how do i maximise my chances?

[empower12]

hi all,
i am brand new to this forum and am looking for some support and guidance that i lack these days due to a very restricted life.
ok, here's the deal- i am a post bacc. premed student, with a psychology major undergrad (GPA-3.78).Taking Anatomy-Physio, Orgo, Gen Physics and Cell Bio and am working part time (20 hrs).plan to take the second part of the courses i'm taking in spring.Going to start my volunteering work this nov uptil may next year).Plan to take MCAT Aug'03 and apply for '04.Plan to join a prep course over summer next year to prepare for MCAT.will start some prep on my own this winter break.so, my question in what else do i need to be doing righte now to maximise my chances of getting into med school.
any and all suggestions are welcome.
empower12

 

[lola]

do an extra curricular you really enjoy!
get some clinical experience!
try to have something that makes you stand out -- lots of people will have good grades & test scores so you need something to separate yourself from the bunch.
good luck!

 

[empower12]

thanks a lot l,
the volunteering i am going to start this nov is at a hospital and i will be shadowed by three doctors (min) untill may.so i beleive that should be it for clinical.
i'll think about extra curricular more..although i am a member of the biology and physics club.

 

[Tweetie_bird]

ok,
I am just going to list all the things that are available to you; you don't have to do every one of them. Just stuff I have heard about on SDN that others have done--

volunteer at a place where you can get some hands on patient work. Don't do it in an inner city ER, you may not get ot do anything besides carry urine and charts.

clinical research!! THE WAY TO GO. I did this for 5 years and have 4 publications from it. This certainly is the way to go if you wanna have both--patient contact AND research experience.

perhaps join a communicty org. that does something worthwhile in the community--volunteer in an orphanage; tutor children....etc. Drug programs.

EMT training can always help you get your foot into an ER door to work as an MA.

Again, publications. To a lot of people, these are not important, but I have had considerable number of people tell me that they are really helping my application. So, it's from the horses mouth--publications really help.

My main advice is to look for osmething in the field, and run with it. Something that appeals to you. That you will have a long-term committment to. I know far too many ER volunteers that did it for 3 months and called it a good experience. I call that 3 months wasted because all they did was wheel patients and carry charts and urine from one place to another. So whatever you do, make sure you know what you're getting into. The above that I have listed also is listed as "patient experience" but I hardly call it that.

Good luck!!!

 

[SMW]

I think you'll have plenty of medical/clinical with your hospital/dr. shadowing plan. I think you might need to look for something outside of the medical field. Adcoms like to see that there's more to your life than trying to get into medschool. Volunteering would be good. But also some sort of EC that's not bio or physics! Unrestrict your life! (Sorry if that's not possible -- can't tell what you meant by that cryptic comment). Make sure you get your LORs lined up early, and make sure to apply as early as possible, so all your apps will be complete the minute your August MCAT scores get into them. You will have your hands full doing secondaries while you study for the MCAT. You don't want to be chasing down LORs or still struggling with your primary at that point.

Oh, I almost forgot, Welcome to SDN!!

 

[coredump]

Welcome to SDN as well (I'm kinda new here too though).

I think just to have A chance at med school, you need to show them you're academically capable (MCAT, GPA, etc.). But to really "maximize" your chances, as everyone already said, you need to take it one step further.

Exactly how should depend on you; what you [would] like to do, and what you're good at. Show the AdComs that you're not only a very intelligent person, but also passionate about life. Pursue a few activities that you enjoy (not necessarily related to medicine) and show some dedication to it.

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Great advice here already. I think the most important thing is for you to do medically related ECs that are fun and rewarding for you. If you enjoy it, then you'll be able to express that enthusiasm in your personal statement and during the interviews.

Good Luck!

 

[SMW]

And welcome to SDN to you, too, coredump!! Your advice was very well put.

 

[ucbdancn00]

hey guys...

one thing that i think is really important (personally)...is to be yourself.

Really...

I have had a few friends who had 3.9, 37 (approx) and didn't get in because all his ECs were done strictly for medical school. I think it's necessary that you do stuff that you feel passionate about and convey that passion to the med school Ad Coms.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't volunteer @ hospitals, or even gain experience as an EMT; by all means do that......but i am saying, do what you feel you will be able to achieve the most by. Just because some people tell you to do something, doesn't mean that you should.

It's important to figure out what you believe will help YOU get into med school and then proceed accordingly.

Good luck to everyone applying or planning on applying!!!

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Originally posted by ucbdancn00
hey guys...

one thing that i think is really important (personally)...is to be yourself.

Really...

I have had a few friends who had 3.9, 37 (approx) and didn't get in because all his ECs were done strictly for medical school. I think it's necessary that you do stuff that you feel passionate about and convey that passion to the med school Ad Coms.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't volunteer @ hospitals, or even gain experience as an EMT; by all means do that......but i am saying, do what you feel you will be able to achieve the most by. Just because some people tell you to do something, doesn't mean that you should.

It's important to figure out what you believe will help YOU get into med school and then proceed accordingly.

Good luck to everyone applying or planning on applying!!!

Great advice here. I completely agree!

 

[empower12]

thanks a lot ppl..i really appreciate ur precious thoughts and comments.
i have a new question now with regards to clinical/ patient experience..i am going to complete my second year of masters in clinical psych after i finish my MCAT in aug next year (oops..i forgot to mention this in my original thread..yes i am a grad student in clinical psych and have finished the first year with a GPA of 3.70).As a part of the second year..we have a 15-20 hour internship at a hospital or whatever we choose, for the last 1 year..so I would be working under a licensed psychologist and also maybe a psychiatrist for the next one year after MCAT.HOW WOULD THE ADCOMS VIEW THIS?Would this be considered clinical experience and fetch me some extra feathers to the cap or not?Also, does it help to be a grad student in a clinical field?how much weightage does it carry in terms of being an edge over fresh graduates from college?
how about if i have 3 months worth of volunteering at an oncology centre?(did serious stuff but on lines of my major).
does becoming a member of the psych and philosphy clubs on campus count as 'non-restricted'?
thanks to u all once again...and i really feel good for having joined this forum.

ps-i am very passionate about what i do (and that's why have survived being a full time student and a part or full time employee for the last 3 years)..the grad school adcoms for psych could make that out..psych has been my passion for quite some time and in fact i am trying for med school for MD Psychiatry..and so i hope being a grad from clinical psych might help.