looking like a reapplication is in my future

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hueso

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Hey all,

Some input, if you would. I applied this cycle as a non trad, with a 3.7 overall gpa, a 3.9 science gpa, and a 38 on my MCAT. I had just one interview, which by any standard went well, but have been waitlisted. My physician interviewer explicitly told me that I probably didn't have enough clinical hours or research (I have no research at all) but he thought that with one or both of these things added to my application, I would do well.
I have been shadowing throughout this cycle, and will continue. The doctor who I shadow (a UCSF educated pathologist) has told me he will write me a glowing letter for this coming cycle. What I'm wondering is whether I specifically need research if I want a hope of getting in to medical school. Is it worth applying again this June? Last year, I took my MCAT in late June and so my application was delayed, so I would be able to apply much earlier in the cycle this time. Will more clinical hours and the new LOR from a physician be enough to count as a significant improvement to my application?

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how many placed did you apply to? your numbers are solid so not sure how come you just received one interview despite your GPA/MCAT......
 
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Absolutely do not retake the MCAT. Protect that 38.

If you're in California, not getting accepted with those numbers is a normal result.

If you didn't start working on clinical experiences months ago, then you're not in shape to reapply in 3 short months. It would look sloppy and immature to try to sell a few months of shadowing or whatever as anything like a meaningful experience. Better to wait out the year and find a job in a lab and pile up clinical volunteering hours after work.

Best of luck to you.
 
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Absolutely do not retake the MCAT. Protect that 38.

If you're in California, not getting accepted with those numbers is a normal result.

If you didn't start working on clinical experiences months ago, then you're not in shape to reapply in 3 short months. It would look sloppy and immature to try to sell a few months of shadowing or whatever as anything like a meaningful experience. Better to wait out the year and find a job in a lab and pile up clinical volunteering hours after work.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks for the input...as you surmised, I am a California resident, which means I probably should have applied to more schools than I did, but after 20 or so application and secondary fees I thought I had applied broadly enough, especially considering my MCAT and gpa. If I have to wait a year, so be it. It will be a chance for me to learn some more skills, assuming I can find some lab work, and it will only mean that much stronger an application next time around. Thanks again.
 
Physician letters are important at DO schools.
Physician letters are fluff at MD schools.
A long period of shadowing a pathologist is less useful than a few 25 hour stints with docs providing longitudinal care.
Shadowing is not considered active clinical experience.
 
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Physician letters are important at DO schools.
Physician letters are fluff at MD schools.
A long period of shadowing a pathologist is less useful than a few 25 hour stints with docs providing longitudinal care.
Shadowing is not considered active clinical experience.

So what do you suggest?
 
So what do you suggest?
Shadow primary care.
Use the path shadowing in your EC's.
Get some active clinical experience.
It's probably too late for substantive research this cycle, but early well written applications to enough schools should result in success if you interview well.

Where will you be a re-applicant?
 
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ah. now i understand. you're missing the ability to figure out what you need, and figure out how to get it, without some adult telling you. no. you have to be the adult now.

but to get you going, here's a primer on how to get clinical experience.

1. pick a hospital
2. find the volunteer web page
3. make it happen
4. say yes to everything
5. don't get uppity, you are of no actual value yet
6. do 4 hours per week forever
7. use that gig to get other gigs
8. be hellbent to constantly pile up tiny bricks of experience & perspective for the next decade so you'll be qualified to be the responsible adult in charge of life/death decisions where you will certainly fail if you don't understand how people that work in hospitals get things done. when you see a nurse manager solve a problem, ask about it. when a patient with a chest catheter will answer questions, ask some. when there's vomit on the floor, do something that helps get it cleaned up (hint: there are janitors. janitors can teach you things about hospitals that surgeons & hospital CEOs can't teach you).
9. be willing to discover that medicine is so totally not something you actually want to do

best of luck to you.
 
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ah. now i understand. you're missing the ability to figure out what you need, and figure out how to get it, without some adult telling you. no. you have to be the adult now.

but to get you going, here's a primer on how to get clinical experience.

1. pick a hospital
2. find the volunteer web page
3. make it happen
4. say yes to everything
5. don't get uppity, you are of no actual value yet
6. do 4 hours per week forever
7. use that gig to get other gigs
8. be hellbent to constantly pile up tiny bricks of experience & perspective for the next decade so you'll be qualified to be the responsible adult in charge of life/death decisions where you will certainly fail if you don't understand how people that work in hospitals get things done. when you see a nurse manager solve a problem, ask about it. when a patient with a chest catheter will answer questions, ask some. when there's vomit on the floor, do something that helps get it cleaned up (hint: there are janitors. janitors can teach you things about hospitals that surgeons & hospital CEOs can't teach you).
9. be willing to discover that medicine is so totally not something you actually want to do

best of luck to you.

Sorry if I sounded uppity! Didn't mean to at all. I appreciate the advice more than you know.
 
ah. now i understand. you're missing the ability to figure out what you need, and figure out how to get it, without some adult telling you. no. you have to be the adult now.

but to get you going, here's a primer on how to get clinical experience.

1. pick a hospital
2. find the volunteer web page
3. make it happen
4. say yes to everything
5. don't get uppity, you are of no actual value yet
6. do 4 hours per week forever
7. use that gig to get other gigs
8. be hellbent to constantly pile up tiny bricks of experience & perspective for the next decade so you'll be qualified to be the responsible adult in charge of life/death decisions where you will certainly fail if you don't understand how people that work in hospitals get things done. when you see a nurse manager solve a problem, ask about it. when a patient with a chest catheter will answer questions, ask some. when there's vomit on the floor, do something that helps get it cleaned up (hint: there are janitors. janitors can teach you things about hospitals that surgeons & hospital CEOs can't teach you).
9. be willing to discover that medicine is so totally not something you actually want to do

best of luck to you.

This is an excellent post. Wish id have read it before med school and residency. It. Really. Is. That valuable. Put the hours in now so you know before you are 10 yrs down the road and 250k plus in debt. I love what in doing but wouldve been nice to have more perspective before hand. Gl

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