A Different MD Journey: What More Do I Need?

[AveragePerson.Psych]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi everyone. I'm new to the community and it's nice to "meet" you all.

Currently I am in a MS Clinical Psychology program. I had a 3.66 cGPA (undergrad) and I am unsure of my sGPA. I graduated with honors (as in for an undergraduate thesis) and I was a global scholar (for global knowledge and traveling). I won't start my medical applications until next summer. Since the process takes a year, I plan on getting a second bachelors in biological sciences so I can finish prerequisites along with boosting my sGPA. I can finish in about a year because of the past science courses I have taken.

I'll have 630 clinical hours (from my MS program because I practice under a licensed psychologist to give therapy to students and people of the community as a course; I write reports, give therapy, and perform assessments on people). I have research experience, BUT none of it is medical and it relates to psychology and various areas of diversity and inclusion. I have gained some certification for certain assessments (e.g., MoCA). Lastly, for my clinic course that I am taking, we go to a nursing home and give therapy to the residents, can I count that as volunteer hours as well as clinical?

What more can I do to better my chances of getting into medical school?

Thank you for your advice and help.

 

[clozareal]

Lastly, for my clinic course that I am taking, we go to a nursing home and give therapy to the residents, can I count that as volunteer hours as well as clinical?

Yes. You can count that as volunteer hours if you aren't getting paid for it

What more can I do to better my chances of getting into medical school?

Do well on the MCAT. Take practice tests and questions, take a course if you have issues identifying your weaknesses and areas you need to focus on or being internally motivated.

 

[Round786]

Yes. You can count that as volunteer hours if you aren't getting paid for it

I disagree. It’s apart of their course/master degree. It’s an experience, but not volunteering.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the community and it's nice to "meet" you all.

Currently I am in a MS Clinical Psychology program. I had a 3.66 cGPA (undergrad) and I am unsure of my sGPA. I graduated with honors (as in for an undergraduate thesis) and I was a global scholar (for global knowledge and traveling). I won't start my medical applications until next summer. Since the process takes a year, I plan on getting a second bachelors in biological sciences so I can finish prerequisites along with boosting my sGPA. I can finish in about a year because of the past science courses I have taken.

I'll have 630 clinical hours (from my MS program because I practice under a licensed psychologist to give therapy to students and people of the community as a course; I write reports, give therapy, and perform assessments on people). I have research experience, BUT none of it is medical and it relates to psychology and various areas of diversity and inclusion. I have gained some certification for certain assessments (e.g., MoCA). Lastly, for my clinic course that I am taking, we go to a nursing home and give therapy to the residents, can I count that as volunteer hours as well as clinical?

What more can I do to better my chances of getting into medical school?

Thank you for your advice and help.

I agree with the user who said this isn't volunteer--it's part of your coursework. It's not volunteering your time when it is a requirement.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm ALSO not convinced that your coursework where you give therapy to students and people of the community really counts as clinical experience when applying to medical school. While it is an important part of providing comprehensive mental health care, you're not in a medical environment, and I'm not certain that students and people of the community count as patients. I'm not sure you're really learning what it means to be a physician in this environment. If this is your ONLY clinical experience, I'm not sure this is really going to fly. I strongly recommend getting additional more "traditional" clinical experience during your post-bacc year.

 

[LizzyM]

I agree that it might be wise to get some experience with people being treated for physical injuries or ailments or even wellness visits performed by a physician (e.g. routine visits of babies and children in an outpatient setting).

Your big task will be to answer "why medicine" and "why not stick with clinical psychology?" The fact that you don't like clinical psychology (if you did, you'd stick with it) and you are jumping to medicine without having had considerable exposure to the clinical settings where physicians spend their time (inpatient care, emergency services, outpatient/ambulatory care) makes you a poor candidate, at this point, for med school admission.

 

[AveragePerson.Psych]

I agree that it might be wise to get some experience with people being treated for physical injuries or ailments or even wellness visits performed by a physician (e.g. routine visits of babies and children in an outpatient setting).

Your big task will be to answer "why medicine" and "why not stick with clinical psychology?" The fact that you don't like clinical psychology (if you did, you'd stick with it) and you are jumping to medicine without having had considerable exposure to the clinical settings where physicians spend their time (inpatient care, emergency services, outpatient/ambulatory care) makes you a poor candidate, at this point, for med school admission.

I do like Clinical Psychology, but I graduated a 1.5 years ahead so I decided to get my MS in clinical psychology rather than just taking time off from school and I'm working towards building up my resume. Medicine has been my dream since I was in the 3rd grade.

I did expect someone to say I would need medical experiences. It's very hard to get in the college town that I am in because it is quite small. I will definitely keep trying on my end and hopefully something comes up.

Thank you for your advice.

 

[LizzyM]

Plan on two gap years after finishing your degrees. Get out of your college town and go to a big city (or even a medium size city.) During the first, bolster your patient facing clinical experiences with medical/surgical patients and then have the year during which you apply (and continue with activities that will bolster your application if you should need to reapply).

Applying with too little clinical exposure is a common mistake and this process is too costly both financially and emotionally to do it twice if you can avoid doing so.

 

[candbgirl]

Do you have any physician shadowing? How about nonclinical volunteering focusing on the unserved/underserved in your community. Spend some time reading the WAMC threads and see what other applicants have been doing to build competitive applications.

 

[GoSpursGo]

I do like Clinical Psychology, but I graduated a 1.5 years ahead so I decided to get my MS in clinical psychology rather than just taking time off from school and I'm working towards building up my resume. Medicine has been my dream since I was in the 3rd grade.

I did expect someone to say I would need medical experiences. It's very hard to get in the college town that I am in because it is quite small. I will definitely keep trying on my end and hopefully something comes up.

Thank you for your advice.

I agree with above, if there are no options in your college town then move. But I have a hard time believing there are literally no options—the premeds at your college must have ways to get experience, right?

 

[AveragePerson.Psych]

I agree with above, if there are no options in your college town then move. But I have a hard time believing there are literally no options—the premeds at your college must have ways to get experience, right?

I had a professor who has a cancer research lab, but he isn't taking anymore students so I went ahead and continued with psychological research. The max the town gets is about 13,000 or so when College is in session, but it's mainly the student population. It's that small of a town to where people leave every weekend to find something to do.

I'm usually busy during school because of being a student-athlete along with research. I do volunteer around the community when I have time. Shadowing is the hard part.

I will definitely see if I can find a community on campus for premeds. I'm better connected with the psychology field than the medical one; hopefully that changes one day.

Thank you!

 

[AveragePerson.Psych]

Do you have any physician shadowing? How about nonclinical volunteering focusing on the unserved/underserved in your community. Spend some time reading the WAMC threads and see what other applicants have been doing to build competitive applications.

Unfortunately I don't have any physician shadowing yet. I am FAR behind on that. Hours for volunteering around the community is something that I do have.

I will check that thread out, thank you!

 

[candbgirl]

Unfortunately I don't have any physician shadowing yet. I am FAR behind on that. Hours for volunteering around the community is something that I do have.

I will check that thread out, thank you!

You only need 50 hours of shadowing. Make sure you have some with a primary care doc. Nothing you listed or shared would be considered nonclinical volunteering helping the unserved/underserved. At least not that I can see.

 

[Goro]

You're in a marathon, OP, not a sprint. It will take you a few years to move and then build an app

 

[AveragePerson.Psych]

Thank you all for your advice; I will definitely be using it because I need it!

 

[clozareal]

Whoops I didn't read that it's part of your coursework. You would not be able to count it as volunteer hours but you can count it as clinical hours. Volunteer is done outside of work & school.