How far along should I be by now?

[704PreMed]

This is a little complicated, I'll try to simplify it, but if I miss anything let me know. I'm trying to figure out if I'm behind the curve, and what I need to do to catch up.

• White Male
• Technically First Generation College Student
• Started Community College, May 2019.
• Switched Major and Path a few times, finally decided to get my General Education done for university transfer Spring 2020, Full time student including summers from Spring 2020-Spring 2021
• Turned 18, Spring of 2021
• Took a semester off Fall 2021, got married.
• Starting as a Sophomore at Low/Mid Tier State University this January, Transferred in with 55-Credit Hours (Community College GPA 3.2, upward trend, from 1.735 to 3.85 Semester total) Double major Biology & Public Health.
• My plan after undergrad is to get my MPH and then go to Wake Forest. Interested in Internal Medicine.

I currently have no volunteer hours, no clinical experience, no lab work, etc. I have nothing. By this point, how far should I be? Should I be freaking out?

I've applied to volunteer at COVID testing site, Meals on Wheels, HIV/AIDS prevention, Public Health Research, Medication sorting and delivery, Hospital Volunteer, etc. but I'm not sure if I should really fill my schedule to the brim or pace myself (Basically, is this a really bad situation or is it manageable).

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[Faha]

You should accumulate 50 hours of in person physician shadowing (including primary care). Also 200+ hours of clinical volunteering with patient contact. It appears that you will not be applying until 2024 so you have plenty of time to add clinical and non clinical experiences. Of course you will need a higher GPA and do well on the MCAT.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'll start with the standard timeline as suggested by AAMC: Timeline for Application and Admission to Medical School .

This timeline can be modified based on your circumstances, but in the end, you need to remember this is a journey/marathon, not a sprint.

Also, an MPH does not always help you with an application to medical school. In fact, some medical schools have dual degree programs where MPH coursework can be integrated with your MD education if the curriculum and your med school performance shows you can handle it.

You know this already, but your main priority is to keep pushing your overall GPA upwards. You need to find proper balance but your priorities must adequately address the GPA issue.

 

[candbgirl]

Why are you planning to do a MPH? Are you doing that at Wake Forest? It isn’t smart to pin your hopes on one particular med school. The following is information for the Wake Forest Class of 2025 , just to give you an idea..

Class of 2025 Profile​

• Applicants: 10,868
• Interviewed: 460
• Accepted: 261
• New matriculants: 145
  • NC: 74
  • Out-of-State: 187
• Average age: 24
• Gender: 162 female/ 99 male
• Underrepresented in medicine: 41
• Average MCAT: 512
• Average GPA: 3.67

You have plenty of time to get your application together. Keep focused and work hard on your grades. You might want to research DO schools too. DO schools might be a viable path to medicine.
Good luck

​

​

 

[DOcSto]

• Turned 18, Spring of 2021

If you're only 18, then you should stop stressing yourself out. Focus on grades and then accumulating the experiences that show you have an interest in medicine. It doesn't have to be a rush. A lot of us are well into/end of our 20's before applying to medical school.

 

[704PreMed]

You should accumulate 50 hours of in person physician shadowing (including primary care). Also 200+ hours of clinical volunteering with patient contact. It appears that you will not be applying until 2024 so you have plenty of time to add clinical and non clinical experiences. Of course you will need a higher GPA and do well on the MCAT.

I intend to raise it quite a bit. I have to take "extra" credits anyways so I'm sure this will be doable.

 

[704PreMed]

I'll start with the standard timeline as suggested by AAMC: Timeline for Application and Admission to Medical School .

This timeline can be modified based on your circumstances, but in the end, you need to remember this is a journey/marathon, not a sprint.

Also, an MPH does not always help you with an application to medical school. In fact, some medical schools have dual degree programs where MPH coursework can be integrated with your MD education if the curriculum and your med school performance shows you can handle it.

You know this already, but your main priority is to keep pushing your overall GPA upwards. You need to find proper balance but your priorities must adequately address the GPA issue.

I was doing masters program for a few reasons, 1: So that me and my wife can apply for medical school together, 2: So I can gain connections, research, and teach. I took your advice and scheduled this semester to focus on my GPA. I should have time for two volunteer/internship opportunities a week with enough time for research.

 

[704PreMed]

Why are you planning to do a MPH? Are you doing that at Wake Forest? It isn’t smart to pin your hopes on one particular med school. The following is information for the Wake Forest Class of 2025 , just to give you an idea..

Class of 2025 Profile​

• Applicants: 10,868
• Interviewed: 460
• Accepted: 261
• New matriculants: 145
  • NC: 74
  • Out-of-State: 187
• Average age: 24
• Gender: 162 female/ 99 male
• Underrepresented in medicine: 41
• Average MCAT: 512
• Average GPA: 3.67

You have plenty of time to get your application together. Keep focused and work hard on your grades. You might want to research DO schools too. DO schools might be a viable path to medicine.
Good luck

​

​

I have a real desire to do Public health policy research, it's a subject that interests me a lot. With that said, the reason I'm hoping to do it before medical school are because 1: I want to apply to medical school at the same time/with my wife who is a little bit behind me. 2: I want to gain connections, research, and I'm also interested in teaching/working as a TA.

 

[704PreMed]

If you're only 18, then you should stop stressing yourself out. Focus on grades and then accumulating the experiences that show you have an interest in medicine. It doesn't have to be a rush. A lot of us are well into/end of our 20's before applying to medical school.

I have untreated anxiety disorder so it's kind of my thing - I will focus on my grades and leave a little room for volunteering and internship during semester and try to use my free time during summers to maximize Volunteer/etc.

The rush to get School done isn't something I agree with but something that I was raised with, originally my parents only wanted me to complete two years of school, they emphasized getting school done as fast as possible so I could be a minister. It's something I have to fight thinking for sure. Thanks for your comment.

 

[happypuppy]

I have untreated anxiety disorder so it's kind of my thing - I will focus on my grades and leave a little room for volunteering and internship during semester and try to use my free time during summers to maximize Volunteer/etc.

The rush to get School done isn't something I agree with but something that I was raised with, originally my parents only wanted me to complete two years of school, they emphasized getting school done as fast as possible so I could be a minister. It's something I have to fight thinking for sure. Thanks for your comment.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but you absolutely should get treatment for your anxiety NOW and find healthy ways to cope with stress, uncertainty, and a demanding schedule. It might be possible to struggle through your earlier pre-med years without treatment, but the farther along the path to medicine you get, the more strain you will need to withstand and THRIVE in. Having an untreated anxiety disorder will not make this easier for you, and it will not get better unless you take the initiative to face it. Many universities have good resources now for students who struggle with mental health issues, including medication management at reduced costs and psychotherapy. Deal with your anxiety head on, and start as soon as you can. You need to have support, a plan, and an understanding of how best to take care of yourself before you are thrown into the fire.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I have a real desire to do Public health policy research, it's a subject that interests me a lot. With that said, the reason I'm hoping to do it before medical school are because 1: I want to apply to medical school at the same time/with my wife who is a little bit behind me. 2: I want to gain connections, research, and I'm also interested in teaching/working as a TA.

What major problem in public health are you really passionate about addressing? Will you need a thesis?

What about your wife? Where is she in her education?

The bit about an untreated disorder is really distressing. You wouldn't want to be a doctor whose patients never get their illnesses treated. Understand the expectation of being a role model with being in health care, especially knowing burnout is real among providers even before the pandemic.

 

[candbgirl]

Are you really 18 , married and have an untreated anxiety disorder. How old is your wife?Please get some help . Without dealing with your anxiety issues you will have an awful time in medical school. You just can’t believe the pressures of med school.some people call it a pressure cooker. Are you also still planning to be a minister or was that something your parents wanted you to do?
Take care of yourself.

 

[704PreMed]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but you absolutely should get treatment for your anxiety NOW and find healthy ways to cope with stress, uncertainty, and a demanding schedule. It might be possible to struggle through your earlier pre-med years without treatment, but the farther along the path to medicine you get, the more strain you will need to withstand and THRIVE in. Having an untreated anxiety disorder will not make this easier for you, and it will not get better unless you take the initiative to face it. Many universities have good resources now for students who struggle with mental health issues, including medication management at reduced costs and psychotherapy. Deal with your anxiety head on, and start as soon as you can. You need to have support, a plan, and an understanding of how best to take care of yourself before you are thrown into the fire.

Ok I scheduled an appointment with a new PCP. I didn't have PCP because I moved for school.

 

[704PreMed]

What major problem in public health are you really passionate about addressing? Will you need a thesis?

What about your wife? Where is she in her education?

The bit about an untreated disorder is really distressing. You wouldn't want to be a doctor whose patients never get their illnesses treated. Understand the expectation of being a role model with being in health care, especially knowing burnout is real among providers even before the pandemic.

A few actually, one of my biggest ones is, simply put, studying how public policy can both stop people from eating bad food (via tax) and use that tax towards public health education and good food.

Secondly, I'm interested in how public transit can be used to increase access to healthcare.

My wife is a freshman, she just started. She's class of 2025-2026 I think.

I got scheduled an appointment with a new PCP, I'll get help.

 

[704PreMed]

Are you really 18 , married and have an untreated anxiety disorder. How old is your wife?Please get some help . Without dealing with your anxiety issues you will have an awful time in medical school. You just can’t believe the pressures of med school.some people call it a pressure cooker. Are you also still planning to be a minister or was that something your parents wanted to do?
Take care of yourself.

Yes I'm 18, Yes I'm married. The anxiety disorder is complicated. I have had some trouble with primary care providers kind of ignoring me. I got a new one and he did great but couldn't refer me to anyone and said I needed to get a therapist on my own. I did. Then after about a year she was quitting her job and said that, I quote, "You're pretty much all better so I think we can stop here, I'm leaving this job anyways"

then I moved for school and haven't gotten a new PCP and therefore haven't gotten a new therapist. I think I need to try something different this time though because therapy didn't really help that much except for dealing with extreme situations.

Not to worry though I took y'alls advice and scheduled a visit with a new PCP

 

[704PreMed]

Are you really 18 , married and have an untreated anxiety disorder. How old is your wife?Please get some help . Without dealing with your anxiety issues you will have an awful time in medical school. You just can’t believe the pressures of med school.some people call it a pressure cooker. Are you also still planning to be a minister or was that something your parents wanted you to do?
Take care of yourself.

Sorry, to answer your other questions, my wife is 19 although she is just starting as a freshman this year. I'm not still planning to be a minister, I'm an atheist and do not share my parents beliefs. That's one of the main causes for me getting a therapist originally was to deal with the extreme stress of leaving the religion.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

A few actually, one of my biggest ones is, simply put, studying how public policy can both stop people from eating bad food (via tax) and use that tax towards public health education and good food.

Secondly, I'm interested in how public transit can be used to increase access to healthcare.

My wife is a freshman, she just started. She's class of 2025-2026 I think.

I got scheduled an appointment with a new PCP, I'll get help.

Maybe you already know about these reports anyway. I'm sharing just to help you first, and I don't think an MPH necessarily addresses the issues in totality. But you definitely don't need to be a physician to be involved with these isssues.

1) https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/the-public-health-effects-of-food-deserts-a-workshop

2) https://www.nationalacademies.org/trb/blog/improving-health-care-through-transportation

If anything I hope this helps you identify people with whom you want to work with for that interim step.

 

[704PreMed]

But you definitely don't need to be a physician to be involved with these isssues.

Thanks for sharing those links, I'm familiar with the first one but not the second. I'll take a look.

I don't really see myself as being involved with public health policy full time, but I see it as something I desire to do in conjunction with being a clinician.

I've reviewed the courses in my schools MPH program and they seem very interesting, I feel like it'll help me to network with people and give me the opportunity to gain experience. I also would like to be a TA.

If you have suggestions of other pathways to take during the year-or-two between my graduation and my wife's I'd be happy to hear it. I'm still leaning between public health and biology, we will see which I like better during this semester, although I have more experience in public health.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thanks for sharing those links, I'm familiar with the first one but not the second. I'll take a look.

I don't really see myself as being involved with public health policy full time, but I see it as something I desire to do in conjunction with being a clinician.

I've reviewed the courses in my schools MPH program and they seem very interesting, I feel like it'll help me to network with people and give me the opportunity to gain experience. I also would like to be a TA.

If you have suggestions of other pathways to take during the year-or-two between my graduation and my wife's I'd be happy to hear it. I'm still leaning between public health and biology, we will see which I like better during this semester, although I have more experience in public health.

I read your intro posted in the members forum, so thank you so much for sharing your story. That was actually quite inspirational, and I understand that your choices to this point were not easy to make.

As it stands, if you have access currently to a health professions advising office, I'm sure they have suggestions on what you can do in the interim period. I obviously say it's up to you to make the final decision, but the goal is to help you think about what options you can take.

Some of the options though require some help from the institution (which is why I ask what your prehealth office has suggested). There are some people who have interest in the intersection of public policy and health care who may do significant service such as Teach for America/City Year, Peace Corps, or Fulbright.

You also have to know that while going to medical school at the same time might be ideal, it's not necessarily feasible. It's okay to be a year ahead. It's okay to go to two different schools in the same city. While you both may start at the same time, it might be that one of you delays completing medical school (say for combined degree opportunities/research). I'm just making sure you know that you have a little flexibility. Doing a two-person search to get into medical school or residency requires a lot more planning and outreach to understand how your applications will be viewed (though for residency there are processes in place that help this a bit better). You have to each stand on your own merits but there are ways that you can signal to schools that you wish to go to the same place.

 

[704PreMed]

I read your intro posted in the members forum, so thank you so much for sharing your story. That was actually quite inspirational, and I understand that your choices to this point were not easy to make.

As it stands, if you have access currently to a health professions advising office, I'm sure they have suggestions on what you can do in the interim period. I obviously say it's up to you to make the final decision, but the goal is to help you think about what options you can take.

Some of the options though require some help from the institution (which is why I ask what your prehealth office has suggested). There are some people who have interest in the intersection of public policy and health care who may do significant service such as Teach for America/City Year, Peace Corps, or Fulbright.

You also have to know that while going to medical school at the same time might be ideal, it's not necessarily feasible. It's okay to be a year ahead. It's okay to go to two different schools in the same city. While you both may start at the same time, it might be that one of you delays completing medical school (say for combined degree opportunities/research). I'm just making sure you know that you have a little flexibility. Doing a two-person search to get into medical school or residency requires a lot more planning and outreach to understand how your applications will be viewed (though for residency there are processes in place that help this a bit better). You have to each stand on your own merits but there are ways that you can signal to schools that you wish to go to the same place.

Thanks for reading my intro, I really appreciate it. I’ve been told by my pre-med office that they don’t want to talk to me until I’m a junior…With that said, I’m meeting with a Health Sciences career advisor soon, hopefully they will help.

I’ve already contacted many volunteer internship places, so far it looks like I’ll be doing COVID-testing to say the least. I was told my application looks competitive for HIV Prevention and outreach, so hopefully I’ll hear back from them.

I’m not so sure anymore about doing a masters, me and my wife talked it over and we think we may want to go our own ways (academically speaking) so that we can really do what we want to do and not have to alter plans for the other person. She’s not interested in research or the same volunteering opportunities. She’s also interested in a very different specialty. I think that may be best.

I’m having a really hard time knowing whether I want to do a more biology intensive course load or public health (Biology with concentration, or Biology public health double major) I will know more after I complete my first public health course.

I appreciate all of your comments. Thank you very much.