Lets say I had an GPA between 3.0-3.3 and MCAT of around 25. How much impact would being a certified EMT and working as one for 4 years and being a volunteer firefighter for 4 years have on being accepted in to Med School? Lets say my school of choice would be UAMS in Little Rock, and I am a resident in the state. Also would working in the ER during the summer and making rounds with my uncle who is a Doctor carry that much weight on acceptance? I guess what I am getting at is if I had average or just below average grades, do you think activities like that during my summers could influence the admission boards? What are my chances?
Impact on Acceptance?
- Thread starter Zback
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tipp said:
im sorry to say that not much wieght...if you have avg stats that would be fine and it would have a good amount of weight, but ur stats are below avg to begin with and it will not cut it. i had a 25M on my first MCAT try, and i raised that b*tch to a 30P, so try again..its doable!
good luck
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I'm an EMT too and I don't think it helped me very much at all. My pre-med advisor thinks it is worthless, and I haven't had it mentioned in any of my interviews. I think it will give you a little help, but not that much. Doctors know that it is not that hard to be an EMT. When it all comes down to it, they are looking for someone who has good stats; they assume you have the other stuff. Hate to be the pessimist.
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I think that with those stats you'd probably have a better shot at DO schools.
If you could raise your mcat to 30 or above, you'd have a much better shot a most md schools.
(ps. sorry to be such a numbers *****.)
If you could raise your mcat to 30 or above, you'd have a much better shot a most md schools.
(ps. sorry to be such a numbers *****.)
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generally, the extracurriculars aren't worth much. keep in mind that med school apps are on a whole different level from undergrad; basically, everyone applying will have similar experiences. there will be hundreds with comparable extracurriculars and the same gpa/mcat as you, and there will be hundreds with comparable extracurriculars and better gpa/mcat. really, unless it's something extraordinary (e.g., winning the Nobel prize or something), your gpa/mcat will definitely make you a pretty mediocre applicant.
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tipp said:
Don't get your hopes up, unless you are an under-represented minority or are nontraditional (no need to start the flaming). However, like the previous poster said, a higher MCAT would definitely help.
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I do not think that bein non-trad would be acceptable with low stats..
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Arkansas produced 676 applicants to med school in 2003, and 140 matriculated; almost 100% matriculated in state, so you can do the math - are you in the top 25%? The national mean for MCATs is 29+ and the national GPA mean is 3.45. You are below the national mean in both. Working with a relative is not the same as an objective observer, and this letter may not even be looked at. Being an EMT is OK. BUT, really, what would it take to retake the MCAT? Your GPA and MCAT suggest that even if you got into med school, it would be a struggle. Why not take some graduate classes that require critical thinking, retake the MCAT and reapply with a stronger package? I would also suggest working with someone who you are not related to, and if possible, with someone who doesn't know your uncle. Letters from relatives and neighbors are viewed as Character References and not letters of recommendation. It's a lot of work. Depends on how bad you want it.
tipp said:
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To those who have disparaged the import of the EMT in the admissions process,
you are simply wrong. There is a significant difference between a registered EMT and a practicing EMT. How many applicants can talk about being the first responder on a trauma scene and possibily saving a life or at least preventing further injury? Doctors and medical admissions people know the difference between an applicant who spent hours memorizing for the A in an O-chem test and having had experience under the intense pressure of a severely injured patient. The former is rote and given the right circumstances, anyone can do it. Having real medical experience requires multidimensional thinking and demonstrates actual medical expertise.
To those who bashed the EMT, keep the nose in your cheat sheets and flash cards. To the Arkansas applicant, definitely highlight your EMT experiences. There are schools out there that value this and those that don't are not worth your time.
you are simply wrong. There is a significant difference between a registered EMT and a practicing EMT. How many applicants can talk about being the first responder on a trauma scene and possibily saving a life or at least preventing further injury? Doctors and medical admissions people know the difference between an applicant who spent hours memorizing for the A in an O-chem test and having had experience under the intense pressure of a severely injured patient. The former is rote and given the right circumstances, anyone can do it. Having real medical experience requires multidimensional thinking and demonstrates actual medical expertise.
To those who bashed the EMT, keep the nose in your cheat sheets and flash cards. To the Arkansas applicant, definitely highlight your EMT experiences. There are schools out there that value this and those that don't are not worth your time.
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I think what most people mean is that just having an EMT is prety worthless. Face it, they're not hard to get. HOWEVER, if you use your EMT status to get involved with activites that have really affected your decision to go into medicine it's definately not worthless.
But it's still not gonna make up for your stats. I got in with a 3.35 GPA (typical story with this... really bad freshman year, busted ass after to get it up to this mediocore level) and 35 MCAT and I was sweating it the entire way. You've got to get your GPA and MCAT up. Other things will help, but med schools play the numbers game, so you have to as well.
But it's still not gonna make up for your stats. I got in with a 3.35 GPA (typical story with this... really bad freshman year, busted ass after to get it up to this mediocore level) and 35 MCAT and I was sweating it the entire way. You've got to get your GPA and MCAT up. Other things will help, but med schools play the numbers game, so you have to as well.
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Pretty much, anyone can do anything, be it an EMT, child mentor, president of this or that club, etc. It is your responsibility to make the interviewers understand how important it was that you did this. What did you take from you experiences as an EMT? How will this help you at Med school X? Just doing something does not make you different. How that expercience affects you does.
example: There is a girl in my major who is the president of 3 clubs, one of them she created just so she could add another notch to her belt. However, none of these 3 organizations does jack-****. I only joined one club, but I busted my ass organizing activites and functions, blah, blah, blah. When I had my interviews, I steered the conversation towards discussing these activites and how I had learned whatever I learned. The point is: If you take your ECs at face value, so will the AdComs.
Evil-J
UMMC - class of 2009
example: There is a girl in my major who is the president of 3 clubs, one of them she created just so she could add another notch to her belt. However, none of these 3 organizations does jack-****. I only joined one club, but I busted my ass organizing activites and functions, blah, blah, blah. When I had my interviews, I steered the conversation towards discussing these activites and how I had learned whatever I learned. The point is: If you take your ECs at face value, so will the AdComs.
Evil-J
UMMC - class of 2009
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tipp said:
Non-traditional basically means that you have been out of school for a while and that medicine will not be your first career.
What part of the state is your home address listed in. UAMS must divide the first 70% of the class equally between the 4 congressional districts. That can make a huge difference in you application. Also to be considered is if you would be willing to practice in a rural area in primary care. That can get you to the top of the waiting list if you can get on it. From what I have heard UAMS accepts a pretty good number from the wait list. I would apply and interview anyway(all in state people automatically get an interview). If you do
not get in, the admissions director is happy to meet with you and tell you in
explicit terms exactly what you need to strenghten your application for the
next cycle.
not get in, the admissions director is happy to meet with you and tell you in
explicit terms exactly what you need to strenghten your application for the
next cycle.
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btgreene said:
You make good points. The real problem for working EMT applicants is that there are a lot of you. Med school is the logical next step for a lot of EMTs who are interested in going back to school. And while your experiences are all very relevant, they aren't really unique. The adcoms have heard it all before. This presents two problems:
First, after years of doing this, they know that the weakness of SOME EMTs is their academic background. So they are already a little suspicious before they even look at your numbers. Then if the numbers are on the low side, you get lumped, however unfairly, with what they have seen in the past.
Secondly, if someone on the adcom tries to argue your case by pointing out your EMT experience, the problem is that chances are there's another application in the pile that also has that experience. If that other person's numbers are better, you are in trouble. They get their check-in-the-box for having an EMT in the class and you get the shaft.
Good luck.
(improving your MCAT will make you luckier)
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I don't think EMT certification will help you any more than other types of clinical experience. I was an ER tech and received on-the-job training. Some EMT's also worked as ER techs, and had the same title and responsibilities as me. There was only one difference between us- some of the EMT's would wear stethoscopes around their necks pretending like they knew what was up. They never used them, but they looked spiffy. It was pretty funny, and always something everyone else in the ER joked about. Anyways, the point is, any quality clinical experience in which you are exposed to patients is a positive. I loved that job!
