Advice/ Chances?

[TheFictionalDoc]

Hi, I’m a long time viewer, first time poster. So I just wanted your people’s opinion on what I should do. I go to University of Missouri-Columbia. I’m coming to my 4th year, with a degree in Biochemistry. I only have a 3.5, have a very poor first semester. I’ve only done 20 hours of shadowing with one doctor but I’m about to shadow a neurosurgeon. I worked for the past year at our schools learning center as a tutor for chemistry 1-3, organic 1-2, and biochemistry 1-2. Also last year I volunteer at a stem cell research. I just started to work at a hospital this week in house keeping. I token the MCAT once already and didn’t get even close to what my average practice score was, 35, and on the real thing I got a 20Q with 9 PS, 6VR, 5BS. I’m pretty sure it was extreme nervous but I’m preparing to take it again on July 2nd. I’m also hoping to go on a mission with my hospital to South America sometime in August. So I’m wondering what are my chances of getting in a school like Missouri-Columbia or Saint Louis University or is there other schools I should look towards with just a low GPA, of course I’m expecting for the MCAT to go up.

Also I still haven’t done the AMCAS Primary application yet, should I wait until I do my second MCAT or should I just do the application now?

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[causalinference]

You should start filling out your AMCAS now. Send in all your transcripts and letters of recommendation as soon as possible. You want everything to be done in advance in order to facilitate the early completion of your application. With only a little bit of shadowing and volunteering, your clinical exposure seems to be below average, but at least you have something. Anything you do in August will be mostly irrelevant if you submit your application soon because you can't put stuff on your AMCAS that you haven't done yet. You could include details about your trip in an "update letter," but some schools might ignore your letter. Right now your main focus should be studying hard for the MCAT. You need to do at least 10 points better, which is a huge task. It would be better if you improved by 12+ points, and that is almost unheard of. If you can only get it up to a 26-29, think about applying to DO schools.

 

[Stratego]

I don't think you are ready to apply this season. You have some shadowing, but otherwise mention no clinical experience or community service, both of which are essential components of a good application. One overseas trip will not make you competitive in this area. You are very strong in teaching and have some research, but I see no leadership experience. Waiting an extra year will get your GPA up into a more competitive range if you can get straight As, and will give you plenty of time to restudy for the MCAT. If you rush into a retake and blow it again, you'd have wasted your application dollars. If you get your results back in early August and submit after the mission trip, it will take weeks to get your transcripts verified, putting you at a disadvantage with a later application. This is not a race. Do not rush into an application season when you do not have an optimal application. You have a lot of work to do before your get there. Even if you continue to acquire clinical experience with your hospital job, you need some form of weekly volunteerism for the next year.

 

[Mobius1985]

I'd agree that it seems premature for you to be applying for this cycle. Get all your ducks in a row first. I'm not sure that a job in hospital housekeeping would be considered clinical experience, unless you have regular interaction with patients, though it will be great for getting you used to a hospital environment. Try to set up some type of regular, 3-4 hours per week clinical volunteerism, that will count as community service and clinical experience, elsewhere in the hospital, or in a clinic or nursing home. Your mission trip will look great on your application, but as a supplement to the general expectations, not as a substitute.