Class selection advice, please - EMT or MCAT?

[nwilkes]

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Hi, all!

I've spent some time on here browsing and appreciate all the advice - so I decided to post for myself. Right now, I'm trying to decide whether to take an EMT class this spring of my junior year, or take it in the fall as a senior. Here's my predicament:

cGPA: 3.97
sGPA: 3.96
I'm a junior at a small college in the cornfields (read: few research opportunities and few ECs). However, this is only my second year of school, because I had taken over 60 credits during high school. I did most of my gen eds and the first year of biology and chemistry classes by the time of graduation. I graduated high school in 2007, and came to my present college. The first year here (and the first summer) I had to finish all the classes for my freshman and sophomore years - it is a small school, with only one section of classes offered each semester. I took 16 credits in the fall of '07 and 19 in the spring semester. In the fall semester of this year I took 17 credits (Physics I, Genetics, Anatomy and Physiology I, Analytical Chemistry, and Piano). This semester I am already taking Biological Research (just a three hour lab), Anatomy and Physiology II, Physics II, Biochemistry, Piano, and an Independent Study in Neurodegenerative Disorders. I also work ~5 hours/week in a CNA-type position and I volunteer ~3 hours/week in the ER. I'll be taking the MCAT in May.
I'm not too worried about grades or the MCAT (the lowest grade I've gotten so far is one A- in Organic Chemistry my first semester, and I've done okay on MCAT practice tests)....but I am more worried about my ECs. So far all I've done is: tutoring, volunteering in the ER, volunteering in post-op (over the summer), writing for the school newspaper, and working a few hours each week as a CNA. But, my college offers an EMT class (it meet 4 hours twice a week). I just don't know if I should take it this semester, and risk my grades dropping a bit but getting the opportunity to work as an EMT over the summer and next year. (Not to mention more MCAT study time!) Or, should I wait until the fall semester when I'll be taking only two science classes(the only two I can take in the fall - I've either taken all the rest, or they're offered at the same time, lol) and other electives?

Thanks! I appreciate it! I know it's a long winded, paranoid essay....

 

[sindadel]

It looks to me like you need more leadership and maybe more service rather than more clinical exposure. So I'd be more inclined to look around for some interesting opportunities along those lines, such as starting a club, co-ordinating a fundraiser, running for student gov't etc. And earlier is better, since you're more likely to have something real happen the longer you are doing it.

 

[Mobius1985]

As a CNA, you already have ideal clinical exposure, even though it's just a few hours a week. Substituting that with an EMT position after you are certified might seem more interesting, but won't substantially change your attractiveness to adcomms. MCAT score is one of the two main criteria by which med schools will judge you. I would not do anything to jeopordize the score you might get, by distracting yourself with the pusuit of ECs. ECs you can always add later. You can only retake the MCAT so many times before it's looked down on. I'd suggest taking the EMT class in the fall. Great GPA, BTW.

 

[nwilkes]

Thank y'all very much!