MD & DO Nervous About ECs

[biomajor2019]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hello Everyone!

This is my first post on SDN, so I apologize if there are any errors, if I have placed this in the wrong section of the site, etc.

I have been very nervous about applying to medical school (although I have another year to do so, because I am taking a year off after graduation, in 2019).
I was originally a nursing student, at my local community college, but had failed out, because I could not devote enough attention to the material, when my grandfather became extremely ill (he lived with me since I was 12) and was given 3 weeks to live.
I took college courses (not AP) in high school and received As and B+s in them. Every semester (besides the one semester of nursing school) I have all As and Bs.
I decided to pursue a Biology degree and become a physician, because I want to devote my life to helping people, such as my grandfather. He had obvious symptoms for years of the type of cancer he had, but never went to the doctor because he thought it was just age, and that was how his body worked. When he finally went to the doctor because he began to get excruciating pains, it was far too late. I want to go into Primary Care to be a teacher, AND a health care provider.

Since I got that out of the way,

My GPA is fine. I am not concerned about that. I am concerned about my extra curriculars, however, and was hoping you all could give me some advice on what you think is best for me to do over the next year and a half.

* I volunteer twice a month at the community meal, serving hot lunch to the poor in my college town.
* I work full time (25 hours a week at Subway and 10 hours at work study) (I have to pay my way through school because my dad is currently sick)
* I am the Public Relations Manager of my Student Government, In training to be President for my senior year, in the fall. (in previous years I was the secretary)
* I am the Secretary of my State's Student Government Association (VT)
* I am on the Cross Country team
* I am the Co-Chair of the committee for an annual event my campus does, that is a huge charity event, raising over $1,300 for United Way.

I know I have lots of leadership experience, I am working on volunteer hours when I get the chance to, but I am lacking medical experience, patient contact-sort experience, and any sort of volunteer work in a hospital.

I have sent out emails and made phone calls to local doctors offices to shadow.

My advisor thinks I should focus on looking for research opportunities rather than looking for clinical experience/volunteer work/shadowing.

What do you all think?

Thank you! 🙂

 

[candbgirl]

What is your cGPA and sGPA that includes ALL college courses you have ever taken? Please include the grades you received in the semester you “ failed out” of nursing school. Your premed advisor is wrong. You absolutely need shadowing experience and patient contact experience. And they are very different and important. You need about 50 hours of shadowing that includes some primary care docs. You also need at least 150 hours of clinical experience. This can be at a hospital, clinic, hospice etc. You have a good start in your nonclinical experiences (serving meals to the poor)so keep that up. ADCOMS like to see applicants helping the underserved and unserved in the community. You’ll need at least 150 hours of that too. The numbers I’m stating are rough and minimal. Research can be important if you are interested in a research giant. Don’t forget to study for the MCAT and don’t take it until you are consistently scoring at near your target goal on FL practice tests. Good luck!

 

[biomajor2019]

What is your cGPA and sGPA that includes ALL college courses you have ever taken? Please include the grades you received in the semester you “ failed out” of nursing school. Your premed advisor is wrong. You absolutely need shadowing experience and patient contact experience. And they are very different and important. You need about 50 hours of shadowing that includes some primary care docs. You also need at least 150 hours of clinical experience. This can be at a hospital, clinic, hospice etc. You have a good start in your nonclinical experiences (serving meals to the poor)so keep that up. ADCOMS like to see applicants helping the underserved and unserved in the community. You’ll need at least 150 hours of that too. The numbers I’m stating are rough and minimal. Research can be important if you are interested in a research giant. Don’t forget to study for the MCAT and don’t take it until you are consistently scoring at near your target goal on FL practice tests. Good luck!

Thank you so much for such a detailed and caring response!

Looking at my grades, including nursing, I do see a problem in my cGPA, now.
That semester, of nursing, I took
Fundamentals of Nursing (7 credits) C-
Human Development (3 credits) C (I did not show up to final, I would have had an A and I kick myself every day for that)
A&P 1: F

This was two years ago, I am now a junior, and have had an upward trend in grades. Also, I am looking to retake A&P1 and Human Development, this semester. I know that probably won't replace the grades, but I want ADCOMS to see that I do care about my grades, and that I won't use death and sickness in my family as an excuse.

cGPA, with nursing scores: 3.20
science GPA: 3.50
I still need to take Orgo 1 and 2, Biochem and Genetics, so science GPA can still greatly improve.

Thank you for actually making me calculate GPAs. I needed to see these numbers, instead of basing my idea of what my GPAs were off of the past two-three semesters of school.

 

[biomajor2019]

Thank you so much for such a detailed and caring response!

Looking at my grades, including nursing, I do see a problem in my cGPA, now.
That semester, of nursing, I took
Fundamentals of Nursing (7 credits) C-
Human Development (3 credits) C (I did not show up to final, I would have had an A and I kick myself every day for that)
A&P 1: F

This was two years ago, I am now a junior, and have had an upward trend in grades. Also, I am looking to retake A&P1 and Human Development, this semester. I know that probably won't replace the grades, but I want ADCOMS to see that I do care about my grades, and that I won't use death and sickness in my family as an excuse.

cGPA, with nursing scores: 3.20
science GPA: 3.50
I still need to take Orgo 1 and 2, Biochem and Genetics, so science GPA can still greatly improve.

Thank you for actually making me calculate GPAs. I needed to see these numbers, instead of basing my idea of what my GPAs were off of the past two-three semesters of school.

Sorry, I meant to say I am looking to retake those classes, this summer, not this semester!