Constructive (Polite) Criticism Needed!

[Seadweller75]

Hi everyone! Apparently, I had far too much time on my hands this evening, and just filled out one of those MDapplicant profiles.

I'm a slightly nontraditional med school applicant - and pretty much have no clue as to what my chances are for admission. If anyone else is bored, could you please take a look at my profile (link below) and let me know what you think? I have the research and clinical experience, but my undergrad grades are less than stellar (though I have a 4.0 from grad school - thank you, grade inflation!), and my MCAT scores are completely up in the air at this point (scored well on practice exams, but still feeling terrible about the real thing).

I'm not sure if this is allowed in this forum - if not, please remove!

Thanks, in advance, for your help!!

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[TPROrgoTutor]

Ill just comment about what you said regarding feeling piss poor about it. I nearly broke down after it. I was 100% sure I was going to have to retake (still almost did bc of bio section, I left an entire passage as C bc I didnt have the energy left to deal with it) and ended up with 36. This is common actually when people have scored well. So dont stress over it, its usually within 1 or 2 points of your last practice.

 

[Seadweller75]

Ill just comment about what you said regarding feeling piss poor about it. I nearly broke down after it. I was 100% sure I was going to have to retake (still almost did bc of bio section, I left an entire passage as C bc I didnt have the energy left to deal with it) and ended up with 36. This is common actually when people have scored well. So dont stress over it, its usually within 1 or 2 points of your last practice.

I love you!

 

[stealthopts17]

I love you!

 

[TPROrgoTutor]

I love you!

HAHA glad I could help. This should help too, I personally know 3 people that got over 35...every single one of them could have sworn they did terribly.

 

[somemaybedoc]

I'd say get some clinical experience if you don't have any, I didn't see any and it seems to be a very important EC to schools.

A lot of people feel bad about the MCAT and end up doing fine.

It's hard to say on your GPA without an MCAT score to frame it, but your undergrad may help you out here.

Your research experience is good.

EDIT: I noticed in your post that you have clinical experience so disregard my above on that. How much do you have?

 

[Seadweller75]

I'd say get some clinical experience if you don't have any, I didn't see any and it seems to be a very important EC to schools.

A lot of people feel bad about the MCAT and end up doing fine.

It's hard to say on your GPA without an MCAT score to frame it, but your undergrad may help you out here.

Your research experience is good.

EDIT: I noticed in your post that you have clinical experience so disregard my above on that. How much do you have?

Hi there! Thanks for the comments! My clinical exposure is basically from the two years I worked full-time between undergrad and grad school, where I conducted research in a pediatric emergency room. After hours, I volunteered at the same hospital (in both the peds and adult emergency rooms). I'm hoping this will count for something!

 

[somemaybedoc]

Hi there! Thanks for the comments! My clinical exposure is basically from the two years I worked full-time between undergrad and grad school, where I conducted research in a pediatric emergency room. After hours, I volunteered at the same hospital (in both the peds and adult emergency rooms). I'm hoping this will count for something!

Sounds pretty good to me.

 

[Seadweller75]

Sounds pretty good to me.

Thank you! Sometimes, I worry that med schools won't look as favorably upon clinical experience that was obtained through paid employment as they would had it been voluntary. I should show them my salary... I may as well have been working for free

 

[LizzyM]

Given your ECs and gpa, if you score >29 on the MCAT I'd think that you may have more than one acceptance (given the list of schools you've posted) by April. At the very least, you should get off the waitlist somewhere.

Most adcoms say that they expect to see clinical volunteer work because the typical applicant is applying while still in college. It isn't reasonable to say that applicants who are still in college should have work experience in a clinical setting. However, non-trads with work experience in a clinical setting (and Bellevue! -- great hospital for seeing "everything") are not going to be penalized for not having a volunteer EC in a clinical setting.

 

[CaramelDlite]

Hi everyone! Apparently, I had far too much time on my hands this evening, and just filled out one of those MDapplicant profiles.

I'm a slightly nontraditional med school applicant - and pretty much have no clue as to what my chances are for admission. If anyone else is bored, could you please take a look at my profile (link below) and let me know what you think? I have the research and clinical experience, but my undergrad grades are less than stellar (though I have a 4.0 from grad school - thank you, grade inflation!), and my MCAT scores are completely up in the air at this point (scored well on practice exams, but still feeling terrible about the real thing).

I'm not sure if this is allowed in this forum - if not, please remove!

Thanks, in advance, for your help!!

Your profile seems pretty extensive, I really doubt you have to worry about getting admitted somwhere. I've heard that Cornell has one of the most difficult pre-med programs, so if you do well on the MCAT you should be fine. Also, you should add Weill Medical College- they had loads of Cornell grads there.

 

[BigRedPremed]

Hi everyone! Apparently, I had far too much time on my hands this evening, and just filled out one of those MDapplicant profiles.

I'm a slightly nontraditional med school applicant - and pretty much have no clue as to what my chances are for admission. If anyone else is bored, could you please take a look at my profile (link below) and let me know what you think? I have the research and clinical experience, but my undergrad grades are less than stellar (though I have a 4.0 from grad school - thank you, grade inflation!), and my MCAT scores are completely up in the air at this point (scored well on practice exams, but still feeling terrible about the real thing).

I'm not sure if this is allowed in this forum - if not, please remove!

Thanks, in advance, for your help!!

I've yet to meet a person who didn't feel terrible after the MCAT. Don't worry about it. You probably did better than you think you did.

It's nice to see another Cornell bio major, abeit a few years removed.

 

[Seadweller75]

Your profile seems pretty extensive, I really doubt you have to worry about getting admitted somwhere. I've heard that Cornell has one of the most difficult pre-med programs, so if you do well on the MCAT you should be fine. Also, you should add Weill Medical College- they had loads of Cornell grads there.

Thanks for the advice! It's funny - on day one of Cornell's freshman orientation, I learned where all the good bars were. On day two of Cornell's freshman orientation, I learned I should never even consider Weill, when the time for med school came, because they hate Cornell undergrads. Years later, I assumed it was the same. I guess I'll go ahead and add it, though - it can't hurt, I suppose!

Again, thanks for the advice

 

[Seadweller75]

I've yet to meet a person who didn't feel terrible after the MCAT. Don't worry about it. You probably did better than you think you did.

It's nice to see another Cornell bio major, abeit a few years removed.

Haha - I have to say the last few years of my life have been quite peaceful, NOT seeing Cornell bio majors

Just kidding - sort of...

The MCAT is really playing with my head, I think. When I would take practice exams in the weeks leading up to the real thing, I generally felt fine when the test was through - like I had done well - and my practice scores usually reflected that sentiment. After the real thing, though, I felt like I got rocked, which means one of two things: 1) that I stressed (and am still stressing) because this was the real deal, and stress only comes naturally, or 2) I simply got rocked. I'm hoping for the former.

That being said, I still feel as if I'd be lucky to pull in the low- to mid-twenties. Seriously.