"EC's"

[EMDream]

What EC's are non trads expected to have. I don't see how I can gather up EC's working full time as the primary breadwinner (as a PA no less) finish up pre reqs all while being a mom to a two year old? Do I really need EC's as a fully functional medical professional already? Or are they more for the younger fresh out of undergrad applicant who has little life experience?

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[FrkyBgStok]

the ECs you need to complete will be a little different. You will still be expected to get some form of community service and whatnot. This why med school is hard for nontrads. Not that schools don't like us, it is that they don't really cut us any slack. When you are looking into medicine as an undergrad, schools need to know you understand what healthcare is really like. You got that covered. As far as clinical ECs, you will be more than fine. You know what it is like and know what a doctor goes through everyday. You will need to give back to the community though. My kids go to a parochial school so i volunteer weekly for their "safety patrol" and during events when i can. usually about a half hour every week and then a 2-4 hour stint once or twice a month. I usually average about 2 hours per week. I work full time and part time, so hopefully this is adequate, and I have heard that it will be.

so get some community service and you will be rockin.

 

[hopefuldoc97239]

I don't see how I can gather up EC's working full time as the primary breadwinner (as a PA no less) finish up pre reqs all while being a mom to a two year old?

Yes, it's hard, but it's not the med school's job to make it easier for you!

You say you're working full time, try cutting back your hours to 20 or 30 hours a week. You will have to make sacrifices to get into medical school!!

As a PA, you might get let off the hook a little more than non-traditional students from other walks of life. But are you going to assume that you get special treatment? Or do you want to err on the side of caution? If you don't make medical school your top priority then it will show on your application.

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Side note: If you're already a PA, why do you want to go to medical school? You don't have to tell me, but you can certainly expect that your admissions interviewer will ask!!

 

[malpractician]

you really have such a unique situation i'd find another PA or working mom who made the jump. Take a close look at your week schedule, all 7 days, and whether or not you can commit to community service.

To infer what one med school advisor told me was "not enough time" translates into bad time management. That is not a debate you want to have with them.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

You don't have to, just as there are traditional applicants that get acceptances while lacking the EC's that the conventional wisdom holds are vital. The problem is that the admissions process is competitive, and there are a whole bunch of non-trads with interesting stories and real-life experience who have gone through the trouble of doing all of those EC's. They aren't requirements, but it's up to you to decide how competitive you desire/need your application to be. Applying broadly to a mix of low/mid-tier MD and DO programs across the US and you have solid stats? Sure, skimp on the EC's. Trying to apply to a few programs in a select geographic area because of spouse/family issues with less-than-stellar numbers? Well, then you need to think about the value of maximzing your competitiveness via interesting and meaningful EC's.

 

[chrissyxf]

I'm struggling with the same thing (also a full time pa working 50-60hrs/week and taking pre-reqs). I graduated undergrad 2007 and was heavily involved in volunteering then so I'm including those experiences, especially as I had leadership roles. As far as now, I have been volunteering as an alumni interviewer for my alma mater every year since graduation which doesn't require a lot of time but I've been consistent in doing this during the application season and providing evaluations. During PA school, I had a leadership position in class government and organized things like our white coat ceremony. Since I'm applying this coming cycle, I know any volunteering I suddenly start now will obviously be because I'm trying to impress the adcom which could come out the wrong way too- something to consider.
If you have more time before you apply, you could try to find something you can do with your 2 year old. One of my friend's volunteers at the YMCA and can bring her own child with her on the weekend. Something to think about.