Am I doing this right? Insight needed please.

[jgad1]

Hello SDN. I am a pre-med biology major at the University of Central Arkansas. I am going into my second year of pre-med and would just like to run some stuff by all of you. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.


1. I had a lot of dual credit in high school, so I decided to take a semester to acquire various certifications that would allow me to work in a clinical setting. During one semester I received a CNA, Patient Care Technician, EKG Technician, and Phlebotomy Technician certifications. I have used these certifications to work in a hospital emergency room, where I have gained 500+ clinical experience hours. Even if I do not get into medical school, I still value this experience greatly. It has really shaped me. However, I was wondering if these certifications and experience with these certifications would help set me apart from other applicants in any way?


2. I took a lot of dual credit in high school, and to make a long story short, I was under my impression that my dual credit GPA would just go away once I graduated. I now know this is not the case, but it hurt my GPA a bit. I expect to graduate with a GPA in the 3.45-3.65 area. Will this be a major issue?


3. I plan to get my Masters of Public Health (MPH) before attending medical school. I see it as my way of understanding as much of the health care system as I can. I have worked at the bottom of the clinical staff, and getting this MPH will allow me to gain another look at the system from a different perspective. I think that for me to do the most good that I can as a physician one day, a very adept understanding of the system as a whole will certainly help. Is this reasoning flawed? Is getting the MPH a waste of time? Does an MPH look good on a medical school application?


4. I am coming from a very mediocre school. I grew up in a town that has less that 2,000 people in it, and then I am going to a possibly subpar university for my undergraduate. Will this be thought of negatively on a medical school application.


5. I have yet to take the MCAT, and I do understand that that will be a big deciding factor in my future, and I do plan on doing some research in the near future. However, for right now I have put together a list of schools I plan on applying to. Could someone tell me if it is reasonable or not? I know that is difficult without an MCAT score, but just in concept. Here is my list in no particular order:


Tulane

Drexel

Tufts

New York Medical College

Dartmouth

Rutgers

University of Arizona

UT HSC San Antonio

USC Keck


I have also picked out several DO schools I will apply to as well. Some of the schools on my list are more hopeful and less probable than others, but is overall reasonable? Also, I am a Texas resident.


I thank anyone who responds and provides insight for their time.

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[trobinsonmd]

1) Those certifications alone do not set you apart from applicants, I have seen many people with those certifications. It's about what you do with the certifications that can set you apart... these experiences are good fodder for secondaries and maybe your PS.

2) That GPA is not a major issue. Obviously try to stay on the higher end of that range.

3) Only get an MPH if you really care to learn about what they are teaching, do not get it because you think it will look good on a medical school application. I think it looks okay, but it really depends on the whole application. If someone has a 3.3 and an MPH and someone has a 3.7 with no MPH, the 3.7 is going to get in assuming everything else is constant. I personally do not think the one year investment is worth while and it may or may not lead you to becoming a better physician. Many of my colleagues would strongly disagree, the MPH is becoming more and more popular.

4) Well, it definitely will not be seen positively. There's nothing you can really do about this. Just focus on getting good grades and a strong MCAT, and try do some research if you can. I guess one nice thing about a small school is that there may be less pre-meds gunning for research positions. Not sure if that holds true at your school.

5) You are right, it is hard to put together a list without an MCAT score and this is premature. However, the list is definitely on the shorter end for someone in your GPA range. You will need to apply more broadly and apply to more Texas schools since you are a resident.

 

[jgad1]

1) Those certifications alone do not set you apart from applicants, I have seen many people with those certifications. It's about what you do with the certifications that can set you apart... these experiences are good fodder for secondaries and maybe your PS.

2) That GPA is not a major issue. Obviously try to stay on the higher end of that range.

3) Only get an MPH if you really care to learn about what they are teaching, do not get it because you think it will look good on a medical school application. I think it looks okay, but it really depends on the whole application. If someone has a 3.3 and an MPH and someone has a 3.7 with no MPH, the 3.7 is going to get in assuming everything else is constant. I personally do not think the one year investment is worth while and it may or may not lead you to becoming a better physician. Many of my colleagues would strongly disagree, the MPH is becoming more and more popular.

4) Well, it definitely will not be seen positively. There's nothing you can really do about this. Just focus on getting good grades and a strong MCAT, and try do some research if you can. I guess one nice thing about a small school is that there may be less pre-meds gunning for research positions. Not sure if that holds true at your school.

5) You are right, it is hard to put together a list without an MCAT score and this is premature. However, the list is definitely on the shorter end for someone in your GPA range. You will need to apply more broadly and apply to more Texas schools since you are a resident.

Thank you for your input! I do genuinely value what I will be learning while getting my MPH, but if it isn't the best idea, I might not. I don't really know yet. Either way, thank you.