Ideas on chances?

[eliezer1510]

Just wondering what you guys think. I have a lower GPA (~3.5) due to not deciding on med school until junior year (my major was actually Ancient Greek), but I have a 34Q MCAT. I also have 5 years of research experience, including 2 years running a lab full time. I have lots of EC's, including 5 years as a Shrine Clown, doing a lot of volunteering in hospitals, Ronald McDonald House, etc.

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[Xcited392]

Just out of curiosity... If you were an Ancient Greek major, then what kind of research were you doing for the 5 years?

 

[gbwillner]

Just wondering what you guys think. I have a lower GPA (~3.5) due to not deciding on med school until junior year (my major was actually Ancient Greek), but I have a 34Q MCAT. I also have 5 years of research experience, including 2 years running a lab full time. I have lots of EC's, including 5 years as a Shrine Clown, doing a lot of volunteering in hospitals, Ronald McDonald House, etc.

Your GPA is a bit low, but its effects would also depend on the quality of your undergraduate institution at many schools. Your MCAT is excellent. Overall, I would guesstimate, given your limited info here, that your chances of getting interviews are good-great.

 

[xanthines]

Apply broadly, interview well, and you'll get into a good MSTP somewhere. Your major and EC's are more or less irrelevant. Your research experience, your ability to talk about it in interviews, and the ability come off as someone who is genuinely interested in academic medicine/research are what's important now. That, and applying broadly.

-X

 

[eliezer1510]

I started off in neuroscience, and then went to immunology, and for the past 2 years I have run a lab doing drug delivery (cancer/HIV nanotechnology).

 

[eliezer1510]

Thank you all for the input!

 

[mynameistoolong]

what do you mean by "running" a lab?

 

[eliezer1510]

what do you mean by "running" a lab?

I just meant that I am the lead tech, so I basically run the lab while the PI writes grants, papers, etc. I supervise a grad student and a post-doc in order to provide technical expertise.

 

[Musclemass]

I just meant that I am the lead tech, so I basically run the lab while the PI writes grants, papers, etc. I supervise a grad student and a post-doc in order to provide technical expertise.

You supervise the post-doc and the grad student, so they work for you? You probably don't want to mention anything about that in front of either of them, their understanding may be a bit different.

 

[mynameistoolong]

.

 

[eliezer1510]

No, they don't work for me, I just help them when they have problems.