first timer seeking advice

[lincolnite13]

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Hey guys.

 

[theseeker4]

Hey guys.

Firstly, I have to say: this is an awesome site and you guys are fantastic group of people. I recently discovered SDN and thank goodness for that.

I'm posting for the first time because I want to ask YOU for some advice and recommendations because I am truly a bit torn on what do next. Any input or suggestions will be really appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I graduated last year from NYU and got my bachelors in Physics. (My GPA was a 3.80. sGPA is around a 3.72)

I've always been interested in applied physics research in medicine and at the moment I've just begun a 3-year PhD program at Oxford in MRI Physics.

However, I've recently realised that I really enjoy medicine as well and I want to pursue an MD afterwards. I am almost 100% certain that this is the path I want to take. And I'd like to see myself as very fortunate because I've fulfilled my Pre-Medical requirements in college, which makes this desire now to study medicine an actual possibility.

I took the MCATs last month and found out today I got a 30 (12P, 8V, 10B). To be frank, I don't feel particularly thrilled at my score. In retrospect, I feel that I made a bad decision because I sat for the exam after a month of serious studying. I had really wanted to get it done before grad school started, but it looks like it might have bit me in the butt instead...

In any case, I've been reading a lot (on here) about how schools use the MCAT as a filter. I'm concerned for my score of 8 on the Verbal section.

I'm a NY state resident and will probably apply to NYC and NY state schools: Columbia, Cornell, NYU, Downstate, Upstate, Einstein, Mt Sinai (and what else is in NYC that I missed!). Do I have a good shot as these school from where I stand currently or should I retake the exam?

Some additional past achievements:

1. Licensed EMT-Basic in NJ (though now expired). I volunteered a lot in high school and during the first year in college. This is how I came to like medicine in the first place!

2. Full scholarship+stipend to University of Oxford for a 3 year PhD program in MRI Physics.

3. NYU Goldwater Scholarship Nominee

4. First author publication in Biophysical Journal as a senior undergraduate

5. Full summer scholarship+stipend for a research internship in Vienna, Austria in 2010.

6. NYU Hospital of Joint Disease internship. This happened way back in 2008. Arguably, this experience planted the seed in the head that maybe one day I might pursue medicine.

7. NYU Honors Program.

Thanks if you've made it this far - any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

You will probably want to re-take the MCAT when you are ready to apply, since you are planning on completing your current program before applying, correct? Since you wouldn't be starting med school for 4 years, you would be applying in 3 years, so I would take the MCAT next year, before the new 2015 MCAT comes out. If you take it then, the score would be good for any school, while your current score may be expired at schools you want to apply to by the time you apply. While a 30 is somewhat low for some schools, I don't believe anyone actually screens out over an 8 VR score, so I wouldn't worry about that.

You will want some more recent clinical experience, volunteering or working (such as renewing your EMT certification) and shadowing. You can start that any time, but I would plan to get at least another year of clinical employment or volunteering in before you apply. Shadowing doesn't have the emphasis on longevity, so a few days with a variety of physicians before you apply should be plenty as far as that goes.

I assume you have all your pre-reqs done? Make sure your coursework fulfills the requirements for your target schools as you might have to fit in an undergraduate course or two if you are deficient in something.

Other than that, good luck, and congrats on having such a strong GPA.

 

[lincolnite13]

hey, thanks for getting back to me.

the fact that mcat scores expires within 3 years is something i overlooked. in theory i should be down in exactly 3 years but could potentially go into my fourth (such is research...). in that case, then yep i would have to retake again next year so my score remains good.

mcats...i despise them

 

[yehhhboiii]

albany, albert einstein, buffalo, nymc, rochester, stony brook

you have a great chance
you'll have to retake the mcat, best time is next year as the previous poster said
i think 3 months to study for the mcat is ideal. work in the morning and afternoon and spend a few hours in the evening studying. weekends are for studying. that should be enough. i used examkrackers only and i think with your background it should be sufficient
when you get around to applying, make sure you submit early (in june if possible). you want to maximize your chances. get your transcripts in, obtain letters of recommendation (some schools want it from certain people) and write your personal statement in advance