Hello! I posted about this a few weeks ago, but after some feedback...I have another question...
To outline//restate:
I am a first generation white female. Graduated in 3 years. Currently working in research during my "gap" year. I took the MCAT late due to Covid so I only got my completed secondaries in by late September/ early October. I have a story of caring for my grandfather and translating for him through his journey with cancer (and clinical trials) + how that experience led me to pursue clinical and translational research, shadowing, and ultimately my medical interpreter position at the assisted living facility.
STATS: 3.74 cgpa, 3.62 sgpa, 511 mcat this past August (126,126,127,132) I retook a 500 from January 2020 (125,123,126,126). I know this is super unbalanced, but I really am hoping to not retake again. My grades were also a strong upward trend. 3.6, 3.6, 3.3, 4.0, 3.9, 4.0.
I applied with:
Extracurriculars:
Shadowing 60 hours across 3 specialties- made a shadowing experience at Job Corps and a drug rehab place with an internist my most meaningful.
Research with Howard Hughes and a lab at my undergrad's med campus 600 hours 4 abstracts, 2 posters
Volunteering 200 clinical (medical interpreter in a nursing home for two years) 150 nonclinical (various activities on campus)
Teaching 34 hours as a TA for intro bio ( 2 semesters/ made it my most meaningful- love teaching)
Paid employment 700 hours as a tutor and nanny ( 3 years)
Others: free diving (another most meaningful), art (incorporated art into my volunteering at the nursing home, was featured in local news paper).
Over the past application year:
I gained about 1000 research hours as I am currently working full time in a translational and clinical research lab. I am hoping to get a few papers out in the next year. I will get a few hundred more hours before reapplication. I will also be training a summer student and have gained presenting experiences. (journal club every week, attending conferences, etc). I work side by side with both physicians and scientists which has been an amazing opportunity.
I shadowed virtually 3 specialties.
I will be a covid vaccine clinic volunteer this spring and summer.
continued to volunteer at the nursing home as a translator (remotely)
volunteered in the community (about 20 hours)
I work closely with a physician and will be asking her for a LOR. I can also ask my current PI for a LOR.
I am thinking of revising my "most meaningful" to my current research position as I have grown tremendously from the experiences I have had here, keeping the shadowing, and keeping Ta or revising to a tutoring story. One of the kids I tutored this year improved his standardized reading score by 50% which was a huge accomplishment for me.
My LOR were 1 English prof, 2 science profs, and my old PI.
QUESTIONS:
Should I keep free diving as one of my most meaningful then instead of writing about research? The way I wrote about free diving was that I overcame a challenge learning the sport while being able to see the way biology functions in real life. I loved seeing the relationships between the organisms and the delicate balance of life.. etc. As for research, I can’t see myself in a lab for the rest of my life. I just feel like having this job has allowed me to mature while also learning about science much more hands on. I’m a very social person and genuinely would prefer to see patients instead of being in a lab.
Another note: I was in a serious biking accident when I was in high school (a woman who was texting and driving hit me). This wasn’t necessarily a part of my journey to medicine, but it’s a huge part of who I am and a major challenge I overcame. This cycle, I used it for my struggle essay, but I also shadowed in emergency medicine as a result of the accident. Should I somehow incorporate this into my personal statement? I’m not sure it “fits” into my story as a first gen student who loves to work with immigrant populations so I really didn’t focus much on it this cycle.
Thank you so much!! I appreciate all the help tremendously. I really don't have many resources available to me and no family in medicine- so I can not thank you
To outline//restate:
I am a first generation white female. Graduated in 3 years. Currently working in research during my "gap" year. I took the MCAT late due to Covid so I only got my completed secondaries in by late September/ early October. I have a story of caring for my grandfather and translating for him through his journey with cancer (and clinical trials) + how that experience led me to pursue clinical and translational research, shadowing, and ultimately my medical interpreter position at the assisted living facility.
STATS: 3.74 cgpa, 3.62 sgpa, 511 mcat this past August (126,126,127,132) I retook a 500 from January 2020 (125,123,126,126). I know this is super unbalanced, but I really am hoping to not retake again. My grades were also a strong upward trend. 3.6, 3.6, 3.3, 4.0, 3.9, 4.0.
I applied with:
Extracurriculars:
Shadowing 60 hours across 3 specialties- made a shadowing experience at Job Corps and a drug rehab place with an internist my most meaningful.
Research with Howard Hughes and a lab at my undergrad's med campus 600 hours 4 abstracts, 2 posters
Volunteering 200 clinical (medical interpreter in a nursing home for two years) 150 nonclinical (various activities on campus)
Teaching 34 hours as a TA for intro bio ( 2 semesters/ made it my most meaningful- love teaching)
Paid employment 700 hours as a tutor and nanny ( 3 years)
Others: free diving (another most meaningful), art (incorporated art into my volunteering at the nursing home, was featured in local news paper).
Over the past application year:
I gained about 1000 research hours as I am currently working full time in a translational and clinical research lab. I am hoping to get a few papers out in the next year. I will get a few hundred more hours before reapplication. I will also be training a summer student and have gained presenting experiences. (journal club every week, attending conferences, etc). I work side by side with both physicians and scientists which has been an amazing opportunity.
I shadowed virtually 3 specialties.
I will be a covid vaccine clinic volunteer this spring and summer.
continued to volunteer at the nursing home as a translator (remotely)
volunteered in the community (about 20 hours)
I work closely with a physician and will be asking her for a LOR. I can also ask my current PI for a LOR.
I am thinking of revising my "most meaningful" to my current research position as I have grown tremendously from the experiences I have had here, keeping the shadowing, and keeping Ta or revising to a tutoring story. One of the kids I tutored this year improved his standardized reading score by 50% which was a huge accomplishment for me.
My LOR were 1 English prof, 2 science profs, and my old PI.
QUESTIONS:
Should I keep free diving as one of my most meaningful then instead of writing about research? The way I wrote about free diving was that I overcame a challenge learning the sport while being able to see the way biology functions in real life. I loved seeing the relationships between the organisms and the delicate balance of life.. etc. As for research, I can’t see myself in a lab for the rest of my life. I just feel like having this job has allowed me to mature while also learning about science much more hands on. I’m a very social person and genuinely would prefer to see patients instead of being in a lab.
Another note: I was in a serious biking accident when I was in high school (a woman who was texting and driving hit me). This wasn’t necessarily a part of my journey to medicine, but it’s a huge part of who I am and a major challenge I overcame. This cycle, I used it for my struggle essay, but I also shadowed in emergency medicine as a result of the accident. Should I somehow incorporate this into my personal statement? I’m not sure it “fits” into my story as a first gen student who loves to work with immigrant populations so I really didn’t focus much on it this cycle.
Thank you so much!! I appreciate all the help tremendously. I really don't have many resources available to me and no family in medicine- so I can not thank you
