How to improve?

[I love dogs27]

I am going into my second year of undergrad, and am trying to be the best I can be for when medical school applications roll around for me.

I am taking five years for my undergrad instead of four, because of multiple interests in majors/minors.

I have a 3.74 cgpa I am not sure of science gpa.

I am involved in shadowing and research both of wich I started previously.

I am also involved in two medical organizations on campus and have a leadership position (admin assistant) in one of them.

I am involved in a non medical organization on campus, and have a leadership position in that as well.

I have been involved in music for a good chunk of my life and plan to put that on my application. I am just involved in a campus choir, and haven’t done anything more professional with that unfortunately.

I have done minuscule volunteer but nothing of substance. My plan is to increase my hours at a local organization. I am hoping to volunteer at things that aren’t medical related to increase the variety in my application.

I am also planning to start clinical work soon as well this next upcoming summer.


I know I need to do more shadowing, reaserch, volunteer, and clinical, but I wanted to see what others have in mind.

Thank you for your input. As a first generation physician it is difficult to know what to do. It is also hard to know if you are on track, or behind in this process.

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[LindaAccepted]

I have the following suggestions:

1. Start shadowing in different areas of medicine so that you get different perspectives on the profession. Aim for 40-50 hours by the time you apply. some schools value it. Some don't, but enough do so that it's good to have from an admissions perspective, and it's also good for you as a future physician to see different aspects of medicine.
2. Get a few hundred hour of clinical exposure by volunteering in an ER, working as a scribe, volunteering at a hospice, etc. Put yourself in clinical setting where you are interacting with patients and care givers.
3. Volunteer in an organization that serves the underserved in a non-clinical setting.
4. Research is a nice-to-have, but not required by many medical schools. Unless you are really interested in research, don't feel that you have to have it.
5. While doing 1-3 above, journal about it so that you have notes you can refer to when applying.
6. Ace the MCAT.

 

[Dee2daK]

I know I need to do more shadowing, reaserch, volunteer, and clinical, but I wanted to see what others have in mind.

Thank you for your input. As a first generation physician it is difficult to know what to do. It is also hard to know if you are on track, or behind in this process.

You hit the nail on the head. Shadowing so you know what physicians do on a day-to-day basis. Research is important to demonstrate your understanding of the scientific process and for scientific inquiry, among others. Direct clinical experiences are essential for an application. Lastly, volunteer experiences demonstrate that you actually care about others - these should be ones that work to serve under reached, unfamiliar, or underpriviledged populations.

Note: None of these should be to the exclusion of your school work and/or preparation for the MCAT. If you have great experiences but your GPA is < 3.5 or MCAT <510, you're facing a bit of an uphill battle, especially right out of undergrad. 3.8+ and MCAT of 515+ is better.

As far as hours for your experiences...

LizzyM said:
(suboptimal, decent, exceptional)
1. clinical hours (work or volunteer): 99, 150, 1,000+ (employment)
2. non-clinical volunteering hours: 99, 150, 1,000+ (full-time gap year)
3. shadowing hours: 8, 40, 80

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Who is writing your letters of rec? As a first generation physician, find mentors who can also tell you when you are making questionable decisions when they happen.

 

[I love dogs27]

Who is writing your letters of rec? As a first generation physician, find mentors who can also tell you when you are making questionable decisions when they happen.

I am shadowing a physician that offers to write me a letter of recommendation. As far as academic I’m not sure what position would you recommend?

 

[I love dogs27]

You hit the nail on the head. Shadowing so you know what physicians do on a day-to-day basis. Research is important to demonstrate your understanding of the scientific process and for scientific inquiry, among others. Direct clinical experiences are essential for an application. Lastly, volunteer experiences demonstrate that you actually care about others - these should be ones that work to serve under reached, unfamiliar, or underpriviledged populations.

Note: None of these should be to the exclusion of your school work and/or preparation for the MCAT. If you have great experiences but your GPA is < 3.5 or MCAT <510, you're facing a bit of an uphill battle, especially right out of undergrad. 3.8+ and MCAT of 515+ is better.

As far as hours for your experiences...

Would a soup kitchen work?

 

[I love dogs27]

I have the following suggestions:

1. Start shadowing in different areas of medicine so that you get different perspectives on the profession. Aim for 40-50 hours by the time you apply. some schools value it. Some don't, but enough do so that it's good to have from and admissions perspective, and it's also good for you as a future physician to have to see different aspects of medicine.
2. Get a few hundred hour of clinical exposure by volunteering in an ER, working as a scribe, volunteering at a hospice, etc. Put yourself in clinical setting where you are interacting with patients and care givers.
3. Volunteer in an organization that serves the underserved in a non-clinical setting.
4. Research is a nice-to-have, but not required by many medical schools. Unless you are really interested in research, don't feel that you have to have it.
5. While doing 1-3 above, journal about it so that you have notes you can refer to when applying.
6. Ace the MCAT.

I am currently shadowing a family medicine physician. What other specialties would you recommend I shadow if able? If I’m not able would a good amount of hours with one physician suffice?

 

[LunaOri]

Belonging to “medical organizations” is probably not worth your time. Spend that time volunteering instead.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I am shadowing a physician that offers to write me a letter of recommendation. As far as academic I’m not sure what position would you recommend?

So no professors can write you letters of recommendation? No volunteer supervisors? No prehealth advisors? No one else on the campus knows you?

 

[Goro]

Would a soup kitchen work?

Definitely. For volunteering, make sure to get off campus and out of your comfort zone. Show admissions committees that you are comfortable around people who don't look like you.

 

[chilly_md]

I am currently shadowing a family medicine physician. What other specialties would you recommend I shadow if able? If I’m not able would a good amount of hours with one physician suffice?

Save yourself the time and don’t get the shadowing letter. It is of little value for MD schools. They will want letters from professors you took classes from.

 

[I love dogs27]

So no professors can write you letters of recommendation? No volunteer supervisors? No prehealth advisors? No one else on the campus knows you?

Good suggestions thank you!

 

[LindaAccepted]

I am currently shadowing a family medicine physician. What other specialties would you recommend I shadow if able? If I’m not able would a good amount of hours with one physician suffice?

If there are other field that appeal to you, try and shadow a doctor in those fields. Family medicine is great, but also try to shadow perhaps someone in a specialty -- not a primary care physician -- or someone working in a hospital or in a hospice or old age home. Again my point is that shadowing offers you the opportunity to "taste" different flavors of medicine. If you only shadow one kind of doctor, you're not getting that differing perspective. However, if you volunteer in a hospital or emergency room, you will see lots of different situations and a very different experience that shadowing a PCP in their office. Then it's less important to shadow different kinds of doctors.

 

[MD_Maker]

I'm not seeing an MCAT. That should be your primary focus for now.