Apply this June or wait another year?? helpp....

[Hart1086]

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Hey everyone. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. I'm debating if I should apply for the upcoming cycle in june or should i wait another year to apply. The reason is because I want to make sure my application is as strong and well rounded as possible... What do you guys think?

My stats as of now are:

cGPA: 3.34 sGPA : 3.22

Health science major.

Extracurriculars up to this point

80 hours volunteering at 2 hospitals
80 hours of clinical experience
Involved in 2 separate research studies at the moment.
25 hours shadowing opthamologist.


Member of Pre med club, asian student association.

I'm predicting that my cGPA will be around a 3.48 by the end of spring semester. I've yet to take the MCAT as well.....

 

[shaggybill]

Apply this summer, but apply wisely. This is, of course, riding on the assumption that you will do ok on your MCAT (27+). I would spend the next 4-5 months ramping up the ECs. Try to broaden your horizons. I would do the following:

1) Shadow for another 50-70 hours (try hard to get a DO).
2) Continue getting more hands-on clinical experience (what is it that you have 80 hrs in now, btw?)
3) Volunteer outside of the healthcare setting. Not the ER, not at the front desk of the hospital. Something that's genuinely altruistic and takes a little effort. Go to serve.gov and search for opportunities in your area.

If you do this, you'll have:

1) Ample shadowing experience
2) Healthcare volunteer experience
3) Non-healthcare volunteer experience
4) Research
5) Clinical experience

After 4-5 months of hitting the ECs hard, cut back some and start focusing on the MCAT. Spend Feb-May prepping for it (with more aggressive studying as the months pass) and take it in late May, ~2-3 weeks after school is out. You'll appreciate having NOTHING else to do in the weeks leading up to the mcat.

Your GPA is on the lower end, but it's definitely not going to kill you. Far from it. You are right that having a well rounded application is the way to go. Med schools (in this case DO schools) like students who are smart (3.0+ gpa), well-rounded, personable, and of good character. Show that you have all those, and you won't have any problems getting in somewhere.

 

[TriagePreMed]

You have good activities. The problem is that they seem short. If I were you, I'd continue racking up hour even after applying.

I also see a lack of leadership, but I suppose the rest may make up for it.

 

[Catalystik]

1) Shadow for another 50-70 hours (try hard to get a DO).

And be sure to include a primary care doc.

Average stats for those entering DO school last year were cGPA 3.47, sGPA 3.36, and MCAT 26.49. Try to meet or exceed those numbers.

 

[Hart1086]

Thanks for the replys everyone!... My 80 hours involve direct patient contact. For the first 40 hours. I basically went to patient's rooms and did some surveys, changed their beds etc. the last 40 hours, It was like research/clinical involving smoke cessation and a fall risk study....

As of right now I have an oncologist I'm going to be shadowing over winter break which I can probably get 15-25 hours from. Then for the spring I will be doing more research/clinical for another 40 hours.

I will definitely do more volunteering outside of the medical field too. Thanks for the advice... Any other suggestions?

 

[dbizzy]

You'll probably be fine applying this upcoming cycle if you get at least a high 20's MCAT. In the meantime, work on using these next 8 months to get your app as strong as possible.

People touched on it already but to recap: Do some non-clinical volunteering that helps the needy or undeserved, but make sure it's something you like and make sure its consistent. Shadowing a primary care doc (fm, im, etc) is good for DO. Make sure to choose these last classes wisely...retake low grades, especially science classes you didn't do so hot in, and get As to boost that sgpa. Finally, kick a $$ on that MCAT! Good luck.

 

[Catalystik]

My 80 hours involve direct patient contact. For the first 40 hours. I basically went to patient's rooms and did some surveys, changed their beds etc. the last 40 hours, It was like research/clinical involving smoke cessation and a fall risk study....

80 hours volunteering at 2 hospitals
80 hours of clinical experience

What did you do for the second 80 hour span you mentioned?

Any other suggestions?

Besides Leadership, Teaching (tutoring, TA, mentoring, coaching) is another valued type of experience.