Non-traditional. What are my odds?!?

[BubbleGut292]

Quickly, a bit about me: I am a 29-year-old pre-med student with 5 kids that I raise (1 biological and 4 god-children). I am in my senior year of undergrad and can graduate next semester if I want to. I really have two things that I am seeking guidance for. Firstly, if I graduate next semester, then I have a gap year to matriculate into med school (2021 cycle). Would it be better to post-pone graduation in favor of taking more classes? Or to work mediocre and miscellaneous jobs until matriculation (assuming I get accepted somewhere)? My dilemma is once I hit post-bac status my financial aid is severely impacted. But also, I do not feel that there is work that I can do that will contribute to my future in med school. Either route that I go, effectively, seems futile as my applications will go out this upcoming June and anything I do from then until matriculation will not be reflected in my applications. So, are there additional undergrad classes that might be work taking to better my education in med school? Or work that might be beneficial to my curriculum in med school? (I already have thousands of hours of STNA work.) Anyways, I am just looking for advice there. But what I really want to know is what my odds are given I send the following for admittance::

-3.71 overall GPA
-3.52 Science GPA
-2394 hours of patient care (STNA work)
-244 volunteer hours in a hospital
-64 hours volunteer in a nursing home
-80 hours of research-related experience (I will have this completed by the time applications are due to be sent out. I do not have this currently)
-50 hours of shadowing (including 8 hours with a surgeon, 8 hours with an E.R. doctor, 8 hours in neurology, 16 hours in a general setting)
(This shadowing is scheduled for the next few months, I have yet to do it as of now, but it will be completed by the time I send out applications)
-40 hours of city community service (Although, I will be unable to document this. I volunteered with a private (city-owned) community garden for the elderly. Unfortunately, those that have benefitted from the service, that I provided, has since passed away.)
-3 Solid letters of recommendation
-1 Generic letter of recommendation
-Some leadership skills through previous employments (i.e. General Manager of a retail store, Shift manager at a restaurant, team leader at a factory, Lead Sales and team leader in life insurance sales, etc. I could go on here but I think that drives the point.)
-Coaching, mentoring, and managing activities. (I promise there is some real skill obtained by these activities when raising five children, 10 and under.)
-And of course the MCAT. I will be taking it in time to place on my application, but I have no score to give as of now. So, for the sake of entertaining this thread, I have been in the top 10% of everything I have done in life (I think the 90th percentile on the MCAT is 514), so, let's say that I get somewhere between 498-507 on the MCAT.
-B.S. in Psychology (to be completed before matriculation)

This certainly is not the demeanor (nor the formatting) that I would hold with the real application. I just want a feel for what others think of my line up here. I accept harsh criticism and meaningful interpretation of what you see here. I just want an honest opinion. Specifically, is this good enough to merit success? Also, with the research hours I describe, what if I did not do any research (I am overloaded and am thinking of not doing it)? I know a lot of people post similar threads and I have definitely learned a thing or two from those threads, but I felt a more personally detailed description would obtain the criticism that I seek. Is there anywhere that I could improve on with this? I know I have a lot of questions in this and am a little disorganized with it, apologies.
Lastly, how will it affect my acceptance potential without a completed degree in my applications? Should I graduate to put it on my applications or leave it as a to be completed?
And what are my odds? I am applying M.D. and seek a route in Psychiatry.

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[Bonne Nuit]

You need some more documentable non-clinical community service (aim for 150+ hours) and a good MCAT (509+). If you can get that, you should be good for your state MD programs and many private schools (Drexel, Quinnipiac, MCW, etc. - see the MSAR). If you can ace upper division science classes and get your sGPA up, and you crush the MCAT (515+) you will be very competitive for a broad range of MD programs.

Lots of people apply before they graduate - as long as you have your Bachelor’s by the time you matriculate, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Don’t get below a 508-509 MCAT if you want to remain competitive for MD.

 

[BubbleGut292]

You need some more documentable non-clinical community service (aim for 150+ hours) and a good MCAT (509+). If you can get that, you should be good for your state MD programs and many private schools (Drexel, Quinnipiac, MCW, etc. - see the MSAR). If you can ace upper division science classes and get your sGPA up, and you crush the MCAT (515+) you will be very competitive for a broad range of MD programs.

Lots of people apply before they graduate - as long as you have your Bachelor’s by the time you matriculate, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Don’t get below a 508-509 MCAT if you want to remain competitive for MD.

I appreciate the feedback. I am sure that I can do exceptional on the MCAT (at least 510). I am taking my Bio, Biochem, and MCAT prep from Jan to April. So, I really should do good on it. Including this semester and next, I have 5 science courses that I expect to get at least four A's out of. This should bump my science GPA up to at least a mid/high 3.6 maybe just barely a 3.7 GPA (I have 209 credit hours). As for the non-clinical volunteer work, what do you suggest? I think I am still in the time frame that I could get 150+ (though it will definitely be hard work to do it).

 

[Bonne Nuit]

I appreciate the feedback. I am sure that I can do exceptional on the MCAT (at least 510). I am taking my Bio, Biochem, and MCAT prep from Jan to April. So, I really should do good on it. Including this semester and next, I have 5 science courses that I expect to get at least four A's out of. This should bump my science GPA up to at least a mid/high 3.6 maybe just barely a 3.7 GPA (I have 209 credit hours). As for the non-clinical volunteer work, what do you suggest? I think I am still in the time frame that I could get 150+ (though it will definitely be hard work to do it).

Nonclinical volunteering is best when it’s with disadvantaged groups - could be homeless outreach, working with kids with disabilities, helping out at food pantries, tutoring low-income kids, Meals on Wheels, etc.

 

[BubbleGut292]

Would you consider hospitality and activities aid to those disabled elderlies in a nursing home as non-clinical? I basically would be acting as a miscellaneous helper with social activities and an ear to listen to those that lack a family to talk within a nursing home. Occasionally, my duties would include acting as a waiter as well for mealtimes.

 

[Bonne Nuit]

Would you consider hospitality and activities aid to those disabled elderlies in a nursing home as non-clinical? I basically would be acting as a miscellaneous helper with social activities and an ear to listen to those that lack a family to talk within a nursing home. Occasionally, my duties would include acting as a waiter as well for mealtimes.

I feel like nursing home service falls in that weird gray area between clinical and nonclinical. If it were up to me, I’d say it’s fine - but an adcom will have to weigh in to say for sure.

 

[BubbleGut292]

Very good! Thanks! Would city clean up projects count as non-clinical (like the adopt-a-roadway program)? Or is that something that counts for nothing?

 

[Bonne Nuit]

Very good! Thanks! Would city clean up projects count as non-clinical (like the adopt-a-roadway program)? Or is that something that counts for nothing?

Community beautification projects are considered non-clinical volunteering and are great and can add to your application, but they shouldn’t be the majority of your hours. Med schools want to see you volunteer with people, especially the disadvantaged.

 

[MisterMukwa]

You need some more documentable non-clinical community service (aim for 150+ hours) and a good MCAT (509+). If you can get that, you should be good for your state MD programs and many private schools (Drexel, Quinnipiac, MCW, etc. - see the MSAR). If you can ace upper division science classes and get your sGPA up, and you crush the MCAT (515+) you will be very competitive for a broad range of MD programs.

Lots of people apply before they graduate - as long as you have your Bachelor’s by the time you matriculate, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Don’t get below a 508-509 MCAT if you want to remain competitive for MD.

Out of curiosity, why is non-clinical community service so important? I understand why the volunteering/community service aspect is important, but not why it has to be non-clinical.

 

[Bonne Nuit]

Out of curiosity, why is non-clinical community service so important? I understand why the volunteering/community service aspect is important, but not why it has to be non-clinical.

My understanding is that clinical experience (volunteering or paid) demonstrates to medical schools that you understand what it’s like to be around sick people, work in a clinic, and what a physician’s work life entails. But bringing magazines to patients or wheeling them around a hospital doesn’t really push a premed out of their comfort zone, and it’s often fairly cushy work.

Non-clinical volunteering demonstrates to medical schools that you have the altruism required of a physician. They want to know that you like helping people outside of a hospital, especially when it’s with marginalized populations in potentially uncomfortable settings (shelters, for example).

All premeds are expected to be comfortable in a hospital or clinic; that’s just a given. But all premeds say they like “helping people”, so it’s nonclinical service that determines whether candidates are serious or are just paying lip service to the altruistic nature of the medical profession.