Hello fellow SDN users (lurkers and posters alike). I've frequented these forums for months but have never posted. In the past two years I have fully realized medicine is where I want to be, working in an ER and shadowing physicians really showed me this. I'm a 29 year old female, so non-traditional I guess, who has had a curvy road to this but am now fully invested. I know I probably need to bring my undergrad GPA up and I'm curious about how graduate studies factor in. Any advice fellow users on what I should be doing. I'm planning on the MCAT this spring (2018) but am wondering if I should wait another year before applying and work on my GPA and volunteering?
Any constructive criticism would be magical!
1. For undergraduate (Physical Anthopology and Pre-Medical): cGPA is 2.93, sGPA is 2.57. I really was unsure of what I wanted out of life at this point. Did a few post bacc classes, GPA was 3.4. For graduate (biochemistry): cGPA and sGPA are 3.7.
2. I took the MCAT with little study, I plan on retaking this coming spring and am changing up my study schedules and knowing I need a lot of content and practice tests. Got 495 first time (123, 125, 123, and 124).
3. Live in Connecticut, moved here three years ago from Massachusetts.
4. Undergraduate was University of Massachusetts. Graduate was split between Sacred Heart University and University of Florida, biochemistry study.
6. I've worked as the Chief Scribe in a rural hospital for two years, a lot of clinical hours for that. Shadowed a general surgeon, cardiologist, and primary care (~50 hours). Trained and worked as a CNA in a psychiatric care center and private homes (~200 hours). I am in need of more volunteer hours; recently have been working as an ambulance driver in my little town.
7. Completed research in graduate school with my adviser focusing on point mutation insulin degrading enzyme and its effect on amyloid beta plaque buildup in Alzheimer's disease patients. Also worked the Osteology and Evolution lab in undergrad, helping with neanderthal from France and their migrating patterns reserch. Unfortunately unpublished as of yet.
8. I've had a gap year where I bicycled across the US (Oregon to North Carolina) and then down the west coast (Oregon to San Diego). Unfortunately I haven't had much other ECs due to financial need to consistently have a job.
Any constructive criticism would be magical!
1. For undergraduate (Physical Anthopology and Pre-Medical): cGPA is 2.93, sGPA is 2.57. I really was unsure of what I wanted out of life at this point. Did a few post bacc classes, GPA was 3.4. For graduate (biochemistry): cGPA and sGPA are 3.7.
2. I took the MCAT with little study, I plan on retaking this coming spring and am changing up my study schedules and knowing I need a lot of content and practice tests. Got 495 first time (123, 125, 123, and 124).
3. Live in Connecticut, moved here three years ago from Massachusetts.
4. Undergraduate was University of Massachusetts. Graduate was split between Sacred Heart University and University of Florida, biochemistry study.
6. I've worked as the Chief Scribe in a rural hospital for two years, a lot of clinical hours for that. Shadowed a general surgeon, cardiologist, and primary care (~50 hours). Trained and worked as a CNA in a psychiatric care center and private homes (~200 hours). I am in need of more volunteer hours; recently have been working as an ambulance driver in my little town.
7. Completed research in graduate school with my adviser focusing on point mutation insulin degrading enzyme and its effect on amyloid beta plaque buildup in Alzheimer's disease patients. Also worked the Osteology and Evolution lab in undergrad, helping with neanderthal from France and their migrating patterns reserch. Unfortunately unpublished as of yet.
8. I've had a gap year where I bicycled across the US (Oregon to North Carolina) and then down the west coast (Oregon to San Diego). Unfortunately I haven't had much other ECs due to financial need to consistently have a job.
