No interviews - reapplicant - need advice

[ZiggyDaZebra]

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Please serious advice only.

I have a ~3.5 GPA from biomedical engineering at a good school with a 31 (10-10-11) MCAT and then a 507 MCAT (125 is psych and sociology, 127+ in rest). I have decent EC's (2 years of research, shadowing, sports, etc.) and I graduated in 2015. I applied for admission last year, and did not get a single interview. I am applying again and I have yet to get an interview. Sine graduation, I worked in a research lab for 6 months and now I am working part-time in a medical practice. How can I boast up my chances? Should I enroll in a post-bac program or SMP?

Am I out of the running this year since I have yet to get an interview? I didn't take a corporate job in order to boast up my medical school apps after graduation and I'm worried I still won't get in. I am 23 years old.

Thanks 🙂

 

[libertyyne]

Please serious advice only.

I have a ~3.5 GPA from biomedical engineering at a good school with a 31 (10-10-11) MCAT and then a 507 MCAT (125 is psych and sociology, 127+ in rest). I have decent EC's (2 years of research, shadowing, sports, etc.) and I graduated in 2015. I applied for admission last year, and did not get a single interview. I am applying again and I have yet to get an interview. Sine graduation, I worked in a research lab for 6 months and now I am working part-time in a medical practice. How can I boast up my chances? Should I enroll in a post-bac program or SMP?

Am I out of the running this year since I have yet to get an interview? I didn't take a corporate job in order to boast up my medical school apps after graduation and I'm worried I still won't get in. I am 23 years old.

Thanks 🙂

1. Cycle is early.
2. Second mcat is not great.
3. Gpa is ok.
4. What state?
5. Urm or orm?
6. What schools did you apply to?
7. When were you complete?

 

[Goro]

Not too late for DO schools!

Please serious advice only.

I have a ~3.5 GPA from biomedical engineering at a good school with a 31 (10-10-11) MCAT and then a 507 MCAT (125 is psych and sociology, 127+ in rest). I have decent EC's (2 years of research, shadowing, sports, etc.) and I graduated in 2015. I applied for admission last year, and did not get a single interview. I am applying again and I have yet to get an interview. Sine graduation, I worked in a research lab for 6 months and now I am working part-time in a medical practice. How can I boast up my chances? Should I enroll in a post-bac program or SMP?

Am I out of the running this year since I have yet to get an interview? I didn't take a corporate job in order to boast up my medical school apps after graduation and I'm worried I still won't get in. I am 23 years old.

Thanks 🙂

 

[ZiggyDaZebra]

Not too late for DO schools!

1. Cycle is early.
2. Second mcat is not great.
3. Gpa is ok.
4. What state?
5. Urm or orm?
6. What schools did you apply to?
7. When were you complete?

I am from IL , not URM or ORM. I applied to ~8 schools. I submitted my primary in June 18th, verified July 29th, secondaries in early August. Im debating on applying DO but I want might a career in academic medicine since I really enjoyed my years of research and I think DO might hinder that as well as into competitive specialities. DO tuition is also much higher.

 

[Goro]

Beggars can't be choosy.

I am from IL , not URM or ORM. I applied to ~8 schools. I submitted my primary in June 18th, verified July 29th, secondaries in early August. Im debating on applying DO but I want might a career in academic medicine since I really enjoyed my years of research and I think DO might hinder that as well as into competitive specialities. DO tuition is also much higher.

 

[Pusheen]

I applied to ~8 schools.

This is the issue. Most of the accepted people here would not have been accepted if they had applied to less than 10 schools. :/ At this point, I would say to apply DO and hope for the best with MD

 

[vellez]

Well, your GPA is about what mine was, and I got a 32 on the MCAT. Honestly, I don't think those will keep you out if you have a REALISTIC school list. Do you "work" in a lab/medical practice as in you get paid? What are your volunteer hours like? What are your clinical volunteer hours like? What are your shadowing experiences like? What are your leadership roles like? If any of those are weak, I'm not surprised at all that you didn't get any II. You should take a few years off to address those issues, if they are deficient, because your app (as you described it now) is weak.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

You have a mediocre MD GPA, applied to far to few schools, and have a MCAT drop from a 31 to about a 29. I don't see MD happening with that combo. Next cycle you need to apply to way more schools and include 10 DO schools. You can't be choosy because it might come down to being a DO and a doctor or not being a doctor at all with your app and how competitive MD is these days.

 

[castro416]

You need to apply to more than 8 Illinois is a very competitive state for medical schools


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[ZiggyDaZebra]

Well, your GPA is about what mine was, and I got a 32 on the MCAT. Honestly, I don't think those will keep you out if you have a REALISTIC school list. Do you "work" in a lab/medical practice as in you get paid? What are your volunteer hours like? What are your clinical volunteer hours like? What are your shadowing experiences like? What are your leadership roles like? If any of those are weak, I'm not surprised at all that you didn't get any II. You should take a few years off to address those issues, if they are deficient, because your app (as you described it now) is weak.

Yes, I do get paid. I got paid during my work in a medical lab after graduated (grant problems after 6 months led to me leaving) and now I work in a medical practice part-time. I have a wide variety of hobbies and aprox 150 hours of volunteering in a hospital in college. Im not sure why my application was not successful last year and resulted in no interviews. My stats were above loyola and rosalind franklins class. Im debating if I should do a SMP or not to boast up my GPA.

 

[vellez]

Honestly, I'd say you need to broaden your volunteer work. Also, your lab work and clinic work are jobs; those probably aren't gonna help you a whole lot. What's your shadowing like? Do you have any pubs or poster presentations? Not to be rude, but I see a lot of areas for improvement, your GPA not really being the biggest one.

 

[kpop]

I did an SMP but my uGPA was lower than yours and my MCAT was higher than yours. I'm not sure an SMP is a good investment for you. If I were you I'd get an MCAT in the 95th percentile (at least) and reapply with a much broader list of schools. There are no safety MDs so keep your mind open to DO options as well

 

[ZiggyDaZebra]

Honestly, I'd say you need to broaden your volunteer work. Also, your lab work and clinic work are jobs; those probably aren't gonna help you a whole lot. What's your shadowing like? Do you have any pubs or poster presentations? Not to be rude, but I see a lot of areas for improvement, your GPA not really being the biggest one.

Well, I did gain work experience since I graduated. I need to make money to pay for application fees/bills/etc. somehow. I shadowed over 75 hours over the course of 3-4 years, I don't have any publication since I worked in basic research which is very difficult to get published, and I volunteered for over 2 years. I don't believe I should shell out few thousands of dollars to go to a foreign medical trip just to boast up my application or volunteer for a cause I am not passionate about.

 

[ZiggyDaZebra]

I did an SMP but my uGPA was lower than yours and my MCAT was higher than yours. I'm not sure an SMP is a good investment for you. If I were you I'd get an MCAT in the 95th percentile (at least) and reapply with a much broader list of schools. There are no safety MDs so keep your mind open to DO options as well

How many times did you apply? and what were your stats? thanks

 

[kpop]

How many times did you apply? and what were your stats? thanks

Third application cycle (and last, WOOT!) with a LizzyM at 69

 

[ZiggyDaZebra]

Third application cycle (and last, WOOT!) with a LizzyM at 69

congrats man! did u get in this time around or was it last year? PM details please and advice, help a brotha out!

 

[candbgirl]

Well, I did gain work experience since I graduated. I need to make money to pay for application fees/bills/etc. somehow. I shadowed over 75 hours over the course of 3-4 years, I don't have any publication since I worked in basic research which is very difficult to get published, and I volunteered for over 2 years. I don't believe I should shell out few thousands of dollars to go to a foreign medical trip just to boast up my application or volunteer for a cause I am not passionate about.

Why would you go on an international foreign medical trip? Those kinds of activities are not looked at favorably by ADCOM members. They call call them voluntourism. What specific schools did you apply to? Eight schools is about seven too few. Just a FYI don't look down at DO. My ID at University of Chicago is a DO. She spends 80% of her time in research. She is head of clinical trials. She is amazing. If you want to be a doc be realistic. Your GPAs are average, you have 2 MCATS with a lower score the second time. You do have issues with your application. How are your Letters and essays? Any red flags that you can think of?

Oh and the word is boost not boast.

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[yungspleen]

1. Cycle is early.

I'd say if you haven't gotten a II from a specific school in the next 3 weeks your chances of getting one from that school will be very low, so it's definitely not "early" anymore

 

[Pusheen]

I'd say if you haven't gotten a II from a specific school in the next 3 weeks your chances of getting one from that school will be very low, so it's definitely not "early" anymore

Do you have a source for this? I wish people would stop fear-mongering over interview invitations after it has been said time and time again that people get interviews well into February. Aside from the more aggressive early schools (UMich, Tulane, ect), it is not late yet.

 

[yungspleen]

Do you have a source for this? I wish people would stop fear-mongering over interview invitations after it has been said time and time again that people get interviews well into February. Aside from the more aggressive early schools (UMich, Tulane, ect), it is not late at all. It is still October.

No source just observation. It's completely possible to get an interview in February, just a lot less likely. I'm not saying if you haven't received an interview in the next three weeks that you're screwed. It really depends on the number of schools you applied to. Also depends on when you were complete. For myself personally, as someone who submitted most of my apps in July, I'm just going to assume that I won't get interviewed by a certain school if I haven't heard by the end of November. It's possible but I'm not holding out too much hope. But I definitely didn't mean to say that OP is screwed or anything. Just that it's no longer "early" in the cycle.

 

[Pusheen]

No source just observation. It's is completely possible to get an interview in February, just a lot less likely. I'm not saying if you haven't received an interview in the next three weeks that you're screwed. It really depends on the number of schools you applied to. Also depends on when you were complete. For myself personally, as someone who submitted most of my apps in July, I'm just going to assume that I won't get interviewed if I haven't heard by the end of November. But I definitely didn't mean to say that OP is screwed or anything. Just that it's no longer "early" in the cycle.

I mean, you kinda did, at least that's how I read it. I'm sorry if I sound too aggressive, there's just so much unnecessary self-perpetuating anxiety on this forum. Anyways, yes, it's def not early, but not quite late yet. In OP's case, there is a different problem anyway 🙁

 

[yungspleen]

I mean, you kinda did, at least that's how I read it. I'm sorry if I sound too aggressive, there's just so much unnecessary self-perpetuating anxiety on this forum. Anyways, yes, it's def not early, but not quite late yet. In OP's case, there is a different problem anyway 🙁

I was talking about expecting to get an interview from a specific school if you haven't received an interview from them by the end of the month (maybe 3 weeks was a bit too soon). But if you threw out like 25 apps that increases your chances of getting an interview somewhere. Also, like you said, it's still October, and we're two weeks from acceptances going out so I'm sure more interviews will be rolling in this month. It's just important not to mislabel the cycle as "early" because if OP hasn't heard in a few weeks they should definitely consider sending in some DO apps.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

we're two weeks from acceptances going out

Not true.

 

[yungspleen]

Not true.

I meant they started going out 2 weeks ago. So adcoms can focus more on reviewing apps for interviews and interview spots will open as people start withdrawing

 

[DokterMom]

Well, I did gain work experience since I graduated. I need to make money to pay for application fees/bills/etc. somehow. I shadowed over 75 hours over the course of 3-4 years, I don't have any publication since I worked in basic research which is very difficult to get published, and I volunteered for over 2 years. I don't believe I should shell out few thousands of dollars to go to a foreign medical trip just to boast up my application or volunteer for a cause I am not passionate about.

Your volunteering sounds light -- kind 'check boxy' if I'm being candid. Have you done something 'dirty' and uncomfortable? Worked with populations with significant problems? (Addiction, HIV, poverty, limited English, disabilities, homeless, mentally ill, etc.) There's volunteering that's all about you -- Volunteering in a hospital will help me get into med school. And there's volunteering that's about other people -- Just a few hours of my time reading to these Alzheimer's patients seems to make them so happy...

And as has been said -- 8 schools is way too few. With nothing standout in your application (I guess research is your strong point, but that's more of a draw for the top schools than mid-tier) you need to cast a very wide net.

I'd agree that right now, your choice is:

• Wait two years. Kill the MCAT and do something significant volunteer-wise. or
• Apply DO now -- broadly, and humbly.

 

[ZiggyDaZebra]

Your volunteering sounds light -- kind 'check boxy' if I'm being candid. Have you done something 'dirty' and uncomfortable? Worked with populations with significant problems? (Addiction, HIV, poverty, limited English, disabilities, homeless, mentally ill, etc.) There's volunteering that's all about you -- Volunteering in a hospital will help me get into med school. And there's volunteering that's about other people -- Just a few hours of my time reading to these Alzheimer's patients seems to make them so happy...

And as has been said -- 8 schools is way too few. With nothing standout in your application (I guess research is your strong point, but that's more of a draw for the top schools than mid-tier) you need to cast a very wide net.

I'd agree that right now, your choice is:

• Wait two years. Kill the MCAT and do something significant volunteer-wise. or
• Apply DO now -- broadly, and humbly.

In regards to volunteering, my experience with volunteering is that it is a waste of time. I have volunteered outside the hospital in organizations and within it, and in my experience , when an individual is not paid for his/her time, her time is not valued as much. I spent a lot of time commuting to the hospital to volunteer for 2 hours a week where I did not do anything. Organizations I volunteered for in college were not that well structured as well. I know several current medical students at top 10 schools who barely volunteered.

I do not understand why I need two wait 2 years to apply again and why 1 year if not enough.

 

[Goro]

This wouldn't help your app. We view medical missions as "medical tourism". Strongly suggest more volunteering with patients, and people less fortunate than yourself.

Just because your stats were above Loyola's means nothing. It's a very competitive school. I suspect that your school list was the issue, or rather, its length. An MCAT retake with a score decline is not good. Again, beggars can't be choosy.

I don't believe I should shell out few thousands of dollars to go to a foreign medical trip just to boast up my application or volunteer for a cause I am not passionate about.

 

[Pusheen]

In regards to volunteering, my experience with volunteering is that it is a waste of time. I have volunteered outside the hospital in organizations and within it, and in my experience , when an individual is not paid for his/her time, her time is not valued as much. I spent a lot of time commuting to the hospital to volunteer for 2 hours a week where I did not do anything. Organizations I volunteered for in college were not that well structured as well. I know several current medical students at top 10 schools who barely volunteered.

Some volunteer experiences are definitely worse than others. It's important to find something that you actually enjoy and feel needed in. It doesn't have to be bland hospital volunteering, check out nursing homes and hospices and similar places that are almost always understaffed. You don't have to be doing medically-related tasks either, you can just spend time with lonely patients and fulfill basic needs. I guarantee that you will feel more needed than you did doing generic hospital volunteering.

I used to treat volunteering as a checkbox activity. However, in the 1.5 years I spent volunteering at 2 places, I gained a wealth of knowledge and experiences that have become the basis for my personal statement and secondaries. I don't know what examples I would have given in support of my application if I didn't have the experiences that I did.

There are a lot of great opportunities out there, find something you are personally interested and invested in!

 

[ZiggyDaZebra]

This wouldn't help your app. We view medical missions as "medical tourism". Strongly suggest more volunteering with patients, and people less fortunate than yourself.

Just because your stats were above Loyola's means nothing. It's a very competitive school. I suspect that your school list was the issue, or rather, its length. An MCAT retake with a score decline is not good. Again, beggars can't be choosy.

To clarify, I am not begging. If I don't get in, I would re-take the MCAT, take additional classes, or attend a SMP. Persistence is the key to anything in life, and I met countless MDs who attended med school over the age of 30 due to terrible grades, career changes, and other reasons. I am asking for advice to improve the quality of my application for future cycles and this current one.

 

[Goro]

rOK, there's your problem.

In regards to volunteering, my experience with volunteering is that it is a waste of time. I have volunteered outside the hospital in organizations and within it, and in my experience , when an individual is not paid for his/her time, her time is not valued as much. I spent a lot of time commuting to the hospital to volunteer for 2 hours a week where I did not do anything. Organizations I volunteered for in college were not that well structured as well. I know several current medical students at top 10 schools who barely volunteered.

The people you referred to who barely volunteered were either playing down their exploits, or had something else killer in their apps, like super high stats. But in this game, stats only get you to the door, ECs get you through the door.

I suspect that your lack of interest in volunteering bled right through your app. I would further surmise that your app generated this response:
“This not the application of a person who dearly wants to be a physician. It is the application of someone who wants to be a doctor as long as it is convenient,”

From the wise LizzyM”: I am always reminded of a certain frequent poster of a few years ago. He was adamant about not volunteering as he did not want to give his services for free and he was busy, and helping others was inconvenient. He matriculated to a medical school and lasted less than one year. He's now in school to become an accountant.

“SLU, Miami, Tulane, EVMS, USC, Creighton, Quinnipiac, Georgetown, WVU, Rush, Loyola, Albany are the big ones for service.” They are looking for those with a validated commitment to a lifetime of service to those in greatest need (they are Jesuits, etc).

And by "validated commitment" we don't mean 6 months of last minute, high-volume volunteerism.


Some types of volunteer activities are more appealing than others. Volunteering in a nice suburban hospital is all very well and good and all, but doesn't show that you're willing to dig in and get your hands dirty in the same way that working with the developmentally disabled (or homeless, the dying, or Alzheimers or mentally ill or elderly or ESL or domestic, rural impoverished) does. The uncomfortable situations are the ones that really demonstrate your altruism and get you 'brownie points'. Plus, they frankly teach you more -- they develop your compassion and humanity in ways comfortable situations can't.

Service need not be "unique". If you can alleviate suffering in your community through service to the poor, homeless, illiterate, fatherless, etc, you are meeting an otherwise unmet need and learning more about the lives of the people (or types of people) who will someday be your patients. Check out your local houses of worship for volunteer opportunities. The key thing is service to others less fortunate than you.

Examples include: Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, Humane Society, crisis hotlines, soup kitchen, food pantry, homeless or women’s shelter, after-school tutoring for students or coaching a sport in a poor school district, teaching ESL to adults at a community center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or Meals on Wheels.


What are you going to say when asked how you know you are suited for a life of caring for the sick and suffering? “That you just know”? Imagine how that will go over!


Medicine is a service career. Get used to that. I don't meant to be harsh, but this can't be sugar coated. The most successful applicants are passionate about what they do.

 

[NonTrad16]

To clarify, I am not begging. If I don't get in, I would re-take the MCAT, take additional classes, or attend a SMP. Persistence is the key to anything in life, and I met countless MDs who attended med school over the age of 30 due to terrible grades, career changes, and other reasons. I am asking for advice to improve the quality of my application for future cycles and this current one.

If you want to talk about a waste of time, count all the hours you'd work to pay back loans after interest for an SMP that would likely do less than volunteering.

I had zero invites last year. Similar GPA as you, higher MCAT, grad degree/research/publications. This year, same stats but more volunteering and I'm up to 6 IIs. I had done clinical volunteering, shadowing, etc but continuing those and doing non clinical community volunteering with those in need seems to have tipped me over to interview eligible.

Do as you will though...

Edit: to provide more context, I had thousands of hours on research and employment (independently). Volunteer hours on the order of ~100 the first year, and ~250-300 this year (not including the continued hours through the cycle), about 30% of the new hours being from non clinical service to those in need. 250 hours is a lot, but opportunity cost doesn't come close when compared to something more dramatic. An SMP costs more raw dollars (let alone no employment, interest), studying for the MCAT can easily pass 200 hours, etc.

 

[candbgirl]

OP you started this thread and asked for help because you are a reapplicant with no interviews last year and no interviews so far this year. Some of the best sources of advice on SDN have given you good advice. They are not reapplicants but some do in fact review applications and rec people for interviews and acceptance. You have turned your nose up at their suggestions so why exactly did you ask for help when you already have all of the answers?


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[ZiggyDaZebra]

rOK, there's your problem.



The people you referred to who barely volunteered were either playing down their exploits, or had something else killer in their apps, like super high stats. But in this game, stats only get you to the door, ECs get you through the door.

I suspect that your lack of interest in volunteering bled right through your app. I would further surmise that your app generated this response:
“This not the application of a person who dearly wants to be a physician. It is the application of someone who wants to be a doctor as long as it is convenient,”

From the wise LizzyM”: I am always reminded of a certain frequent poster of a few years ago. He was adamant about not volunteering as he did not want to give his services for free and he was busy, and helping others was inconvenient. He matriculated to a medical school and lasted less than one year. He's now in school to become an accountant.

“SLU, Miami, Tulane, EVMS, USC, Creighton, Quinnipiac, Georgetown, WVU, Rush, Loyola, Albany are the big ones for service.” They are looking for those with a validated commitment to a lifetime of service to those in greatest need (they are Jesuits, etc).

And by "validated commitment" we don't mean 6 months of last minute, high-volume volunteerism.


Some types of volunteer activities are more appealing than others. Volunteering in a nice suburban hospital is all very well and good and all, but doesn't show that you're willing to dig in and get your hands dirty in the same way that working with the developmentally disabled (or homeless, the dying, or Alzheimers or mentally ill or elderly or ESL or domestic, rural impoverished) does. The uncomfortable situations are the ones that really demonstrate your altruism and get you 'brownie points'. Plus, they frankly teach you more -- they develop your compassion and humanity in ways comfortable situations can't.

Service need not be "unique". If you can alleviate suffering in your community through service to the poor, homeless, illiterate, fatherless, etc, you are meeting an otherwise unmet need and learning more about the lives of the people (or types of people) who will someday be your patients. Check out your local houses of worship for volunteer opportunities. The key thing is service to others less fortunate than you.

Examples include: Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, Humane Society, crisis hotlines, soup kitchen, food pantry, homeless or women’s shelter, after-school tutoring for students or coaching a sport in a poor school district, teaching ESL to adults at a community center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or Meals on Wheels.


What are you going to say when asked how you know you are suited for a life of caring for the sick and suffering? “That you just know”? Imagine how that will go over!


Medicine is a service career. Get used to that. I don't meant to be harsh, but this can't be sugar coated. The most successful applicants are passionate about what they do.

I have volunteered in an organization where I taught less fortunate individuals science as well as for habitat humanity. I also volunteered to teach baseball for a year. In my hospital volunteering, I saw a wide variety of sick individuals. I do not believe these experiences gave me as much as insight as being a physician than talking with doctors who have been practicing for years. I never learned about other issues of being a physician such as malpractice, law suits, private insurance/medicaid/medicare, CMA, long hours in residency and practice, etc. by volunteering which are important to making the career choice. I am not stating I should be compensated for everything I do; however, my time like anyone is limited.

 

[Goro]

The point of volunteering with patients is to show you what you're getting into, and to demonstrate to admissions committees that you really want to be around sick and injured people for the next 30 to 40 years.

Shadowing doctors tells you what a doctor's day is like, and how different doctors approach the practice of Medicine.

Volunteering with others in a non clinical setting shows off your altruism and your Humanity. Because Madison is a service industry oftentimes deliver to people who are not very nice these are things that admissions committees view as important.

The fact that you feel you got nothing out of these experiences must have, I believe, radiated out of your application and this is why I believe you are not having any luck in the admission cycle. Successful applicants love what they do and do what they love.

You asked for serious advice and you are getting it.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I have volunteered in an organization where I taught less fortunate individuals science as well as for habitat humanity. I also volunteered to teach baseball for a year. In my hospital volunteering, I saw a wide variety of sick individuals. I do not believe these experiences gave me as much as insight as being a physician than talking with doctors who have been practicing for years. I never learned about other issues of being a physician such as malpractice, law suits, private insurance/medicaid/medicare, CMA, long hours in residency and practice, etc. by volunteering which are important to making the career choice. I am not stating I should be compensated for everything I do; however, my time like anyone is limited.

This is your issue, volunteering isn't about you. It's about helping someone else have a better day. I am not surprised you haven't had any success, your issue runs far deeper than stats.

 

[DokterMom]

In regards to volunteering, my experience with volunteering is that it is a waste of time. I have volunteered outside the hospital in organizations and within it, and in my experience , when an individual is not paid for his/her time, her time is not valued as much. I spent a lot of time commuting to the hospital to volunteer for 2 hours a week where I did not do anything. Organizations I volunteered for in college were not that well structured as well. I know several current medical students at top 10 schools who barely volunteered.

I do not understand why I need two wait 2 years to apply again and why 1 year if not enough.

@Goro beat me to it -- If you feel that volunteering is a waste of time, I can't imagine how happy you would be as a physician. Much of your advice will go unheeded. Many of your patients will not take their medications, follow through with their physical therapy, will lie to your face about how much they drink, smoke or exercise. Your bills will go unpaid. Your wise counsel will be supplanted by someone's friend's sister's experience or something they read on the Internet. In short, you will "waste" so much of your time as a physician I can't imagine you would fine the career path to be worth it.

Cut your losses now and try consulting. At least there you will be well compensated for your advice, and you don't even have to pretend to care if they follow it or not.

 

[raiderette]

If you can, take another cycle to improve with volunteering and your MCAT. I am at a great med school, and it is great because we see some of the craziest things during our clinical years. Compassion and knowledge of diverse populations make for better medicine.

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[libertyyne]

In regards to volunteering, my experience with volunteering is that it is a waste of time. I have volunteered outside the hospital in organizations and within it, and in my experience , when an individual is not paid for his/her time, her time is not valued as much. I spent a lot of time commuting to the hospital to volunteer for 2 hours a week where I did not do anything. Organizations I volunteered for in college were not that well structured as well. I know several current medical students at top 10 schools who barely volunteered.

I do not understand why I need two wait 2 years to apply again and why 1 year if not enough.

A few things need to be unpacked here.
1.Even if I grant you that most hospital volunteering is low impact, How do you want to make the world a better place? How are you driven to reduce suffering in the world? How are you working towards that underlying goal? If you think your talents are better used at other places rather than pushing beds around then show it. Start a non-profit, do something meaningful to make the world a better place. If you are unable to do said thing, perhaps you should rethink your ability to provide value and or the value of your time.
2. You know students at top 10, your stats however are borderline not within two standard deviations of those programs.

I have volunteered in an organization where I taught less fortunate individuals science as well as for habitat humanity. I also volunteered to teach baseball for a year. In my hospital volunteering, I saw a wide variety of sick individuals. I do not believe these experiences gave me as much as insight as being a physician than talking with doctors who have been practicing for years. I never learned about other issues of being a physician such as malpractice, law suits, private insurance/medicaid/medicare, CMA, long hours in residency and practice, etc. by volunteering which are important to making the career choice. I am not stating I should be compensated for everything I do; however, my time like anyone is limited.

3. If you learned nothing about the human condition by teaching those less fortunate them yourself, You need to reexamine your experiences.
4. Malpractice, law suits and insurance issues are peripheral issues faced by physicians. Physicans for the most part have little experience in those areas themselves.
5. If you really think your time is more valuable show it. Go achieve something, anything, adcoms would be more impressed with success in business compared to your luke warm stance towards improving the lives of others.

 

[T800'sThumb]

In regards to volunteering, my experience with volunteering is that it is a waste of time. I have volunteered outside the hospital in organizations and within it, and in my experience , when an individual is not paid for his/her time, her time is not valued as much. I spent a lot of time commuting to the hospital to volunteer for 2 hours a week where I did not do anything.

You've got a lot of real advice already, but I wanted to throw this in, too--

Yes, hospital volunteering is "box-checky" and can be unstructured and open-ended. Your time there was your chance to see clinical work in action. It was your chance to see hospital care, trauma, and illness in general from multiple perspectives. My volunteering time at a hospital was also pretty bland. I was incredibly bored with changing trashbags and stocking linens until I realized that talking with the people there-- patients, family members-- was the most valuable thing that place offered. Go change that linen for bed 1 in ED room. While you're at it, chat up the lady with Alzheimer's who seems to end up there on a weekly basis. Learn something.

Like most everything else in life, your experiences are what you make of them.

 

[saveourpens]

Please serious advice only.

I have a ~3.5 GPA from biomedical engineering at a good school with a 31 (10-10-11) MCAT and then a 507 MCAT (125 is psych and sociology, 127+ in rest). I have decent EC's (2 years of research, shadowing, sports, etc.) and I graduated in 2015. I applied for admission last year, and did not get a single interview. I am applying again and I have yet to get an interview. Sine graduation, I worked in a research lab for 6 months and now I am working part-time in a medical practice. How can I boast up my chances? Should I enroll in a post-bac program or SMP?

Am I out of the running this year since I have yet to get an interview? I didn't take a corporate job in order to boast up my medical school apps after graduation and I'm worried I still won't get in. I am 23 years old.

Thanks 🙂

Your stats aren't very good. Hard to judge your ECs with your post. I think that it comes down to stats for a lot of schools and then your ECs just support that. Here's what I did to get accepted as a third time applicant:

Retook the MCAT for a much better result
Added a bunch of leadership/volunteering experiences
Added two peer-reviewed pubs.
Spent a lot of time working on my PS and experience summaries.

 

[carrots28]

Reapplicant here. I waited an additional two years to reapply to strengthen my app. I retook the mcat and scored higher. Studying differently than you did before and scoring well might be something you could work on. I think relevant experience is key to reapplying. I worked in a paid job where I interacted a lot with patients. Schools were very interested in my learning experiences from my job and I think that was what pushed me over the edge.

 

[Sirabi]

Well, I did gain work experience since I graduated. I need to make money to pay for application fees/bills/etc. somehow. I shadowed over 75 hours over the course of 3-4 years, I don't have any publication since I worked in basic research which is very difficult to get published, and I volunteered for over 2 years. I don't believe I should shell out few thousands of dollars to go to a foreign medical trip just to boast up my application or volunteer for a cause I am not passionate about.

When I got feedback from a school after I was rejected post interview they told me I didn't have enough hours shadowing. I had 110 at the time, and they told me to get another 100 or so more. After doing that I was accepted the next year. 30 MCAT, 3.7 gpa, work in a research clinic, 230 hours shadowing. so maybe try to add more shadowing?

 

[gyngyn]

When I got feedback from a school after I was rejected post interview they told me I didn't have enough hours shadowing. I had 110 at the time, and they told me to get another 100 or so more. After doing that I was accepted the next year. 30 MCAT, 3.7 gpa, work in a research clinic, 230 hours shadowing. so maybe try to add more shadowing?

As long as longitudinal care included, 40 hours should be plenty.