Nontraditional Pre-Med, If you had 2 years till applying

[AmIHopeless]

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So after a lot of really great feedback I understand what the steps I need to take in regards to the pre-reqs (GPA), MCAT, and ECs.

Two of these are pretty objective though GPA and MCATs, which I understand play a large role in your acceptance/rejection. ECs though seem to vary person to person and more subjective.

My questions is simple; if you had 2 years till applying to a SMP/Med Program, what ECs would you focus on?

I've heard reserach lab, hospital, free clinic, shadowing a doctor. Can anyone elaborate on the merits/setbacks (some maybe too generic)of each?

My current plan:
Volunteer once a week/once every two weeks (depending on night classes) at a hospital in patient contact for a year.
Ambulatory Surgery Center
Help monitor outpatients recovering from surgery, provide for their needs and assist them on discharge

Volunteer once a week with a crisis hotline. You go through 60 hours of training and then give 150 hours over the next year (3 hours a week). Fielding calls relating to mental illness (suicide, anixety, depression, etc)

I feel this would give me a nice balance of direct patient care, and exposure to mental illness (I want to go into psychiatry). I think this would be a great experience to see if I'm as interested in this field as I think I am (credability), give me a great experience to write about in my PS, and it is something out of the ordinary.

What do you guys think? My only fear is that the crisis hotline is not direct pateint care, and I know when applying, you're applying to be a vanilla doctor not your speciality (psychiatry). But I want to show an interest and expsoure to my desired field.

So I'd have 200-300 hours of volunteering over the next 2-2.5 years. I also do habitat for humanity through my work maybe once a quarter.
Is this a sound plan?

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[NewmansOwn]

So after a lot of really great feedback I understand what the steps I need to take in regards to the pre-reqs (GPA), MCAT, and ECs.

Two of these are pretty objective though GPA and MCATs, which I understand play a large role in your acceptance/rejection. ECs though seem to vary person to person and more subjective.

My questions is simple; if you had 2 years till applying to a SMP/Med Program, what ECs would you focus on?

I've heard reserach lab, hospital, free clinic, shadowing a doctor. Can anyone elaborate on the merits/setbacks (some maybe too generic)of each?

My current plan:
Volunteer once a week/once every two weeks (depending on night classes) at a hospital in patient contact for a year.
Ambulatory Surgery Center
Help monitor outpatients recovering from surgery, provide for their needs and assist them on discharge

Volunteer once a week with a crisis hotline. You go through 60 hours of training and then give 150 hours over the next year (3 hours a week). Fielding calls relating to mental illness (suicide, anixety, depression, etc)

I feel this would give me a nice balance of direct patient care, and exposure to mental illness (I want to go into psychiatry). I think this would be a great experience to see if I'm as interested in this field as I think I am (credability), give me a great experience to write about in my PS, and it is something out of the ordinary.

What do you guys think? My only fear is that the crisis hotline is not direct pateint care, and I know when applying, you're applying to be a vanilla doctor not your speciality (psychiatry). But I want to show an interest and expsoure to my desired field.

So I'd have 200-300 hours of volunteering over the next 2-2.5 years. I also do habitat for humanity through my work maybe once a quarter.
Is this a sound plan?

Thanks for your feedback!

I always recommend crisis hotline. You can do it from home and it's a badly needed service.

Regarding others, I think the general rule is the more altruistic the better. I would lean towards the free clinic, especially because psychiatric illness is positively rampant there.