CV boosters

[epsilonprodigy]

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Just feel like my head is buzzing a bit (in a good way, I suppose) as I try to narrow the list of things to do with myself in my last year of classes before applying.

Here's me, in a nutshell:

Pediatric ER/PICU nurse x 3 yrs. SGPA 3.64, CGPA about 3.7 something (need to calculate to see exactly what.) Graduated from Hopkins, BSN. All the typical honor societies/affiliations that come to those with high GPA's. (National Society of Collegiate Scholars, etc etc.)

I've done a medical mission trip and plan to do another. I've precepted student nurses and new nurses, done some community volunteering and am certified as a Forensic Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner but haven't actually practiced yet because between work and school, there's no day of the week that I'd be able to consistently be on call. I'm hoping to start volunteering in a research-based asthma management program for inner city kids this fall.

Here's the catch: Since I work full time and go to school, I am predicting that I will have to pick and choose some EC's due to schedule limitations.

Here are my options:

-Asthma Program that I mentioned (think this might be important since I don't have much research experience)

-Actually start practicing as a Forensic Examiner on a part time basis

-Volunteer at a program geared toward teen parents and their kids
(I think this would be great too-- since I plan to talk about raising my son during work/school and how the cause is near and dear in my PS)

-To top it off, I have recently been asked to join my hospital's critical care flight transport team. This is a big honor in the nursing world, and the physician in charge of it is one who is writing me a recommendation. I am nervous though... if I did this, I know I would have to study and learn a lot of new stuff nursing-wise. It's not that I don't want to, but I am also in school and studying for the MCAT, so I don't want to compromise either of those. So I guess my question about joining the transport team is, how much BETTER would it look on a CV than ER/PICU? The doc in charge has encouraged me that it's a "natural progression" toward med school since you essentially do function as a physician in many instances where a "real" one is not available. I would love to do it, I WANT to learn more and I'm sure I would love it, but... not at the expense of my MCAT/GPA.

 

[montessori2md]

I do think it would boost your cv, but no boost will overcome a low gpa and MCAT. Too many schools have gpa and MCAT cut-offs.

Not knowing where you are as far as those numbers go, it's impossible to say. If you've completed most of the pre-reqs, take a practice MCAT and see how you do. If you can score above a 30 on a practice, well, don't worry about it.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Just feel like my head is buzzing a bit (in a good way, I suppose) as I try to narrow the list of things to do with myself in my last year of classes before applying.

Here's me, in a nutshell:

Pediatric ER/PICU nurse x 3 yrs. SGPA 3.64, CGPA about 3.7 something (need to calculate to see exactly what.) Graduated from Hopkins, BSN. All the typical honor societies/affiliations that come to those with high GPA's. (National Society of Collegiate Scholars, etc etc.)

I've done a medical mission trip and plan to do another. I've precepted student nurses and new nurses, done some community volunteering and am certified as a Forensic Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner but haven't actually practiced yet because between work and school, there's no day of the week that I'd be able to consistently be on call. I'm hoping to start volunteering in a research-based asthma management program for inner city kids this fall.

Here's the catch: Since I work full time and go to school, I am predicting that I will have to pick and choose some EC's due to schedule limitations.

Here are my options:

-Asthma Program that I mentioned (think this might be important since I don't have much research experience)

-Actually start practicing as a Forensic Examiner on a part time basis

-Volunteer at a program geared toward teen parents and their kids
(I think this would be great too-- since I plan to talk about raising my son during work/school and how the cause is near and dear in my PS)

-To top it off, I have recently been asked to join my hospital's critical care flight transport team. This is a big honor in the nursing world, and the physician in charge of it is one who is writing me a recommendation. I am nervous though... if I did this, I know I would have to study and learn a lot of new stuff nursing-wise. It's not that I don't want to, but I am also in school and studying for the MCAT, so I don't want to compromise either of those. So I guess my question about joining the transport team is, how much BETTER would it look on a CV than ER/PICU? The doc in charge has encouraged me that it's a "natural progression" toward med school since you essentially do function as a physician in many instances where a "real" one is not available. I would love to do it, I WANT to learn more and I'm sure I would love it, but... not at the expense of my MCAT/GPA.

I don't think you have anything to boost. Just go lay on the couch and watch tv or something.

 

[zebalong]

Don't do any of it until you have your MCAT set in stone~ you were right, nothing at the expense of your MCAT at this point because it is the one thing that would hurt your application the most if you don't perform well in.

Being a flight nurse would be fun to talk about in interviews but really, the whole big guns life/death aspect of it doesn't mean much in the long run in terms of admissions. This is coming from a fellow CCRN. If i were you i would focus on your mcat. It works out much better for you to do none of those things and blow away the MCAT then to do all those things and receive a sub-par score.

Remember if your goal is med school your four important parts are gpa (which you have), MCAT (which is unsure), your EC's (which is already pretty decent provided you have some volunteer work), and your recs (which i figure will be easy for you to get especially in an ED PICU setting where you work with the attendings all day long just make sure you can get the required academic ones). So out of all those pieces all your focus should be completing your package with a solid MCAT (30<) or even better, a great MCAT at (34<).

During your glide year I'd take the chance at being a flight nurse tho, there are life experiences that are just too exciting to pass up (that is if you are into that sort of thing). Best of luck (as you can see out of your list of things im partial to the flight nurse aspect, as a fellow ED RN i know what an honor it is)

 

[epsilonprodigy]

Aw, thanks ArkansasRanger! That always helps to hear... sometimes I feel so vanilla against all those chipper 4.0's from Cali with their packaged applications and poster-sessions at NIH!

I have been really looking at things in the past couple of weeks and I have seen myself make some pretty sound calls in harrowing situations. So, I'd love to think "oh, I'm so ready for this," but I know I have a lot to learn. Part of the reason I'm so nervous about flight is that I'm just a "baby" nurse... most of those guys were intubating when I was still eating play-doh, so I don't want to make a fool of myself!

Anyway. That all has to go on hold for now. Today is my first day of Organic Chem II. Is it weird that I'm MUCH less stressed when I'm in the code bay?!