Need advice, applying to med shcool soon

[zempa]

I am a junior about to start my spring semester, my science gpa right now (counting math) is a 3.5, my overall is a 3.67
the problem is I got a C in orgo 1 and a C+ in orgo 2
My e.c.:
i have been doing research with a professor for about a year (have not been published), I have written for a medical publication in the shcool, and have done a bunch of volunteering, currently I am on the board of a Circle K club (community volunteering), also this past summer I visited Peru for about a month where I participated in a public health campaign, hopefully I will be admitted to a hospital program that will cover 100 hours over about 6 months, i have a bunch of recs from different teachers in different subject areas

i am about to take the mcat, what score do I approximately need to get into some M. D. program in the U. S.

also what else would I need to work on to strengthen my application

thanks - all help would be appreciated

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[Mobius1985]

Your GPA being right at the mean of accepted students, you should be fine with an MCAT at the mean of about 31.

Some schools won't like seeing Cs in Organic Chem. Some won't care if you do well on the MCAT, and some would want you to repeat. Many will be happy if you take Biochem, the higher level course, and get a good grade. Any chance you could take it next semester before you submit your application?

Your research is about average. Any publication is noteworthy, and there's a special entry for this in the experiences section. Your Board position is community service, an expected component (and maybe leadership, depending on what you do). You don't specifically mention a Leadership experience. The Peru trip is good for Volunteering. You'll have the hospital program for clinical experience (is it volunteer also?). Your clinical exposure is not otherwise specified, and the average person has 1.5 years of this. You don't mention shadowing. Try to get some in. Teamwork and teaching are other areas that adcomms might like to see in the experiences section.

 

[Siverhideo1985]

I would get a clinical LOR as well.

I think with your stats and your variety of experiences you have a great shot. The MCAT is pretty much going to determine what range of medical schools you apply to...look at average GPAs in the MSAR of those schools that interest you and see what their MCAT score is. I think you would be fine with anything above a 30....again, depending on what your target schools are.

I am sure you'll do great, though. You are definitely on the right track!

 

[zempa]

thanks for the replies, i will take bio chem but prob fall of senior year (is that too late?), the board position entails me to lead my own community service project and the hospital is volunteering too, although i've done a bunch of volunteering the past few years (tutoring, random events (i.e. clothes drive, ny cares day, etc), and i'm planning to go to argentina for another health program in july and then shadow in august (is that too late and too little - about one month)?

btw what is a clinical LOR?

and I was trying to get some safety schools (if any) and that's why I asked about the MCAT score. Right now I'm getting about a 30 (I just started Kaplan last week) but I think I can work it up to around a 35 or so - I've been to the different sites and seen the stats, but I was also trying to get some personal input from people with experience

thanks

 

[Mobius1985]

LOR=letter of recommendation.

If the biochem is not on your transcript when you apply, you will not have redeemed the impression those Orgo Cs leave in the minds of adcomms. If you don't finish the shadowing or Argentina program until August, it won't be on your application if you apply at the best time (June/July). If you apply at the end of August, your transcripts will be certified in September (or later), you won't get your secondaries sent back until October, and that puts you at a huge disadvantage, as most interview offers will have gone out already. I'm sure this is way more information than you wanted to be burdened with, but it's better to know so you can plan your timing.

You could also consider applying the following year, so your application is polished and at its best.

 

[zempa]

that was my going to be my next question, would it be smart to just wait a year (my grades would go up, more time to study for mcat, etc). Some of my advisors said it would be a bad idea since taking a year off seems questionable? So in my case would it be smart to do so and if I did what would be the best activity to do during that year off?

btw does it hurt your chances if lets say I apply this coming august, don't get in and then reapply next year?

thanks for all your help

 

[Mobius1985]

Applying to medical school can be a very expensive process. One does not want to do it twice. It is best for your application to be the best it can be before going through this very stressful process. I have never seen it said here on SDN by any known admissions committee members that you are put at a disadvantage by waiting a year. Average age at admission is 24 these days. More maturity is felt to be good. Having a year to tie up all the loose ends is considered desirable. With the extra year you can work and make money, travel, spend time with friends and family, get in some research that really intrigues you, etc.

If you go ahead, and then have to reapply, it's not the end of the world. Some schools don't like reapplicants, and others favor them. The most important thing for a reapplicant, is having a good answer for "What have you done to improve your candidacy since you last applied?"

 

[RecyclingBinh]

Teamwork and teaching are other areas that adcomms might like to see in the experiences section.

Really???? I have 3+ years of teaching experience ay my church. i taught vietnamese language and religion. also my past 2 job experience involves teaching. will this help me???

 

[Mobius1985]

Yes, it is one of the set categories on the AMCAS application that one can fill in. Teaching experience is valuable because that is a lot of what a physician does: inspire and motivate to change/accept treatments, provide info about one's condition, etc.