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There is no ideal applicant in the sense that there is not a one size fit all model that guarantees success to top medical schools. However if you want to give yourself the best chance then you need to pursue your passions throughout your time as a premed. Don't do this because you want to check a box but rather because you want to learn something. There isnt a magic number either. But for a general baseline:

Volunteering for top tier? (LizzyM who is an adcom of a top med school provided a brief overview of some general trends that you might find useful)
 
"how many hours?" is always, always, always the wrong question to be asking. You should have enough for it to be substantial and beyond that it depends on the activity, your role, how well it aligns with your goals, what you accomplished, and what you got out of it personally.

The ideal applicant is that applicant who has to compromise nothing as a pre-med in order to achieve their goals in the application cycle.
 
There is no ideal applicant as many schools have different missions - research intensive, primary care intensive, focused around underserved communities, etc.

You can always start by volunteering to the lesser needy and performing well academically.
 
Lucca said:
"how many hours?" is always, always, always the wrong question to be asking. You should have enough for it to be substantial and beyond that it depends on the activity, your role, how well it aligns with your goals, what you accomplished, and what you got out of it personally.

The ideal applicant is that applicant who has to compromise nothing as a pre-med in order to achieve their goals in the application cycle.
Click to expand...
:clap:
 
I believe that an ideal applicant should have all of the following qualities:

1. A 4.0GPA and a 528 MCAT.
2. Cured at least 3 different forms of pediatric cancer.
3. Volunteered in all of the countries in Africa and South America.
4. LORs from 4 Nobel laureates and Obama.
5. At least 1 Olympic gold medal.

Good Luck <3
 
Taylor Swift said:
I believe that an ideal applicant should have all of the following qualities:

1. A 4.0GPA and a 528 MCAT.
2. Cured at least 3 different forms of pediatric cancer.
3. Volunteered in all of the countries in Africa and South America.
4. LORs from 4 Nobel laureates and Obama.
5. At least 1 Olympic gold medal.

Good Luck <3
Click to expand...

Wow I really went wrong somewhere.....0/5
 
jt6234 said:
What does the ideal applicant really have? Obviously, the highest GPA and MCAT possible, but what else? How much research experience is considered exceptional? Number of hours of shadowing? Volunteering? What else? I'm starting college this fall and I want to do everything I can to get into the best medical school possible.
Click to expand...
Here's what the wise LizzyM has to say:
If you have more than 300 hours of non-clinical volunteering by the time you apply you will be in the top 25% of applicants with regard to community service (based on what I see). The tip top of the pyramid are those who do a full-time volunteerism during a gap year or two (Peace Corps, City Year, etc).

Clinical... top 25% of the pool have employment in a clinical setting: EMT, scribe, patient care technician (aide). The hours don't matter... it is going to be hundreds of hours if you even work full-time for a few weeks.

The proportion of top applicants who have a publication or a thesis is relatively low -- maybe <20% if you include undergrad thesis. Publications? Less than 5% have anything in a reputable peer reviewed journal.

Most applicants have neither a thesis or a publication after 2 years of lab work during undergrad.

To stand out in the top tier, seriously, you need to be in the top 2-5% in terms of MCAT and have an excellent GPA. Beyond that, if you have the minimum in all areas and stand out in one or two areas (research, clinical, service, leadership, life experience) you'll be fine.
 
Taylor Swift said:
I believe that an ideal applicant should have all of the following qualities:

1. A 4.0GPA and a 528 MCAT.
2. Cured at least 3 different forms of pediatric cancer.
3. Volunteered in all of the countries in Africa and South America.
4. LORs from 4 Nobel laureates and Obama.
5. At least 1 Olympic gold medal.

Good Luck <3
Click to expand...
Ewing's Sarcoma, Neuroblastoma, and Wilm's Tumors are my bitch. See you in a year when it's cured.
 
Lucca said:
"how many hours?" is always, always, always the wrong question to be asking. You should have enough for it to be substantial and beyond that it depends on the activity, your role, how well it aligns with your goals, what you accomplished, and what you got out of it personally.

The ideal applicant is that applicant who has to compromise nothing as a pre-med in order to achieve their goals in the application cycle.
Click to expand...

Should also be sufficient to talk about at interviews!
 
Taylor Swift said:
I believe that an ideal applicant should have all of the following qualities:

1. A 4.0GPA and a 528 MCAT.
2. Cured at least 3 different forms of pediatric cancer.
3. Volunteered in all of the countries in Africa and South America.
4. LORs from 4 Nobel laureates and Obama.
5. At least 1 Olympic gold medal.

Good Luck <3
Click to expand...

Don't forget directing a movie and running your own presidential campaign!!
 
altblue said:
None of that curling bs.
Click to expand...

Bro. If they're curling, where do I sign up!!

180213-russian-olympic-athlete-instagram-feature.jpg


Russian-Curler.jpg
 
Taylor Swift said:
I believe that an ideal applicant should have all of the following qualities:

1. A 4.0GPA and a 528 MCAT.
2. Cured at least 3 different forms of pediatric cancer.
3. Volunteered in all of the countries in Africa and South America.
4. LORs from 4 Nobel laureates and Obama.
5. At least 1 Olympic gold medal.

Good Luck <3
Click to expand...
I'll take my 2 cures for cancer and kick rocks 🙁

*bulk ordering sunscreen, Caribbean here I come*
 
Excellent academics and test scores - plus sincerely interested, intrinsically motivated longitudinal service and leadership activities that you did because you actually loved to, enough clinical exposure to make a compelling case that you really know what you are getting into and still really want to do it, and really ideally productive research as well. Interesting high-mastery extracurricular pursuits (arts, athletics, such as that). And a pleasant, likable personality with excellent character and morals, having formed relationships that lead to sincerely glowing recommendations. I think if you got all that down you should be a lock for a top medical school even without having eradicated HIV or adopted 12 orphans or cured cancer while in space. If you’ve got the academics and scores and clinical exposure and ~70% of the rest, you’re going to some medical school which is also fine and great.
 
DV-T said:
Bro. If they're curling, where do I sign up!!

180213-russian-olympic-athlete-instagram-feature.jpg


Russian-Curler.jpg
Click to expand...

Top one looks like the girl that killed herself in 13RW? Is it just me? I did just binged the first season in 3 days because I make terrible decisions and have continuous lapses in good judgement.
 
jt6234 said:
What does the ideal applicant really have? Obviously, the highest GPA and MCAT possible, but what else? How much research experience is considered exceptional? Number of hours of shadowing? Volunteering? What else? I'm starting college this fall and I want to do everything I can to get into the best medical school possible.
Click to expand...

I think a lot of applicants think of the application very quantitatively (makes sense, since AMCAS asks for hours and dates), but adcoms are much more interested in the quality of your experiences and they can tell when you're just trying to check off the typical premed boxes. Generally speaking, a few hundred hours of volunteering, few hundo of research, and like 50 or so of shadowing are pretty average to get in... international volunteering and community service is also nice. Joining orgs shows leadership, but you shouldn't just join and then not really participate, find one or two you like, and strive to take on leadership roles in them... Check off these boxes, and you will get into a decent school... what sets apart the people who get into great schools is the quality of these experiences... just because every other premed is volunteering at xyz and working in abc lab, doesn't mean you should follow the herd. Try to find some unorthodox experiences that show who you are as an applicant and that can help you craft a unique story... international volunteering is a cool way of doing this, as would starting an org on campus to aid an underserved group in your area... just try to pick unique stuff that will help you stand out
 
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