Has a COVID summer completely messed me up for a 2021-2022 cycle?

[deleted867660]

Hi friends,
Question. I’ve been getting nervous, seeing a few friends still clinical volunteering during COVID, at testing centers and whatnot.
I’m in a special situation. My hometown doesn’t have many clinical opportunities (forced to live at home when universities closed) and my father is severely immunocompromised (severe heart condition) that basically leaves my family in permanent isolation - in order to prevent exposing him we have taken to only going out when needed. So that means I can’t exactly volunteer and get clinical hours for this summer as some others can.

I’m going back to school soon and I’ll do my best to get something there (all clinical opportunities don’t seem to be happening this year due to virus) but I’m unsure. as of right now, here’s what my Hours are looking like. I plan to take MCAT April 2021 and apply this upcoming cycle. I haven’t spent the whole summer doing nothing. I TA’d for a math class at my uni online, I have done some volunteer tutoring, studied for the MCAT, and have taken a class for my minor I’m pursuing.

nonclinical: 250+ hours
Clinical: 110+ hours
Shadowing: 65 hours
multiple ECs including several leadership positions and student governance
GPA: 3.91
I’m a little at a loss here. I think my numbers are pretty good (correct me if I’m wrong) but I worry that they won’t move at all because of lack of opportunities due to the virus.
Does anyone have any thoughts? A touch late for fixing but I don’t know if I can list on my app somewhere that my dad was very sick and I was unable to get clinical hours.

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[Mountainman121]

I'm no expert but assuming a very strong MCAT what you have could be sufficient with research. You may get a chance in the spring to bump up your clinical hours too. Feel free to correct me adcoms/those more knowledgable

 

[deleted867660]

I'm no expert but assuming a very strong MCAT what you have could be sufficient with research. You may get a chance in the spring to bump up your clinical hours too. Feel free to correct me adcoms/those more knowledgable

Thanks for your response. I am currently in research and I also am working as an ER scribe, I probably should have mentioned that. I am hoping to get clinical volunteering this year but nobody knows for sure. It's unfortunate too because I was planning to break the 175+ mark this year should the virus not come and rained on my metaphorical parade.

 

[Mountainman121]

Thanks for your response. I am currently in research and I also am working as an ER scribe, I probably should have mentioned that. I am hoping to get clinical volunteering this year but nobody knows for sure. It's unfortunate too because I was planning to break the 175+ mark this year should the virus not come and rained on my metaphorical parade.

I'm just an applicant so take my advice with a grain of salt. Hour-wise your nonclinical volunteering is great. Your clinical hours seem passable to me with a solid application. Also, this may go against common wisdom on this thread, but I personally believe hours aren't the most important thing. It's how you write about them, what you got out of the experience, etc. Your extracurriculars seem great to me, especially if you could nab a few more hours for clinical. Kill the mcat though and write good essays and I think your app could be awesome.

 

[candbgirl]

Do your clinical hours include the scribing? Clinical experience can be paid or volunteer. So if the 110 hours is scribing and you are still doing it you’ll be fine. If the 110 hours is clinical volunteering and you are doing scribing now, you’ll have more than enough!

 

[deleted867660]

Do your clinical hours include the scribing? Clinical experience can be paid or volunteer. So if the 110 hours is scribing and you are still doing it you’ll be fine. If the 110 hours is clinical volunteering and you are doing scribing now, you’ll have more than enough!

It's just volunteering! The crisis has forced us scribes out of the ER for right now but I anticipate we will be back soon.

Thanks for your input!
So rare everyone is so nice on a thread like this - thanks to both of you for your kind advice and pointers!

 

[Goro]

Hi friends,
Question. I’ve been getting nervous, seeing a few friends still clinical volunteering during COVID, at testing centers and whatnot.
I’m in a special situation. My hometown doesn’t have many clinical opportunities (forced to live at home when universities closed) and my father is severely immunocompromised (severe heart condition) that basically leaves my family in permanent isolation - in order to prevent exposing him we have taken to only going out when needed. So that means I can’t exactly volunteer and get clinical hours for this summer as some others can.

I’m going back to school soon and I’ll do my best to get something there (all clinical opportunities don’t seem to be happening this year due to virus) but I’m unsure. as of right now, here’s what my Hours are looking like. I plan to take MCAT April 2021 and apply this upcoming cycle. I haven’t spent the whole summer doing nothing. I TA’d for a math class at my uni online, I have done some volunteer tutoring, studied for the MCAT, and have taken a class for my minor I’m pursuing.

nonclinical: 250+ hours
Clinical: 110+ hours
Shadowing: 65 hours
multiple ECs including several leadership positions and student governance
GPA: 3.91
I’m a little at a loss here. I think my numbers are pretty good (correct me if I’m wrong) but I worry that they won’t move at all because of lack of opportunities due to the virus.
Does anyone have any thoughts? A touch late for fixing but I don’t know if I can list on my app somewhere that my dad was very sick and I was unable to get clinical hours.

You might have a chance especially at your state school.

But in reality, here's a harsh truth: your health, as well as that of your family and society is more important than your med school plans.

If you lose an app year, so be it. med schools aren't going anywhere, and you'll just have to retire at age 66 in stead of 65.

 

[deleted867660]

You might have a chance especially at your state school.

But in reality, here's a harsh truth: your health, as well as that of your family and society is more important than your med school plans.

If you lose an app year, so be it. med schools aren't going anywhere, and you'll just have to retire at age 66 in stead of 65.

Thanks for your apt perspective as always, Goro. I do want to be clear: is it my hours alone that disqualify me from being a contender for OOS? My GPA is strong (3.91) and I have a lot of leadership and other extracurricular experiences (3 years on exec board for medical student association, research, resident advising, TAing, ER Scribing, etc)
I’m only a junior right now so I have a little bit of time to fix things - any pointers would be great. The schools in my state are pretty good (VA) so any shot at them is a blessing!

 

[Mountainman121]

Thanks for your apt perspective as always, Goro. I do want to be clear: is it my hours alone that disqualify me from being a contender for OOS? My GPA is strong (3.91) and I have a lot of leadership and other extracurricular experiences (3 years on exec board for medical student association, research, resident advising, TAing, ER Scribing, etc)
I’m only a junior right now so I have a little bit of time to fix things - any pointers would be great. The schools in my state are pretty good (VA) so any shot at them is a blessing!

Not Goro but you have a year. Look for opportunities but I personally don’t believe you’ll be disqualified, especially from your state schools. Your gpa is great, but it’s just as likely your mcat will disqualify you as your clinical hours. It’s just impossible to say imo (again coming from an applicant)

 

[deleted1064759]

Pure conjecture but I honestly feel like the next cycle is going to be more accommodating than this one for ECs. For this cycle, there isn't really a valid excuse since COVID started like a month before the cycle but next year people will have significant holes in their ECs.

 

[Goro]

Thanks for your apt perspective as always, Goro. I do want to be clear: is it my hours alone that disqualify me from being a contender for OOS? My GPA is strong (3.91) and I have a lot of leadership and other extracurricular experiences (3 years on exec board for medical student association, research, resident advising, TAing, ER Scribing, etc)
I’m only a junior right now so I have a little bit of time to fix things - any pointers would be great. The schools in my state are pretty good (VA) so any shot at them is a blessing!

Yes, it's the hours. I fear that you will be outclassed by people with stronger apps.

 

[deleted867660]

Yes, it's the hours. I fear that you will be outclassed by people with stronger apps.

I’ll do my damndest then this next year to up them. Unfortunately my summer plans were to scribe full time (so 600 hours clinical experience over the whole summer) but since we were furloughed all of us were quite shafted. Hopefully we will be going back soon!

 

[KnightDoc]

I’ll do my damndest then this next year to up them. Unfortunately my summer plans were to scribe full time (so 600 hours clinical experience over the whole summer) but since we were furloughed all of us were quite shafted. Hopefully we will be going back soon!

Just remember, no matter what anyone else says, by next year many more applicants will have significant holes in their EC hours for the same reason as you!

 

[deleted867660]

Just remember, no matter what anyone else says, by next year many more applicants will have significant holes in their EC hours for the same reason as you!

Ah ahah you are a gem! Thank you for being so positive and reminding me to think on the bright side ❤️