D
deleted826437
Hi all,
I recently graduated from undergrad and have just started in a lab at the NIH for a two-year post-bacc. I will either be applying to MD or MD/PhD (post bacc should help with this decision) and I am looking for advice as to how I should spend my remaining free time in order to round out my application. Here Is what my app looks like so far:
GPA: 3.82
MCAT: Taking in January
Research experience:
(2.5 years in undergrad lab, 3 posters, hopefully a publication in the next year), Just started a 2 year post-bacc at NIH in a productive lab so I have high hopes for a publication here)
EC's:
A) Worked for 1 year (15ish hrs/wk) as a behavioral case manager for refugees. Sought to reduce their barriers to quality healthcare. I volunteered at this organization for two summers before they brought me on as a paid employee for my senior year. I think it gave me a really unique perspective as to the difficulties that marginalized populations encounter in order to receive adequate healthcare.
B) Taught english to refugees for 1 semester
C) Managed/Organized an after-school sports camp for refugee children for two semesters
D) Served as a TA for two semesters
Awards:
Undergraduate researcher of the year
President's scholarship
Deans list
Undergraduate research fellowship recipient
LORs:
Undergrad PI: Should be a great letter. I have known him for 3 years and he wrote me a great letter for my post-bacc. He taught 3 of my courses.
Honors College Director: She also wrote me a great post-bacc recommendation. She taught two of my courses and I TA'd for her twice. (non-science)
Previous Employer (non-profit director): Her letter should be solid but somewhat generic if I ask for one.
Current PI: Hopefully this will be a solid letter after working with him for a year. He has helped many post-baccs get accepted to MSTPs and Med school. He is a well known scientist in his field, has served as president of various medical and scientific societies and is an editor for a solid scientific journal.
*I can get another LOR from a science professor, but it will be less personal because I have not developed extensive relationships with any other than my PI, really. Several know my name, career goals etc. but nothing crazy to write an amazing letter about IMO.
Thoughts:
1) I am under the impression that my research experiences will make me competitive for MSTPs but I probably need more clinical exposure. I intend to get several hours of shadowing at the NIH over the next few years. What is a good ballpark number of hours to aim for here? 50? 100? More?
2) My work as a case manager had clinical links. I transported clients to doctors appointments, helped manage their medications, helped with medicaid applications, scheduled doctors appointments, and served as a liaison between the client's therapist and physician. I am not sure if this will satisfy the clinical portion of my application. My issue with clinical volunteering is that most of it seems generally irrelevant and uninteresting, which is why I sought out more impactful opportunities working with neglected populations, even though it was less obviously clinical. Should I suck it up and take on a patient transport-type volunteer experience in order to gain more clinical experience or do you think I am okay?
2b) I am currently exploring volunteer opportunities. I would prefer to continue working with refugee populations and there are several of these opportunities available to me but they are not clinically oriented. I believe my extensive and consistent involvement with refugees will help me stand out but more importantly, I really enjoy working with this population. Is it valuable enough for me to continue this consistency for an additional year rather than take on a more generic clinical volunteer role?
3) I know my MCAT will be very important and I intend to spend a good portion of my free-time studying for it over the next several months leading up to January.
4) Anything I am missing/advice?
THANK YOU!
I recently graduated from undergrad and have just started in a lab at the NIH for a two-year post-bacc. I will either be applying to MD or MD/PhD (post bacc should help with this decision) and I am looking for advice as to how I should spend my remaining free time in order to round out my application. Here Is what my app looks like so far:
GPA: 3.82
MCAT: Taking in January
Research experience:
(2.5 years in undergrad lab, 3 posters, hopefully a publication in the next year), Just started a 2 year post-bacc at NIH in a productive lab so I have high hopes for a publication here)
EC's:
A) Worked for 1 year (15ish hrs/wk) as a behavioral case manager for refugees. Sought to reduce their barriers to quality healthcare. I volunteered at this organization for two summers before they brought me on as a paid employee for my senior year. I think it gave me a really unique perspective as to the difficulties that marginalized populations encounter in order to receive adequate healthcare.
B) Taught english to refugees for 1 semester
C) Managed/Organized an after-school sports camp for refugee children for two semesters
D) Served as a TA for two semesters
Awards:
Undergraduate researcher of the year
President's scholarship
Deans list
Undergraduate research fellowship recipient
LORs:
Undergrad PI: Should be a great letter. I have known him for 3 years and he wrote me a great letter for my post-bacc. He taught 3 of my courses.
Honors College Director: She also wrote me a great post-bacc recommendation. She taught two of my courses and I TA'd for her twice. (non-science)
Previous Employer (non-profit director): Her letter should be solid but somewhat generic if I ask for one.
Current PI: Hopefully this will be a solid letter after working with him for a year. He has helped many post-baccs get accepted to MSTPs and Med school. He is a well known scientist in his field, has served as president of various medical and scientific societies and is an editor for a solid scientific journal.
*I can get another LOR from a science professor, but it will be less personal because I have not developed extensive relationships with any other than my PI, really. Several know my name, career goals etc. but nothing crazy to write an amazing letter about IMO.
Thoughts:
1) I am under the impression that my research experiences will make me competitive for MSTPs but I probably need more clinical exposure. I intend to get several hours of shadowing at the NIH over the next few years. What is a good ballpark number of hours to aim for here? 50? 100? More?
2) My work as a case manager had clinical links. I transported clients to doctors appointments, helped manage their medications, helped with medicaid applications, scheduled doctors appointments, and served as a liaison between the client's therapist and physician. I am not sure if this will satisfy the clinical portion of my application. My issue with clinical volunteering is that most of it seems generally irrelevant and uninteresting, which is why I sought out more impactful opportunities working with neglected populations, even though it was less obviously clinical. Should I suck it up and take on a patient transport-type volunteer experience in order to gain more clinical experience or do you think I am okay?
2b) I am currently exploring volunteer opportunities. I would prefer to continue working with refugee populations and there are several of these opportunities available to me but they are not clinically oriented. I believe my extensive and consistent involvement with refugees will help me stand out but more importantly, I really enjoy working with this population. Is it valuable enough for me to continue this consistency for an additional year rather than take on a more generic clinical volunteer role?
3) I know my MCAT will be very important and I intend to spend a good portion of my free-time studying for it over the next several months leading up to January.
4) Anything I am missing/advice?
THANK YOU!
