Duration vs. Number of Hours

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

ChemCrazy

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2016
Messages
78
Reaction score
29
I have, unfortunately, just started thinking about how my gap year will have little to show for in terms of experience.

While in undergrad:
200 hours hospital volunteering
3 hours shadowing
600+ hours of research (1 abstract, maybe a second author if primary author is able to finish)
150 hours of tutoring

Since May-
only volunteer work/shadowing overseas, but I don't know how they will take it because it wasn't with a mission trip and the doctors there don't speak English (I speak the native language), so I won't be asking for recommendation letters.

America- studied for MCAT

In these next 3 months, I could give 20 hours a week to 2-3 things or 5 hours to plenty, 40 to one. At this point in the game, which is best? I am searching high and low for shadowing, but what would you say I need more of?
Of course, I would be continuing all of my little jobs over the next 18 months, but I know it's what you write down at the time of the application that matters most.
 
For more shadowing hours see if any hospitals near you have a shadowing program (two hopsitals in my area did THANK GOODNESS) I didn't have to worry about emailing a specific physician or calling their office, they email you and you work out you schedule with theirs. Google "local hospital shadowing program or shadowing a doctor or physician" Do you have any non clinical volunteering?
 
The longer you can be involved in an activity the better. Cramming lots of hours in near your application may raise some red flags but it's better than doing nothing, and by the time interviews roll around next fall you could be involved in these activities for 6+ months and have a lot to say about them.

You should have been doing more this year but there's nothing you can do about that now, just get involved ASAP.

As for shadowing you need more hours. Probably about ~50. If you can get a job or volunteer at a hospital or clinic it will be easy to meet doctors and ask them to shadow. Plus you'll have received the proper hipaa training which makes things even easier.
 
You should have been doing more this year but there's nothing you can do about that now, just get involved ASAP.
For students who commit to the MCAT full-time, how much time is reasonably devoted to just that? (I only got a 506 on the 1/29 one, so I am afraid that they will think I studied for 8 months and that's all I had to show for it. Doing more in what sense? Would a full-time job that has absolutely nothing to do with medicine count?

@Mednight, no, not yet. Everywhere I look I see flaws in my application.
 
Top