Improving my odds- suggestions welcome

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PharMed2016

Eternal Scholar
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As some of you may know, I am a PharmD canadiate who plans on going to medical school after finishing my PharmD. **Not going to argue why I am doing this route** Now, I just wants some suggestions on improving my CV and chances for medical school.


Currently - I volunteer at a hospital in the ED but haven't really shadowed any docs there besides the occassional... I'll show you something neat - type. I have shadowed clinical, staff and community pharmacist in various settings.

In school recently, I scored my best semester with a 3.6 (all upper division science courses), which is compared to my freshmen GPA of about a 2.8. During the course of my undergraduate education, I was involved in peer tutoring, tennis club, and my own study group. Also, on the academic side... I am heavily involved in research with a study in Drug Delivery System Formulation - in particular microemulsions, along with other studies such as MRSA, Hemodialysis/PeritonealDialysis Daptomycin clinical study, Vancomycin clinical study, KPC, and a few others studies of which I am less conversant. There will be an abstract published if not a paper on the microemulsion formulation and I will probably be published in two papers in the series of studies being conducted (latter).

My non-clinical experiences involve volunteering at the RMH (Ronald McDonald House), volunteering at the food bank, and doing the walk for life.

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However with that being said, I do not have any certifications as of current and do not have any practical physician shadowing experiences. I have not taken the MCAT as of yet but will do this summer after I finish my Kaplan Review course which will begin this coming spring.

My cumulative GPA is around a 3.42 with a science GPA of around a 3.2. On my transcript, there are 3 C-level grades (although none lower than a C) in chemistry I, orgo I&II (thinking about taking both over the summer). Anyone with any ideas on how I would be able to improve my chances before I apply two years from now along with what schools to apply to.

Thanks a bunch, (Not here to argue about why pharmacy first).

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Well, I won't argue with your plan to do a pharmD first. But can I ask why you're taking the MCAT this summer? Won't it expire before you've been able to apply to medical school? (MCATs are good for 3 years only).

Also, you *ideally* want around a 3.5 before you apply. Ideally. So if you want to take even more time to do a post-bacc, it wouldn't hurt.

My $0.02.

Your ECs look good. Shadowing a physician wouldn't hurt but I doubt it'll make or break your application.
 
Well, I won't argue with your plan to do a pharmD first. But can I ask why you're taking the MCAT this summer? Won't it expire before you've been able to apply to medical school? (MCATs are good for 3 years only).

Also, you *ideally* want around a 3.5 before you apply. Ideally. So if you want to take even more time to do a post-bacc, it wouldn't hurt.

My $0.02.

Your ECs look good. Shadowing a physician wouldn't hurt but I doubt it'll make or break your application.

Thanks for your advice. As for the MCAT, I will be applying during my P2 year (since its accelerated, I finish 1 year early), thus I will just make the MCAT cutoff.

Congratz on your medical school acceptance.
 
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