Greetings :)

[MSUSpartan642]

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Hi all you SDN'er. Im new here so forgive me for being new if I make some dumb mistake. Just wondering how you all think I'm lookin so far.

Graduated 08
Human Physiology Degree
cGPA - 3.87
sGPA - 3.82
MCAT - Taking in April

Volunteer
Local ER - One semester (approx. 40 hrs)
Hospice - One semester (approx. 40 hrs)
Currently Tutoring for Literacy

Clinical
Shadowed Family Physician - (40 hrs)
Currently Shadowing another Family Practice Physician (D.O. this time)

Im just looking to get into either a M.D. or D.O. school, currently liking D.O. a bit more. What would make me a bit more competitive out of state?
Any suggestions are welcome 🙂
(I may have forgot some stuff, I wrote this up quick)

 

[Mobius1985]

Your GPA is terrific. A good MCAT score will determine how competitive you'd be at your most-favored institutions. As far as ECS, I'd continue some type of clinical volunteering, but you've made a good start (about 150 hours is average among applicants for both DO and MD schools). A leadership experience is good to list. Research is desirable but not essential. The shadowing looks fine. Other valued experiences are teaching/mentoring and teamwork. Publishing anything is also good to list (even poetry). Any other type of community service? This is highly valued.

 

[Myuu]

Hi all you SDN'er. Im new here so forgive me for being new if I make some dumb mistake. Just wondering how you all think I'm lookin so far.

Graduated 08
Human Physiology Degree
cGPA - 3.87
sGPA - 3.82
MCAT - Taking in April

Volunteer
Local ER - One semester (approx. 40 hrs)
Hospice - One semester (approx. 40 hrs)
Currently Tutoring for Literacy

Clinical
Shadowed Family Physician - (40 hrs)
Currently Shadowing another Family Practice Physician (D.O. this time)

Im just looking to get into either a M.D. or D.O. school, currently liking D.O. a bit more. What would make me a bit more competitive out of state?
Any suggestions are welcome 🙂
(I may have forgot some stuff, I wrote this up quick)

It's all looking good so far! I'm curious to know what you do for fun (and adcoms are good at asking). Are you a member of any clubs? Do you play any sports/instruments?👍

 

[MSUSpartan642]

As far as ECS, I'd continue some type of clinical volunteering, but you've made a good start (about 150 hours is average among applicants for both DO and MD schools).

Does the shadowing of the D.O./M.D. count as clinical volunteering?
I truly enjoy doing this, whereas my experience in the hospice/ER is that I was swept aside. Shadowing I think that I gain a lot more out of it. I have no problem with volunteering, thus the literacy tutoring.

 

[Myuu]

Does the shadowing of the D.O./M.D. count as clinical volunteering?
I truly enjoy doing this, whereas my experience in the hospice/ER is that I was swept aside. Shadowing I think that I gain a lot more out of it. I have no problem with volunteering, thus the literacy tutoring.

Shadowing counts as shadowing. It's clinical experience with a doctor (bonus!), but not volunteering. What most people mean by clinical volunteering is volunteering in a hospital or patient care setting (i.e. hospice ER).

 

[MSUSpartan642]

It's all looking good so far! I'm curious to know what you do for fun (and adcoms are good at asking). Are you a member of any clubs? Do you play any sports/instruments?👍

Well for the time being I just moved to Florida so I'm getting to golf more than I could in Michigan. For 2 years I worked at a wonderful running store and my work there has developed into one of my biggest hobbies. Running 😀. I have done plenty of 5K's and some longer races. My goal is to do a marathon before I enter medical school. I have played bass since I was about 13 years old. Now this is just playing for fun and for myself. I know how to read tablature and have little knowledge of bass cleft. 😴. Other than that I would say disc golf and electronics are my other favorite ways to spend time.

 

[MSUSpartan642]

Shadowing counts as shadowing. It's clinical experience with a doctor (bonus!), but not volunteering. What most people mean by clinical volunteering is volunteering in a hospital or patient care setting (i.e. hospice ER).

Haha, so what your saying is that I should get my butt back into the hospital and do some more clinical volunteering even if it wasnt my favorite past time.

 

[Mobius1985]

You can get clinical experience through the workplace, for class credit, data gathering for a clinical trial, by physician shadowing, or via volunteerism. It can be gained at a clinic, hospice, hospital, residential home, crisis hotline, or nursing home (among others). Unpaid clinical exposure isn't always a volunteer experience. If there is any purpose that serves you, it is not community service and it's not "Volunteer" for the purposes of the AMCAS application.

The advantage of gaining clinical exposure through volunteerism, is that it also is looked on as community service, another unwritten requirement for your application.

Shadowing is a type of clinical exposure, but because it is passive (you just watch how a physician conducts business with patients and staff), it is not sufficient in itself. Though you choose voluntarily to shadow, it is not a "volunteer" experience, as it does not serve the patient. Adcomms are looking to see that you've had face-to face-interactions with sick people. Some med schools do not regard shadowing at all, and others value it highly as it gives one the best idea of what being a physician is all about. In order for your application to appeal to the broadest number of schools, it is wise (but not obligatory) to include this type of experience.