How can I improve my ECs?

[mere1990]

Hey everyone!

I hope to apply to medical next summer, and I want to use this year to make myself a more competitive applicant. I am particularly concerned about my ECs. I would greatly appreciate constructive criticism and advice.

Here’s what I have so far:

NC resident
BS Biology and BA Chemistry
3.92 GPA (non-science 4.00 GPA)
Honors College Member
Phi Eta Sigma Member
Phi Kappa Phi Member
Chancellor's List (5 semesters)

1 year inorganic chemistry undergraduate research (2 publications as a coauthor)
3+ years as a lifeguard at my university rec center
225+ hours hospital volunteer in the ASU, ICU, Heart Institute
130+ hours volunteer peer tutor at my university for biology (including microbiology and anatomy)

20 hours physician shadowing (through a university program) in family, internal, emergency, and pediatric medicine

3 years as a choreographer and dance instructor at a local dance studio. I teach ballet, tap, lyrical, and competition classes during the school year. In addition to teaching technique, I choreograph dance routines for the annual recital and work backstage at the show.

2 summers as the artistic director for vacation bible school at my grandmother’s church. I designed, organized, prepared, and taught the craft projects for all of the classes (ages 2-13) and led a group of peers who assisted me. I designed and created the T-shirts for the program.

Just as a side note.... I am a long distance runner, currently training for my first half-marathon!

I digress, here’s what I am working on now:

I am trying to find a doctor to regularly shadow this semester.
I have been offered a job as a lead biology tutor where I have been volunteering.
I am taking the MCAT in January 2013 (already studying).

What can I do to improve my ECs?
Am I a competitive applicant?
I want to apply to schools mainly in the southeast: Brody, Chapel Hill, Wake Forest, Emory, Georgetown, MUSC, MCG, EVMS, UVA, VCU, etc.

What are my chances?

Please and thank you!

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[coolingglasses]

Looks pretty diverse to me.

I guess you could add more shadowing hours but it's more important that you can talk about your shadowing than it is that you rack up hours. Is there a way for you to get some kind of certification that will let you work with patients directly? CNA and EMS seem to be popular ones.

 

[ES2]

Maybe get some research under your belt. I also need to get involved with more ECs. Make sure you really nail the MCAT, a lot of those schools have 32-34 MCAT averages.

 

[mere1990]

Coolingglasses - when you say diverse, do you mean that as a good thing? I want the shadowing for the experience, not the hours. I wish I could get the EMT or CNA certification, that would be an amazing opportunity; however, with classes, work, and volunteering I have no time to get that certification before next summer which is when I graduate and will be applying.

ES2 - I did a year of chemistry research and have two publications as a coauthor. Do you think that with a decent MCAT score that my school list is reasonable? My dream school is Emory.

I'm thinking of volunteering with Habitat for Humanity on the weekends (it sounds like a lot of fun) but I'm concerned I might get overwhelmed with everything else going on.

Thanks for the responses so far! Anybody else have some advice?