I wasn't exactly sure where to post this but I don't really have any extracurricular activities right now. Is it possible to get in without any ECs, cgpa of 2.99 and mcat score of 512. Does anyone have experience with applying to an SMP without any ec activities, specifically PCOM Biomedical science one because of the pandemic it has been hard to find something.
how important are ECs for SMP?
- Thread starter Zara64
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It depends how desperate they are to fill seats. They may wonder "why does this person want to be a doctor?"
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When do you plan to get your ECs done because you will certainly need them to apply to med school. SMPS might wonder why you are even doing a SMP with no proof of you even being interested in Medicine. I’m actually wondering what makes you think you want to deal with the sick, injured and dying for the next 35+ years.
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I’ll take a slightly different approach to @candbgirl and @Goro , considering that med schools used to give admission on stats alone, and never required you to prove clinical interest before entry (and plenty of graduates from that time are great doctors today). So, I’ll answer the question with the assumption that you know full well you want to become a doctor.
The truth is that you simply won’t get an acceptance without your ECs, regardless of how sure you are to yourself you want to be a doctor. One of the harsher truths of life is sometimes your belief in yourself won’t move you; you need others (ADCOMs in this case) to believe in you if you want to go further in the premed journey. If you know ADCOMs want you to have X before they admit you, it’s in your best interest to obtain X.
With that being said, it’s generally I’ll-advised to do ECs during an SMP, but if you can, you might be able to apply after the SMP is finished. That may be your best option at this point, but again, it is risky.
The truth is that you simply won’t get an acceptance without your ECs, regardless of how sure you are to yourself you want to be a doctor. One of the harsher truths of life is sometimes your belief in yourself won’t move you; you need others (ADCOMs in this case) to believe in you if you want to go further in the premed journey. If you know ADCOMs want you to have X before they admit you, it’s in your best interest to obtain X.
With that being said, it’s generally I’ll-advised to do ECs during an SMP, but if you can, you might be able to apply after the SMP is finished. That may be your best option at this point, but again, it is risky.
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So, I’ll answer the question with the assumption that you know full well you want to become a doctor.
Someone may think this, but without having actual patient contact experience, how does one REALLY know?
With that being said, it’s generally I’ll-advised to do ECs during an SMP, but if you can, you might be able to apply after the SMP is finished.
That's the thinking of our SMP admissions folk. This makes the process a two year preposition for such applicants: SMP -> clinical exposure -> applying.
Someone may think this, but without having actual patient contact experience, how does one REALLY know?
With that being said, it’s generally I’ll-advised to do ECs during an SMP, but if you can, you might be able to apply after the SMP is finished.
That's the thinking of our SMP admissions folk. This makes the process a two year preposition for such applicants: SMP -> clinical exposure -> applying.
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They admitted people without clinical exposure back in the day, and most of those people went on to be successful doctors; I’m giving OP the benefit of the doubt that they’re in this group while also noting that proving one’s desire for medicine to ADCOMs is practically just as important as proving it to one’s self (hence the need to get clinical exposure in today’s world).
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Why don't you just start volunteering so that you will be in the midst of volunteering? If you are rejected, you'll be in a better position next time around. And if you are admitted you'll be in a better position when you apply to med school. Obviously if you are hoping to matriculate this summer/fall, it's a little late,
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With your MCAT score and GPA, I don't think that you need to do an SMP. You could just take upper level science classes, and just make sure to get As in them. Take an extra year to fulfill the shadowing and volunteer requirements.
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Back in the day is not today.
Even when I was in college, premeds were volunteering in hospitals
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Went to an SMP and they're pretty darn important. If you're doing an SMP it usually means your stats aren't great so obviously you have to make it up elsewhere and that usually involves EC's.
Your background is actually pretty similar to mine (high mcat/low gpa). You listed your cgpa, do you know your science gpa?
Your background is actually pretty similar to mine (high mcat/low gpa). You listed your cgpa, do you know your science gpa?
So I will be applying for fall 2022. My sgpa is on the very low side (2.2). I know, I started off very bad in my freshmen and sophomore years due to some personal issues. It wasn't until later on when I got my grades up. I actually volunteered at a hospital right before the pandemic started, but it was only for a month. Now, it is hard to find something. The only other experience i have is being a pharm tech for 3 years. That experience is what makes me want to work with patients. At this point, I am not even sure if an SMP will be good for my really low science gpa.
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Pm'ed you.
