I'll try to keep this as short as possible.
My military contract ended two years ago, and since then I have embarked on a journey in pursuit of medicine. I started with a "do-it-yourself" postbacc at my undergraduate institution to obtain the necessary pre-requisites, and I took the MCAT this past January. My hope was to apply this cycle to matriculate in 2016, but the pre-medical advisor at my school informed me that I would not currently be a competitive applicant. She cited my long military service, age, and lack of science background and clinical experience as reasons I should not apply.
I am eager to begin the next phase of my life (I am married with children), so I am looking for other opinions about my chances now and in the future. Here is an executive summary of my application:
Age: 31
cGPA: 3.72
sGPA: 3.94
Major: Business Information Technology
MCAT: 37 (14/12/11)
EC Summary:
-CPO in the US Navy; 8 years service total, including 6 years as a SEAL.
-Over 2000 hours of local community service, mostly serving as a mentor for troubled youth.
-90 hours physician shadowing.
I have tried to obtain clinical experience by volunteering at the local hospitals and health clinics, but there are many pre-med students in the area, and apparently a long waiting list. This upcoming year I will be doing research for Ulcerative Colitis, and also working full-time as a restaurant manager (to continue supporting my family).
My greatest ambition is to become a physician, and I believe any accredited medical school in the United States will provide a thorough and opportunistic education. Given my current application, would I have a reasonable chance at any of these schools (MD or DO)? If not, I am eager for any additional advice on how I can potentially improve my application for next cycle. Thank you for your time.
My military contract ended two years ago, and since then I have embarked on a journey in pursuit of medicine. I started with a "do-it-yourself" postbacc at my undergraduate institution to obtain the necessary pre-requisites, and I took the MCAT this past January. My hope was to apply this cycle to matriculate in 2016, but the pre-medical advisor at my school informed me that I would not currently be a competitive applicant. She cited my long military service, age, and lack of science background and clinical experience as reasons I should not apply.
I am eager to begin the next phase of my life (I am married with children), so I am looking for other opinions about my chances now and in the future. Here is an executive summary of my application:
Age: 31
cGPA: 3.72
sGPA: 3.94
Major: Business Information Technology
MCAT: 37 (14/12/11)
EC Summary:
-CPO in the US Navy; 8 years service total, including 6 years as a SEAL.
-Over 2000 hours of local community service, mostly serving as a mentor for troubled youth.
-90 hours physician shadowing.
I have tried to obtain clinical experience by volunteering at the local hospitals and health clinics, but there are many pre-med students in the area, and apparently a long waiting list. This upcoming year I will be doing research for Ulcerative Colitis, and also working full-time as a restaurant manager (to continue supporting my family).
My greatest ambition is to become a physician, and I believe any accredited medical school in the United States will provide a thorough and opportunistic education. Given my current application, would I have a reasonable chance at any of these schools (MD or DO)? If not, I am eager for any additional advice on how I can potentially improve my application for next cycle. Thank you for your time.