Advice desperately needed

[nicarao]

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I am a nontraditional student (in my 30s) and a senior at my local university. My gpa is 3.40 overall and still got 3 quarters to build on. Planning on studying MCAT the entire summer, and squeeze some time in fall and winter quarters to prepare for april. I do not have research, nor clinical experience. I am not really interested in doing research. My questions are do I need to have research experience? Second, if I start clinical ASAP would I have build enough clinical experience to be considered a serious applicant to apply for 2012 application for class 2013. Let me thank all of you, and good luck in your academic and professional endevours.

 

[Helen Wheels]

1) No, you don't need research experience. Lots of people aren't interested in research and get accepted without any. If you are aiming at a Top 20 MD school, though, you should get some research experience. Those schools are very research oriented and expect to see some research.

2) A little confused by the years mentioned in your post. Do you mean applying this year to start school in 2012? I don't think you are in a good position to apply to start in 2012. For one thing, you say you will "study all summer" for the MCAT. So you are planning on taking in August or September 2011? If so, your apps won't be complete at schools until your score is sent in August or October and your apps will be "late," putting you at a great disadvantage. This is such a competitive process early is really, really key. You want to be one of the first applicants to submit in June and finish secondaries ASAP when you start receiving them. Also, with absolutely no clinical experience right now you would only have a few months of experience to show on this year's app. IMHO, adcoms are just going to think this doesn't show enough long term commitment. I think you are much better off waiting another year, making sure your MCAT is solid and getting some shadowing and volunteer work under your belt and applying to start in 2013. If this is what you meant, yes, I think with some solid clinical exposure hours over the next year you could be competitive. Of course, this is assuming good grades and a solid MCAT score.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

My questions are do I need to have research experience?

Technically, no. You can be successful without research experience...at schools that aren't research-heavy. You won't get into Stanford without research, so it depends on if you want to go to Stanford or not. That said, every year the applicant pool gets more competitive, so if it's something you can fit into your schedule, it can help. But no, you don't have to do research to get acceptances if you apply broadly.

Second, if I start clinical ASAP would I have build enough clinical experience to be considered a serious applicant to apply for 2012 application for class 2013.

Yes, you would have plenty of time to build up what the conventional wisdom around here says is the requisite amount of clinical experience, i.e. a couple of hundred hours of clinical volunteering and shadowing (with a couple of different specialties) over that 1.5 years. If you spend 4-8 hours a week from now until June 2012 when you submit your AMCAS primary, you'll be golden.

 

[nicarao]

Thanks guys for spending time of your busy schedule to answer my questions. Let me ask just a few more questions. So if I do clinical now up until June 2012, It would be ok to apply for 2012. Where do I begin? Should I ask my academic counselor for clinical? When is the latest I can take MCAT to be considered early applicant? How much O-chem is there in MCAT? The reason why I ask is because its been about 5 years since I have taken O-chem and may have forgotten much of the material. Once again thanks guys for posting and God bless.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

So if I do clinical now up until June 2012, It would be ok to apply for 2012. Where do I begin? Should I ask my academic counselor for clinical? When is the latest I can take MCAT to be considered early applicant? How much O-chem is there in MCAT? The reason why I ask is because its been about 5 years since I have taken O-chem and may have forgotten much of the material. Once again thanks guys for posting and God bless.

For clinical, you need to talk to your premed advisor or premed "club" and see where they are involved. Or just talk to your local hospital volunteer office and see what they say. Varies by location. You need to take the MCAT in April to get your scores before June 1st (10th on new AMCAS?) to be able to submit on June 1, 2012 (or whenever the first day to submit is then.) There is enough ochem on the MCAT that you need to know ochem to succeed. Take that for what you will. The MCAT forum will be your friend here. Practice AAMC FL exams will tell you whether you know ochem well enough. You can relearn the material if you've been away from it that long (5 years), but that is dependent on you putting in the work. It depends on you if it's possible. Again, the AAMC FL practice exams and the MCAT forum here are your friends.