MD 3.8 GPA and 41 MCAT, but I don't feel like I have enough ECs

[Shawn3090]

So my stats are great and I plan to have 3-4 good LORs, but after browsing around here it looks like I have terrible ECs. Here's what I can account for off the top of my head:

Volunteering:

• Religious organization that helps the poor: 120 hours over 2 summers (non-clinical)
• Local food pantry/soup kitchen: 20 hours, ongoing and planning for 35 more hours (non-clinical)
• Local hospital: 45 hours, ongoing and planning for at least 60-100 more hours

Shadowing:

• ED physician: 6 hours
• General surgeon: 5 hours
• Nephrologist: 12 hours
• Trauma surgeon: 4 hours

Research:

• 240 hours of sports medicine/rehab research at school's athletic department, planning for 120 more hours before graduation, no publications

I'm not really sure what else I can include for ECs, and I am worried about my chances for this year. While I would be happy with an acceptance anywhere, I would really like to go to U of WI. My friends and family assure me that my MCAT will carry me through the application process, but I am becoming increasingly nervous after browsing these forums.

Note: I am an Asian, which also lowers my chances of acceptance

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[Lawpy]

You have good stats, but your research is on the low side for top schools. Your clinical exposure needs to be improved but you're good to go. Anything unique about you?

 

[Komorebi2]

As you might already know, students with your stats have been accepted about 95% of the time (https://www.aamc.org/download/321516/data/factstable25-3.pdf). Those stats have got to turn a few heads! Nicely done But you might benefit from taking another year before applying to gain some experiences outside the classroom/library because your ECs are not doing you any justice. (Assuming you are a junior) you've had at least 10 months of free time over your past few years in college (between summers and working 5 hours a week during school, conservatively). However, you've only worked or volunteered for a total of 4 months. There are so many smart students with similar numbers who worked for 10 or 20 hours a week during school and did tons of fun interesting things over the summer. While you are clearly super smart, consider the fact that doctors can't just be smart. If they could, computers would have taken over the profession years ago. Maybe think about how you would tell a patient he is dying or talk a 14 yo girl who wants to start having sex and needs birth control. What about your experiences have equipped you with the social tools needed to deal with these situations? How can you show this to the AdComs. Do you think you can do that with the few ECs you have here? Or better yet, do you think you have these tools at all? Just for yourself, you have to make sure you are the type of person who wants to serve others every single day. If not, another profession may be better suited for you.

 

[LizzyM]

Some school that want to boost their numbers really won't care. If you just want to get in "somewhere" and don't really care about top 10 or whatever, you shoudl be fine. Also just off the top of your head is fine but dig a little deeper for other activities. Anything fun? Any campus groups (performing arts, studio arts, sports, politics/advocacy, competitions)? Any tutoring? Other work-study? Jobs during the school year or summers? You can list things that aren't medically related and those sometimes show that you are "well rounded".

I do believe you have at least a 85% chance of getting in at one school (or more). Come back this time next year, bump this thread, and let us know how you did.

 

[625233]

Poster boy stats