Finishing Undergrad in 3 years

[cocimonster115]

So I've gone through a couple posts about this subject and wanted to hear comments about my specific situation and whether it's worth it or not.

So here's the background info:

As of now --> 2nd year student
3.86 overall GPA
3.94 science GPA
This semester enrolled in 20 credit hours (including Orgo I)

Have approx. 45 hrs of hospital volunteer
approx. 75 hrs or more of research experience and counting
no shadowing experience yet (but that will come in winter break)

Planning to -->
Take MCAT summer after second year w/ 1+ month to study (in mid July)
Complete a research honors thesis by end of 3rd year
Complete my degree at end of 3rd year
complete a minor in psychology by end of 3rd year
finish school w/ 122+ credit hours


Sounds like alot, but I don't really want to hang around in undergrad for a year doing nothing in particular waiting to get into med school.

So considering these qualifications, I would like to hear comments on whether med schools will look down upon my application a year early, or will volunteer/research/shadowing make up for my seeming to be "in a rush" to finish.

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[runawayclock]

So I've gone through a couple posts about this subject and wanted to hear comments about my specific situation and whether it's worth it or not.

So here's the background info:

As of now --> 2nd year student
3.86 overall GPA
3.94 science GPA
This semester enrolled in 20 credit hours (including Orgo I)

Have approx. 45 hrs of hospital volunteer
approx. 75 hrs or more of research experience and counting
no shadowing experience yet (but that will come in winter break)

Planning to -->
Take MCAT summer after second year w/ 1+ month to study (in mid July)
Complete a research honors thesis by end of 3rd year
Complete my degree at end of 3rd year
complete a minor in psychology by end of 3rd year
finish school w/ 122+ credit hours


Sounds like alot, but I don't really want to hang around in undergrad for a year doing nothing in particular waiting to get into med school.

So considering these qualifications, I would like to hear comments on whether med schools will look down upon my application a year early, or will volunteer/research/shadowing make up for my seeming to be "in a rush" to finish.

I don't think it would hurt you to finish in 3 years - maybe you are just more focused than the average undergrad or had a lot of AP courses (i know a lot of people who did IB and ended up graduating within 3 years). If you can pull off a good GPA with 20 credit hours (yikes...) then props. I'd focus most on getting a lot more clinical hours in, but I'm not sure if you could do that with your course load without hurting your GPA.

 

[coup de chance]

3 years is quite reasonable for under.

I only had 2 APs going into college. My high school only offered AP BC Calc. So my 5 gave me credit for my college's calc. And then I studied for AP bio on my own. My 4 gave me credit for my college's bio. And then I tested into a higher level of college foreign language, so then I got some credit for that too.

Anyway, I then took 18-22 credits each term. And basically had my courses pretty much done by senior year. I totally could have graduated in 3 years. And if I could do it, you certain can.

You sound very competitive as a med school candidate.

Only thing you need is a 30-33+ MCAT.

IF... you wanted to though... You could use senior year to go abroad for 6 months or a year. And then focus on research the rest of the time.
Or combine the research and abroad. Kind like a productive vacation.
I did something similar and in the process got an award and a publication.

3 or 4 years ...

either way is fine.

Good luck

 

[Ponger]

So considering these qualifications, I would like to hear comments on whether med schools will look down upon my application a year early, or will volunteer/research/shadowing make up for my seeming to be "in a rush" to finish.

The lack of volunteering/research/shadowing may hinder you but if your counting stats are fine then no worries. Lack of EC's is usually the case when someone applies early.

Heads up, people don't count research by hours. They usually count them by semesters or years, or in extreme cases, by publications.

 

[CecilJacobson]

"Difference of object does not alter singleness of passion. It merely intensifies it. We can have in life but one great experience at best, and the secret of life is to reproduce that experience as often as possible."
- Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

If you believe this quote is about medicine, you are not ready for medical school.

I wish I'd had five years in undergrad. Are you happy where you are?

-C.J.

Don't dive right into medical school unless it's a financial necessity. Live, love, hate, give, take, and fall in love constantly. Take one less course each semester. Read for pleasure. Master an instrument and a foreign language, then master more. In many other parts of the world medical students go directly from high school to medical school.

Here's a philosophical doozie: Would you want to be seen by a doctor who has never heard of Shakespeare? I met one last week, and it really made me consider the importance of a liberal arts education.

 

[ealaiontoir]

Honestly, I would not recommend it unless you are planning on taking a year off and doing something awesome...

I had a few friends who graduated a year early and they had a really rough time getting into schools. One girl had a 4.0, extremely high MCAT, study abroad experience, 2 majors, and exceptional stats. She was able to get a few interviews and they told her that she would be their ideal applicant....in a few years. If I were you, I would enjoy college, take more classes, get involved in a bunch of things, maybe get a few minors, study abroad (highly highly highly recommend...you will most likely never again in your life have the chance to pick up and go somewhere amazing for a few months without any strings attached PLUS med schools seem to like it), etc. Gain some life experiences!!!! Becoming a doctor is a long stressful process...why not take your time and breath a little? One year is not much in the scheme of things and I think you will be happy with yourself if you do not rush it too much and do as well as possible. I also wanted to graduate early, but instead I studied abroad and picked up a few minors along the way. I definitely do NOT regret taking my time.

 

[wristbandMD]

You sound very competitive as a med school candidate.

I disagree. With only 45 hours hospital volunteering and no shadowing as of yet, ECs are weak. To begin with, hospital volunteering doesn't exactly "pop", unfortunately. Also, I'm assuming OP has about 1 semester of research, at the moment. Granted, OP is only in his second year, but at the moment he is certainly not a competitive overall applicant.

If you continue to hold your GPA (which is great) and continue with volunteering, research, and begin shadowing, you'll be a good applicant. I would suggest adding something else in there though, to make you stand out. By this I mean non-medical ECs.

OP, how many hours do you plan to volunteer and shadow before you apply?

IF... you wanted to though... You could use senior year to go abroad for 6 months or a year. And then focus on research the rest of the time.
Or combine the research and abroad. Kind like a productive vacation.
I did something similar and in the process got an award and a publication.

I like this idea. It allows OP to add a lot to his app.

 

[PremedGunner]

if you finish in 3 years, you have to apply to medschool at the end of your sophomore year unless your gonna gap out, in which case, your gonna be doing ec's for an entire year. why would you want to do that?

 

[texahn]

take time off. it's the best thing i've done but also the worst thing i've done.

 

[cocimonster115]

Don't dive right into medical school unless it's a financial necessity. Live, love, hate, give, take, and fall in love constantly. Take one less course each semester. Read for pleasure. Master an instrument and a foreign language, then master more. In many other parts of the world medical students go directly from high school to medical school.

Here's a philosophical doozie: Would you want to be seen by a doctor who has never heard of Shakespeare? I met one last week, and it really made me consider the importance of a liberal arts education.

Actually my friends and I have started a book club which is in the works of becoming official at our school. We don't have many members (actually 4) but in the time span of last summer we've managed to read:

Brave New World - Huxley
Catch 22 -Heller
1984 - Orwell
The Metamorphosis - Kafka
Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse
The Alchemist - Paul Coelho
Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess (currently reading)

I think that doctor that didn't know about Shakespeare came from a place in the world where science and math were probably valued much highly than literature and the humanities, and it might not be his fault he didn't know.

And i also understand the situation that in some countries you go from high school straight to med school (both my mother and father went to med school straight out of high school)