Improving myself as a premed candidate

[Dsbeloved]

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I'm a freshman about to enter my second semester. My cumulative GPA is a 3.9, science GPA is 3.8. I'm currently working at a plasma donation center as a full time medical screener, and will switch to part time when school resumes. My volunteer experience is limited. There's a local children's hospital I intend to volunteer at, however the minimum age is 18 and I'm 17 at the moment so I only have a few months to wait. I know it's non-medical, but I would love to volunteer with any youth program involving literacy and mentoring. I have intermediate knowledge of Spanish and will be applying to various study abroad programs in Latin-America and Spain as I intend to become fluent. I also want to study abroad in order to travel and experience other people, cultures, and health systems. I'm yet to begin studying for the MCAT, I'm holding off until my Sophomore or Junior year. Are there any suggestions for how I can improve myself as a candidate and as an individual as my time in college continues? I'd also love any suggestions regarding my current plans, GPA, MCAT study plan, or experience. Thank you

 

[LnSin]

1. Focus on GPA. That's the most important thing.
2. Chart out your pre-reqs so you can see if you want to take a gap year or not (I personally recommend taking one). You may also want to finish these before the MCAT although that is personal preference.
3. You'll want to take the MCAT either junior year (no gap year) or senior year (gap year). I recommend taking the MCAT in January as that gives you plenty of time to work on other stuff related to your application (and god forbid, retake the MCAT if need be) without the added stress of having to work on AMCAS while studying for the MCAT. Don't study for longer than 6 months or you'll start to forget stuff. Kaplan/Exam Krackers is good. Reddit MCAT subreddit is good.
4. Focus on starting long term extracurriculars: just a few hours every other week of non clinical/clinical volunteering goes a long way for when you apply in 3/4 years.
5. Marathon, not a sprint; take it easy and don't stress about stuff 🙂

 

[Lardy Boy]

Socialize! Wish I did more of that


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[Dr. Stalker]

OP - deep breaths. You're on the right track here. I can't emphasize how important MCAT and GPA are. I know when you're young in the game (no offense, as a freshman, you're a noob), you think volunteering/ECs will make or break you. That isn't true. If you volunteer 5000 hours and get a 3.1 and a 499 MCAT no MD or DO school will give you the time of the day. Focus on your grades. What I wish I did during the summer between Freshman and Sophomore year is to go and have gotten a MCAT Gen Chem prep book. This way all the stuff I learned in school I could start applying to the MCAT. Mix in tidbits of clinical volunteering, non-clinical volunteering, and some shadowing. You'll get there, I promise. Don't lose sight of the importance of the academics of the entire process; yes, I promise, someone with a 492 got into a top-tier MD school. That isn't going to be you. You will be like the top of the class who earned the admission because of your killer MCAT, GPA, and ECs. Remember the golden equation: MCAT > GPA >> ECs.

In b4 people attack me for minimizing ECs. I'm not saying you don't need them. I'm directly saying you do. But the MCAT Score and GPA are way more important. Anyone who feels otherwise is foolish or one of the extremely lucky folk that got admitted with less than ideal numbers.

 

[bannie22]

You need to take your MCAT in the summer between 2nd and 3rd year so that you can apply at the end of 3rd year.

 

[LnSin]

You need to take your MCAT in the summer between 2nd and 3rd year so that you can apply at the end of 3rd year.

This depends on many factors like if OP wants to take a gap year or not. As well as course load during the fall/spring and how comfortable OP is with studying In the summer (does he need to support himself full time in the summer? Can he devote time to study?)


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[bannie22]

I wouldnt plan on taking a gap year. Sounds like a precious waste of a year.

 

[Toutie]

You need to take your MCAT in the summer between 2nd and 3rd year so that you can apply at the end of 3rd year.

No he does not! He needs to take it when he's ready to take it. One size does NOT fit all.

 

[bannie22]

No he does not! He needs to take it when he's ready to take it. One size does NOT fit all.

Ok. Let me rephrase.

You need to do everything at the right time.

Hope the advice is useful.