Postbacc and MD chances?

[agendas]

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I am a non-traditional elder (okay, I’m 31) who is considering post-bacc. I wanted to know how I look for med school.

Me: 31, white, female, first-generation college. Living abroad but technically IL resident.

School:

• MPH in epidemiology at a T5 school. GPA 3.8ish. Significant coursework in statistics.
• Undergrad: Large university in DC, 2006-2009 (graduated a year early), BA in poli sci, GPA 3.7ish. No science.
• High school: Hilariously required for post-bacc apps. SAT was 2200/2400, ACT 33, 5 on AP Chem, 5 on AP Calc BC.

Work/research:

• I work for [big international organization] as an epi. I have been living in a refugee camp for the last year working on a variety of. I recently did a detachment working on Ebola.
• Previously I worked at [big government organization] as an epidemiologist in a prestigious fellowship working on HIV. I also worked on epi research in several outbreaks outside the US.
• I have a few publications in a top 3 medical journal (third author), and a handful in decent ID / trop med journals (second/third author). One first author pub in a low-impact journal and one under review for a medium/high-impact journal. Primary writer to some [government organization] reports and guidelines.
• Before that, other NGOs for international health programs abroad. Mostly US-based but some work abroad (1-3 months at a time).

Volunteering:

• I volunteered a lot when I lived in the US (most recently, doing homeless outreach and tutoring refugees) but I have been living in a refugee camp and there’s not really volunteer opportunities.
• Previous volunteer work –rape crisis counselor, work with homeless in previous cities.

Up next:

• Talking to doctors I know about their work. Going to rounds in the health center we run here.
• I will take international assignments with [big international organization] for the next year and save money.
• I plan to apply to post-baccs at Goucher, Bryn Mawr, and Hopkins, and enter post-bacc 2020. I would like to link somewhere and avoid a glide year.

Questions:

• What are my chances at Goucher / Bryn Mawr / Hopkins?
• What are my chances for linkage?
• Do I need to shadow people?
• What about clinical stuff? I have clinical exposure through my work but nothing formal and not in the US. Is this necessary? If so, will it be sufficient to cover this during a post-bacc year?
• Volunteering: I don’t have a ton of opportunity to do so right now. Will my previous history and anything I do during post-bacc be sufficient?
• Extracurriculars: Good lord, do I really have to report on extracurriculars from ten years ago? In college I was president of debate and did national competitions.
• What else should I keep in mind to beef things up?

 

[Goro]

What are my chances for linkage?
That depends upon how well you do in the post-bac and MCAT

Do I need to shadow people?
Yes.

What about clinical stuff? I have clinical exposure through my work but nothing formal and not in the US. Is this necessary? If so, will it be sufficient to cover this during a post-bacc year?
You need to see how things are done here. Just 100 hrs and your fine. Your overseas work will NOT be viewed as medical tourism!!!
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Volunteering: I don’t have a ton of opportunity to do so right now. Will my previous history and anything I do during post-bacc be sufficient?
Your service to others less fortunate is platinum. That sound you hear off in the distance is @Walter Raleigh drooling (inside joke among SDNers)

Extracurriculars: Good lord, do I really have to report on extracurriculars from ten years ago? In college I was president of debate and did national competitions.
You h=only have so much space. Leave it for the best.