Chances and Advice?

[senior2013]

Hello there,

Could you let me know my chances for getting into med school in the U.S?

Texas Resident
3.1 cum/3.6 science
35S MCAT

I don't have any experience working/shadowing in hospital or clinics. I plan on adding those things to my resume this upcoming year! Any advice on what I should I do?

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[Catalystik]

Hello there,

Could you let me know my chances for getting into med school in the U.S?

Texas Resident
3.1 cum/3.6 science
35S MCAT

I don't have any experience working/shadowing in hospital or clinics. I plan on adding those things to my resume this upcoming year! Any advice on what I should I do?

You aren't giving us much to go by. Right now, without the usual and customary ECs, I don't see you as having any chance.

Once you fix that problem, I doubt you'd have difficulty getting into a DO school somewhere. Depending on your academic history and other application modifying factors, you may or may not have a shot at an MD school without completing a GPA booster program, like the one at TCOM.

 

[plumhill]

Your GPA is a red flag. Why is it so low? Did you have an upward trend? If you did have a strong upward trend you might have a somewhat decent chance at low and mid-tier schools, thanks to your good MCAT score. Your chances further improve with strong extracurriculars, significant patient exposure, and a clear passion for medicine as exhibited throughout your application. If you are able to get that exposure, then you'll again have a much better chance.

The good thing is that if you are unable to get into a choice MD or DO program this year, you will certainly get into a number of good SMP programs. You will be able to take some higher-level science classes and prove that you are able to handle the medical school courseload. If you can do so, your MCAT score will definitely serve you well there You can also use your SMP time (if you go to such a program) to gain more patient exposure.

Good luck!

 

[premedgal89]

I would prefer entry into an allopathic medical school. Here are my demographics and my statistics.

In High School I was an A student

College:

Senior Biology Major
Math Minor
Entry Date: Fall 2007
Expected graduation date: Fall 2012 (I only took on average 12-13 hours a semester. I could not afford summer classes)
cumulative GPA: 2.7 (I worked very hard to pull this up from a 2.1)
last 60 hours thus far: 2.9gpa
I retook classes that I did poorly in. My grades went from Ds to A's and B+'s
Began college as an honors student, I left after my grades dropped because of mistakes.
Currently 1 Withdrawal on my record

Teaching Experience:
Teach Houston experience (offers teaching experience to students) Creating lesson plans
Citizen Schools - Citizen schools teacher (Creating lesson plans)
Tutor for the TAKS test
Multiple positions as a tutor

Major Community Service Experiences:
-Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools (2 consecutive years thus far) - this also offered teaching experience and Social Work experience.
-My campus ministry (3 consecutive years thus far)- i serve as the campus liaison. I also plan programs and events for the ministry.
-A social sorority (3.5 years) - currently focusing on school
-Peer tutor for my scholarship program

Awards:
-Deans list twice in my academic career
-Houston Louis Stokes Minority Participation Scholar

Work Experience:
-I began working 2 jobs my second semester in college while joining a sorority.
I maintained working an average of 18 hours per week until the year of 2010. This is when I took on multiple jobs to assist myself and parents. I worked under a teaching internship, while working as a student assistant at a Children's Learning Center for 1 year. I also performed this while participating in my semester Undergraduate Research program. A year before this, I worked two jobs while participating in the Academic Associates program.
- Also worked multiple positions as an administrative secretary.
- Student Assistant at Child's learning center (3 years)
- currently studying to take pharmacy technician test


Research Experience:
-Academic Associates Program - A clinical research program with Baylor/Texas Children's Hospital
-Undergraduate Research - Participated in a semester long research project with my professor. I received a scholarship to do so.

Practice Mcat:
16/17 (this is without studying)
- I have not taken the real MCAT yet
- I plan to study during the summer to take it in the fall of this year

Backup plan until I get into medical school:

-Obtain a Masters in Health Administration
-While working as a Pharmacy Technician

Race/Ethnicity:
-This shouldn't matter, but if it does to some, i am black.

Questions:
-What are my chances of getting into medical school?
-What can I do to improve my application?

 

[Catalystik]

I would prefer entry into an allopathic medical school. Here are my demographics and my statistics.

In High School I was an A student

College:

Senior Biology Major
Math Minor
Entry Date: Fall 2007
Expected graduation date: Fall 2012 (I only took on average 12-13 hours a semester. I could not afford summer classes)
cumulative GPA: 2.7 (I worked very hard to pull this up from a 2.1)
last 60 hours thus far: 2.9gpa
I retook classes that I did poorly in. My grades went from Ds to A's and B+'s
Began college as an honors student, I left after my grades dropped because of mistakes.
Currently 1 Withdrawal on my record

Teaching Experience:
Teach Houston experience (offers teaching experience to students) Creating lesson plans
Citizen Schools - Citizen schools teacher (Creating lesson plans)
Tutor for the TAKS test
Multiple positions as a tutor

Major Community Service Experiences:
-Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools (2 consecutive years thus far) - this also offered teaching experience and Social Work experience.
-My campus ministry (3 consecutive years thus far)- i serve as the campus liaison. I also plan programs and events for the ministry.
-A social sorority (3.5 years) - currently focusing on school
-Peer tutor for my scholarship program

Awards:
-Deans list twice in my academic career
-Houston Louis Stokes Minority Participation Scholar

Work Experience:
-I began working 2 jobs my second semester in college while joining a sorority.
I maintained working an average of 18 hours per week until the year of 2010. This is when I took on multiple jobs to assist myself and parents. I worked under a teaching internship, while working as a student assistant at a Children's Learning Center for 1 year. I also performed this while participating in my semester Undergraduate Research program. A year before this, I worked two jobs while participating in the Academic Associates program.
- Also worked multiple positions as an administrative secretary.
- Student Assistant at Child's learning center (3 years)
- currently studying to take pharmacy technician test


Research Experience:
-Academic Associates Program - A clinical research program with Baylor/Texas Children's Hospital
-Undergraduate Research - Participated in a semester long research project with my professor. I received a scholarship to do so.

Practice Mcat:
16/17 (this is without studying)
- I have not taken the real MCAT yet
- I plan to study during the summer to take it in the fall of this year

Backup plan until I get into medical school:

-Obtain a Masters in Health Administration
-While working as a Pharmacy Technician

Race/Ethnicity:
-This shouldn't matter, but if it does to some, i am black.

Questions:
-What are my chances of getting into medical school?
-What can I do to improve my application?

A masters in health administration won't help you get into med school, so don't do it if that is your reason.

1) What led to your deciding medicine is a good career for you?
2) When can you start some medicial volunteering or employment (where you interact with sick people)? Did you interact with patients while doing clinical research? If so, describe. (Pharm tech gives a bit of patient interaction, but cannot stand on its own for clinical experience---unless you want to be a pharmacist, of course). Physician shadowing (a passive observership where you watch the physician) will be important also (about 50 hours is average, and should include a primary care doc).

On the positive side, you have leadership, nonmedical community service, research, and very strong teaching experience which would all help your application.

3) What are your last three semester GPAs and what you do you project for this one?
4) What grades dragged you down in the last 60 semester hours?
5) When did you want to apply to med schools?

 

[premedgal89]

Well, I have a heavy background as an administrative assistant. I would like to combine my administrative talents with medicine. MHA is a backup in case medical school doesn't work.

1) When I was in HS as a sophomore, I did a project to find a cure for the common cold. I learned a lot about viruses and a little about pathology. I became increasingly interested in medicine as well as medical research. I've been interested in medicine since then! This is why I chose my major to be in the field of biology. I wanted to learn more about the human body. I want to know how to stop diseases from occurring. I want to address the possibility of altering proteins to treat diseases. My initial goal is an MD/Ph.D. I'm interested in combining my research with medical testing to treat a certain ailment.

2) The Academic Associates program has allowed me at least 50 or more hours of shadowing general doctors, nurses, neurologists, respiratory therapists. I have even had an opportunity to interact with medical residents while they were in training. I have also had the opportunity to interact with patients by obtaining informed consent for research studies. While in the program, I learned that I would like to have a closer relationship with my patients. I came to this conclusion because I spent more time interacting, than actually getting the proper information. I was able to "click" with them! I'm currently looking for an entry-level position in a hospital. I have also applied to an internship for this summer. It specializes in placing students within their major field of work; this may give me more experience in a medical setting (If I am accepted). It is difficult for me to volunteer, financially that is. I am currently out of work, so I do not have the funds to go back and forth to the medical center. However, I have considered the health clinic on my college campus. I would like to volunteer once I find a steady job.

3) My last 3 semester GPA's are: 3.46, 2.18, 2.5. The last two gpa's are lower than I desired. This is mainly due to the research i conducted with my professor, while trying to work alot, and maintaining my other scholarship. Last semester I was laid off from both of my jobs, so I spent the majority of that semester looking for work :/. However before that I pulled a 3.72 and 3.69.
4) In my last 60 hours it was Ecology, Microbiology, Organic Chemistry all of which I received C's or C+'s. (as if a plus makes it better :/) However, it is my desire to retake Organic Chemistry, I wasn't able to dedicate the proper time to that class like I wanted to.
- This semester I'm taking Cell Bio - expecting an A. Genetics Lab- B+/A. Human Phys: B possibly if I kick butt an A-. Evolutionary Bio - Currently have a B-, expecting at least a B. This semester i dropped my first class Advanced Linear Algebra. If you would like to know why; My professor explained that my math background hasn't prepared me for understanding proofs :/.

5) I would like to take my MCAT in the fall. I am applying for graduate school this summer. If my MCAT goes as planned; I would like to apply by the end of this fall, if not, I would apply in the spring. However, if I am accepted into graduate school without acceptance into medical school; I may postpone my application for 2 years or so.

I still believe I have a chance of getting into medical school; I'm just not sure of when I should apply. I would truly like to apply this fall for admission next year, just to see if i'd even get an interview! However, I would like to give my "strongest" application. So, I am praying on it.

 

[Catalystik]

1) The Academic Associates program has allowed me at least 50 or more hours of shadowing general doctors, nurses, neurologists, respiratory therapists. I have even had an opportunity to interact with medical residents while they were in training. Sounds good.

2) I have also had the opportunity to interact with patients by obtaining informed consent for research studies. This counts toward your clinical experience. Be sure to highlight it when describing the experience.

3) I'm currently looking for an entry-level position in a hospital. I have also applied to an internship for this summer. It specializes in placing students within their major field of work; this may give me more experience in a medical setting (If I am accepted). Either would be great.

4) I have considered the health clinic on my college campus. I would like to volunteer once I find a steady job. You don't need both clinical employment and clinical volunteering. With a clinical job, instead you could give 1-2 hours a week to a cause you care about.

5) My last 3 semester GPA's are: 3.46, 2.18, 2.5. Ouch.

6) Last semester I was laid off from both of my jobs, so I spent the majority of that semester looking for work :/. However before that I pulled a 3.72 and 3.69. This is promising.

7) In my last 60 hours it was Ecology, Microbiology, Organic Chemistry all of which I received C's or C+'s. (as if a plus makes it better :/) However, it is my desire to retake Organic Chemistry, I wasn't able to dedicate the proper time to that class like I wanted to.
- This semester I'm taking Cell Bio - expecting an A. Genetics Lab- B+/A. Human Phys: B possibly if I kick butt an A-. Evolutionary Bio - Currently have a B-, expecting at least a B. Ending with an upward grade rise is important to a successful application, so I'm glad to see things are going better. If the upward trend was over three semesters rather than one, it would be even better. Don't worry about the W. It will be a nonissue.

8) I would like to take my MCAT in the fall. I am applying for graduate school this summer. If my MCAT goes as planned; I would like to apply by the end of this fall, if not, I would apply in the spring. However, if I am accepted into graduate school without acceptance into medical school; I may postpone my application for 2 years or so. If you read these forums enough, you'll see that a late application significantly decreases the chance of success all by itself. By all means take the MCAT after a summer of dedicated study, but for the best outcome of a med school application cycle, consider waiting a year so your clinical experience will be good and your timing will be optimal.

9) I still believe I have a chance of getting into medical school; I'm just not sure of when I should apply. I would truly like to apply this fall for admission next year, just to see if i'd even get an interview! However, I would like to give my "strongest" application. So, I am praying on it. I hope you have a premed advisor who knows the schools you'd most like to target well enough to give you a strong signal about whether your plan will fly, whatever you choose to do. Aside from needing more clinical experience, your application looks to have good ECs. Now you need to convince adcomms that you can deliver the necessary grades and that you are a good test taker. I am also an advocate of the "do it once, do it right" approach to applying.