****New Member! Need some advice ASAP!!!!*****

[DetectiveAlonzo]

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[allantois]

What's the trend in your GPA? Otherwise, what grades have you been getting in the past?

 

[DoctorKrieger]

Why not take a couple classes and work?

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

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[DetectiveAlonzo]

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[AlteredScale]

Stats are 3.37 sci and 3.31 cumulative (with 22 units postbacc). 27 MCAT (8,9,10)
Have over 150 hours shadowing with DOs and MDs total.
Have 100 hours of free health clinic volunteering.
Will be applying in JUNE 2015!

Question is: Should I take 2 more classes next semester? ORRRRRR should I just work full-time with scribe program and continue shadowing and stuff?

What do you guys suggest?

I have already registered for the courses but I can get a refund.

What is your isolated GPA for your postbac? What was your degree in and what was your GPA for that?

 

[DoctorKrieger]

I figure I can work full-time and start saving up whereas if I have school I won't be able to fully devote myself to work alone. I have worked part time at the family business, shadowed, volunteered, and took classes before but I figure I can save a lot of money in this one-year commitment with a local community hospital. Also, this hospital is about a 45-minute drive from home so time will be spent driving back and forth if I take classes as well (which is also 40 minutes away due to not being able to get into classes with a late registration date).

I see. My advice would be to call the admissions office at all the schools you're interested in/applying to, tell them your situation, and ask them what would look better to them. Different schools may very well give different answers.

 

[keels99]

Stats are 3.37 sci and 3.31 cumulative (with 22 units postbacc). 27 MCAT (8,9,10)
Have over 150 hours shadowing with DOs and MDs total.
Have 100 hours of free health clinic volunteering.
Will be applying in JUNE 2015!

Question is: Should I take 2 more classes next semester? ORRRRRR should I just work full-time with scribe program and continue shadowing and stuff?

What do you guys suggest?

I have already registered for the courses but I can get a refund.

Can you work part time as a scribe and take classes? That's what I did my senior year of college. I for one love working as a scribe and think it's great experience. Also, your GPA isn't terrible, so you don't HAVE to retake/take more classes if you don't want.

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

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[DetectiveAlonzo]

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[DetectiveAlonzo]

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[keels99]

Also, I should mention that IF I take the two courses and ACE them, then my GPAs will go up to 3.43 and 3.36ish. I just calculated them right now.

Would scribing look much better than homeless health clinic volunteering? I don't want to be shunned away from interviews because I didn't have the right EC. This process is nerve-wracking so I apologize if I sound like a jerk or anything. I genuinely love working with the underserved in my area and have been doing so for the past year. But I figure if i could possibly make money with the scribe position, every little bit helps right?

Personally, I think you would have enough time to both volunteer and work as a scribe. Also, from what I've seen, being a scribe allows you an advantage in certain aspects of medical school (especially taking histories since that's basically what I write all shift.) During my interview, I actually was asked quite a bit about my scribe position. If you have any questions, feel free to message me. While I love my job, I've known others who thought they would like it but ended up hating it.

 

[allantois]

Are you factoring in grade forgiveness when you calculate your GPA?

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

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[DloopF2]

apply broadly (AND EARLY) and you'll get some IIs. A 27 should get you in the door.
I think the post-pac will help as well. It shows a willingness to improve and the ability to handle more advanced work.

To answer you question. I would work and wouldn't take more classes.

Good luck!

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

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[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I'd echo the retake and work thing. But yah, if you hit a 3.4/27 you're pretty much fine to apply in June 2015.

 

[DloopF2]

Thanks D.

Do you believe I should go for the scribe position or just go ahead with the homeless health clinic? Also, should I just take the two extra classes and bump up my GPA up to 3.43ish science and around 3.36 cumulative?

Either position will give you get experience in health related fields. Maybe the scribe position because you'll be with doctors more often and you'll get to learn the language. (maybe. I have not done either jobs. I got my experience through CNA)

The classes would boost your grades but experience may be more valuable at this point. You can talk about experience during an interview!
You already have at least 5 years of classes under you belt. two classes more won't change too much.

just my 2c

What do others think?

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

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[MetricSystem]

You keep mentioning about the long drive but.... if you really want to be a doctor, you should do anything, within legal bounds.
I worked as a scribe at a hospital 50 mins away for over 2 years.
Not to mention shadowing physicians 2 hours away.
if you want it, go get it.

P.s. you aren't going to save that much money by scribing full time. That money is miniscule compared to the loans you will have.

 

[MetricSystem]

Plan your scribe work on days you have classes. Also, you should look at other scribe companies closer to your home.

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

Your grades are fine, you will not get screened out at any DO school. Get that clinical experience and you are good to go. If you have even a couple hundred clinical experience hours under your belt then you are set. You wont get into every school, especially some of the more competitive ones, but you have a fair enough shot at all of them, even with what you have now.

 

[DloopF2]

Your grades are fine, you will not get screened out at any DO school. Get that clinical experience and you are good to go. If you have even a couple hundred clinical experience hours under your belt then you are set.

2nd

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

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[Goro]

I think you've demonstrated that you'll be fine in medical school, and so go work and save some money.

Stats are 3.37 sci and 3.31 cumulative (with 22 units postbacc). 27 MCAT (8,9,10)
Have over 150 hours shadowing with DOs and MDs total.
Have 100 hours of free health clinic volunteering.
Will be applying in JUNE 2015!

Question is: Should I take 2 more classes next semester? ORRRRRR should I just work full-time with scribe program and continue shadowing and stuff?

What do you guys suggest?

I have already registered for the courses but I can get a refund.

 

[avivace]

Applying to med school is very expensive, and you might want to consider that when deciding how much to work. You have application fees, secondary application fees, and interview travel costs, and all of these can add up very quickly. If you're accepted, you'll also need to pay one or more nonrefundable deposits, generally $1000 or more per school.

I'd work as many hours as you can without neglecting your other responsibilities, because the last thing you'll want next year is to worry about how you will pay for interviews and deposits.

 

[crazy87]

I vote working the scribe thing in there somehow. I cannot tell you how much being a scribe helped me (and I also had a GPA on the low end, 3.3). It's a fantastic experience and not only will it show admissions that you really know what you're getting yourself into, but think of the connections/LOR you can get too.

 

[user3]

Stats are 3.37 sci and 3.31 cumulative (with 22 units postbacc). 27 MCAT (8,9,10)
Have over 150 hours shadowing with DOs and MDs total.
Have 100 hours of free health clinic volunteering.
Will be applying in JUNE 2015!

Question is: Should I take 2 more classes next semester? ORRRRRR should I just work full-time with scribe program and continue shadowing and stuff?

What do you guys suggest?

I have already registered for the courses but I can get a refund.

your application is already competitive. expect 10+ interviews if you apply broadly next cycle.