How bad of a mistake is this?

[KLA44]

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Hey all,
I unfortunately made the terrible mistake of not including around ~400 hours of non-clinical volunteering during my undergrad years (I am a non-trad). Obviously this isn't good. Now, I do have ~100 hours of clinical volunteering on my app, but nothing showing my volunteering that I did during my undergraduate years. Needless to say I am beyond frustrated with myself, as these were good experiences I wanted to highlight. I tried contacting the school, which informed me it was too late to add these on to my file, and that this should have been addressed months ago. Does anyone have any idea about how bad this can potentially affect my application?
Thank you all in advance. It is very much appreciated!

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

Do you have any non-clinical volunteering on your app? 100 hrs of clinical is a little on the weaker side (rule of thumb for your state school is 150 each + 50 shadowing hrs). This is in any case significant enough to warrant an update letter. You are also quite late in the season and it might just be too late to change minds.

I'd tentatively say that if your application stands with nothing but 100 clinical hours you're kinda screwed. If so, you have an easy upgrade to your app next cycle!

 

[KLA44]

Do you have any non-clinical volunteering on your app? 100 hrs of clinical is a little on the weaker side (rule of thumb for your state school is 150 each + 50 shadowing hrs). This is in any case significant enough to warrant an update letter. You are also quite late in the season and it might just be too late to change minds.

I'd tentatively say that if your application stands with nothing but 100 clinical hours you're kinda screwed. If so, you have an easy upgrade to your app next cycle!

I guess I should have also mentioned I am a Pharm.D, and I have ~1000 hours of clinical rotations I did in school (ER, ICU etc.), plus I currently work as a clinical pharmacist. I do have shadowing hours as well. As far as the non-clinical volunteering, I have maybe ~30 hours from small little things I did during pharmacy school, but nothing compared to what I did during my undergrad years. I just can't stop thinking about what a huge mistake I made 🙁

 

[TwoHighways]

Probably didn’t make or break your app. Stats? Schools applied to?

 

[LizzyM]

Did you get any interviews? Were you asked if there was anything not in your application that you wanted to metion at the interview? If you got interviews despite having no non-clinical volunteering as an undergrad, then that's great. On the other hand, some schools may have passed over you and chosen someone with a similar application AND more volunteering during college listed on the application.

 

[KLA44]

Probably didn’t make or break your app. Stats? Schools applied to?

I only applied to my state school, due to getting my app in late during the cycle.
Undergrad overall gpa ~ 3.8, science gpa ~3.65
Pharmacy school gpa of 3.9, graduated with honors.
MCAT is average for my state school. Not stellar, but not terrible. ~75 percentile

I honestly just feel like a complete idiot for leaving these hours off. I was so focused on documenting my clinical rotations in pharmacy school and work experience that I completely overlooked it.

 

[TwoHighways]

What was the reason for applying late? What good does worrying do at this point? It’s not like you can roll back the clock to change what you left out. If it doesn’t work out this cycle, apply earlier, more broadly, have some people in the know look over your essays/personal statements, and get into medical school one year later.

 

[KLA44]

Did you get any interviews? Were you asked if there was anything not in your application that you wanted to metion at the interview? If you got interviews despite having no non-clinical volunteering as an undergrad, then that's great. On the other hand, some schools may have passed over you and chosen someone with a similar application AND more volunteering during college listed on the application.

I did interview at my state school, which is the only school I applied to. I was not asked about that in my interview, and unfortunately the interview was closed file. My goal was to bring this up during the course of my interview so that it was at least noted in my file, but the flow of the conversation never really provided a good opportunity for me to mention it. I kind of feel like the writing is on the wall, but maybe I am just wishing there is some small glimmer of hope. Thank you so much for your input!

 

[KLA44]

What was the reason for applying late? What good does worrying do at this point? It’s not like you can roll back the clock to change what you left out. If it doesn’t work out this cycle, apply earlier, more broadly, have some people in the know look over your essays/personal statements, and get into medical school one year later.

Since I am a non-trad I had kind of told myself I was "too old" to go back to med school. Later I ended up realizing that if this is what I want to do, I need to just go for it. You are absolute right in that worrying about it is pretty pointless at this point. For whatever reason I just can't stop thinking about it. I think knowing that this mistake could possibly keep me out another year is really eating at me. But, as you said. I can not roll back the clock and change what I left out. I need to just accept the outcome and be better prepared next cycle. Thank you for taking the time to help me settle my nerves. I really do appreciate it.

 

[LizzyM]

Applying late and to only one school was a far bigger mistake than leaving off some volunteering from a decade ago. Don't half-as5 second attempt, apply early, apply to at least 15 schools and be meticulous in preparing your application.

 

[KLA44]

Applying late and to only one school was a far bigger mistake than leaving off some volunteering from a decade ago. Don't half-as5 second attempt, apply early, apply to at least 15 schools and be meticulous in preparing your application.

You are 100% correct. I guess I figured my state school was my best shot at getting in, if anywhere. So I rolled the dice. Looking back now, this was a poor decision. Thanks for the reality check. It was much needed.


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[Talldoctor96]

You are 100% correct. I guess I figured my state school was my best shot at getting in, if anywhere. So I rolled the dice. Looking back now, this was a poor decision. Thanks for the reality check. It was much needed.


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No matter how you feel you have to remember YOU ARE THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP. Even though the interviewer is asking you questions YOU decide what to say and which direction you take it in. You have to have that mentality. If you want to mention something in an interview you always have that ability. at the very least at the end you could have just said can I mention something? You need to shake the mentality that you "didn't have an opportunity". If you do not believe you are dictating the flow of the interview in the same way you need to change your approach.