What Should I do?

[TexasSurgeon]

Hey everyone, thanks for your time and responses in advance.

I'm currently a senior undergrad and would really appreciate some feedback and opinions from you guys on whether I should apply this cycle or not.

First, I want to say that I was strongly considering doing a Senior Honors Thesis. Doing one would set my graduation back by 1 year, and I would graduate in May 2016 as a result.

Since I will most likely not be doing the thesis, I will be graduating this December. This is because I changed my major back sophomore year and did a research project last year, setting me back 1 semester. I think this will be ok if I were to apply this May. However, one big thing is that I have not yet retaken the MCAT, which I plan to do. I received a 26 on the last MCAT I took- a score that I know I can pull up significantly, even if it's on the new MCAT2015. So my question to you is: Should I apply for medical school this May?

Info:
cGPA/sGPA: 3.8 & 3.75, respectively.

• I was worried about a C I made back when I took organic chemistry 1 but I have had 4 semesters of 3.9/4.0 trends so I think that offsets it.

State of Residence: TX
School: Large state school
Major: Biochemistry
Minor: Chemistry & Medical Humanities
ECs:

• Research
  • Did a summer research fellowship (stipend)
  • Completed a 2 semester research project & received course credit
  • Presented at my undergraduate research day and thus have a poster
  • Received a semester stipend during my 2 semester research project
  • Also worked in 2 other labs throughout undergrad, but my third lab was where all of the above took place.
• Clinical
  • I have inconsistent volunteering at my local hospital. My last recorded hours were at the end of 2013 and I have about ~100 hrs or slightly above in total. If you combine it with my HS hours, it goes up to 170 but I don't think that counts.
  • However, while volunteering, I was in the Emergency Department so I did get exposure to shadowing nurses, doctors, med students, etc.
    • Shadowing: Orthopedics (4 hrs) & Oral surgery (5 hrs) were both while volunteering (there is downtime in the ED)
  • Actual shadowing: Opthalmology (30 hrs), Pediatrics (20 hrs), Neurology (20 hrs)
• Leadership:
  • Active involvement in a pre-health organization. I had an officer position of Events Coordinator during my Junior year and this year I'm the President of the organization. Back during my sophomore year I was member the year
• Work Experience:
  • I've had experience as a private tutor for students near where I live
  • I was the TA for my biochemistry professor last semester. This wasn't serious TAing but I tried to make it during office hours
  • I've also worked at a business office doing just general secretarial work.

There's probably a few EC's that I'm missing but thats the large bulk of it.

So what do you guys think? I will be taking my MCAT at the end of August (August 22). I have not written my personal statement nor asked professors for LORs, but I have my professors in mind and expect good letters. One will be from my PI which I assume will be glowing. The other two should be pretty good as well.

I just need a good score on my MCAT. What that being said, is it worth my chances to apply this cycle and see what happens? Is it possible to just have 1 school added on TMDSAS & AMCAS and at least get verified first?

I'm mostly feeing overwhelmed since I haven't done any work regarding my PS and idk how I will manage studying for the MCAT whilst filling out secondaries and primaries. If I don't apply this cycle, then I guess the only thing that can happen is that my application will be improved since I will have more time to get clinical exposure and etc. since I would graduate in December and have January-May free in time and open to me.

I hope you guys can see the dilemma I am in and I really appreciate your help and time. I just want to get the MCAT right for the last and final time before I move on to the application cycle. I've heard of horror stories where TX applicants had stats like me and didn't get into any schools, but I am probably just reading into that.

I should also add that I haven't opened a file at my university's heath professions advisory committee.

Much love,
TxSrgn

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[NeuResurgens]

Sounds like a similar situation to mine. I was going to take the new MCAT in April and apply, but it turned out I couldn't take a biochem course before taking it, and I wasn't going to have enough time to study for it, so I'm taking it August instead and am applying next cycle. I wouldn't have enough shadowing and wouldn't have locked down my LORs before applying if I did it this cycle. I was stressed and was constantly worrying about this, but then I decided to just take the MCAT, do really well, and then apply next cycle. I'd spend the gap year working EMS and working on research. The stress went away and I feel like I can focus a lot more on making every aspect of my application as solid as it can be.

The situation is similar in that you feel rushed. Can I cram all these things in in time for applications? You probably could, but it would be very stressful, and it makes it harder to get in. Of particular interest is how late you'd be applying if you did this cycle. Taking the MCAT in August, you wouldn't get your scores back until September, which is often the very latest that schools allow you to apply. Applying that late can pose some disadvantages. If you don't mind applying a year later, you will probably have a better result by submitting right when it opens. In the meantime, take the time to nail down your LORs and PS, as well as shore up anything you might be deficient in. I think if you do that, with your other stats you could have a very good result and it'll be less stressful.

 

[Doug Underhill]

Sounds like you should take a gap year if you're not getting MCAT scores until August.

 

[cactus8910]

It sounds like you have a lot of reasons to not apply yet. No PS, no LORs, and most importantly, the August MCAT. Given that some schools will average your old score with your new one, you're already at a disadvantage. Add completing your applications late (since they won't get your score till Sept.) and you're setting yourself up for an unsuccessful cycle - a waste of time and money that will make you less likely to be accepted at those schools if you reapply.

Retake the MCAT when you're ready. Work on getting LORs together. Write your PS sometime after the MCAT. Apply the following cycle.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Sounds like a similar situation to mine. I was going to take the new MCAT in April and apply, but it turned out I couldn't take a biochem course before taking it, and I wasn't going to have enough time to study for it, so I'm taking it August instead and am applying next cycle. I wouldn't have enough shadowing and wouldn't have locked down my LORs before applying if I did it this cycle. I was stressed and was constantly worrying about this, but then I decided to just take the MCAT, do really well, and then apply next cycle. I'd spend the gap year working EMS and working on research. The stress went away and I feel like I can focus a lot more on making every aspect of my application as solid as it can be.

The situation is similar in that you feel rushed. Can I cram all these things in in time for applications? You probably could, but it would be very stressful, and it makes it harder to get in. Of particular interest is how late you'd be applying if you did this cycle. Taking the MCAT in August, you wouldn't get your scores back until September, which is often the very latest that schools allow you to apply. Applying that late can pose some disadvantages. If you don't mind applying a year later, you will probably have a better result by submitting right when it opens. In the meantime, take the time to nail down your LORs and PS, as well as shore up anything you might be deficient in. I think if you do that, with your other stats you could have a very good result and it'll be less stressful.

Yes. This is exactly how I feel. I think you're right in the end. It just sucks kind of having to wait with the gap year since I don't really know what to do yet. Yes EMT is an option but by the time I start, I will have already applied and IDK how much I will be able to talk about it in interviews and my PS most likely won't have it either.

It sounds like you have a lot of reasons to not apply yet. No PS, no LORs, and most importantly, the August MCAT. Given that some schools will average your old score with your new one, you're already at a disadvantage. Add completing your applications late (since they won't get your score till Sept.) and you're setting yourself up for an unsuccessful cycle - a waste of time and money that will make you less likely to be accepted at those schools if you reapply.

Retake the MCAT when you're ready. Work on getting LORs together. Write your PS sometime after the MCAT. Apply the following cycle.

I'm not sure how it is for out of TX schools and I am aware they do average the MCAT, but TX schools are going to look at the most recent MCAT. Assuming I score higher than a 26 (which I will), then I should have nothing to worry about in that sphere. I agree with the PS and LORs part though, although I think I could get LORs turned around pretty quick.

Any suggestions of what I might do during the gap year?

 

[V5RED]

You can't double dip and count your volunteering hours in your shadowing hours. Volunteering is you donating your time to help others. Shadowing is when doctors donate time to help you. If you used your time at a volunteer gig to shadow, then you were not volunteering and you were not formally shadowing either. In any event, you have a decent amount of shadowing without playing any double dipping games.

Your level of volunteering is both fairly low and fairly old. It looks like you just did it for a thing to toss on your resume. (many people just do it for the resume, but this is about impressions and yours gives an impression of not caring due to both inconsistency and low hours)

 

[TexasSurgeon]

You can't double dip and count your volunteering hours in your shadowing hours. Volunteering is you donating your time to help others. Shadowing is when doctors donate time to help you. If you used your time at a volunteer gig to shadow, then you were not volunteering and you were not formally shadowing either. In any event, you have a decent amount of shadowing without playing any double dipping games.

Your level of volunteering is both fairly low and fairly old. It looks like you just did it for a thing to toss on your resume. (many people just do it for the resume, but this is about impressions and yours gives an impression of not caring due to both inconsistency and low hours)

Right, I wouldn't technically list the shadowing I did during volunteering on my AMCAS since it's such a small thing, but there was often downtime/times when I wasn't allowed to do anything cause I was just a volunteer

I know it looks like that but thats so not the case. I stopped volunteering because I realized I needed to focus more on school. If I were to start back up this semester/summer and continue all the way through to applying next May 2016, would that help offset this false view?

 

[House D.O.]

V5RED How would they know he volunteered inconsistently unless he told them? I assume on the application you put start date and how many hours he worked? I dont think adcoms have enough time to look that detailed into one aspect.

 

[V5RED]

V5RED How would they know he volunteered inconsistently unless he told them? I assume on the application you put start date and how many hours he worked? I dont think adcoms have enough time to look that detailed into one aspect.

I have not looked at the application in a while, but IIRC you include a start date and an end date. They will not see that it was inconsistent, but they will see that it stopped a long time ago. Even if he starts again now, he will not be able to list consistent volunteering over a long period in college unless he claims the volunteering was ran from freshman year until the current.

Right, I wouldn't technically list the shadowing I did during volunteering on my AMCAS since it's such a small thing, but there was often downtime/times when I wasn't allowed to do anything cause I was just a volunteer

I know it looks like that but thats so not the case. I stopped volunteering because I realized I needed to focus more on school. If I were to start back up this semester/summer and continue all the way through to applying next May 2016, would that help offset this false view?

You couldn't spare a few hours per week? I am not saying that it kills your application, but it certainly doesn't help to have volunteering that averages out to 38 minutes per week from freshman through junior year. That combined with the late application you might have from needing to retake the MCAT might cause you to need to reapply. In any event, whether or not you decide to put off applying, I would suggest getting back to volunteering. I also did not see any mention of non clinical volunteering. It wouldn't hurt to spend a few hours a week in a soup kitchen. IIRC, most applicants have non clinical volunteering on their application.

 

[V5RED]

I just noticed that you have yet to ask anyone for a LOR. Does your school have a pre health committee? If so, do they do a committee letter? If they do, you might be too late to secure that letter for this cycle since they would need your LORs already. At my UG you needed to have all your letters done by spring of Junior year so they had enough time to prepare your committee letter.

Even if your school lacks such a committee, you really need to ask for those letters soon. Asking for a LOR is not like getting an estimate on repairs. Professors have many demands on their time and often have many students asking for LORs. Getting yours written quickly is unlikely to rank highly on their priority lists. You might end up waiting months before the letter gets written, and asking the professor to rush the letter because you waited too long to ask for one is not a good way to get an impressive letter.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

I have not looked at the application in a while, but IIRC you include a start date and an end date. They will not see that it was inconsistent, but they will see that it stopped a long time ago. Even if he starts again now, he will not be able to list consistent volunteering over a long period in college unless he claims the volunteering was ran from freshman year until the current.

You couldn't spare a few hours per week? I am not saying that it kills your application, but it certainly doesn't help to have volunteering that averages out to 38 minutes per week from freshman through junior year. That combined with the late application you might have from needing to retake the MCAT might cause you to need to reapply. In any event, whether or not you decide to put off applying, I would suggest getting back to volunteering. I also did not see any mention of non clinical volunteering. It wouldn't hurt to spend a few hours a week in a soup kitchen. IIRC, most applicants have non clinical volunteering on their application.

So the volunteering was started the summer after my freshman year and my last hours were at the end of my junior fall semester of 2013. Throughout that time period, the volunteering was sporadic but still consistent, more or less. I would spend more time volunteering during my breaks and whatnot to catch up for occasional times where I got busy with exams. I understand your thought process, but my need to focus more on school caused me to shift towards academics/research/leadership which helped me a lot as well. Without which I would be a weaker applicant.

I will definitely get back to volunteering though and take your advice on that. I mean it's still a year away before I apply- would it really look like I'm just trying to get hours? It's not like I'm starting from 0 hours again, I'm simply restarting something that I've previously been a part of. Wouldn't that show commitment, if anything?

I just noticed that you have yet to ask anyone for a LOR. Does your school have a pre health committee? If so, do they do a committee letter? If they do, you might be too late to secure that letter for this cycle since they would need your LORs already. At my UG you needed to have all your letters done by spring of Junior year so they had enough time to prepare your committee letter.

Even if your school lacks such a committee, you really need to ask for those letters soon. Asking for a LOR is not like getting an estimate on repairs. Professors have many demands on their time and often have many students asking for LORs. Getting yours written quickly is unlikely to rank highly on their priority lists. You might end up waiting months before the letter gets written, and asking the professor to rush the letter because you waited too long to ask for one is not a good way to get an impressive letter.

Yes my school has a committee and actually, it is still quite early for them so technically LORs are possible to obtain. I know 5 individuals very well who would not mind writing me a letter of recommendation. The committee takes these and puts them into a cover letter. It is not late at all at my school for LORs.

My nonclinical volunteering would come from the volunteering I did in my pre health organization. However it probably amounts to 50 hours or less.

 

[V5RED]

So the volunteering was started the summer after my freshman year and my last hours were at the end of my junior fall semester of 2013. Throughout that time period, the volunteering was sporadic but still consistent, more or less. I would spend more time volunteering during my breaks and whatnot to catch up for occasional times where I got busy with exams. I understand your thought process, but my need to focus more on school caused me to shift towards academics/research/leadership which helped me a lot as well. Without which I would be a weaker applicant.

I will definitely get back to volunteering though and take your advice on that. I mean it's still a year away before I apply- would it really look like I'm just trying to get hours? It's not like I'm starting from 0 hours again, I'm simply restarting something that I've previously been a part of. Wouldn't that show commitment, if anything?


Yes my school has a committee and actually, it is still quite early for them so technically LORs are possible to obtain. I know 5 individuals very well who would not mind writing me a letter of recommendation. The committee takes these and puts them into a cover letter. It is not late at all at my school for LORs.

My nonclinical volunteering would come from the volunteering I did in my pre health organization. However it probably amounts to 50 hours or less.

A year away? So you have decided to sit this cycle out? In that case, you have a lot of time to add volunteering. I assume that waiting a cycle is why you said it is still early for your committee letter.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

A year away? So you have decided to sit this cycle out? In that case, you have a lot of time to add volunteering. I assume that waiting a cycle is why you said it is still early for your committee letter.

I'm definitely leaning towards it now see what you've posted about.

Even if I didn't wait, though, I would still not be late for the committee letter. They're actually pretty lenient on it and it's considered early for me right now even if I were to apply this May

 

[NeuResurgens]

Yes. This is exactly how I feel. I think you're right in the end. It just sucks kind of having to wait with the gap year since I don't really know what to do yet. Yes EMT is an option but by the time I start, I will have already applied and IDK how much I will be able to talk about it in interviews and my PS most likely won't have it either.

Here's the thing with that though - many schools have a question in the secondary regarding "what will you be doing in the next year" if you graduate the year you apply, so you could talk about anything you do for gap year in that section. Plus, by the time you interview, it'll probably be October or November, so you should have started those activities already by that time and would be able to talk about them in interviews.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Here's the thing with that though - many schools have a question in the secondary regarding "what will you be doing in the next year" if you graduate the year you apply, so you could talk about anything you do for gap year in that section. Plus, by the time you interview, it'll probably be October or November, so you should have started those activities already by that time and would be able to talk about them in interviews.

Ah, so you're saying that basically I can have something started and already going by the time I get called for an interview then?
I honestly still don't even know what I will be doing my gap year. EMT is an option but it's just something that came to me. I haven't given it much thought yet.

 

[NeuResurgens]

Ah, so you're saying that basically I can have something started and already going by the time I get called for an interview then?
I honestly still don't even know what I will be doing my gap year. EMT is an option but it's just something that came to me. I haven't given it much thought yet.

Yep, you can set it up before you graduate and talks bout it in you application so they can ask you about it during interviews.
You could volunteer at a long-term organization like AmeriCorps, you could do smaller community involvement, you could try and do CNA and get a job in a hospital, etc.