Options as a urm

[venividi]

Hi!
I am trying to weigh my options currently as to which medical schools I should focus on applying to in June or if I should even apply this coming spring/summer . . any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.
I am an applicant of disadvantaged and native indian background and am currently a pre-med junior at a highly competitive undergraduate institution.
Unfortunately, my GPA has suffered as I had held two jobs my first two years to support myself and at times my family. Realizing that this hinders my ability to gain experience in the medical field by limiting my free time I am now holding one work-study job and focusing on gaining experience and raising my GPA. By spring my GPA will only be around a 3.2 (due to horrible grades freshman year) but I do know the material as my practice MCAT is already over 30 and still have 8 months left to prepare . . .
My experiences so far include . . .
current Lab position/undergrad research at Centers for Disease Control
2 years of Undergrad research in my school's School of Medicine
Current clinical research at a hospital
executive board member on school's advisory council
volunteer and patient advocate at local Rape Crisis Center
volunteer in hospital ER
patient advocate at cancer center

ahhhhh . . . I wish i knew what to do . . . . please help.

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[EtherealEyez]

I think you should most definitely apply. Medical schools do take work and circumstances into account, especially if you explain that in either your personal statement or secondary essays. Grades aren't everything; if its meant for you to be a doctor, then you will be one :-D. I say go for it.

 

[venividi]

thanks for the hopeful answer . . but I'm worried about everything I've heard about med schools having "cut-offs" in the first common application round.
I'm afraid that I will be tossed aside at first glance before anyone bothers looking at my work history or experience . . . =(

 

[JaySmoove]

Since your GPA is over a 3.0, you should make it past the cut-offs. Also, earning a good MCAT score along with that GPA should make you a competitive applicant. I suggest that you focus on finishing up strong and earning a good MCAT score. Make sure you apply to all of the public schools in your state.

 

[venividi]

thanks for the feedback!

Does anybody though have any idea as to which schools I should consider in addition to my state schools?