On which area should I focus my attack?

[NRGStar]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey nontrads,

I'm in a situation where personal commitments are making it pretty important to stay in the Bay Area for medical school. Although I would be willing to make sacrifices, including the pain of temporary estrangement, I figured as I'm just starting on a year-long postbac journey I should set my goals high. So I'd like to get some advice from you all on where I should focus in my application if I want the best chance of gaining acceptance to the Bay Area schools (which are pretty much Stanford and UCSF...and UC Davis to an extent, not exactly the low-hanging fruit).

Ugrad GPA: 3.6 from a top public university
Masters GPA (in Civil Engineering) 3.8 from a top private university
Postbac GPA : 4.0 so far, plan to keep it at 4.0 which would move both overall and science ugrad GPA to 3.7.
MCAT: Too early to tell - don't have the bio background yet but in a diagnostic I scored 13 on VR and 11 and PS. I think I could improve on PS.

I've got some research experience as an undergraduate and a couple of years work experience as an engineer. I also have some unique volunteering projects I initiated abroad, and have started shadowing and volunteering at my local hospital in the ED. Nothing until the shadowing and ER stuff was medically-related. I'm continuing to work as an engineer part time and taking biology and chemistry.

Should I consider dropping my work as an engineer and getting serious about a medically-related research project and perhaps more volunteering? I understand that if my goal is research-oriented schools, they are going to care more about my accomplishments in that arena rather than my ability to carry on my engineering job while taking classes and volunteering. Essentially I'd like to know where to concentrate my efforts to attack the weak spots in my record, and any advice would be appreciated!

 

[ruraldr]

I would recommend two things:

1) talk to the schools you are most interested in to learn what they think you are missing/could make you stronger.

2) Find ways to link yourself more to those specific schools. Eg do research with a doctor afiliated with one of those programs , or try to get involved in volunteer organizations with current med students at those schools?

I would think it would only help to be able to have recommendation letters from individuals who know you and also know members of admissions at those schools...

 

[dragonfly99]

However, just know that banking on getting into even one of the three schools you mentioned is very risky. It sounds like you'll be a very competitive candidate to get into SOME medical school, but I suggest you broaden your horizons and consider all UC schools, as well as other west coast schools.
But I agree w/the above post.

 

[student1799]

Should I consider dropping my work as an engineer and getting serious about a medically-related research project and perhaps more volunteering?

Yes.

I'd say the volunteering is key, not only for building up your premed qualifications and experience, but for getting to know people at one or more of the institutions you're targeting. If you work hard and conscientiously at a research and/or volunteer job at a med school or its university hospital, you may attract the attention of someone who can help your chances of admission a bit (such as by writing an LOR). But you have to realize that the power of any one individual to really help your chances of admission is EXTREMELY limited, especially at state schools (which are two of the three places you mentioned). So you have to do the work for its own sake, and look at the helping hand as something that may or may not come along with it.

I would suggest that instead of trying to work at a couple of different places (which could be a logistical nightmare), you should figure out which school is the best fit for you and give that place the full-court press. I can't claim personal knowledge of any of these places, but just looking at the numbers in the MSAR, it seems that UCD is a more realistic shot for you than the other two, which have some of the lowest odds of admission in the whole country. (Look at Stanford: 6500 apps for 86 spots. You practically have to be superhuman to get in there.) So I'd focus my attention on them. But this is just my two cents--only you can decide what school you think is right for you. (Just be aware that you may not be able to get in there.)

For whatever school you decide to target, make sure you live nearby (or within a reasonable commute), and do your volunteering at THEIR hospital. Even better, if possible, would be to take postbacc classes at the same university. (This might help your chances of landing a good research job with one of their profs.)

Overall, though, I'd echo dragonfly99's comment that this is a really risky gambit. Med school admissions is always a crapshoot, CA is way worse than average, and SF is probably unusually tough for CA. So I'd urge you to rethink your plan if possible, including possibly moving to another state to help your chances of admission. (I saw a statistic recently on the AAMC website that only 25% of CA applicants end up matriculating in CA, so you might be better off moving to another Western state with better odds and being an in-state applicant.)

I'm not sure what kind of "personal commitments" you have to keep you in the Bay Area, but I understand what you're going through. I'm married with a husband and two kids in NYC (another hotbed of competition in med school admissions), and I've done everything possible to get myself an interview at any and all schools in the area, but it doesn't look possible at this point. (I've already been rejected by 3 of the 5 schools in NYC proper, and my status at another bodes certain rejection. Of the 3 schools within commuting distance, I'm on hold at one and haven't heard a peep from the other 2.)

Meanwhile, I do have interviews at 4 other schools, but the closest is 250 miles away. So the family and I are now coming to grips with the fact that what we had always seen as the "backup plan"--Mom leaving home for med school while Dad and the kids stay home--is highly likely to take effect. It absolutely breaks my heart to think about doing this, but I'm 45 and I know I will most likely have no other choice. So if it's between leaving home for med school and no med school at all, I'm going to have to choose med school.

You will have to go through your own thought process about this, figure out what your priorities are, and formulate your own backup plan. (Hopefully your luck will be better than mine has been.)

I wish you the best.