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Hey guys, I also posted this in the nontraditional thread as well, so I apologize for the double post.
I was wondering how strong of a candidate I am for medical schools, primarily MD with a few top DO's (MSU, in particular). Also, what schools would I have the best chances of gaining admission? I know I have to re-take the MCAT because of how old my scores are, so I am going to plan for August. Should I apply late in the cycle after the MCAT, or wait until next summer entirely?
I graduated three years ago (2012) from a decent University in California, with a 4.0 sGPA, 3.91 cGPA as Summa Cum Laude. I earned my B.S. in Biochemistry and Physics, and I took the MCAT in 2011, with a score of 38Q. I also worked as a scribe in the ER my sophomore to senior years, conducted research all fours years, and I have a variety of volunteer hours and have shadowed multiple doctors in different specialties, both MD and DO.
Now, my whole life I have worked toward becoming a doctor, but during my senior year, my younger brother died in an auto collision, and I was completely devastated. My plan was to apply to medical schools after graduation, and use my gap year to travel, but because of the incident, I fell into a deep depression for about 6 months. After realizing that life essentially goes on (and that I should have applied to medical schools despite the hardship), I decided to travel on the limited budget I had.
My travel time was intended for only about 6 months, just in time to prepare and submit applications during the summer 2013 cycle, but my family received a large settlement from the incident, and my travel time got longer…and longer…and now, I’m here. I essentially got so caught up with seeing the world, that I left my whole life on hold.
Since my graduation, I haven’t really done anything altruistic. I did participate in two volunteer abroad programs (Costa Rica, March 2013, and New Zealand, May 2014), but other than that, everything that I’ve done has been primarily self-serving.
I would like to apply this upcoming cycle, but I want to know if I would be better off waiting another year to pick up where I left off. My MCAT scores are from 2011, and I will be volunteering in Africa for 3 weeks in August. I was also offered my scribe job back, and have been working as a Research Assistant with an old mentor's Phd student for about a month now. Here’s my statistical breakdown:
High school (2004-2008): 3.8 GPA, 2200 SAT, 500 volunteer hours, Young Physician Program at local Level 1 Center, Summer Biomedical research program, Honors Jazz Band (Guitar/T. Sax), Senior Class VP, and Multiple Varsity Letter holder for 3 years. AAA hockey club all fours years. EMT certification the Summer after graduation.
Freshman year (2008-09): 4.0 GPA, Psychology research Fall/Winter/Spring, 1 poster presentation, Shadowed family practice MD and DO (20 hrs each), Volunteered at Big Brother/Sister Program (100 hours), Chemistry research Spring/Summer, premed club, assistant captain of sports club. Academic Research Associate Program at local hospital in Summer.
Sophomore year (2009-10): 4.0 GPA, Chemistry research Fall/Winter/Spring, 2 poster presentations, 1 publication (Chem), shadowed ER Physician (40 hrs) and Psychiatrist (40 hrs), Volunteered at Psych hospital (no patient contact, mostly bed cleaning/janitorial, 100 hours), hired as ER Scribe Winter (~20 hrs/wk), ARA Program Fall/Winter/Spring, Treasurer of premed club, captain/president of sports club team. Study Abroad at Oxford (England) Summer 2010, 1 publication (Psych).
Junior year (2010-11): 4.0 GPA, Biochemical research Fall/Winter/Spring, 2 poster presentations, shadowed Orthopedic surgeon (40 hrs) and Radiologist (40 hrs), Volunteered at homeless shelter (50 hrs) and local health care drive (100 hrs), ER scribe 20 hrs/wk (promoted to chief scribe Spring 11), TA for Physics Fall/Winter/Summer, President of premed club, took MCAT (38Q), renewed EMT certification.
Senior year (2011-12): 4.0 GPA (Fall), 3.5 GPA (Winter), 2.9 GPA (Spring), Biochemical research Fall/Winter, 1 poster presentation, 1 publication (Biochem), shadowed Cardiologist (40 hrs), ENT Surgeon (20 hrs), Pharmacist at hospital (20 hrs, mid-college crisis), and Plastic surgeon lol (8 hrs), volunteered at nursing home (50 hrs), Chief ER scribe 20 hrs/wk, premed club.
Summary: 3.91 cGPA, 4.0 sGPA, Summa Cum Laude, 38Q MCAT, multiple clubs, multiple leadership positions, 400+ hrs volunteer, multiple doctors shadowed, research in psych/chem/biochem/ER, 6 poster presentations, 3 publications, Chief ER scribe, Physics TA, NREMT, Studied Abroad, Academic Research Associate.
Postgrad (2012-2015): Did absolutely nothing until December (Saw therapist/surfed/guitar gigs for cash). 2013: Traveled across the continental U.S for a few months, then volunteered abroad in Costa Rica March 2013. Traveled in U.S again from mid-April to July, then Canada/Alaska from August to October. Beach Bum in Cali for a few months. 2014 Hawaii for about a month, then Australia from March-April, and New Zealand volunteer in May 2014. Traveled to Europe July-December. 2015 Recently got back from a trip in Japan/China that started in Jan.
Strengths: Academics, Research (currently employed in lab right now), Leadership (possible chief scribe position upcoming, however may let an up-and-comer take the position if offered), Networking (know a decent amount of docs from shadowing/scribing as well as professors from uni), Balance (hobbies outside of school)
Weaknesses: Emotional stability (parents currently going through separation, but I'm never home), Suffered from Depression/Anxiety after loss (I have a firm grasp on it now, considering my long therapeutic period), Late applicant, Old MCAT.
I am working as a Research Assistant for Biochemical Engineering (Started April 2015, 28-40 hrs/wk) and will start scribing within the next month (16-20 hrs/wk).
Should I apply to medical schools this year, despite the old MCAT score and travel plans, or should I wait until next cycle (and retake the New MCAT, sigh)? What schools would I have the highest chances of getting an acceptance? Should I do anything else this next year, besides working and volunteering? Perhaps maybe Post-bacc or Masters?
Also, financials are in check. No debt, and will be living with my parents for the next year (if I can handle it). I have a decent savings, so I can apply to as many schools as needed, and waiting another year or two will not hurt me financially. And no, it will not bother me if I am "missing out on $250k by delaying a year"; not interested in money. Geographical area not a big deal either, but I do prefer large, metropolitan areas (patient population), and I want to venture away from SoCal.
I was wondering how strong of a candidate I am for medical schools, primarily MD with a few top DO's (MSU, in particular). Also, what schools would I have the best chances of gaining admission? I know I have to re-take the MCAT because of how old my scores are, so I am going to plan for August. Should I apply late in the cycle after the MCAT, or wait until next summer entirely?
I graduated three years ago (2012) from a decent University in California, with a 4.0 sGPA, 3.91 cGPA as Summa Cum Laude. I earned my B.S. in Biochemistry and Physics, and I took the MCAT in 2011, with a score of 38Q. I also worked as a scribe in the ER my sophomore to senior years, conducted research all fours years, and I have a variety of volunteer hours and have shadowed multiple doctors in different specialties, both MD and DO.
Now, my whole life I have worked toward becoming a doctor, but during my senior year, my younger brother died in an auto collision, and I was completely devastated. My plan was to apply to medical schools after graduation, and use my gap year to travel, but because of the incident, I fell into a deep depression for about 6 months. After realizing that life essentially goes on (and that I should have applied to medical schools despite the hardship), I decided to travel on the limited budget I had.
My travel time was intended for only about 6 months, just in time to prepare and submit applications during the summer 2013 cycle, but my family received a large settlement from the incident, and my travel time got longer…and longer…and now, I’m here. I essentially got so caught up with seeing the world, that I left my whole life on hold.
Since my graduation, I haven’t really done anything altruistic. I did participate in two volunteer abroad programs (Costa Rica, March 2013, and New Zealand, May 2014), but other than that, everything that I’ve done has been primarily self-serving.
I would like to apply this upcoming cycle, but I want to know if I would be better off waiting another year to pick up where I left off. My MCAT scores are from 2011, and I will be volunteering in Africa for 3 weeks in August. I was also offered my scribe job back, and have been working as a Research Assistant with an old mentor's Phd student for about a month now. Here’s my statistical breakdown:
High school (2004-2008): 3.8 GPA, 2200 SAT, 500 volunteer hours, Young Physician Program at local Level 1 Center, Summer Biomedical research program, Honors Jazz Band (Guitar/T. Sax), Senior Class VP, and Multiple Varsity Letter holder for 3 years. AAA hockey club all fours years. EMT certification the Summer after graduation.
Freshman year (2008-09): 4.0 GPA, Psychology research Fall/Winter/Spring, 1 poster presentation, Shadowed family practice MD and DO (20 hrs each), Volunteered at Big Brother/Sister Program (100 hours), Chemistry research Spring/Summer, premed club, assistant captain of sports club. Academic Research Associate Program at local hospital in Summer.
Sophomore year (2009-10): 4.0 GPA, Chemistry research Fall/Winter/Spring, 2 poster presentations, 1 publication (Chem), shadowed ER Physician (40 hrs) and Psychiatrist (40 hrs), Volunteered at Psych hospital (no patient contact, mostly bed cleaning/janitorial, 100 hours), hired as ER Scribe Winter (~20 hrs/wk), ARA Program Fall/Winter/Spring, Treasurer of premed club, captain/president of sports club team. Study Abroad at Oxford (England) Summer 2010, 1 publication (Psych).
Junior year (2010-11): 4.0 GPA, Biochemical research Fall/Winter/Spring, 2 poster presentations, shadowed Orthopedic surgeon (40 hrs) and Radiologist (40 hrs), Volunteered at homeless shelter (50 hrs) and local health care drive (100 hrs), ER scribe 20 hrs/wk (promoted to chief scribe Spring 11), TA for Physics Fall/Winter/Summer, President of premed club, took MCAT (38Q), renewed EMT certification.
Senior year (2011-12): 4.0 GPA (Fall), 3.5 GPA (Winter), 2.9 GPA (Spring), Biochemical research Fall/Winter, 1 poster presentation, 1 publication (Biochem), shadowed Cardiologist (40 hrs), ENT Surgeon (20 hrs), Pharmacist at hospital (20 hrs, mid-college crisis), and Plastic surgeon lol (8 hrs), volunteered at nursing home (50 hrs), Chief ER scribe 20 hrs/wk, premed club.
Summary: 3.91 cGPA, 4.0 sGPA, Summa Cum Laude, 38Q MCAT, multiple clubs, multiple leadership positions, 400+ hrs volunteer, multiple doctors shadowed, research in psych/chem/biochem/ER, 6 poster presentations, 3 publications, Chief ER scribe, Physics TA, NREMT, Studied Abroad, Academic Research Associate.
Postgrad (2012-2015): Did absolutely nothing until December (Saw therapist/surfed/guitar gigs for cash). 2013: Traveled across the continental U.S for a few months, then volunteered abroad in Costa Rica March 2013. Traveled in U.S again from mid-April to July, then Canada/Alaska from August to October. Beach Bum in Cali for a few months. 2014 Hawaii for about a month, then Australia from March-April, and New Zealand volunteer in May 2014. Traveled to Europe July-December. 2015 Recently got back from a trip in Japan/China that started in Jan.
Strengths: Academics, Research (currently employed in lab right now), Leadership (possible chief scribe position upcoming, however may let an up-and-comer take the position if offered), Networking (know a decent amount of docs from shadowing/scribing as well as professors from uni), Balance (hobbies outside of school)
Weaknesses: Emotional stability (parents currently going through separation, but I'm never home), Suffered from Depression/Anxiety after loss (I have a firm grasp on it now, considering my long therapeutic period), Late applicant, Old MCAT.
I am working as a Research Assistant for Biochemical Engineering (Started April 2015, 28-40 hrs/wk) and will start scribing within the next month (16-20 hrs/wk).
Should I apply to medical schools this year, despite the old MCAT score and travel plans, or should I wait until next cycle (and retake the New MCAT, sigh)? What schools would I have the highest chances of getting an acceptance? Should I do anything else this next year, besides working and volunteering? Perhaps maybe Post-bacc or Masters?
Also, financials are in check. No debt, and will be living with my parents for the next year (if I can handle it). I have a decent savings, so I can apply to as many schools as needed, and waiting another year or two will not hurt me financially. And no, it will not bother me if I am "missing out on $250k by delaying a year"; not interested in money. Geographical area not a big deal either, but I do prefer large, metropolitan areas (patient population), and I want to venture away from SoCal.
