Need some advice

[estoril]

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Hey I'm currently a junior and am applying this July. I was just wondering what advice you guys could give me to help my application. I currently have a 3.85 cumulative gpa and a 3.82 science gpa, hopefully by the time I apply I will have a 3.89 and a 3.85. I'm taking the MCAT's in April so I don't have a score yet. My extracurriculars are pretty weak, I am in a bunch of honors clubs and pre medical clubs that I attend regularly to meetings and some events but I don't have a position in any of them. I've done volunteer medical research at a hospital for a summer and intermittently during my sophmore year. Other than that I don't have much other than some scholarships. I am planning on re-starting volunteering at my local hospital (I've done 100+ hours in the past doing patient transport, but it was during high school), and am hopefully shadowing some doctors during the winter break. Also, I in the works of getting research for my spring and next fall semester. Is there anythign else you guys can recommend me doing? Thanks a lot in advance.

 

[Mobius1985]

Your GPA is great, and everything else is fixable. It's good to see you're on top of things while you time to garner additional ECS. Having only six months of clinical experience on your application (assuming you plan to apply June 09) won't be very convincing that you've thoroughly explored a medical career, but keep in mind that if you continue a high school experience into the college years you can include it on your AMCAS application in one entry spot (and it would be a shame to let that 100+ hours of HS volunteering go to waste). Your shadowing plans sound good. Humanitarian service is important to demonstrate, as it shows you have a altruistic, service-minded outlook. It looks like you have more research set up, and that's good. What I see lacking is evidence of leadership, teamwork, and teaching. The first of these is most important; the others are desirable. Since your recent clinical volunteerism will be brief when you apply, I strongly recommend you continue it during your application year and mention it in update letters. Three to four hours a week, every week would be enough.

 

[estoril]

Thanks for all the advice. I plan on including the high school volunteering in my AMCAS, thanks for the heads up. Would the volunteering at a hospital be considered clinical experience, or did you consider it as a humanitarian service? I know that I am lacking in leadership experience, but there is this club that I have a small position in and helped found that helps organizes events to encourage studying; for example at the end of every semester we hold an event in the student center that has food and coffee for the students. Do you think that would count as leadership since I helped organize the events or would it be more under extracurriculars? Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Mobius1985]

Would the volunteering at a hospital be considered clinical experience, or did you consider it as a humanitarian service?

Good news: it counts for both.

I know that I am lacking in leadership experience, but there is this club that I have a small position in and helped found that helps organizes events to encourage studying; for example at the end of every semester we hold an event in the student center that has food and coffee for the students. Do you think that would count as leadership since I helped organize the events

It is leadership, but if it doesn't take much time each semester (you said you hold a "small" position), consider adding another experience where you lead on a more regular basis.

 

[estoril]

Thanks for all the great advice I really appreciate it. I'm glad it's not too late to show some of my strengths before application time.