I was just wondering what my chances would be of getting into a medical school. This thought causes me a lot of anxiety, so any help would be much appreciated. My overall gpa is 3.7, I will take the Mcat in May, I have worked at a retail pharmacy for 1.5 years, I have been delivering for Meals on Wheels since October, I volunteered at an elementary school helping a teacher for one semester, I volunteered doing yard work for hospice patients for one semester, I served as a missionary for my church for 2 years where I held different leadership positions and had some exposure to translating for the mission nurse and was in charge of transporting other missionaries to the hospital when needed. I also volunteered for a couple of weeks helping a high school band program. I have TA'd for a microbiology lab for two semester, in which I taught and led the whole lab by myself. Other than that, I am in short supply. I received my CNA certification in November, but have yet to find a job doing that. I plan on shadowing some doctors this summer and am trying to get on with a professor to do some research this summer as well. What else should I do to be a better candidate?
Help me!
- Thread starter wonderer1
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When are you planning to apply? If you are planning to apply this cycle (2012-2013), waiting tp finish shadowing in the summer is going to make you late. So the rest of the advice is based on the assumption that you plan on applying in the next cycle (2013 - 2014).
You GPA is above average and scoring a 30+ on the MCAT will make you a good applicant. But looking at your EC's, I don't see a lot of patient exposure/clinical experience. I don't count doing yard work for hospice patients and transporting missionaries to hospitals as clinical experience. If I am wrong, I am sure someone will point that out. Translation for the mission nurse seems to be the only kind of patient exposure you have (remember the mantra: if you can smell patients, it is a clinical experience).
My suggestion would be to prepare for the MCAT well, score a 30+ on it (higher the better) and focus on getting more clinical exposure and shadowing done. Ideally, you would have around 50 hours of shadowing doctors spread across different specialties. The CNA license will definitely help if you can find a job. That could easily be the clinical experience you are looking for. If you can get a little bit of research in there, that is going to be a plus as well. Good luck!
You GPA is above average and scoring a 30+ on the MCAT will make you a good applicant. But looking at your EC's, I don't see a lot of patient exposure/clinical experience. I don't count doing yard work for hospice patients and transporting missionaries to hospitals as clinical experience. If I am wrong, I am sure someone will point that out. Translation for the mission nurse seems to be the only kind of patient exposure you have (remember the mantra: if you can smell patients, it is a clinical experience).
My suggestion would be to prepare for the MCAT well, score a 30+ on it (higher the better) and focus on getting more clinical exposure and shadowing done. Ideally, you would have around 50 hours of shadowing doctors spread across different specialties. The CNA license will definitely help if you can find a job. That could easily be the clinical experience you are looking for. If you can get a little bit of research in there, that is going to be a plus as well. Good luck!
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Did you interact with patients at the pharmacy window and educate them about their meds? What percent of your job did this entail, if any? How many hours would you say you translated for the nurse? What country? With the CNA certificate, you might find it easier to get a meaningful volunteer position in a clinical enviroment for 3-4 hours a week, if a job doesn't come through. (Depending on your answers) it seems that you will probably need to seriously work on getting clinical experience hours in a US facility ASAP if you want to apply in summer 2013. Meanwhile, I hope you will continue to engage in some nonmedical community service for the needy. Completing a research activity will strengthen your application. So does the teaching activity you've mentioned. Try to include a primary care doc in your shadowing. It's good you've already taken on leadership roles.
I do interact with patients at the pharmacy window and do educate them on their medication somewhat, under the direction of the Pharmacist of course. (That's probably 1/4 of my job) I probably translated for the nurse for about 30 hours and it was in Samoa. I do want to apply this year though if at all possible. Do you think that's possible?
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It's possible to apply, but there is no guarantee of success, especially as you won't begin some of the important activities until summer. Being involved with patients at the pharmacy may help you in some adcomm eyes, though of course everyone you speak to is not "sick." I think you need to get going as soon as possible getting more experience as an employee or volunteer with patients who are sick or injured, but in a medical facility. You might check at hospitals, skilled nursing homes, hospice, free-, low-income, VA, family planning, or private clinics, and rehab facilities, too.
But I suggest you live your life as if you will need to reapply, meaning, continue to improve your ECs through the application year so they will be strong if you need to fill out the application again.
Why are you suddenly in a rush? Paying for two application cycles is expensive. It would be far less anxiety provoking to do the job right the first time, after you have the best possible application. Right now, your ECs make you look like someone who wanted to be a pharmacist and just changed their mind. Adcomms would prefer that you don't act impulsively without testing medicine as a career first.
But I suggest you live your life as if you will need to reapply, meaning, continue to improve your ECs through the application year so they will be strong if you need to fill out the application again.
Why are you suddenly in a rush? Paying for two application cycles is expensive. It would be far less anxiety provoking to do the job right the first time, after you have the best possible application. Right now, your ECs make you look like someone who wanted to be a pharmacist and just changed their mind. Adcomms would prefer that you don't act impulsively without testing medicine as a career first.
