4.0 GPA, No MCAT, Average ECs, No research till this summer

[dreamer67]

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[dreamer67]

Also, is there anything I can do to improve my app for this application cycle?

 

[dreamer67]

Alright, thanks for the advice. I don't have any in-state schools, so there are no schools I can apply to that will give me in-state tuition.

 

[TheGloaming]

Alright, thanks for the advice. I don't have any in-state schools, so there are no schools I can apply to that will give me in-state tuition.

Of course the next question would be- What state are you from?
Some states that don't have a med school, for example Montana and Wyoming, are considered in state for some of the surrounding states that do have med schools (ex. Colorado). So you should check to see if you are one of the states in the WICHE program.

 

[dreamer67]

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Of course the next question would be- What state are you from?
Some states that don't have a med school, for example Montana and Wyoming, are considered in state for some of the surrounding states that do have med schools (ex. Colorado). So you should check to see if you are one of the states in the WICHE program.

 

[Catalystik]

With apologies for being a Debby Downer, I am compelled to point out that applying with only 5-6 months + 3 weeks of clinical experience and 5-6 months of teaching, no formal US shadowing (mentioned) and no research makes it look like medicine is a last minute career consideration, which probably won't go over well with adcomms no matter how high your MCAT score may be. On the plus side, you have a decent amount of nonmedical community service, good hobbies, and some leadership for 4 months. Wouldn't you rather wait a year and have a really solid application?

 

[dreamer67]

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[Catalystik]

1) Wouldn't the externships count as clinical and shadowing? I shadow doctors and get other clinical experience, like taking patient's vitals, assisting the doctor during surgery, etc.

2) Also, I have clinical experience at a nursing home that I did in HS up through summer before college. I am not including it in my activities section, since I didn't do it in college, but it is something I discuss in my personal statement as a reason for wanting to go into medicine.

1) If the experience included a passive observership of physicians interactivng with sick people, then that is shadowing. You'd probably want to split it out and list it separately. Hopefully, this includes time in a clinic setting, not just a hospital?

2) Since this experience continued into the months right before college, it is considered to "have continued into the college years" and can be listed in the Experiences section. But it's also fine to leave it in the PS.

 

[dreamer67]

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1) If the experience included a passive observership of physicians interactivng with sick people, then that is shadowing. You'd probably want to split it out and list it separately. Hopefully, this includes time in a clinic setting, not just a hospital?

2) Since this experience continued into the months right before college, it is considered to "have continued into the college years" and can be listed in the Experiences section. But it's also fine to leave it in the PS.

 

[Catalystik]

1) Yes, I do some passive observing, but I also work directly with patients and the doctors. I'm not sure how to split it up, because it is all part of my externship, but I will include a description of my experience.

2) The ER externship takes place at a free standing emergency room (treatment center), not at a hospital. The orthopaedic externship takes place at the same treatment center.

3) And, I don't have contact with anyone at the nursing home anymore, so I don't know who I would put as a contact. Would it be okay to just discuss it in the PS, but not include it in the activities section?

1) Maybe you could include an estimate of the % time that is clinical experience and a % time that is passive shadowing? You could name the activity something like "Externship with Shadowing", to be sure that the shadowing is noticed.

2) Since the two externships are in the same facility you might put them in the same space.

3) It'f fine to leave it in the PS alone.

 

[dreamer67]

Thank you so much! Any critique on my list of schools so far, or any schools that I should add/remove? I know I don't have an MCAT score yet, but since I am taking it in June, I would like to come up with a preliminary list of schools, and then all I would have to do is adjust based on my scores.

1) Maybe you could include an estimate of the % time that is clinical experience and a % time that is passive shadowing? You could name the activity something like "Externship with Shadowing", to be sure that the shadowing is noticed.

2) Since the two externships are in the same facility you might put them in the same space.

3) It'f fine to leave it in the PS alone.

 

[Catalystik]

Without substantive research, do you really want to include a top twenty research institution like Cornell?

 

[dreamer67]

Consider Cornell removed from the list. I still feel that I don't have enough schools, and may be a little top and OOS heavy. Any other recommendations?