Hi,
I'd say i'm in the same position as the poster(3.8 to 3.9 GPA, one article published w/ my research, volunteered in ER, shadowed physician, tutored/volunteered on Hotline, trying to start AMSA chapter here). except, i'll be graduating in a few months, and then working two years (and working hard on MCATs and admission).
Anyway, Thanks for the suggestion Incendiary. I would agree with all of them.
We did a little analysis of statistics at WashU pre-med office (I go to WashU). We looked at percent admission (or some number resembling that) to top ten schools (or maybe it was top 25? i can't remember). Anyway, above about 3.75 GPA there was practically a linear correlation between GPA and Admission. I'm not trying to say GPA is all that matters (obviously those students had more than GPA, there was a 4.0 student with 0 admissions), but that does say a lot.
Do well in the MCATs. Get good rec letters. The top ten schools are still guessing games... it can often end up being very random.
For GOD's sake! do NOT go to some third world country and help out medically (or teach english, or educate them on AIDS, or whatever) if that doesn't sound interesting to you, ASIDE from getting medschool admission. There are a LOT of interesting things you can do... you listed them, EMT, Third world country. maybe you can work for some senator/congressman who does health care related stuff.
ANY of them are fine. and they are also great. Choose one where you will excel at and enjoy.
For normal activities during the school year ( i guess the EMT thing could be during the school year, but I would imagine the other stuff would be in summers), do a couple of activities where you can really excel as opposed to tons of activities where you are okay in all of them.
Leadership looks good. But if is really NOT in you to start clubs and such... well think about it. maybe you can show leadership in something you're already doing (help make improvements to the tutoring program/ etc...)
It's also good to sell yourself on one or two things than to be extremely well rouned. I'm not saying being a total GPA nerd, or going excessive with one activity. But you need to distiguish yourself, but keep you other stuff reasonable (at least slightly above average in your case).
And keep in touch with profs that you are going to use for references. Let them know you're headed for top ten schools, ask them for advice and keep them updated on your plans. Let them know rec letters are VERY important in the process (if they aren't familiar with the process).
But don't let your GPA or MCATs slip. Remember, number one priority for schools: GPA #2: MCATs #3: Rec Letters.
Incendiary...
Are you serious about those rec letters?? I mean, one from volunteer, one from a doctor I shadowed? I mean, i will no doubt have one from my res prof. I will have several from my biology/engineering profs.
But one (really good LOR that is) from my volunteer/hospital activities would be hard... let alone two. the ER I volunteered in was so disorganized and their volunteer program not well established. tutoring was a while ago... i could get excellent LORs form there, but they would be old... (how bad does that look, I finished working with them in '99). this hotline i'm volunteering for.. i don't talk to the people who run it that often, b/c it's all done from home. I do try and talk to them when we're telling our shift times and such.
so, i see it as difficult in my situation to get LOR from people I participated in extra activities in. I try to keep contact with the physician i shadowed (that was recent).
Don't have this same problem I am for LORs, Jugador.
!!And I got to stress number 11 in the list!!
How you do it, depends on your interest and ablity to excel in different things.
Incendiary or Jugador, (or anyone for that matt er) you can PM me (if you do, give me your e-mail address) or better yet, e-mail me
[email protected])
Sonya