One Year?

[Katatonic]

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Took another long break from this forum and am now in a better place to take a run at med school. I'll be 25 in a couple weeks and finally had the realization sink in that this isn't going to happen by accident so I better get my act together.

My main question now is, with no real EC experience yet (no volunteering or shadowing) is one year enough time to make a serious application? I figure with taking the MCAT early next year and starting my shadowing and volunteering ASAP I could have a decent amount but am curious about other Non-Trad experiences in this regard, and whether 2 years is a more realistic plan.

Thanks for any advice, I've essentially quit every time I get serious about applying, but am much more focused at this point.

Minor Background: I've spent 2 years in academic research and one in private biotech thus far, with one paper published and one first author paper in the works about to be submitted.. I plan on applying to both DO and MD schools when the time comes.

 

[RHeff]

Do you have any classes to take?

If you're done with the academic requirements, I think a year is enough time to get quality clinical experiences. If you're trying to do the classes too then a year is probably unrealistic.

 

[Goro]

The typical applicant has a t least 100 hrs volunteering, and some 20-50 hrs shadowing, so I'd say yes, it's doable.

Took another long break from this forum and am now in a better place to take a run at med school. I'll be 25 in a couple weeks and finally had the realization sink in that this isn't going to happen by accident so I better get my act together.

My main question now is, with no real EC experience yet (no volunteering or shadowing) is one year enough time to make a serious application? I figure with taking the MCAT early next year and starting my shadowing and volunteering ASAP I could have a decent amount but am curious about other Non-Trad experiences in this regard, and whether 2 years is a more realistic plan.

Thanks for any advice, I've essentially quit every time I get serious about applying, but am much more focused at this point.

Minor Background: I've spent 2 years in academic research and one in private biotech thus far, with one paper published and one first author paper in the works about to be submitted.. I plan on applying to both DO and MD schools when the time comes.

 

[Katatonic]

Do you have any classes to take?

If you're done with the academic requirements, I think a year is enough time to get quality clinical experiences. If you're trying to do the classes too then a year is probably unrealistic.

Thanks, I don't have any classes to take, all the pre-reqs were taken care of in undergrad. An argument could be made to take classes to raise my not-so-good GPA (3.37) but it wouldn't affect it greatly at this point.

 

[sstespri]

Thanks, I don't have any classes to take, all the pre-reqs were taken care of in undergrad. An argument could be made to take classes to raise my not-so-good GPA (3.37) but it wouldn't affect it greatly at this point.

Start busting out the shadowing and volunteering hours. Maybe take some classes to raise your GPA. It's doable. I got all my shadowing and volunteering done while in graduate school...it's coursework time now. Good luck.