General Advice

[ThisPakistani]

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Hi,

I am a recent graduate with a ways to go before submitting a Med School application. In May, I graduated with a 3.67, sGPA: 3.47. Unfortunately, it was a downward trend.

Medicine has always interested me, and I feel that after working for about half a year in the "real world" I'm more inspired than ever to work hard at this thing.

Speaking of work, I started teaching right out of undergrad. I did a connector program in College that allowed me to get my teaching credentials. I really like it, and I'm at a good school.

I'm thinking of starting up a DIY Post-Bacc at a state school. I'm thinking of taking about 16 credits between now and August (Mostly Biochem, all Sci courses since I need to boost my sGPA). The school I'm planning on completing this at is Oregon State. It's a bit odd since it's through online classes, but they display as on-campus courses, and I think I've done my due diligence, in that it won't affect me.


Anyways, I am also gearing up for a bit of a career change. I decided to go through OC recruiting, and found a consulting job with a Big 4 (Not MBB) company. I start in July, after I've completed these 16 credits.


I don't have an MCAT score yet, planning on starting studying in August 2016, and taking it in April 2017, applying May 2017 for Sept 2018 Matriculation.


Other things about me:
Research: 1 non-science pub, 3 years at a lab (looooooong time ago, at the time of my planned 2017 app, I'll have done this research 5 years ago, does that matter?)
EC's: President of a few clubs, interested in nutrition, helping kids get out of obesity
Volunteerism: Hospital Volunteering (~400 Hours), + 2 pretty cool mini-projects with my students
Shadowing: Shadowed 1 GP for ~100 Hours

Extra: Traveled and lived in Indonesia for a while


That's about it. Please let me know what I can do in these 2 years to come to really make my app shine. Advice from people who have walked in my shoes is what I am looking for.

 

[GreenDuck12]

Thoughts:
1) If at all possible, take your classes in person at a university/community college. Online classes, if they are the only option available are fine, but you need to do more than get a good grade. You have to learn the concepts in the material for the mcat.
2) Continue to volunteer and shadow physicians. You are going to have to demonstrate to adcoms that you know what you are getting into and that medicine will be the only career for you.
3) Study, study, study for the MCAT and spend your time preparing the strongest application possible.
4) When you apply, apply broadly.

 

[futuremdforme]

Do have pre-reqs to take? If only take those classes that you don't have, you'd boost your sGPA. If you can get a really good MCAT, you're not in terrible shape. My cGPA was a bit higher than yours but I think I had the same sGPA, and I did really well in applications. I had an upward trend so you might want to confirm with someone else.