Medical School applications questions

[medschoolhopeful99]

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Hi SDN!

I finally completed all of my premedical prereqs! Some basic things about me:
Undergrad: Tufts University (top 30 national university)
3.91 Science GPA
3.88 Cumulative GPA
Major: Public Health
Minor: Finance
Citizenship: US
State: New York

ECs:
- A public health research project that I pioneered with a graduate school professor at the Fletcher School to examine how Pakistan can shift from a curative care public health paradigm to preventative care. I will hope to get this published eventually, and I will also be collecting fieldwork epidemiological data subject to statistical analysis from on the ground from Lahore, Pak this upcoming spring semester.

- I have shadowed around a month (not much) a GP

- President of a non-profit organization that has raised over $3400 to donate to poor schools in Pakistan, we have a partnership with an NGO on the ground there that administer these donation funded schools

- President of Pakistan Students Association

- Research Coordinator of a South Asian research group at Tufts

- Member of the Tufts Financial Group

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Questions:
1.) What other types of activities should I try to add to my application to be competitive?

2.) What MCAT score should I shoot for? I know everyone will always say go for the highest (and of course, I will) but realistically what would be a minimum to be considered for an interview given my other statistics and ECs?

3.) How much does my non-science GPA matter? Obv for the very top medical schools it will matter, but Im thinking of picking up a minor in finance for fun and taking up some other interesting courses as well, but ill be on 20+ credits. I will not be taking any more STEM classes so my science GPA is set in stone now. Im going to try my best of course but if it slips a bit because of the course load will it impact my chances for admission given my science gpa will be set at over 3.9?

4.) Does my research project count as research even though its not in a lab?

 

[M&L]

Your GPA is fine .
I don’t see any clinical experience though (not shadowing ). Do you have any ?

 

[medschoolhopeful99]

Your GPA is fine .
I don’t see any clinical experience though (not shadowing ). Do you have any ?

To be honest, I'm not sure what the difference is haha, what is clinical experience exactly?

 

[M&L]

To be honest, I'm not sure what the difference is haha, what is clinical experience exactly?

Direct patient interaction. Or clinical volunteering . Not shadowing - shadowing falls into a different category .

 

[medschoolhopeful99]

Direct patient interaction. Or clinical volunteering . Not shadowing - shadowing falls into a different category .

I am thinking as working as a scribe this semester since I will be doing classes online. Does it count?

 

[M&L]

I am thinking as working as a scribe this semester since I will be doing classes online. Does it count?

Yeah scribing is great . Ideally you want a few hundred hours .

 

[medschoolhopeful99]

Yeah scribing is great . Ideally you want a few hundred hours .

Okok sounds good will do this. How about MCAT score, what in your opinion is a minimum I should at least get above to be competitive and is my non lab research still considered "research" in medical schools' eyes?

 

[M&L]

Okok sounds good will do this. How about MCAT score, what in your opinion is a minimum I should at least get above to be competitive and is my non lab research still considered "research" in medical schools' eyes?

I would hesitate to tell you what mcat you need , because it really depends on what you want (what medicsl school )
Go to MSAR (medical school admissions requirements), it should give you everything you need , but in more depth than I ever could .

 

[medschoolhopeful99]

Bump

 

[r2med]

Which year are you applying?

 

[medschoolhopeful99]

@ricetomed maybe next year but willing to take more years if necessary

 

[dial1010usa]

Your gpa is pretty good. Take upper division science classes if you need to take more classes. You need MCAT>505 for DO and >512 for MD, higher the MCAT is better. You need to shadow MD and DO around 50+ hours.

 

[candbgirl]

Your ECs are really weak. You need about 50 hours of shadowing a physician, ~200 hours of clinical experiences and ~200 hours of nonclinical volunteering to the unserved/underserved in your community. Community being in the USA not your gig in Pakistan! Your research should be okay and sounds interesting. Remember to apply when you have an application that says PICK ME. You really only want to do this one time so take your time and do it right! As to the MCAT nobody can tell you. Just don’t take it until you are ready and consistently scoring at or above your target goal on FL practice tests.

 

[medschoolhopeful99]

@candbgirl does serving the community in Pakistan not work? I am originally from there so it was just something I was passionate about. But I see what you mean, will def add these suggestions to my checklist starting with scribing!

 

[medschoolhopeful99]

Your gpa is pretty good. Take upper division science classes if you need to take more classes. You need MCAT>505 for DO and >512 for MD, higher the MCAT is better. You need to shadow MD and DO around 50+ hours.

sounds good! Are upper division sciences necessary? I was thinking of adding a minor in Comp Sci (not technically BCPM but thats gonna take up my schedule). Even w this is it necessary to take more upper div bio courses?

 

[candbgirl]

@candbgirl does serving the community in Pakistan not work? I am originally from there so it was just something I was passionate about. But I see what you mean, will def add these suggestions to my checklist starting with scribing!

You can Be passionate about it but you are living and going to school in the US. You need to show your altruism to ADCOMS. You need to step outside of your comfort zone and work and help with people different from you. When you practice medicine you will be working with all kinds of people, not just one group. You have to be comfortable with all people.

 

[dial1010usa]

sounds good! Are upper division sciences necessary? I was thinking of adding a minor in Comp Sci (not technically BCPM but thats gonna take up my schedule). Even w this is it necessary to take more upper div bio courses?

Those upper division science classes are not necessary but i will help you in med school.
All the best!