How to get into top medical school (extracurricular focused)

[HotDoc212]

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Hi, I am currently a second semester sophomore who's started planning for medical school. I am extremely interested in getting into a top med school ( who isn't) and was just wondering for those who've heard stories ofnAdmitted applications, what kind of ECs they were involved in. I've completed all my pre reqs except for second semester organic chemistry (currently enrolled), and have a 3.91 overall GPA and 3.85 science GPA. Obviously this needs to be paired with an excellent mcat score but I was wondering what are some ECs that help you stand out? Thanks!

 

[Microglia]

Hi, I am currently a second semester sophomore who's started planning for medical school. I am extremely interested in getting into a top med school ( who isn't) and was just wondering for those who've heard stories ofnAdmitted applications, what kind of ECs they were involved in. I've completed all my pre reqs except for second semester organic chemistry (currently enrolled), and have a 3.91 overall GPA and 3.85 science GPA. Obviously this needs to be paired with an excellent mcat score but I was wondering what are some ECs that help you stand out? Thanks!

Good GPA, good MCAT, research, clinical, and community service. Check all the boxes and do it with things you're passionate about. You have a good GPA, get the rest and it will maximize your chances. However, apply broadly. If you only apply to top 10 it becomes a bit of a crap shoot of getting one acceptance no matter what your app looks like, as many of the applicants to these schools are equally qualified.

 

[HotDoc212]

Thanks! I plan on applying to at least 30 med schools sorry should've mentioned that, I just really want to go to a top. Do you have any specific ideas for ECs. So far I've volunteered at the university hospital as well as worked in clinical research. What about non. medical activities? Thanks

 

[Syndicate]

what's your definition of "top"? top 10? top 20? or top 30?

 

[HotDoc212]

UCLA, Northwestern, Stanford etc

 

[SunsFun]

Are you interested in academic medicine? Many of the top institutions look for candidates with strong research background since they train the bulk of physicians who work in academic hospitals. To be a regular doc you don't really need to go to a top 20 school.

I already posted it in previous thread but IMO your stats and research will be very important in getting your into top 20. Aside from that make sure to check all of the boxes and try to not just do an activity but actually have a leadership role in it. In other words, be a gunner.

 

[Syndicate]

nowadays, you probably need substantial research (>3 years) and/or publications (doesn't have to be first author) for top 20. For 20-30, maybe not so much.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

pretty much no one knows how to get into a "top" school

 

[runnergirl6]

nowadays, you probably need substantial research (>3 years) and/or publications (doesn't have to be first author) for top 20. For 20-30, maybe not so much.

Some research is obviously important, but I don't know if that much is always necessary to get into a top 20. I only did about a year and a half of clinical research with no publications, and I got into one top 20 school and interviews from several more. I did have good gpa/MCAT and quite a bit of leadership/community involvement so I think that helped.

 

[Planes2Doc]

You want to be a "ZERO to Mother Teresa" applicant unless you have been heavily involved in ECs long before becoming pre-med. It's important to be strategic with timing. You need a laundry-list of numerous ECs as early as possible. You want the following:

1. Clinical volunteering
2. Multiple non-clinical volunteering opportunities that can help you legitimately play the "helping the underserved" card
3. Shadowing
4. Research

Skip any form of entry-level clinical employment as it is time consuming and won't set you apart. Multiple non-clinical volunteer opportunities can help you play ypur cards right, you know, the ones that ADCOMs love to see. The aforementioned things can be done within the regular college time frame.

If you take time off after undergrad, you can do kore ECs that should make your application look better. You can do things like Americorps, Peace Corps, or Teach For America. TFA looks really good at some schools, but please do not do it if you are going to half ass it, as there is too much collateral damage. But hey, pre-meds are hell bent on getting into medical school in this very competitive process. So you can't blame them.

 

[darkjedi]

pretty much no one knows how to get into a "top" school

i don't even know how I got into med school

 

[loltopsy]

 

[RogueUnicorn]

i don't even know how I got into med school

exactly

 

[SN12357]

You do the best you can and then roll the dice.

 

[baconshrimps]

Is this a young Alec Baldwin?

 

[NuttyEngDude]

Is this a young Alec Baldwin?

Aye, Alec Baldwin speeches are the best:

 

[Ace-Co-A]

UCLA, Northwestern, Stanford etc

A strange top three...

 

[samsunimomo]

If you're starting now, then you're kind of late.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

If you're starting now, then you're kind of late.

it's NEVER TOO LATE!

against all odds,
RU

 

[Narmerguy]

nowadays, you probably need substantial research (>3 years) and/or publications (doesn't have to be first author) for top 20. For 20-30, maybe not so much.

Factually and qualitatively untrue. > 3 years and pubs are far above what the majority of successful applicants have.

You want to get into a top 20 school, nail your MCAT and GPA, volunteer a lot, get professors to like you and write things about you, and cultivate your interests. Don't just go to class, go to the clinic to volunteer, go to the lab, and then go home. Show that you're someone who looks at the things around them and tries to make them better, whether that's in their local community or on an international scale.

 

[baconshrimps]

Factually and qualitatively untrue. > 3 years and pubs are far above what the majority of successful applicants have.

You want to get into a top 20 school, nail your MCAT and GPA, volunteer a lot, get professors to like you and write things about you, and cultivate your interests. Don't just go to class, go to the clinic to volunteer, go to the lab, and then go home. Show that you're someone who looks at the things around them and tries to make them better, whether that's in their local community or on an international scale.

"It's a turf war, ON A GLOBAL SCALE, I'm tryna hear both sides of the tale see it's not a bout races, just faces - places, where your blood come from where your space is, I've seen the bright get duller, I'm not gonna spend my life being a color."

Sorry, that just remined me of the michael jackson song, hehe.

 

[Lil Mick]

When I was interviewing at some of the top 10 schools, what struck me about applicants (MD and MD/PhD) were that they each had one or two defining, unique interests (college athletes, started international charity, military like me, published literary author, created their own catering business to finance undergrad, did Peace Corps or Teach for America...). As long as you have the stats (research not so necessary--some schools like Harvard actually have pathways for students who aren't interested in academic medicine), find something that you enjoy and can do well. It will make you stand out in the application file (schools love to be able to count a Rhodes Scholar/novelist/soccer coach/lay minister... among their student body).

 

[GoPelicans]

Basically you need to have a well-rounded app with no appreciable weaknesses... 3.8+ GPA, 35+ MCAT, decent research experience(s), clinical experience, and long-lived volunteer activities. Missing any of these activities is a hole in your app. You might be able to still get into a top ~20 without all those things, lots of lucky people certainly do (EG my white friend goes to UCSF with a 31 MCAT), but it becomes less likely with each missing piece.

 

[Microglia]

Basically you need to have a well-rounded app with no appreciable weaknesses... 3.8+ GPA, 35+ MCAT, decent research experience(s), clinical experience, and long-lived volunteer activities. Missing any of these activities is a hole in your app. You might be able to still get into a top ~20 without all those things, lots of lucky people certainly do (EG my white friend goes to UCSF with a 31 MCAT), but it becomes less likely with each missing piece.

Definitely this. People always told me that to get top 10 you have to have something crazy and amazingly unique. Really, it's about showing that no matter what personal things happens in your life you can still buckle down, work, and check the same generic boxes (edit: maybe the perserverance in and of itself is the unique thing people are talking about?). Top 10 is just less forgiveness and higher averages when it comes to admissions.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Definitely this. People always told me that to get top 10 you have to have something crazy and amazingly unique. Really, it's about showing that no matter what personal things happens in your life you can still buckle down, work, and check the same generic boxes (edit: maybe the perserverance in and of itself is the unique thing people are talking about?). Top 10 is just less forgiveness and higher averages when it comes to admissions.

Yeah I think that this reasoning is the most accurate. It's being increasingly difficult to come off as a unique snowflake. Everything has been done many times over. ADCOMs have just about seen it all. I am sure that taking time off to do certain things like Teach For Your Medical School Application... Err... I mean Teach For America are difficult to get into and thus seen as prestigious programs will definitely help your application (once again, please don't do something like TFA if you're going to half-ass it), but nothing is going to be a silver bullet. So yes, the more boxes you check, especially with good timing, the higher your chances of getting into top medical schools. As much as SDN gunners pride themselves on not being Cookie Cutter applicants, they don't realize that they are all Cookie Cutters, just with a far more elaborate design. That's why every time I read the WAMC threads, I'm never impressed, because it's always the same crap being done for the same reasons over and over again. But hey, this is what you need to get into medical school, and it works!

Now if you were a cowboy astronaut millionaire, then I think you might have an advantage over other applicants. 😉

 

[baconshrimps]

Teach For America is a prestigious program now?

 

[Planes2Doc]

Teach For America is a prestigious program now?

There are some schools that supposedly look very highly upon it. I was also looking at law school forums, and deans from some T14 law schools love applicants who did Teach for America. Originally, before I knew much about the program, I thought it was teachers doing it to help get them high-paying positions in good districts. Now I see that a lot of graduate school applicants are using it to beef up their applications, and it seems to work well.

 

[baconshrimps]

There are some schools that supposedly look very highly upon it. I was also looking at law school forums, and deans from some T14 law schools love applicants who did Teach for America. Originally, before I knew much about the program, I thought it was teachers doing it to help get them high-paying positions in good districts. Now I see that a lot of graduate school applicants are using it to beef up their applications, and it seems to work well.

Not exaggerating here by any means whatsoever - everyone I graduated with that was doing TFA was doing so because they had no job offers when they graduated or had no idea what they wanted to do with themselves. I guess I've always seen it as kind of an aimless thing because of that.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Not exaggerating here by any means whatsoever - everyone I graduated with that was doing TFA was doing so because they had no job offers when they graduated or had no idea what they wanted to do with themselves. I guess I've always seen it as kind of an aimless thing because of that.

Yeah I read some articles and blogs where people were saying something to this extent. It's definitely an effective resume padder.

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

Hi, I am currently a second semester sophomore who's started planning for medical school. I am extremely interested in getting into a top med school ( who isn't) and was just wondering for those who've heard stories ofnAdmitted applications, what kind of ECs they were involved in. I've completed all my pre reqs except for second semester organic chemistry (currently enrolled), and have a 3.91 overall GPA and 3.85 science GPA. Obviously this needs to be paired with an excellent mcat score but I was wondering what are some ECs that help you stand out? Thanks!

Your post has the underlying message of GUNNER written all over it. Usually participating in an ECs is more than JUST getting into a top medical school. The important thing is to expand your school involvement beyond the books. It's NOT just checking off the boxes on the AMCAS application that can help you stand out.

 

[GoPelicans]

Your post has the underlying message of GUNNER written all over it. Usually participating in an ECs is more than JUST getting into a top medical school. The important thing is to expand your school involvement beyond the books. It's NOT just checking off the boxes on the AMCAS application that can help you stand out.

I remember when I thought this way... then I discovered SDN.

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

Does that mean that reading SDN posts makes you want to be a gunner? How sad.

 

[cookiemonsters]

Does that mean that reading SDN posts makes you want to be a gunner? How sad.

1. A gunner is someone who sabotages peers for personal gain. Nothing about the OP sounds gunnerish.

2. The EC checkbox is very real in admssions, whether it be for college, graduate school, law school, medical school etc. I enjoyed all my EC's very much, but I was definitely cognescent that they would improve my chances of getting into a better medical school.

 

[Great White Buffalo]

Yeah I think that this reasoning is the most accurate. It's being increasingly difficult to come off as a unique snowflake. Everything has been done many times over. ADCOMs have just about seen it all. I am sure that taking time off to do certain things like Teach For Your Medical School Application... Err... I mean Teach For America are difficult to get into and thus seen as prestigious programs will definitely help your application (once again, please don't do something like TFA if you're going to half-ass it), but nothing is going to be a silver bullet. So yes, the more boxes you check, especially with good timing, the higher your chances of getting into top medical schools. As much as SDN gunners pride themselves on not being Cookie Cutter applicants, they don't realize that they are all Cookie Cutters, just with a far more elaborate design. That's why every time I read the WAMC threads, I'm never impressed, because it's always the same crap being done for the same reasons over and over again. But hey, this is what you need to get into medical school, and it works!

Now if you were a cowboy astronaut millionaire, then I think you might have an advantage over other applicants. 😉

Okay, I'm the ultimate gingerbread man (and ORM too), my only claim to fame is computer science with 2 patents on clinical based programs. Just dumb luck I got on a successful project, had the skill set to write the imaging analysis program for the Ophthalmologist, who happens to be a young, ambitious academic doc. The fates play into this, being in the right place at the right time. Read Malcolm Gladwell's books: Tipping Point, Outliers, Blink. We assume our success is our doing, but fate has so much to do with it, like what month you are born. Just try to do the best you can with you got, and look for opportunities. Luck is a big factor.

 

[mcloaf]

Not exaggerating here by any means whatsoever - everyone I graduated with that was doing TFA was doing so because they had no job offers when they graduated or had no idea what they wanted to do with themselves. I guess I've always seen it as kind of an aimless thing because of that.

Eh, I don't think that's a negative reflection on TFA. They purposefully recruit people with other skill sets who might not otherwise have thought of getting into teaching. I know several people from my undergrad class who weren't sure what they were going to do, decided to do TFA, and now plan to stay in education as a career (of course, there are many that choose NOT to stay or know when they start the program that they won't stay, which is a lot of the problem with TFA but that's a conversation for another thread). Alternatively, the one friend I had who was an education minor and knew he wanted to teach got rejected by TFA.

 

[SN12357]

Okay, I'm the ultimate gingerbread man (and ORM too), my only claim to fame is computer science with 2 patents on clinical based programs. Just dumb luck I got on a successful project, had the skill set to write the imaging analysis program for the Ophthalmologist, who happens to be a young, ambitious academic doc. The fates play into this, being in the right place at the right time. Read Malcolm Gladwell's books: Tipping Point, Outliers, Blink. We assume our success is our doing, but fate has so much to do with it, like what month you are born. Just try to do the best you can with you got, and look for opportunities. Luck is a big factor.

Luck's a big factor but it's hardly the only factor. You must be good at what you do (probably better than most) or that young, ambitious doc would have kicked you out. I also got lucky in terms of the research group that I work with; they're highly productive and my PI has included me on several projects that got published. Landing here took a big helping of luck. But staying--that has taken skill.

I really dislike these threads because what alchemy of who the top schools takes tends to get boiled down to two equally untrue sides. It's not true that you have to be some kind of super special cured-cancer-before-age-21 snowflake. But it's also not true that all you have to do is check boxes generically. To get into top schools you generally need to be more talented than most of the premed pool and also have been lucky enough to get to places where you can demonstrate that and find people to vouch for you (this tends to require working hard). It's simultaneously something that you have control over and something that you cannot control at all. As is most of life.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

fortes fortuna adiuvat