EC/Volunteering?

[mik30102]

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Hello everyone, I posted in WAMC a few weeks ago and got a little feedback that these areas of my app are a little lacking, and just wanted some advice I what I could do to improve this. I am a Pharm D student who will be applying during his last year of school, hopefully going straight into medicine after graduation.

Clinical: 10 hours as of now of driving cancer patients to their appointments over 1 month (Will be about 25 upon application), around 40 hours as of now of hospice volunteering over 2 years, I have a ED visitor badge position where I get to interact with patients families and then show them to the room (4 hrs a week for two semesters upon applying). I also participated in around 5 hours of kidney screenings.

Nonclinical: 80 hours of soup kitchen volunteering as of now. Habitat for humanity twice (16 hours). Ronald MacDonald house a few times (around 6 hours). Participating with and fundraising for my relay for life team for two years.

EC: 5 credits of basic science research with 3rd author pub (likely wont be published though until late 2014 so not to helpful...). Peer mentor to incoming freshman for two years. Leadership position in a professional organization dealing with organizing events with the public to talk about medication compliance.

Shadowing: OMM specialist DO for 2 days, rectal surgeon MD for one day, family medicine DO for 2 days, rotation with geriatric home care physician for 40 hours over 5 days.

Rotations: Besides working with the physician I have done 120 hours in a community pharmacy, 120 hours in a hospital pharmacy, 40 hours in a nursing home (really did not involve pharmacy and consisted of me interacting with the residents), and the 40 hour rotation with a physician I already mentioned. I will also be doing 1440 hours of rotations next year in various healthcare environments.

Thanks everyone for the advice in advance!

 

[hawkbit]

Lacking compared to paranoid premed traditionals? I like that you have a couple longer term volunteer gigs even if it isn't hundreds of hours. Looking at your other post, you don't have a bachelors degree? I'm not sure how that will play into things but could make it more interesting (challenging) for you. How many undergraduate hours do you have? Other than my question about your degree or lack thereof I think you have a great shot at getting in somewhere assuming decent interview skills. If you gunning for a top school, that might be different. A lot of the people in this forum are just happy to get in to medical school, DO or MD, much less a top tier.
Good Luck!

 

[mik30102]

Thanks for the reply hawkbit. I'm def not trying to get into a top 20, with my own personal goal of getting into any of the sunys. For the most part, the schools I contacted said my pharm d would meet the bachelors requirement, and I plan to appeal to a dean for the few adcoms that said it would not as I get closer to applying. To answer your question I am still kind of confused what is considered undergrad for me. For DO there is a specific exception that counts my entire course load since it will be my sole degree. From browsing the forms some Pharmd-md switches have mentioned that AMCAS ended up taking their first 4 years. If that is the case I would have 133. If they only take my 2 pre pharmacy years, and a few classes during pharmacy that specifically show up as science on amcas (biochem, patho, molecular, immunology) then I would have 93 credits as "undergrad".

 

[hawkbit]

Interesting! Anyways, I think your best angle is going to come from a good personal statement, secondaries, and interview. Try to target the schools you are interested in (as in write your statements etc towards their stated missions), be real, and be able clearly explain your desire for medicine. Use any ECs that might be applicable to the schools missions as examples. Do your best and Good Luck!

 

[Goro]

Your ECs are outstanding!

Hello everyone, I posted in WAMC a few weeks ago and got a little feedback that these areas of my app are a little lacking, and just wanted some advice I what I could do to improve this. I am a Pharm D student who will be applying during his last year of school, hopefully going straight into medicine after graduation.

Clinical: 10 hours as of now of driving cancer patients to their appointments over 1 month (Will be about 25 upon application), around 40 hours as of now of hospice volunteering over 2 years, I have a ED visitor badge position where I get to interact with patients families and then show them to the room (4 hrs a week for two semesters upon applying). I also participated in around 5 hours of kidney screenings.

Nonclinical: 80 hours of soup kitchen volunteering as of now. Habitat for humanity twice (16 hours). Ronald MacDonald house a few times (around 6 hours). Participating with and fundraising for my relay for life team for two years.

EC: 5 credits of basic science research with 3rd author pub (likely wont be published though until late 2014 so not to helpful...). Peer mentor to incoming freshman for two years. Leadership position in a professional organization dealing with organizing events with the public to talk about medication compliance.

Shadowing: OMM specialist DO for 2 days, rectal surgeon MD for one day, family medicine DO for 2 days, rotation with geriatric home care physician for 40 hours over 5 days.

Rotations: Besides working with the physician I have done 120 hours in a community pharmacy, 120 hours in a hospital pharmacy, 40 hours in a nursing home (really did not involve pharmacy and consisted of me interacting with the residents), and the 40 hour rotation with a physician I already mentioned. I will also be doing 1440 hours of rotations next year in various healthcare environments.

Thanks everyone for the advice in advance!

 

[mik30102]

Thanks goro!

 

[Indianarn]

Hello everyone, I posted in WAMC a few weeks ago and got a little feedback that these areas of my app are a little lacking, and just wanted some advice I what I could do to improve this. I am a Pharm D student who will be applying during his last year of school, hopefully going straight into medicine after graduation.

Clinical: 10 hours as of now of driving cancer patients to their appointments over 1 month (Will be about 25 upon application), around 40 hours as of now of hospice volunteering over 2 years, I have a ED visitor badge position where I get to interact with patients families and then show them to the room (4 hrs a week for two semesters upon applying). I also participated in around 5 hours of kidney screenings.

Nonclinical: 80 hours of soup kitchen volunteering as of now. Habitat for humanity twice (16 hours). Ronald MacDonald house a few times (around 6 hours). Participating with and fundraising for my relay for life team for two years.

EC: 5 credits of basic science research with 3rd author pub (likely wont be published though until late 2014 so not to helpful...). Peer mentor to incoming freshman for two years. Leadership position in a professional organization dealing with organizing events with the public to talk about medication compliance.

Shadowing: OMM specialist DO for 2 days, rectal surgeon MD for one day, family medicine DO for 2 days, rotation with geriatric home care physician for 40 hours over 5 days.

Rotations: Besides working with the physician I have done 120 hours in a community pharmacy, 120 hours in a hospital pharmacy, 40 hours in a nursing home (really did not involve pharmacy and consisted of me interacting with the residents), and the 40 hour rotation with a physician I already mentioned. I will also be doing 1440 hours of rotations next year in various healthcare environments.

Thanks everyone for the advice in advance!

Sound more than enough to me. Have you taken MCATs? Have you applied yet?