Education route seem logical?

[Hymas283]

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Im leaning towards getting a MS in chemistry with a minor in mathematics. I should be able to pull a GPA of 3.7 or higher doing this, but i could just as easily get a BS in chemistry and a minor in Mathematics with the equivalent GPA. Is the masters degree and one extra year of schooling worth it?

Also, ECs for medical school... what are people doing? I have been working at the local hospital and i have plenty of patient contact hours (150+ and counting), I have been trying to find shadowing opportunities (without much luck), but what other things should i be doing to increase my chances of going to a good medical school?

Thanks,
CJ

 

[theseeker4]

Im leaning towards getting a MS in chemistry with a minor in mathematics. I should be able to pull a GPA of 3.7 or higher doing this, but i could just as easily get a BS in chemistry and a minor in Mathematics with the equivalent GPA. Is the masters degree and one extra year of schooling worth it?

Also, ECs for medical school... what are people doing? I have been working at the local hospital and i have plenty of patient contact hours (150+ and counting), I have been trying to find shadowing opportunities (without much luck), but what other things should i be doing to increase my chances of going to a good medical school?

Thanks,
CJ

The Masters degree is probably not worth the extra year. It might help a little bit, but probably nowhere near enough to be worth the time and money.

You want shadowing, so keep working on that.

Research is a plus, and a must-have (or nearly so) for top schools. Try to get research in the sciences, something with a nearby med school would be ideal, but probably difficult to come by.

Leadership experience is highly desirable for top schools, and the more meaningful the better (meaning organizing and running a fundraiser for a charity or some such with significant earnings will be much more impressive than sitting as vice-president of the pre-med club)

Teaching/tutoring experience is valued by some (many?) school adcoms.

Volunteering is expected, and while many people get both clinical experience and volunteering experience with a single activity, it is better to have something non-medical you are passionate about to talk about at interviews.

Get to know a handful of professors form classes you have had/have now, both in science courses and non-science courses, so you can have LOR writers lined up.