Should I even bother...

[Jebus Christ]

I am going into my senior year this fall and I am questioning whether or not I should even apply for medical school this summer.

I currently have a 3.5 gpa
35+ hours of research
about 15 hours volunteer service
0 shadowing.

Over this summer I plan to volunteer as much as possible. I am confident I can get at least 120+ more hours. I also, obviously, plan on shadowing and hoping to get as much as possible with that. In addition to that I will continue doing research. I am going to ask my professor if I can get more hours.

I have worked as resident assistant for the past year(as well as this summer) and have already been rehired for next year.

The original plan was to apply at the end of the summer semester so that my new grades(for classes I am taking this sumer) would be put in. I would take the MCAT in August and hope to get a good enough score(I am currently studying through books I have purchased).

Is this plan even doable, or should I just put off applying until next year meaning I would have to take a year off in between getting my bachelors and hopefully attending medical school.

Any advice is appreciated.

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[peripherin]

An August MCAT means that you won't get your scores back until September. That's somewhat late. If you don't mind what school you get into, go ahead and apply to medical schools if you're scoring well on practice MCATs right now (30+ on practice MCAT, 33+ on the real MCAT). You will need to apply broadly. Just keep in mind that volunteering and filling out the primary AMCAS application both take up time that you could be spending studying for the MCAT. Because your GPA isn't fabulous and your ECs are average, you'll need a good MCAT score to be competitive.

I was in your situation in 2007 with a slightly lower GPA. However, my MCAT got cancelled and I ended up taking two years off. Overall, my two gap years has made me a much more competitive applicant, but I do regret falling behind my peers by two years. That's two of the best years of my life I'll never get back.

If you decide to take a year off, make sure you do something meaningful. It's nice to take a year off and explore the real world, but if medicine is your calling, you'll be a year behind your peers.

 

[hopki099]

Absolutely do not apply this year. It sounds like you just started doing research and volunteering. Your GPA is below average and even with a solid MCAT score, your application will be too late for someone with your stats and experience to be considered. Don't worry about being "a year behind your peers." The average age of admittance is 24, and less than half of people who apply to medical schools get in each year. Use the next year to gain volunteer, research, and shadowing experience while studying for your MCAT. It sounds like you will be in good shape for the next cycle!

 

[Catalystik]

My assessment is that your ECs are well below average. Due to that, regardless of your MCAT score, I suggest you develop your activities over the next year so you have a decent chance of an acceptance.

The average applicant from my observation has a year of research, 1.5 years of weekly clinical experience totaling 150 hours (and no, high intensity of hours over a short time does not demonstrate to adcomms that you've adequately tested medicine as a career), and 50-60 hours of shadowing (though I typically suggest 60-80 so as to appeal to the broadest range of schools). Community service is also considered highly, as are leadership (maybe the RA job, depending on what you do) and teaching if you can get them in.

An extra year will also give you a chance to get your cGPA closer to the competitive range (3.66 being the median for those accepted) and demonstrate a steep upward grade trend in upper-level science with some As in those classes.

Could you get by without some of these components? Possibly. But when one part of your application is weak, it's best to have as many other strengths as possible.

 

[trinity47]

I'd just wait to. There's no point in rushing through an application process only to be stressed out and then even more stressed if you don't get in. Just take the extra time to be OVER prepared and hit that application over the head!

 

[Jebus Christ]

Thanks guys. I'm going to have a final conversation about this issue with my school's adviser but I'm pretty sure I am going to wait to next year. Though I'll have to preoccupy myself for a year, I think I'll be fine. Also doesn't hurt that I'm a year younger then most of the people in my year. Not even 21 yet.

As for the issue of an EC, will anything do as long as I show I was committed to whatever that thing was? Club, sport, etc?