I have only now decided to pursue medical school, late into my undergrad career

[test350]

Hi, everyone, I have been reading the threads and trying to digest all the info. I know this is going to sound crazy but I am almost done with college and have only now realized I want to go to med school. How this happened is a long story. The interesting thing is that I have taken most of the pre requisites. I have taken all the bio classes(except for one bio lab I still have to take). I have taken the 2 General Chem as well as Physics 1 and Orgo 1. I still have to take Physics 2 and Orgo 2. I have done pretty well. My GPA is 3.87 and my science grades are pretty good with
A+'s in Chem 1
A+ Physics 1
A+ Bio 34.1
A in Chem 2
A- in Bio 29
A- In Bio 17
A- in Bio 29.1(Lab portion of Bio 29)
A- in Orgo 1

Now I do have 2 W's on my transcript. One is in Bio 17.1(lab portion of Bio 17) which happened in my 2nd semester in the school. I have not yet repeated that class. The other W was unfortunately in Organic chem 2 which I just attempted to take. Now that I am so interested in going to med school. I was wondering how bad those 2 W's will be if I get an A+ in both of these classes when I retake them very shortly. I am so upset at myself that I didnt realize until now that this is what I should be doing. I was working as I have to support myself financially which is what made me not as focused as I should of been in school. In any event, my situation has now changed and I am no in a situation where I no longer have to spend much time supporting myself, thankfully.

I also know that I need to start volunteering in a hospital and getting some research on my record.

I was hoping you guys can gauge my situation and give me words of advice. Also, I am a 24yr old male and I go to Brooklyn College. Thanks so much for everyones help in advance. I know this is a strange first post, and I apologize.

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[aSagacious]

Moving to the 'what are my chances' forum.

 

[test350]

Moving to the 'what are my chances' forum.

Sorry for posting in the wrong section.

 

[Catalystik]

My GPA is 3.87 and my science grades are pretty good with
A+'s in Chem 1
A+ Physics 1
A+ Bio 34.1
A in Chem 2
A- in Bio 29
A- In Bio 17
A- in Bio 29.1(Lab portion of Bio 29)
A- in Orgo 1

Now I do have 2 W's on my transcript. One is in Bio 17.1(lab portion of Bio 17) which happened in my 2nd semester in the school. I have not yet repeated that class. The other W was unfortunately in Organic chem 2 which I just attempted to take. Now that I am so interested in going to med school.

1) I was wondering how bad those 2 W's will be if I get an A+ in both of these classes when I retake them very shortly.

2) I also know that I need to start volunteering in a hospital and getting some research on my record.

I was hoping you guys can gauge my situation and give me words of advice. Also, I am a 24yr old male and I go to Brooklyn College.

1) They will have little impact if you do well when you retake.

2) The average applicant has 1.5 years of clinical experience (where you interact with sick people) gained at 3-4 hours per week as well as about 50 hours of physician shadowing (a passive observership where you concentrate on what a doc does; a separate expectation) which can be done regularly or only over breaks from school.

Average for research is a year, but even a semester or a summer's worth strengthens your application.

I'd also suggest getting in a regular nonmedical community service, aiming for an average of an hour a week.

Teaching and Leadership also strengthen an application. You'll want to include hobbies, sports, and artistic endeavors on your application also.

GPA-wise, you're in very good shape. Get those ECs started. Do you have any activities from your first three years of college besides work? What was your job?

 

[test350]

1) They will have little impact if you do well when you retake.

2) The average applicant has 1.5 years of clinical experience (where you interact with sick people) gained at 3-4 hours per week as well as about 50 hours of physician shadowing (a passive observership where you concentrate on what a doc does; a separate expectation) which can be done regularly or only over breaks from school.

Average for research is a year, but even a semester or a summer's worth strengthens your application.

I'd also suggest getting in a regular nonmedical community service, aiming for an average of an hour a week.

Teaching and Leadership also strengthen an application. You'll want to include hobbies, sports, and artistic endeavors on your application also.

GPA-wise, you're in very good shape. Get those ECs started. Do you have any activities from your first three years of college besides work? What was your job?

Firstly Catalystik, thanks so much for responding to my thread, I appreciate it a ton. Unfortunately do to the situation life dealt me, I don't really have anyone to give me anything but on the other hand, I want to live a certain way and have a decent car etc.. so I had to resort to a pretty out of the ordinary way of making a living. It certainly isn't something I can put on a med school application.

Also, thanks a ton for the encouragement and advice. I am going to start studying for all these remaining classes, well in advance of the semester starting. I may take Orgo 2 this coming summer but study everything thoroughly far in advance so I come into the class ready to do well, even on the very first day.

In terms of the EC's, I am not sure if you are from the NYC area and have any advice about where I should be looking for the best research opportunities. I really don't think working for a professor in my school is the best way to do this. I am thinking along the lines of going to the volunteering dpt of a hospital here and inquiring about a situation where I could simultaneously do research and clinical volunteering.

Do you have any recommendations as far as that sort of thing is concerned? Thanks so much again.

 

[Catalystik]

I cannot give you New York specific advice. But a large hospital generally has a Research Coordination Office that can give you ideas of clinical research projects that are available for your involvement. Be sure it is something where you interact with sick people and that it is not just a chart-extraction opportunity where you never see people, if you want the experience to qualify for both research and clinical experience.

 

[test350]

I suggest that you remove your first paragraph and insert in its place that you prefer not to divulge your employment for the sake of anonymity. I will also remove this paragraph after you do so.

I cannot give you New York specific advice. But a large hospital generally has a Research Coordination Office that can give you ideas of clinical research projects that are available for your involvement. Be sure it is something where you interact with sick people and that it is not just a chart-extraction opportunity where you never see people, if you want the experience to qualify for both research and clinical experience.

Thanks for the heads up on that. I edited that post slightly.

Ok, I am going to do exactly what you say and will head over to the research/volunteering office of a good hospital nearby. It seems like I have to look for some clubs to join and do some non medical community volunteering too. I am going to get started on this stuff right away. I hope I find a situation in which the people are nice and I can enjoy doing this research and volunteering. I hope I luck out and find something in which the person in charge of the research is helpful and things go well for me. Sometimes it just takes meeting the right person who can help you achieve your goals.

 

[Catalystik]

It seems like I have to look for some clubs to join and do some non medical community volunteering too. I am going to get started on this stuff right away.

Another heads up: clubs don't really help your application (except as an indicator of special interests) unless they are a springboard to leadership or community service.

 

[test350]

Another heads up: clubs don't really help your application (except as an indicator of special interests) unless they are a springboard to leadership or community service.

Wow, thanks for that info. That shows how clueless I am about this situation and how little I know. Thankfully, I feel like being on this forum will change that. Thanks so much for helping me.

 

[Catalystik]

We're happy to help. Read these forums widely to pick up other nuggets of information.