work experience as attorney doing mid-law litigation

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[Mr. Tea]

bumping this. would really appreciate some input!

 

[DrMidlife]

1. no K in post-baccalaureate
2. you need substantial exposure to the *US* healthcare industry before you consider quitting your job to pursue medicine. better get a grip on the job you think you want before you jump ship. minimum 7 years of training, average $250k price tag, got the stones to gamble @ that table?
3. what is keeping you from starting clinical volunteering immediately? if you're serious, that's what you'll do. tonight. right now. no you won't be in scrubs tomorrow. just get the ball rolling RIGHT NOW.
4. or if you only want to get your hands dirty AFTER people you've never met give you their assessment of your chances at expensive prestigious linkage postbacs, carry on. as far as you know i'm not a malicious 13 year old in malaysia.

best of luck to you.

 

[Mr. Tea]

Midlife,

thanks for your tough love response. I really do appreciate it.

I do get what you're saying. I'm already working on getting some better volunteering experience. I am networking in my current city and also am trying to finagle so that I can take a week of vacation in december to do a "full time" week (aka however many hours the hospital will let me) at a hospital where I have some current connections. Point is, I am trying to do this right - I just don't fully know what right is. If you're willing to give me any more advice, I again thank you.

 

[DrMidlife]

don't invent the wheel. clinical volunteering for you is identical to clinical volunteering for 19 year olds.

1. pick a hospital
2. find their volunteer website
3. do what it says
4. repeat until successful

 

[DrMidlife]

when you've spent some quality time around the sick & smelly, and you've heard an old guy rant at you about why medicine is a terrible career, if you still want to pursue medicine, then come back & search SDN for "low GPA".

 

[Goro]

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics.

Service need not be "unique". If you can alleviate suffering in your community through service to the poor, homeless, illiterate, fatherless, etc, you are meeting an otherwise unmet need and learning more about the lives of the people (or types of people) who will someday be your patients. Check out your local houses of worship for volunteer opportunities.

Examples include: Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, Humane Society, crisis hotlines, soup kitchen, food pantry, homeless or women’s shelter, after-school tutoring for students or coaching a sport in a poor school district, teaching ESL to adults at a community center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or Meals on Wheels.

Some types of volunteer activities are more appealing than others. Volunteering in a nice suburban hospital is all very well and good and all, but doesn't show that you're willing to dig in and get your hands dirty in the same way that working with the developmentally disabled (or homeless, the dying, or Alzheimers or mentally ill or elderly or ESL or domestic, rural impoverished) does. The uncomfortable situations are the ones that really demonstrate your altruism and get you 'brownie points'. Plus, they frankly teach you more -- they develop your compassion and humanity in ways comfortable situations can't.

Midlife,

thanks for your tough love response. I really do appreciate it.

I do get what you're saying. I'm already working on getting some better volunteering experience. I am networking in my current city and also am trying to finagle so that I can take a week of vacation in december to do a "full time" week (aka however many hours the hospital will let me) at a hospital where I have some current connections. Point is, I am trying to do this right - I just don't fully know what right is. If you're willing to give me any more advice, I again thank you.