Do I have a chance for the upcoming cycle?

[Hiphopscorpio31]

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Hey guys,

I graduated with a degree in Chemical engineering in 2017 and since then I have worked for a utility company for a year, then I moved abroad to latin america to live with my SO and ended up teaching english for 6 months. Now, I am still abroad and currently working as an "IT" tech for a very small office. I have always been interested in being a doctor and took all of the premed requirements in undergrad. That being said, with all of my work experiences, I am now 100% sure that I do not want to work in engineering and that I want to work in medicine, where I can have patient interactions everyday and help improve the lives of others. So, I wanted to apply during the upcoming cycle and I am planning to study as much as I can and take my MCAT exam in May. In undergrad I had a 3.5 gpa and I was a varsity athlete all 4 years for a D1 team. I have also done various community service activities, 2 summers of undergraduate research (both in chemical engineering and bioengineering), tutoring, and worked as a teaching assistant. In addition to teaching, and my work experiences after college, I do not have any clinical experiences (apart from spending time with doctors during injuries). I plan to find a way to observe some doctors here while I am abroad (my SO's mom is the head nurse in a hospital), but would I still have a chance to get accepted to medical school? I was also thinking about trying to shadow one of my family doctors for a bit when I fly home to take the MCAT in May (would this be too late to include in my app and talk about during interviews?) Thanks for reading guys.

 

[curbsideconsult]

Without any clinical experience you have a very small chance of getting into med school this cycle, even if you got a 528 on the MCAT. I think you should spend this year racking up clinical hours and studying for the MCAT then apply in June 2020. You should probably get some more current volunteer hours as well.

 

[DocJanItor]

As @curbsideconsult said, this upcoming cycle is out. You need several hundred volunteering hours in both clinical and non-clinical settings helping the underserved. Clinical hours aren't absolutely mandatory but they are very very helpful. Shadowing needs around 50-100 hours.

More to the point, you have to show a dedication to the process. It can't just look like you woke up and decided "I want to be a doctor, here's my application". Having an ongoing record of service, education, and activity in the medical community is what displays that.

I'd also advise you to take a little more time before the MCAT. Although as a fellow engineer I'm sure C/P will be child's play for you, you may have already forgotten more than you realize of your early pre-reqs. It's much better to get a single great score than multiple scores showing improvement.

Other than that, your app is nice and I'm sure you will eventually have a lot of attention from schools when you apply. Just remember that this is not a sprint but a marathon; you want to apply once when everything is ready.

 

[Hiphopscorpio31]

Thanks so much guys for the responses. My current problem is that I am still living and working abroad for atleast another few months and I was hoping to get some clinical experience in a hospital here and then get some shadowing experience with my physician back in the US when I fly back to take my exam (at least 50 hours). Alternatively I could move back home for a few months before the applications open and shadow/volunteer while studying. In these cases would I basically be in the same boat? I've been interested in being a doctor for a very long time (since my research experience studying cancer years ago) but you guys make good points and I definitely don´t want to apply more than once. My next steps would definitely be to relocate back to the US and find a new job (medical scribe?) while studying and volunteering.

 

[Goro]

Hey guys,

I graduated with a degree in Chemical engineering in 2017 and since then I have worked for a utility company for a year, then I moved abroad to latin america to live with my SO and ended up teaching english for 6 months. Now, I am still abroad and currently working as an "IT" tech for a very small office. I have always been interested in being a doctor and took all of the premed requirements in undergrad. That being said, with all of my work experiences, I am now 100% sure that I do not want to work in engineering and that I want to work in medicine, where I can have patient interactions everyday and help improve the lives of others. So, I wanted to apply during the upcoming cycle and I am planning to study as much as I can and take my MCAT exam in May. In undergrad I had a 3.5 gpa and I was a varsity athlete all 4 years for a D1 team. I have also done various community service activities, 2 summers of undergraduate research (both in chemical engineering and bioengineering), tutoring, and worked as a teaching assistant. In addition to teaching, and my work experiences after college, I do not have any clinical experiences (apart from spending time with doctors during injuries). I plan to find a way to observe some doctors here while I am abroad (my SO's mom is the head nurse in a hospital), but would I still have a chance to get accepted to medical school? I was also thinking about trying to shadow one of my family doctors for a bit when I fly home to take the MCAT in May (would this be too late to include in my app and talk about during interviews?) Thanks for reading guys.

DOA at an med school without clinical experiences. Would you buy a new car without test driving it? Buy a new suit/blouse without trying it on?

 

[Hiphopscorpio31]

DOA at an med school without clinical experiences. Would you buy a new car without test driving it? Buy a new suit/blouse without trying it on?

Thanks, I agree. I was planning to get some experience volunteering for a few months in a hospital here ( I am in latin america) while shadowing for a few weeks in the US before the application. So this exposure wouldn't make a difference?

 

[Goro]

Thanks, I agree. I was planning to get some experience volunteering for a few months in a hospital here ( I am in latin america) while shadowing for a few weeks in the US before the application. So this exposure wouldn't make a difference?

We discount clinical experience overseas, unless you doing something like being in the military or working for Doctors Without Boarders.

Like it or not, you're in a marathon now, not a sprint. Apply with the best possible app, even if in means skipping an app cycle. Med schools aren't going anywhere, and by the time you apply, several more will have opened their doors.