Are my clinical hours too old to count? Should I hold off on applying this cycle?

[MSMD18]

Back when I was in undergrad around 5 years ago I starting off on the pre-med track but ended up changing my major. However, during that time I was able to accumulate 500 research hours, 100 hours of hospital volunteering, 100 hours of clinical volunteering, and 200 hours of non-medical related volunteering. In 2020 I decided to pursue medicine again and recently started a DIY postbac program that I am finishing up this semester. I plan to take the MCAT in the summer and was considering applying this cycle. However, since the start of my postbac as a non-traditional student I have been working a 9-5 as I have to support myself and another family member and I live in a major city so can’t afford to quit for a job like a scribe. This has made it very hard for me to find any clinical experiences that I could do while working full time. I have been able to do some things like virtually shadowing, but that's about it. My question is should I wait another cycle to try and get more recent clinical experience after the pandemic restrictions lift slightly or would it be fine to apply this cycle?

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[mh11185]

Back when I was in undergrad around 5 years ago I starting off on the pre-med track but ended up changing my major. However, during that time I was able to accumulate 500 research hours, 100 hours of hospital volunteering, 100 hours of clinical volunteering, and 200 hours of non-medical related volunteering. In 2020 I decided to pursue medicine again and recently started a DIY postbac program that I am finishing up this semester. I plan to take the MCAT in the summer and was considering applying this cycle. However, since the start of my postbac as a non-traditional student I have been working a 9-5 as I have to support myself and another family member and I live in a major city so can’t afford to quit for a job like a scribe. This has made it very hard for me to find any clinical experiences that I could do while working full time. I have been able to do some things like virtually shadowing, but that's about it. My question is should I wait another cycle to try and get more recent clinical experience after the pandemic restrictions lift slightly or would it be fine to apply this cycle?

I don't really have guidance for you, but just wanted to say I was/am in a similar boat as you. That is, returning to the medical school idea after pursuing another field for years (about a decade in my case). I DID list all of my undergraduate work (similar to yours) in my AMCAS and AACOMAS applications because, like you, I am working full time and finding it difficult to try to accrue new field experience. I'm not 100% sure if my example was the right way to go in this cycle though--so I'll be monitoring your post here for other advice you get.

However, I can say that I was accepted into one DO school really quickly after I submitted the secondary app back in Aug./Sept., but since then, I've heard crickets. I haven't interviewed anywhere else--and just have gotten emails that say my app is "processing" or "on hold" or just outright "rejected." So anyway, I'm not sure if schools really know what to do with someone who is out in left field. It seems to me that if you can get yourself into the interview, you'll be great because you can impress them with your maturity. But getting in there is probably key. Good luck! I have my fingers crossed for you.

[For me, I think that my MCAT score is what held me back a bit as well this cycle (I scored a 507 when I got a 33 back when I took it the first time--I think it's like a 513/514 in today's scores; wish I had gotten that high again). Can I ask what you mean by a DIY postbac program? If I take the MCAT again, I think I need something a bit like that to help give me a boost. So it sounds like you're making the right moves to me. Again, good luck!]

 

[Crayola227]

No they don't expire, but it would be good to get a more recent refresher/log of hours to show it's still fresh in your mind and commitment. Obviously that may be challenging with Covid.

 

[MSMD18]

I don't really have guidance for you, but just wanted to say I was/am in a similar boat as you. That is, returning to the medical school idea after pursuing another field for years (about a decade in my case). I DID list all of my undergraduate work (similar to yours) in my AMCAS and AACOMAS applications because, like you, I am working full time and finding it difficult to try to accrue new field experience. I'm not 100% sure if my example was the right way to go in this cycle though--so I'll be monitoring your post here for other advice you get.

However, I can say that I was accepted into one DO school really quickly after I submitted the secondary app back in Aug./Sept., but since then, I've heard crickets. I haven't interviewed anywhere else--and just have gotten emails that say my app is "processing" or "on hold" or just outright "rejected." So anyway, I'm not sure if schools really know what to do with someone who is out in left field. It seems to me that if you can get yourself into the interview, you'll be great because you can impress them with your maturity. But getting in there is probably key. Good luck! I have my fingers crossed for you.

[For me, I think that my MCAT score is what held me back a bit as well this cycle (I scored a 507 when I got a 33 back when I took it the first time--I think it's like a 513/514 in today's scores; wish I had gotten that high again). Can I ask what you mean by a DIY postbac program? If I take the MCAT again, I think I need something a bit like that to help give me a boost. So it sounds like you're making the right moves to me. Again, good luck!]

Thank you so much for this answer! This was so helpful. A DIY Postbac is just taking your required prerequisite courses by yourself without an official program like Goucher, Bryn Mawr etc.