AMCAS, MCAT, and Summer School

[cubaville]

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Hola everyone. My name is Alex, and I'm a student over at the University of Georgia. This was supposed to be my senior year, but I guess I'm what you might call a nontraditional student. I initially was interested in going to law school, but last summer quickly changed things. I had the privilege of working at a local area hospital as a patient transport for the radiology and interventional radiology departments. I absolutely loved it to say the least. So much in fact that I am now compelled to go into the medical field. This past fall semester was supposed to mark the beginning of all those fun classes (i.e. chemistry, physics, etc.), but I withdrew to do relief work for Hurricane Katrina in Biloxi, MS. And for this current term, I'm just finishing up some prerequisites while also taking a genetics course. Next year will be THE year for me to make a huge impression on medical schools course-wise. Here's what next Fall, Spring, and Summer will look like:

Fall
Physics I
Physics I Lab
Chemistry I
Chemistry I Lab
Biology II
Biology II Lab

Spring
Physics II
Physics II Lab
Chemistry II
Chemistry II Lab
Organic Chemistry I
Organic Chemistry I Lab

Summer
Organic Chemistry II
Organic Chemistry II Lab
Kaplan MCAT Prep course


And of course, I will be taking the August MCAT. Here's where I need some advice.

- Should I submit my AMCAS application ASAP and just wait to send in my MCAT score and grade for organic II?
- Should I send med schools my incomplete application without my MCAT score and organic II grade and just update my profile when they arrive?
- Could sending an incomplete application potentially lead to a premature rejection?

Any feedback and advice would be very appreciated. Lastly, here are the schools I'll be applying to next year -

1) University of California, San Francisco
2) University of California, Los Angeles
3) Johns Hopkins
4) University of Miami
5) University of South Florida
6) University of Florida
7) Emory
8) Medical College of Georgia
9) Mercer
10) Vanderbilt
11) UNC Chapel Hill
12) Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
13) Nova Southeastern University

Peace, Love, and Recycle -
Alex

 

[Brickhouse]

Hola everyone. My name is Alex,

Peace, Love, and Recycle -
Alex

Hola Alex - that all looks about right. A lot of people send in their apps before having their MCAT score and before the have all their grades - just as long as the courses are done before you matriculate. Those schools all seem real nice. Good luck!

 

[MeowMix]

All these questions can be answered very well on pre-allo, because those folks are experts in these topics. And they have a lot more time to answer questions.

I'm skeptical that your experiences in patient transport have provided the compelling motivation to get you through the challenges of med school; I'd recommend that you work on a more complete explanation (and a better understanding, for yourself).

You have set yourself up to do all your prereqs and MCAT in one year; this demands that you get it together, no screwups, and work your ass off for 12 months with an excellent GPA. Learning all the science in 1 year, with the MCAT at the end, is pretty ambitious. I'm sure you're used to a heavy workload, but that's a pretty high bar to set for yourself, and unless you're extraordinary, it will allow no time for more volunteer clinical work or physician shadowing. Remember that you are competing against a very talented and qualified population of students (especially at the schools at the top of your list), and successful applicants will usually have outstanding applications that are very well rounded.

Applying to med school is a lot more than course work; your huge impression will be made by the rest of your package. Excellent grades in the sciences are simply expected, at those top of the list schools.

 

[MN81]

Yeah, you should ask this over in the Pre-Allo.

Personally (and I do not mean this offensively) I think you are nuts to try and fit all of this into 12 months.

Here is what I would do in your shoes...

Take all those classes in the next school year, like you have already planned. But do not rush the MCAT. Concentrate on acing your GPA, and wait until April '08 to take the MCAT. Spend some time after your schooling really getting some good clinical hours in. Find a job in a hospital, or just find a regular job and do major shadowing and volunteering. Find a volunteer experience (not necessarily in the medical field) that you enjoy - something that will be fulfilling for you, and give you unique experiences.

I think if you take this time off and really figure out that medicine is right for you, admission committees will be more convinced that you are in this for the long haul as opposed to just whipping this all together in a year.

Other advantages of this plan:
1. You will be an early applicant in '08 instead of a late applicant in '07. Applicants who submit the AMCAS in June/July have an advantage over those that have to wait for their MCAT scores to arrive in October (this might be changing with the computer based test though).

2. You will actually have time to study for school, then study for the MCAT, instead of cramming it all together.

3. You will have time to make sure (by shadowing/volunteering/working in hospital) that you really want to be in a field that demands a ridiculous amount of your time and energy. This decision cannot be rushed.

4. Your letters of recommendation and personal statement will not be rushed. I cannot imagine trying to take all those classes, getting all of your LORs in order, and writing a well thought out personal statement that will need several edits to complete. It just sounds like too much, too fast.


Obviously, a person could plausibly do what you are attempting. It is just my advice, though, that you take your time. It is just one more year.

 

[PurpleHaze]

I agree with the above poster. That's a lot of work in a short amount of time... and just be aware that it's going to suck. More power to you though if u can get through it and do well.

Good luck to you!

 

[tiny dancer]

i think it's totally doable. i took all of the prereqs in one year, took the mcat that april... and still found time to work part-time and volunteer. as long as you can prioritize and manage your time well, i think you should do fine - after all, you know yourself and your work/study habits, so you know what you're capable of.

 

[MeowMix]

i think it's totally doable. i took all of the prereqs in one year, took the mcat that april... and still found time to work part-time and volunteer. as long as you can prioritize and manage your time well, i think you should do fine - after all, you know yourself and your work/study habits, so you know what you're capable of.

It is doable, but it may not be wise. Your MCAT score, for example, would not be competitive at most of this person's top-of-the-list schools without an exceptional application package. There is also the all-important issue, raised above, of being very very sure that you want to do this before starting med school.