Interesting story please read... should I take 5 in college OR get an MS? (long)

[streampaw]

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I've been stressing myself out quite a lot lately about getting into medical school. The thing is, I am a junior at my university but I have absolutely no EC's for med school. Well, my two EC's I have is just a year and a half of work. 1 year work as a computer lab assistant, and so far 6 months of work as a computer tutor at my community college.

I transferred from community college to a state school, and have a ~3.6ish gpa. I have been getting a 4.0 in the last couple terms at CC and the term before that I only got one B and the rest A's.

The tricky thing and question is, why exactly am I a junior and have no clinical volunteering or other EC's? Well... I kind of started college at 15. No one really takes 15 year olds into hospitals to volunteer with patients, especially since getting a volunteer position at the hospitals in my area is SO freaking competitive! So basically, for the first half a year of going to part-time community college, I was going to high school as well, full-time. After that, I finally got accepted into an early college program that paid for my community college tuition, but before that I had to work to earn money for community college (I did unofficial house assistant job, like house cleaning and stuff). And I did this because I really wanted to start college early. Second half of my college year ("freshman year of college while being a sophomore in high school") I started working as a computer lab assistant at my community college. Worked there for a year, stopped working in the spring b/c I graduated from community college and transferred (and they only allow those students who go to the CC to work as a comp lab assistant). However, I now work as a computer tutor at that same community college, while going to my state university (they allow tutors to work there even if they don't go to the CC).

Basically, I graduated from high school in 3 years (one year early), and with that, got a 2 year associate degree. Now I am a 17 year old junior at my state university.

With no pre-med EC's 🙁

I actually knew I wanted to be a doctor since forever, but I had no luck getting hospital volunteer opportunities at all, especially with my "age".

So I really am not sure what to do.
I am pressured (by myself, by the way. not by anyone else) to apply in the 2014 cycle if I snag a clinical volunteer position right now (and I actually have a chance of getting a clinical volunteer position, I've been trying to get a position like crazy!) And I also an starting to volunteer at a biochem research lab at my state uni.
But... that's like only 4 extracurricular activities each lasting a year or less... haha I am never getting into medical school with that.

And by the way, I am interested in going to OHSU or UW. I am an Oregon resident and I really want to stay in Oregon and don't want to move for med school. I really want to maximize my chances as much as possible for OHSU, and possibly UW. I would do anything to get into one of those two schools, and I don't care about getting into top schools like harvard or whatever.

So... I heard that a masters degree doesn't really do much in terms of making someone more competitive for medical school. I could possibly raise my GPA to a 3.8 in two years, if I keep up the 4.0 grade trend. I am majoring in biochemistry and already took one year of gen chem at CC (got mostly A's...).

So basically, my options are these:
-Take 3 more years to graduate university (doing a double major or something), plus gap year
-take 2 more years to graduate university, and take 2 years to do a biochemistry master's degree so that I can continue to do research at the same laboratory for a long period of time
-take 2 years to graduate university, and just one gap year, and apply after 2 years (but I would only have about 1.5 years of clinical volunteering, and all my other EC's would be 1.5 years or less...)
-just apply in the 2014 cycle and grab as many EC's as I can during this year.

I was also thinking to apply to JUST ohsu in the 2014 cycle while grabbing as many EC's as I can, and then if I don't get in, reapply the year after and/or the year after that... Because OHSU is my main goal, but I am also okay with getting into UW since it is close. BUT, if I don't get into OHSU the first time I apply, then the second time I will probably apply broadly to at least 10 other med schools.

Any advice? :\

 

[AznSeal]

"I actually knew I wanted to be a doctor since forever, but I had no luck getting hospital volunteer opportunities at all, especially with my "age". "

How do you know? You yourself said you have little to no experience.

 

[streampaw]

"I actually knew I wanted to be a doctor since forever, but I had no luck getting hospital volunteer opportunities at all, especially with my "age". "

How do you know? You yourself said you have little to no experience.

Well, when people start out as pre-meds they have no experience too. Initially, when people start out, they usually don't have any experience.

 

[NYCNative]

"I actually knew I wanted to be a doctor since forever, but I had no luck getting hospital volunteer opportunities at all, especially with my "age". "

How do you know? You yourself said you have little to no experience.

Your "takedown" isn't even logical. OP stated that he had difficulty obtaining a volunteer position at his local hospitals due to his age, not that he assumed at the time that he wouldn't have been able to get one due to his age. Besides that, I don't see a reason why you would jump down OP's throat over a fact that is largely irrelevant to his long and earnest request for advice in beefing up his resume. Haterz gonna hate, I 'spose. 👎

 

[Etyan]

"I actually knew I wanted to be a doctor since forever, but I had no luck getting hospital volunteer opportunities at all, especially with my "age". "

How do you know? You yourself said you have little to no experience.

"Age" does not excuse inadequate volunteerism. It is a bit telling that you think it might.

In the many states I've traveled to, there have always been "Red Shirt" type programs - high school kids volunteering at local hospitals. Also, not everything you invest your time into as you prepare for medical school has to be related to medicine; what about helping out in your community? Oregon is a beautiful state, but there are many areas in need. Reach out and help those around you.

With your drive and accomplishments thus far, you should do just fine. Good luck 👍

 

[streampaw]

"Age" does not excuse inadequate volunteerism. It is a bit telling that you think it might.

In the many states I've traveled to, there have always been "Red Shirt" type programs - high school kids volunteering at local hospitals. Also, not everything you invest your time into as you prepare for medical school has to be related to medicine; what about helping out in your community? Oregon is a beautiful state, but there are many areas in need. Reach out and help those around you.

With your drive and accomplishments thus far, you should do just fine. Good luck 👍

Thanks. But still, what option should I go for? How many gap years should I take, should I obtain a masters degree, or should I take 3 more years to graduate college while pursuing a double major? I'm not sure what to do.

 

[DoktorO]

In your case taking a gap year may be to your advantage. The year before your gap year however you must secure a volunteer position that can give you a rec letter for your app before you apply for medical school. Next you must also secure and find something to do during that gap year. Since you will be over 18, I say getting EMT certified and working as an EMT tech for a year would be a good option. You'll make money, which you will save for medical school expenses, and you will get good experience to talk about during your interviews. So by my plan you will be applying at the end of your senior year in college, during which you will be 18 and thus would be volunteering at a hospital. Next during your gap year you will train and become an EMT.

 

[streampaw]

In your case taking a gap year may be to your advantage. The year before your gap year however you must secure a volunteer position that can give you a rec letter for your app before you apply for medical school. Next you must also secure and find something to do during that gap year. Since you will be over 18, I say getting EMT certified and working as an EMT tech for a year would be a good option. You'll make money, which you will save for medical school expenses, and you will get good experience to talk about during your interviews. So by my plan you will be applying at the end of your senior year in college, during which you will be 18 and thus would be volunteering at a hospital. Next during your gap year you will train and become an EMT.

Do you think one gap year would be enough? I will have less than two years of extracurricular activities (such as research) if I just take one gap year, but if that is enough for medical schools, I would be okay with that.

 

[BlueLabel]

Your "takedown" isn't even logical. OP stated that he had difficulty obtaining a volunteer position at his local hospitals due to his age, not that he assumed at the time that he wouldn't have been able to get one due to his age. Besides that, I don't see a reason why you would jump down OP's throat over a fact that is largely irrelevant to his long and earnest request for advice in beefing up his resume. Haterz gonna hate, I 'spose. 👎

Is it possible the poster was referring to the "I've wanted to be a doctor since forever" part instead of the "I haven't had much luck" part? Not taking a side here, but that seems plausible.

 

[NYCNative]

Is it possible the poster was referring to the "I've wanted to be a doctor since forever" part instead of the "I haven't had much luck" part? Not taking a side here, but that seems plausible.

I think you're right 😳 re-reading it, though, I have to say that I still think it was an unnecessarily douche-y (and unconstructive) comment...