Good GPA/MCAT, Very Weak ECs

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kinmania

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This is my first time posting on this forum, and I really wish that I had found this website much earlier. Here are my stats:

Demographic Info
Age: 19 (will be 20 for applications though - will this hurt me?)
Ethnicity: Caucasian
State of Residence: Rhode Island

Academic Info
School: a small state school
Major: B.S. in Biology
GPA: 4.00
MCAT: 39Q

ECs/Research
About 20-30 hours of shadowing doctors from various specialties (I plan to do more shadowing this semester)
~ 200 hours of volunteer work recruiting patients for a clinical research study (upgraded to paying position now)
One year of research (no publications)
No leadership positions



I'm graduating this May, and was planning on sending in my application in June. However, I would like to get into a top 25 school, and I know my ECs are far too weak for that. Do you think I should go for it and add some more volunteer/research experience for 2013 or take a second year off after school to build up my portfolio?

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I've also done some unofficial tutoring (mostly unpaid) of students at my school, and I volunteered as part of a community theatre group for 4 years (although that's not really going to do anything to help me).
 
Build up EC's..especially research. Aim for top 20 schools.
 
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Build up EC's..especially research. Aim for top 20 schools.

Will do, thanks! I'm hoping to get at least one publication by the end of the semester, and I'm currently looking into opportunities for continuing my research experience after finishing my ugrad degree.
 
Definitely take some time to do some research, and/or other extracirricular activities. I know most on SDN will disagree with me on this, but honestly...once you get into med school...you're only going to get busier, busier, and more busier. You may convince yourself that "I LUV 2 B BUSYYYY... GIVE ME MORE," but that's usually a recipe for burnout. If I were in your shoes, I'd get a real job, learn some people skills (not that you don't have any, because customer service is a large part of what physicians do.) (Research, honestly, doesn't count as a real job. Academia is quite...cushy.) do some research on the side, and travel with some of the money you get from working. You will be a notch above all of your peers in school, and you will be able to say that you've done a LOT more than what your peers wish they could've done. Take time off from school. You cannot put a price on youth. Enjoy your life. This is advice that comes from me (I took time off, and it helped me tremendously on interviews), the attendings I've worked with, residents that I've worked with, and upperclassmen that have mentored me.
 
Definitely take some time to do some research, and/or other extracirricular activities. I know most on SDN will disagree with me on this, but honestly...once you get into med school...you're only going to get busier, busier, and more busier. You may convince yourself that "I LUV 2 B BUSYYYY... GIVE ME MORE," but that's usually a recipe for burnout. If I were in your shoes, I'd get a real job, learn some people skills (not that you don't have any, because customer service is a large part of what physicians do.) (Research, honestly, doesn't count as a real job. Academia is quite...cushy.) do some research on the side, and travel with some of the money you get from working. You will be a notch above all of your peers in school, and you will be able to say that you've done a LOT more than what your peers wish they could've done. Take time off from school. You cannot put a price on youth. Enjoy your life. This is advice that comes from me (I took time off, and it helped me tremendously on interviews), the attendings I've worked with, residents that I've worked with, and upperclassmen that have mentored me.

Thank you very much for the advice. As long as my MCAT scores (which are from last year) don't expire, I can see the benefit of taking more time off. I definitely have a lot to think about.
 
I was considering getting my EMT certification so that I can get a job as an ER tech this year. Would that be a good plan or is it not worth the time/money?
 
OP, are you graduating early?

Yes. I was homeschooled, so I was able to start college when I was 15. I'm wondering if that will be a problem when applying though. :-/
 
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