Poor Extracurriculars

[premedstudent395]

If your GPA(~3.2) and MCAT (not taken) are in the ok for podiatry schools, how detrimental is it to have poor extracurriculars? I've been a member of my school's pre-health club along with an honor society and a service club, but I don't have any leadership positions. I do have some volunteer hours from these clubs, but nothing impressive (I'm thinking ~40 combined). I've worked the past few summers, but it was non-clinical. No research whatsoever.

I was planning to apply in August if my MCAT exam went ok and just get my volunteer and shadowing hours during the time between. Would that be wise, or would that look really bad? Should I be planning to apply August 2022 instead? I don't really have any excuses about why my extracurriculars are like that, I struggled with time management my first two years and lacked hindsight. Completely my fault.

I guess my biggest question is: may someone please give me advice on what I can do to fix this? I will do whatever I need to do.

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[Treaty of Dorsi]

IMO, if you get a 500+ on the MCAT, you won't have to do much explaining. Focus on the MCAT and shadowing DPMs.

 

[Weirdy]

Just shadow.
More important to realize what you are getting into.

 

[OnePodRanger]

I agree with Weirdy.

If you have decent stats and have some shadowing experience in podiatry, you should be fine.

Just know of what you're getting into. There are some students who just enter podiatry that, a) couldn't get into MD/DO school or b) don't know of what want to do in their lives, and they'll regret it later on.

I interviewed many candidates and the number one thing that I look for is.......BOOM you guessed it......your interest in podiatry. If the faculty and myself don't see your interest, we will not accept you, even you have a 3.5 GPA and 510 MCAT score with a huge amount of work experience and extracurricular activities.

 

[premedstudent395]

That makes sense, I really appreciate all of the insight. I know that virtual shadowing is not ideal/unusual, but would you guys recommend reaching out to podiatrists to try to have sessions on Zoom? Or should I wait until May when I have the means to potentially go in person? I'm not sure how these things have been adjusted with the pandemic.

 

[Weirdy]

That makes sense, I really appreciate all of the insight. I know that virtual shadowing is not ideal/unusual, but would you guys recommend reaching out to podiatrists to try to have sessions on Zoom? Or should I wait until May when I have the means to potentially go in person? I'm not sure how these things have been adjusted with the pandemic.

Anything is better than nothing.

Instead of Zoom (not sure how helpful that would be or if a doctor would go out of their way to do that), just see if you can have a phone call or webcam conversation with them. Ask them how their day is, whatever questions you have etc

 

[premedstudent395]

Anything is better than nothing.

Instead of Zoom (not sure how helpful that would be or if a doctor would go out of their way to do that), just see if you can have a phone call or webcam conversation with them. Ask them how their day is, whatever questions you have etc

I will do that, thank you!