I need help I don't know what to do next

[dvase813]

Hello,

I need some guidance and assurance I am on the right track to attempt get into med school. I am currently a 2nd semester freshman with a Business Finance Major and a Pre-med "minor" I currently have a 3.5 gpa. I am a Firefighter/EMT-A and I put about 100 or so hours of volunteer work at a ski hill as a ski patrol member (medical personnel on the ski hill). I guess I just do no know what to do next, or if I am even on the right track for med school, if there is something that I am not doing that I should be or something that I am doing that I should not be. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated, thank you very much.

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[FutureOncologist]

Nope, you're good. Keep the GPA up and keep volunteering and working. Find a leadership role too, if you can. Shadow a physician this summer for 10 or so hours (Primary Care preferred.)

 

[deleted577188]

Uh Oh....

 

[dvase813]

Uh Oh....

uh oh? Am I doing something wrong that I need to fix?

 

[SufiPoet]

Skies the limit at this point. You're in the unique position of having a wonderful amount of time to increase grades, build meaningful relationships with professors, and get a gauge for the new MCAT.

Keep pursuing your interests, give it some earnest time, and your application will be great.

 

[deleted577188]

uh oh? Am I doing something wrong that I need to fix?

NO, you're on the right track in my opinion. Don't worry too much and keep your grades up!

 

[allantois]

You don't have to major in Business Finance.

Pick up some clinical and non-clinical volunteering. Do some shadowing and look into doing research. Establish connections with your science professors.

Here's some reading for you:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...zing-your-medical-school-application.1080858/

 

[mimelim]

Step 1: Figure out if you should be applying to medical school in the first place. (Go shadow)
Step 2: Personal and professional development. (Go volunteer, do research, go work)
Step 3: While doing step 1/2, do not neglect your grades.
Step 4: Plan out now 6 people that will possibly write your letters of recommendation for you and how you are going to go about developing relationships with them to get strong letters. It is fine to have placeholders without names. But the earlier you plan this out the easier it will be come game time.
Step 5: Plan out when you will take the MCAT. Make sure that you optimize your study time by having your prereqs out of the way and have a lighter semester/summer prior to taking the exam.

Step 1 is by far the most important to do now.

 

[deleted577188]

Step 1: Figure out if you should be applying to medical school in the first place. (Go shadow)
Step 2: Personal and professional development. (Go volunteer, do research, go work)
Step 3: While doing step 1/2, do not neglect your grades.
Step 4: Plan out now 6 people that will possibly write your letters of recommendation for you and how you are going to go about developing relationships with them to get strong letters. It is fine to have placeholders without names. But the earlier you plan this out the easier it will be come game time.
Step 5: Plan out when you will take the MCAT. Make sure that you optimize your study time by having your prereqs out of the way and have a lighter semester/summer prior to taking the exam.

Step 1 is by far the most important to do now.

I have a side question (sorry OP)... I know professors who would probably be willing to write me letters if I asked them. The only thing is I won't need them for another 16 months. Is it practical to ask professors from 2 years ago when you finally do need them or should I be collecting them from people as I go?

 

[radiologyology]

I have a side question (sorry OP)... I know professors who would probably be willing to write me letters if I asked them. The only thing is I won't need them for another 16 months. Is it practical to ask professors from 2 years ago when you finally do need them or should I be collecting them from people as I go?

One of my LOR was from a professor I had during freshman year. Just make sure you know the person well enough that they remember you down the road!

 

[deleted577188]

One of my LOR was from a professor I had during freshman year. Just make sure you know the person well enough that they remember you down the road!

Okay cool. I could get one from a math professor and a history professor who SHOULD (hopefully lol) remember me in another year lol. I definitely have a couple other people who I think I can get one from but I'm working with them now and will be until I apply. Thanks!

 

[sreautwyh]

I guess I just do no know what to do next, or if I am even on the right track for med school, if there is something that I am not doing that I should be or something that I am doing that I should not be.

 

[tea guzzling traveler]

You can also start collecting letters of rec if you feel that you know the professors well, and then save them to inter folio. I know that I lost a couple of letters because when I was thinking of applying, it had already been so long since I had had the professors that I didn't even bother to ask.