I am a non-traditional applicant with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering (graduated May 2016). I had been wavering between pursuing a career in engineering vs. in health for the first 3 years of undergrad, but after 3 engineering internships vs. volunteering / working in healthcare, I decided I wanted to pursue an MD route. The theme of my personal statement is essentially my comparison of working in engineering vs healthcare and why I decided to pursue healthcare.
Because I decided on my career path so late, I feel that I may not have as many shadowing hours as a competitive applicant. I am in the process of applying to the 2018 cycle. My stats are as follows:
GPA = 3.92
sGPA = 3.90
MCAT = 519 (Chem/Phys 130, CARS 128, Bio 132, Psych/Social 129)
Volunteering (non-clinical) = 230 hours - throughout undergrad
Volunteering (clinical) = 700 hours (as an EMT), 70 hours (in the ED / triage) - within the past year. I also have some experience from 120 hours of clinical rotations in ED / 911 / Respiratory Therapy / L&D in order to obtain my EMT basic.
Research = 780 hours (no publications, just in the acknowledgements. I did participate in poster presentations.) - throughout my undergrad
Paid Internships = 2000+ hours (3 are engineering-related but involve research & development, 1 is lab related at a hormone-replacement therapy company) - during summers throughout undergrad
Shadowing = 16 hours (an anesthesiologist and an orthopaedic surgeon) - within the past year
I have no concerns over my GPA / scores, but I am concerned about the shadowing hours. I have been reading that usually 40-80 hours of shadowing experience over several different types of doctors is ideal. One of my friends claims she couldn't get into med school on her first try because she did not have any shadowing hours despite her high GPA and MCAT scores.
Because I decided on this career so late, it has been very hard for me to get in touch with a doctor since I am no longer enrolled in a university. I do plan on continuing my volunteering with EMS as well as with ED/triage, and I plan on finding a job as a medical scribe for this upcoming year.
(1) Is my volunteering in clinical settings an acceptable substitute to physician shadowing, as long as I can explain my passion for medicine? I have not gotten to shadow that much, but I have gotten to work with many doctors through my work as an EMT and through clinical rotations for EMT school.
(2) Would working as a scribe be a good way to get some "shadowing" experience?
I have been trying to google schools' requirements on shadowing hours, but have not had much luck (at least with the schools I am applying to).
Because I decided on my career path so late, I feel that I may not have as many shadowing hours as a competitive applicant. I am in the process of applying to the 2018 cycle. My stats are as follows:
GPA = 3.92
sGPA = 3.90
MCAT = 519 (Chem/Phys 130, CARS 128, Bio 132, Psych/Social 129)
Volunteering (non-clinical) = 230 hours - throughout undergrad
Volunteering (clinical) = 700 hours (as an EMT), 70 hours (in the ED / triage) - within the past year. I also have some experience from 120 hours of clinical rotations in ED / 911 / Respiratory Therapy / L&D in order to obtain my EMT basic.
Research = 780 hours (no publications, just in the acknowledgements. I did participate in poster presentations.) - throughout my undergrad
Paid Internships = 2000+ hours (3 are engineering-related but involve research & development, 1 is lab related at a hormone-replacement therapy company) - during summers throughout undergrad
Shadowing = 16 hours (an anesthesiologist and an orthopaedic surgeon) - within the past year
I have no concerns over my GPA / scores, but I am concerned about the shadowing hours. I have been reading that usually 40-80 hours of shadowing experience over several different types of doctors is ideal. One of my friends claims she couldn't get into med school on her first try because she did not have any shadowing hours despite her high GPA and MCAT scores.
Because I decided on this career so late, it has been very hard for me to get in touch with a doctor since I am no longer enrolled in a university. I do plan on continuing my volunteering with EMS as well as with ED/triage, and I plan on finding a job as a medical scribe for this upcoming year.
(1) Is my volunteering in clinical settings an acceptable substitute to physician shadowing, as long as I can explain my passion for medicine? I have not gotten to shadow that much, but I have gotten to work with many doctors through my work as an EMT and through clinical rotations for EMT school.
(2) Would working as a scribe be a good way to get some "shadowing" experience?
I have been trying to google schools' requirements on shadowing hours, but have not had much luck (at least with the schools I am applying to).
