MD How do my credentials for applying to med school look?

[DRchar]

Hello all. I am needing some advice and/or constructive criticism on how I look so far for applying to med school? I switched my major the end of my freshman year so I am a year behind.

So far, my GPA is 3.2, it has been rising since my sophomore year, I did not understand how to study for these classes until a semester or two ago.

I have not taken the MCAT yet I plan to take it next year, I know that will be my saving grace.

Undergraduate Exposure to Medicine Time (# Hrs.)
Volunteer Med-Clinic Mission Trip in Belize 196
EMS/ER Skills Lab 182
EMT at Hospital 1 1/2 year
Volunteer EMT at County EMS 77
Shadow M.D. in Emergengy Medicine 22
Shadow M.D. in Orthopedic Surgery 12
Shadow M.D. in OB/GYN 32
Shadow D.O. in Family Practice 25
Shadowed Physical Therapist 1530
Volunteer in Sports Medicine 1027
Suture Clinic 25

Undergraduate Leadership Positions w/ Years
Med Clinic Jr. Chaperone : Jr.
Mission Trip Guide: Fr.
Vice President of Programming Panhellenic Council: Jr./Sr.
Vice President of Programming Greek Council: Jr./Sr.
Activites Chair for Alpha Gamma Delta: Fr./So.
Delta Coordinator for Alpha Gamma Delta: Jr.
Social Media Intern for Together We Rise Adoption NonProfit-O: Jr.
PreHealth Club - Treasurer: So.
Student Ambassador: Jr./Sr.

Undergraduate Activities I am actively involved in:
National Society of Leadership and Success So./Jr./Sr.
Biology Club Member Fr./So./Jr./Sr.
PreMed Club Member So./Jr./Sr.
PreHealth Club Member So./Jr.
Panhellenic Council Fr./So./Jr./Sr.
Greek Council Fr./Jr./Sr.
Campus Christians Fr./So./Jr./Sr.
Big Brothers, Big Sisters So./Jr./Sr.

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[Goro]

Get off campus and out of your comfort zone, and do some real ECs in service to others less fortunate than yourself.

Your missions trips will be viewed as medical tourism.

 

[Toutie]

Why do you have... Shadowed Physical Therapist 1530 ? Is that correct or a typo?

 

[Levo]

Your GPA will give you serious problems for MD programs, and DO programs as well. It's very likely you'll have to do a post-bacc or Special Master's Program (and get perfect grades in it) to stand a chance at a decent school.

 

[DRchar]

Why do you have... Shadowed Physical Therapist 1530 ? Is that correct or a typo?

It is correct. I logged 1,530 hours with a local physical therapist my first and second year in college.

 

[DRchar]

Your GPA will give you serious problems for MD programs, and DO programs as well. It's very likely you'll have to do a post-bacc or Special Master's Program (and get perfect grades in it) to stand a chance at a decent school.

My science gpa is 3.6, Biology Major with Psychology and Chemistry minor is a 3.5 so far. Do you think these are more competitive scores? My overall gpa of 3.2 included past classes that are not apart of my intended major.

 

[DRchar]

Get off campus and out of your comfort zone, and do some real ECs in service to others less fortunate than yourself.

Your missions trips will be viewed as medical tourism.

Will do. Thank you!

 

[Toutie]

It is correct. I logged 1,530 hours with a local physical therapist my first and second year in college.

That amount of shadowing is an incredible waste of time. And some adcoms will view it as so. You could have used those hours much more productively volunteering for an underserved group. Something in the vicinity of 100 hours is a suitable amount of shadowing. 1500 is outrageously excessive amount of shadowing.

Agree with @Goro, you need to get off campus do some "real" volunteering with those less fortunate.

 

[gyngyn]

That amount of shadowing is an incredible waste of time. And some adcoms will view it as so. You could have used those hours much more productively volunteering for an underserved group. Something in the vicinity of 100 hours is a suitable amount of shadowing. 1500 is outrageously excessive amount of shadowing.

Agree with @Goro, you need to get off campus do some "real" volunteering with those less fortunate.

Even 50 is plenty if it is in primary care.

 

[DRchar]

That amount of shadowing is an incredible waste of time. And some adcoms will view it as so. You could have used those hours much more productively volunteering for an underserved group. Something in the vicinity of 100 hours is a suitable amount of shadowing. 1500 is outrageously excessive amount of shadowing.

Agree with @Goro, you need to get off campus do some "real" volunteering with those less fortunate.

I thought PT was what I wanted to pursue. For the program, just to get into the program I was required to have 500 hours. If I would have known I wanted to pursue medicine as a career path, I would have spent my time on other things. That said, I got to have an extreme amount of patient contact in the outpatient clinic and community health center we worked in during the times I shadowed him. I am definitely going to look into more under privileged areas... I volunteer community clinics in pittsburg, ks... The most underprivileged county in the state of KS.

 

[Toutie]

I thought PT was what I wanted to pursue. For the program, just to get into the program I was required to have 500 hours. If I would have known I wanted to pursue medicine as a career path, I would have spent my time on other things. That said, I got to have an extreme amount of patient contact in the outpatient clinic and community health center we worked in during the times I shadowed him. I am definitely going to look into more under privileged areas... I volunteer community clinics in pittsburg, ks... The most underprivileged county in the state of KS.

Is there some way you can play that up as clinical volunteering rather than simply shadowing? Did you actually do something with the patients other than just standing and watching?

 

[DRchar]

Is there some way you can play that up as clinical volunteering rather than simply shadowing? Did you actually do something with the patients other than just standing and watching?

Yes, I worked hands on mostly with patients in their homes during home rehabilitation sessions. We made lots of house calls due to patient inability to leave their homes. I also got to work hands on with community clinic patients during rehabilitation exercises.

 

[Levo]

My science gpa is 3.6, Biology Major with Psychology and Chemistry minor is a 3.5 so far. Do you think these are more competitive scores? My overall gpa of 3.2 included past classes that are not apart of my intended major.

There are students who are successful applying with GPA of 3.5 if they're really great applicants otherwise. It's definitely not where you'd want to be though. Out of curiosity, what was your major before you changed?

 

[DRchar]

There are students who are successful applying with GPA of 3.5 if they're really great applicants otherwise. It's definitely not where you'd want to be though. Out of curiosity, what was your major before you changed?

Engineering Technology. I know I had a rough beginning, I am only increasing my GPA and I have taken away the material I have learned. My preMed advisor says she believes I can make it, I have about a 3-4 semesters left to raise my GPA with my science courses. I am not trying to pursue Johns Hopkins or a ivy league school. I really like the idea of KU or OU COM.

 

[Levo]

Engineering Technology. I know I had a rough beginning, I am only increasing my GPA and I have taken away the material I have learned. My preMed advisor says she believes I can make it, I have about a 3-4 semesters left to raise my GPA with my science courses. I am not trying to pursue Johns Hopkins or a ivy league school. I really like the idea of KU or OU COM.

OK, that definitely sounds more legit. Engineering majors are much more difficult than bio. Are you from Kansas or Oklahoma? I'm not personally familiar with either of those schools so I don't really know their approach to out-of-state applicants. If you're from a state that's got its own state medical school but does not produce many med school applicants your odds go up significantly.

 

[DRchar]

OK, that definitely sounds more legit. Engineering majors are much more difficult than bio. Are you from Kansas or Oklahoma? I'm not personally familiar with either of those schools so I don't really know their approach to out-of-state applicants. If you're from a state that's got its own state medical school but does not produce many med school applicants your odds go up significantly.

I am from Oklahoma. But I go to school in KS. Therefore I am a "resident of oklahoma" but since I have lived in KS for 4 years plus gotten a job for +2 years. KU COM will deem me as having "strong KS ties". Which they consider 2nd before out of state applicants when talking about residency for school.

 

[Levo]

I am from Oklahoma. But I go to school in KS. Therefore I am a "resident of oklahoma" but since I have lived in KS for 4 years plus gotten a job for +2 years. KU COM will deem me as having "strong KS ties". Which they consider 2nd before out of state applicants when talking about residency for school.

Sounds like you're in decent shape for those two schools then! Geography def plays a big role in medical school admissions.