Amateur that would like questions answered

[futurenjdoc]

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Hey, I'm not nearly as experienced as most people on these forums. But I would like some questions answered, as my father (who is a D.O.) and my adviser could not answer them.

I am a freshman at college. I got screwed over for my second semester classes and couldn't take the second half of my general chemistry class. I want to take it in the Summer. So my question is:

1.Do medical schools look down upon taking classes in the Summer than during the academic school year since the class is extremely condensed and easier?

My other questions:

1. How much of an advantage is it to have family in the medical field? (both my father and grandfather are well known doctors in my area)
2. How many hours of volunteering is considered "optimal"?

Thank you.

 

[gatewasani]

Hey, I'm not nearly as experienced as most people on these forums. But I would like some questions answered, as my father (who is a D.O.) and my adviser could not answer them.

I am a freshman at college. I got screwed over for my second semester classes and couldn't take the second half of my general chemistry class. I want to take it in the Summer. So my question is:

1.Do medical schools look down upon taking classes in the Summer than during the academic school year since the class is extremely condensed and easier?

My other questions:

1. How much of an advantage is it to have family in the medical field? (both my father and grandfather are well known doctors in my area)
2. How many hours of volunteering is considered "optimal"?

Thank you.

1) Shouldn't be an issue taking classes in the summer. If it's from the same university than it is pretty much exactly the same as taking it during the year.

I would say its decently advantageous to have doctors in your family, it's nothing thats gonna get u into med school but since your dad is a DO, it will be easier to explain to schools why you want to be a DO and will come in handy during interviews and essays and such. The most advantageous thing is that they can probably help you out in securing shadowing/volunteering/research etc...

I would say at least 200 hours of shadowing and volunteer work. More important, perhaps is research. Either way just pace yourself try to do like 4 hours a week of something, more in the summer. If you can find something that pays, that might be even better.

 

[futurenjdoc]

1)

I would say at least 200 hours of shadowing and volunteer work. More important, perhaps is research. Either way just pace yourself try to do like 4 hours a week of something, more in the summer. If you can find something that pays, that might be even better.

Thanks for your response. By 200 hours do you mean all of those things combined? Again, thanks a lot for responding and I will gladly heed your advice.

 

[MSmentor018]

Hey, I'm not nearly as experienced as most people on these forums. But I would like some questions answered, as my father (who is a D.O.) and my adviser could not answer them.

I am a freshman at college. I got screwed over for my second semester classes and couldn't take the second half of my general chemistry class. I want to take it in the Summer. So my question is:

1.Do medical schools look down upon taking classes in the Summer than during the academic school year since the class is extremely condensed and easier?

My other questions:

1. How much of an advantage is it to have family in the medical field? (both my father and grandfather are well known doctors in my area)
2. How many hours of volunteering is considered "optimal"?

Thank you.

advisors......don't even bother with them. do a search on here and you'll hear all kind of horror stories about trusting your career to these jackasses. to answer your q's:
1. no, I took summer courses every year so don't sweat it

1. it's always an adv. esp if they're well known in the DO world. it's not going to guarantee anything but it can't hurt. I beleive there is a check box for that on the app
2. until you feel you're out of spare time and/or you got the LOR you need

as long as you have a good gpa/mcat score, well rounded on your app, write a good PS, you will have no problems getting in. good luck!

 

[futurenjdoc]

advisors......don't even bother with them. do a search on here and you'll hear all kind of horror stories about trusting your career to these jackasses. to answer your q's:
1. no, I took summer courses every year so don't sweat it

1. it's always an adv. esp if they're well known in the DO world. it's not going to guarantee anything but it can't hurt. I beleive there is a check box for that on the app
2. until you feel you're out of spare time and/or you got the LOR you need

as long as you have a good gpa/mcat score, well rounded on your app, write a good PS, you will have no problems getting in. good luck!

Thank you so much. Very useful information.

 

[175961]

advisors......don't even bother with them. do a search on here and you'll hear all kind of horror stories about trusting your career to these jackasses.

that made me chuckle. I dont know how many times I went in to talk with the premed advisor on campus and she would try to look up stuff on the AACOMAS and/or MCAT website and I would have to tell her how to navigate them, I almost always knew more than she did simply because I spent time researching. yeah, they are useless but they do try

 

[gatewasani]

Honestly, I would give anything to be in your position right now. Just make sure your GPA is high, especially in the pre-med classes. Make the sacrifices and keep your grades up. Plan to take the MCAT in the summer after your sophmore year or sometime during your junior year.

Planning this far ahead, your in good shape. Good luck

 

[Master Deep]

Having family in the medical field will help a lot more in the future I think once your in med school. May make it easier to setup rotations at some hospitals if you know people.

Plus your dad can easily set you up to shadow other doctors he knows and they will give you good LOR's.

If I could go back and start college over, I would definitely focus on knocking out my classes with minimal C's and no W. In retrospect I feel like I never studied for classes except the day before the exam. Which didn't help at all.

 

[MSmentor018]

that made me chuckle. I dont know how many times I went in to talk with the premed advisor on campus and she would try to look up stuff on the AACOMAS and/or MCAT website and I would have to tell her how to navigate them, I almost always knew more than she did simply because I spent time researching. yeah, they are useless but they do try

I am actually relieved to hear they told you to look it up yourself instead of giving you bad advice like "you'll never get in" "I don't believe you'll be a good fit" "always use a pre emd advisor" "let the committee write the letters for you". I've read tons of posts on here (and I've heard them) about that. god forbid if you're a non trad and approach one of these dingle-berries. I wrote this on another post
advisor: someone that gets degree, to tell someone how to get a degree, in a field that they don't have a degree in.......total d!@kheads! stick with asking people that know, have been there, and positive. good luck!

 

[futurenjdoc]

Thanks so much for the responses. And I'll be sure to never go to my pre-med advisor ever again

 

[Tekar]

advisors......don't even bother with them. do a search on here and you'll hear all kind of horror stories about trusting your career to these jackasses. to answer your q's:

Couldn't possibly agree more! Why on earth would you ask questions and trust someone in their advice on how to get into medical school when they have never tried, nor do they want to? Guidance counselors are the biggest waste of money we have in our entire education system, from middle school to colleges. Read the catalogue and ask those who have done it what they did.

 

[175961]

I am actually relieved to hear they told you to look it up yourself instead of giving you bad advice like "you'll never get in" "I don't believe you'll be a good fit" "always use a pre emd advisor" "let the committee write the letters for you". I've read tons of posts on here (and I've heard them) about that. god forbid if you're a non trad and approach one of these dingle-berries. I wrote this on another post
advisor: someone that gets degree, to tell someone how to get a degree, in a field that they don't have a degree in.......total d!@kheads! stick with asking people that know, have been there, and positive. good luck!

oh no, they didnt even do that. they would try to give me answers that i knew were incorrect. i just nodded my head and agreed and walked out of there asking myself, "why did i just waste those minutes of my life?" then i would go and do my own research for other questions i had

 

[Melicopter]

No need to go too far overboard... some advisors are useful (but not most). Just remember that you need to meet with them enough so they know who you are and are properly impressed, because they will often be writing your committee letter.

Summer classes, unless you do something like take a different class or go to a community college, are harder. Think about it - same amount of material, less time. I did some summer courses. In the physics class we didn't have time to do the insane homework that we did in the school year (I did half in the summer and half the next spring), but I would not say that it was easier. Less busywork, more brainwork.

 

[MSmentor018]

oh no, they didnt even do that. they would try to give me answers that i knew were incorrect. i just nodded my head and agreed and walked out of there asking myself, "why did i just waste those minutes of my life?" then i would go and do my own research for other questions i had

and I tried to give them credit.....