CHANCES=shoot me now? BCMP= 3.61 cGPA=3.67 mcat= 31M

[minutemen11]

Hi guys,

I will be a Junior at Umass Amherst in the fall. I have a 3.61 BCMP and 3.67 cGPA. This will become a 3.67 BCMP and 3.77 cGPA by the end of junior year (orgo killed me soph year, B- and B+ for Orgo I/II. I am 100% sure i can get a 4.0 junior year). Also, i am GOING TO BE taking the mcat this summer, the averages I'm getting on all Kaplan Full Lengths and AAMC tests (this is a total of 11 full length exams!!) is around 30-33 so its a safe bet that I will at least break 30.

Also,
I do a fairly intensive community service program that simulatenously counts for 2 credits and I've been doing this for 2 years now- promoted to Supervisor junior year. 4 hrs/wk for 3 semesters so far; this number will increase.
I will be working in a cancer reserach lab all through junior/senior year at 10hrs/week; i also did an internship over the summer between freshman and sophmore reaseach to do full time cancer reaserach 40 hrs/wk * 11 weeks.
I am an RA (Residant Assistant).

I will definetly have good LOR's from my PI (Principal Investigator from reserach lab) and my pre-med advisor. I'm going to try to suck up to a prof. junior year for another LOR.. hehe..

Am I lacking clinical experience? ( I volunteered like 200+ hrs during high school at my local hospital but i've been told that doesnt count.. HOW LAME!) Should I try to shadow some docs this summer?? I love oncology so I'd prefer an onco doc.

I have a sinking feeling that I havent done nearly enough of the "med school specific" EC's that some of you have..

The bottomline is, do i stand a chance to get into UMass Worcester? I'm a MA resident. Are there any schools around MA that I'd be a "lock" on paper- I'm a great interviewer. AKA if a med school interviews they will probably like me (not to be conceited)

Thank you for all your help guys, I have already learned so much just reading these boards.. and also getting scared..

also please dont tell me that you wont be able to evaluate my chances because all my data seems "hypothetical" it is very reasonable and even conservative with the MCAT score.

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[Mobius1985]

UMass median stats for acceptees are 3.7 and 33. Your projected stats are right at the average for all acceptees, so you have a good chance of an acceptance somewhere, provided you have recent, regular clinical experience. You need shadowing too, but that is in a separate category. As the average amount of clinical experience folks have on their application is about 150 hours over 1.5 years, I'd say you need to get started on that immediately if you plan to apply in a year. You can mention the 200+ HS hours in the Personal Statement, but don't list it in the Experiences section. As far as shadowing, an oncologist is fine for the first doc, but try to pick someone in primary care for the second or third one if possible. Shadowing for 8-40 hours for each of 2-3 docs is sufficient. It looks like you'll have plenty of community service, and leadership with same which is great. And you've got the research.

For clinical experience, a weekly gig or biweekly gig is preferred where you work 3-4 hours each time, as it will show dedication and a testing of a medical vocation. "Clinical" means working with sick people and doing them a service (not passively watching, which is what you do with shadowing) whether by volunteerism, job, or during research. You can do more hospital volunteering, or go to a nursing home, hospice, free clinic, family planning clinic, etc. These are good venues for meeting physicians that you can hit on for shadowing opportunities. Don't put off the acquisition of clinical experience until fall, even if that means it will be in two locations if you're home for the summer.

For your chances at other schools, see the School Selection spreadsheet stickied at the top of the WAMC forum.

 

[minutemen11]

Thanks for the quick response!!

The community service project I mentioned earlier will definitely count as "clinical" experience for me, I was under the wrong impression that clinical meant experience in a hospital only. I worked with people/kids diagnosed with severe illnesses like Cerebral Palsy, Williams Syndrome and mental ******ation at a rehab center near UMass. This would definitely count as both clinical and volunteer experience correct?

Do you feel that my BCPM is a little low? I have a few standout grades that are destroying it; Orgo I/II- B-& B+ respectively and a B in Orgo LAB!
and finally I got a B in Honors gen chem II, and a B+ in genetics.
The rest of my classes are 4.0.

I'm getting the feeling from reading a few of these forums that its not a good idea to specialize in one field, aka cancer for me, and that you need a broad scope of the medical field?

 

[Stratego]

1) This would definitely count as both clinical and volunteer experience correct?

2) Do you feel that my BCPM is a little low?
I took Bio II at BU as a junior in HS and idiotially sent in my transcript; I got a B- in that (never should have sent in the transcript... any way to retake?)

3) Is it ok to assume that Histology, Intro to Microbio and Physical Chem will raise the BCPM?? I saw that these were listed as BCPM classes on the AAMC website.

4) I'm getting the feeling from reading a few of these forums that its not a good idea to specialize in one field, aka cancer for me, and that you need a broad scope of the medical field?

1) Yes.

2) Your BCPM is fine. You don't need to retake Bio II. You are obliged to send in all transcripts.

3) Yes.

4) You may have a strong interest in one field of medicine now, but it is not necessary or desirable to mention this. It is better to seem as if you remain open to any possibility, especially as you haven't experienced most of them yet. Adcomms know that 80% of those entering med school change their minds before they apply to residency.

 

[Mobius1985]

I agree with the above.

You can't specialize in the medical treatment of cancer until you learn the same basics in medical school as everyone else. Then you need to do a residency in internal medicine. Then you apply to become a fellow in hematology/oncology and become a specialist.

Unless you want to become a radiation oncologist or a surgeon specializing in cancer treatment, in which case the path is different.

 

[minutemen11]

ohh i see thanks for clearing things up

so according to you guys I have everything academic and extra curricular (I forgot to mention that I play intramural basketball & soccer.. not sure if this is even worth mentioning on an app) related besides the shadowing?

I am hoping for UMass medical as I've said earlier but my DREAM school is Duke.. I got in there for ugrad but it was too much money compared to a free ride at UMass Amherst and I love the research at Duke. So ANY chance at duke?? im going to say definety not because my GPA isnt good enough and MCAT could be better?

LizzyM's spreadsheet listed it as a longshot sadly... just wondering if anyone here may have some "inside" information besides GPA and MCAT.

 

[Mobius1985]

Mention the sports under Hobbies/Avocations. Adcomms like to see well-roundedness and it also suggests teamwork which is good.

As far as Duke, maybe a 37 on an MCAT retake would help.

 

[Mobius1985]

But if you were a team captain, sports could fit under leadership too.

 

[minutemen11]

But if you were a team captain, sports could fit under leadership too.

haha yeah i was a "captain" for both but that didn't really entail any sort of "leadership" i because as captain i just had to be there for the intramural meetings where they tell you the rules and that you are responsible for getting your teams physicals/ student ID passed in before you start the season. Aside from that.. there wasnt a big difference between captain/player.. i guess if they bring up intramurals in the interview ill just have to bs about my "leadership" and bring up stories from HS track where i actually was varsity captain haha.

I havent actually taken the MCAT yet, I will be taking them in august. The score i've posted is probably the most realistic/ conservative score I'll get based on 11 FL exams.. A 37 seems so far away from a 31 ahh i guess i can only dream.
I hate that nothing you did in high school counts for med school.. I had so much volunteer work/ leadership and other EC's that it was pretty ridiculus and probaby the only reason why duke accepted me as a ugrad...

 

[Stratego]

At least mention that you were captain in the narative of the activity. It counts for something.