Pre-Med Admission Questions

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SoCal128

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Hello everyone, I am a fellow third year undergrad at Cal Poly Pomona and have recently chosen the Pre-Med route. I have had my eyes on this route since the beginning so I have been doing the pre requisites, ochem, physics, inorganic, bio etc. My current gpa is 3.798, was 3.9 before ochem. I am planning on taking the mcat at the end of summer and have bought the Kaplan books and been reviewing a couple hours each weekend for the past few weeks. Once the school year ends, I will take the Kaplan class and plan to study everyday for the mcat. Also for the past year I have been part of the cope program where I rotate as a volunteer on an actual hospital floor about 1-2 times a week. I have also found a physician, an ophthalmologist that will allow me to shadow him over the summer. I haven't done any research, I don't know if research is all that important, and I am not part of any clubs on campus. If it matters I am a very outdoors person when I'm not at school or studying. My main question would be, what else can I do to make myself a Pre-Medical candidate. All suggestions are appreciated
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You have to find some volunteering with the underserved / those less fortunate than you. Check out homeless shelters, soup kitchens etc.. What's an "optermerist"? Look for a primary care doc to shadow.


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candbgirl said:
You have to find some volunteering with the underserved / those less fortunate than you. Check out homeless shelters, soup kitchens etc.. What's an "optermerist"? Look for a primary care doc to shadow.


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Ah yes thank you I will start to look for soup kitchens. I meant optometrist, it was a typo. I should start looking for a primary care doctor
 
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1. An ophthalmologist is an MD. An optometrist is someone who fratted too hard to go to medical school.
2. To mimic the above poster, volunteer with the underserved. Think soup kitchen/homeless shelter/meals on wheels/free clinic.
3. You don't have to be a part of (academic) 'clubs'. As long as you have interests outside of medicine (e.g. hiking, drawing, playing the harmonica, etc.) you will come off as well-rounded.
4. Stop studying for the MCAT now!!! You will burn yourself out. Start studying 3-4 months out from your test date. You will forget things you are studying on the weekends by the end of this semester.
5. Research is overrated. Five acceptances here with no research. If you don't want to do it, don't. That leaves more time for #2.
 
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Nietzsche's Barber said:
1. An ophthalmologist is an MD. An optometrist is someone who fratted too hard to go to medical school.
2. To mimic the above poster, volunteer with the underserved. Think soup kitchen/homeless shelter/meals on wheels/free clinic.
3. You don't have to be a part of (academic) 'clubs'. As long as you have interests outside of medicine (e.g. hiking, drawing, playing the harmonica, etc.) you will come off as well-rounded.
4. Stop studying for the MCAT now!!! You will burn yourself out. Start studying 3-4 months out from your test date. You will forget things you are studying on the weekends by the end of this semester.
5. Research is overrated. Five acceptances here with no research. If you don't want to do it, don't. That leaves more time for #2.
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Yes I meant ophthalmologist. Any other ways for studying for the mcat outside of Kaplan? Like any other programs or test prep ?
 
I also had a pre-req question. Is human anatomy an important pre-req, I haven't taken it yet
 
It's such a small world to come across a fellow Bronco AND a fellow Health Scholar here on SDN!
I'm going to +1 on finding some non-clinical volunteering, and to wait to study for the MCAT before you burn out. Search up some of the MCAT forums, a lot of people have given their advice on how much studying is too much or too little, and provided their own recommendations on a time-line.

Also, what is your major? If you want some research, talk to your department or any other department of interest. The professors at CPP are always looking for students to help on their projects. I am a physics major but I have been doing research in the Chem department for a couple quarters now and it has been a great experience. Plus my PI has promised to write an amazing recommendation letter. Research isn't necessary, but it could help if your application is lacking in other areas.

I also agree with the fact that it isn't that important to be in clubs as long as your have other things going on outside of school, which it seems like you do. I tried the club thing at CPP and I did not enjoy them at all, and found them to be a waste of my time. My hobbies and my own personal volunteering/fundraising I have been doing for a few years has been more beneficial, and I have been advised to stick with them instead of the clubs.
 
Nietzsche's Barber said:
1. An ophthalmologist is an MD. An optometrist is someone who fratted too hard to go to medical school.
2. To mimic the above poster, volunteer with the underserved. Think soup kitchen/homeless shelter/meals on wheels/free clinic.
3. You don't have to be a part of (academic) 'clubs'. As long as you have interests outside of medicine (e.g. hiking, drawing, playing the harmonica, etc.) you will come off as well-rounded.
4. Stop studying for the MCAT now!!! You will burn yourself out. Start studying 3-4 months out from your test date. You will forget things you are studying on the weekends by the end of this semester.
5. Research is overrated. Five acceptances here with no research. If you don't want to do it, don't. That leaves more time for #2.
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#5. awesome, i was worried about that thanks
 
Boogy'sChick15 said:
It's such a small world to come across a fellow Bronco AND a fellow Health Scholar here on SDN!
I'm going to +1 on finding some non-clinical volunteering, and to wait to study for the MCAT before you burn out. Search up some of the MCAT forums, a lot of people have given their advice on how much studying is too much or too little, and provided their own recommendations on a time-line.

Also, what is your major? If you want some research, talk to your department or any other department of interest. The professors at CPP are always looking for students to help on their projects. I am a physics major but I have been doing research in the Chem department for a couple quarters now and it has been a great experience. Plus my PI has promised to write an amazing recommendation letter. Research isn't necessary, but it could help if your application is lacking in other areas.

I also agree with the fact that it isn't that important to be in clubs as long as your have other things going on outside of school, which it seems like you do. I tried the club thing at CPP and I did not enjoy them at all, and found them to be a waste of my time. My hobbies and my own personal volunteering/fundraising I have been doing for a few years has been more beneficial, and I have been advised to stick with them instead of the clubs.
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Im currently a gen bio major, but im currently not leaning towards looking for research, maybe next year I can try to do some. I currently have talked to two primary doctors that I can shadow over the summer, that is two letters of rec and cope will provide me with another one. That is 3 right there, and I dont if I can get more since I haven't really connected with any professors. Can I ask where you do personal volunteering, I need to get started on that
 
SoCal128 said:
Im currently a gen bio major, but im currently not leaning towards looking for research, maybe next year I can try to do some. I currently have talked to two primary doctors that I can shadow over the summer, that is two letters of rec and cope will provide me with another one. That is 3 right there, and I dont if I can get more since I haven't really connected with any professors. Can I ask where you do personal volunteering, I need to get started on that
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Good for you for finding some doctors to shadow! That is the one thing I am still struggling with.
I would recommend trying to find a professor as well to write a recommendation letter when the time comes, many schools have a requirement that 1 or 2 should come from a science professor and maybe 1 from a non-science professor. If you don't have any relationships with your professors, start doing that now.
For volunteering I walk in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day walk in San Diego. We fundraise money and train throughout the year, and in the 2 years I have done this event I already have about 400 hours of volunteering when counting all the hours spent training, fundraising, and walking during the 3 day. It's an amazing experience but it isn't for everyone, it requires a lot of time, dedication, and motivation.
 
SoCal128 said:
I also had a pre-req question. Is human anatomy an important pre-req, I haven't taken it yet
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Not necessary. Some med schools (such as UCLA) even suggest you not take anatomy.

"Courses overlapping in subject matter (e.g. human anatomy) with those in the School of Medicine are not recommended. However, basic or advanced course in biological science (e.g. cellular physiology) are desirable."

http://medschool.ucla.edu/apply-prerequisites
 
I did not do any volunteering for the underserved. Granted, only 1 MD acceptance so far and two waitlists out of 10 apps.
 
Boogy'sChick15 said:
Good for you for finding some doctors to shadow! That is the one thing I am still struggling with.
I would recommend trying to find a professor as well to write a recommendation letter when the time comes, many schools have a requirement that 1 or 2 should come from a science professor and maybe 1 from a non-science professor. If you don't have any relationships with your professors, start doing that now.
For volunteering I walk in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day walk in San Diego. We fundraise money and train throughout the year, and in the 2 years I have done this event I already have about 400 hours of volunteering when counting all the hours spent training, fundraising, and walking during the 3 day. It's an amazing experience but it isn't for everyone, it requires a lot of time, dedication, and motivation.
Click to expand...
Are letters of rec really that much of a necessity from a professor if I will have some from outside sources? Also for volunteering I was looking in volunteering in homeless shelters and soup kitchens.
 
SoCal128 said:
Are letters of rec really that much of a necessity from a professor if I will have some from outside sources? Also for volunteering I was looking in volunteering in homeless shelters and soup kitchens.
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Yes. Science faculty LOR are always needed. You should have both faculty and outside to have a good well-rounded package.
 
SoCal128 said:
Are letters of rec really that much of a necessity from a professor if I will have some from outside sources? Also for volunteering I was looking in volunteering in homeless shelters and soup kitchens.
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Look at the websites for some of the med schools you are interested in applying to. Most schools tell you what types of LOR are required with their application.
Also, LORs from professors are usually held higher than LORs from physicians, simply because the professors worked with you for a longer period of time and can attest to your work ethics, whereas a physician you shadowed may have only known you for a short period of time.

I have been told that the best LORs to gather are 2 from science professors, 1 from a non-science professor, and if you want to add a few more, then 2-3 more from your work/extracurriculars. I know of a few schools that specifically ask for 1 of the 3 mandatory LORs to be from an employer.

Homeless shelters and soup kitchens are great opportunities to volunteer, helping out in underserved areas are highly recommended. Just try to enjoy it, because when you are asked about your experiences in interviews, they want to see that it was more than just checking boxes for you.
 
I want to give everyone an update on whats been going because these last three months have been crazy busy. Over the last three months I have obtained 7 LORs(4 from professors, one of them is a non-science professor, 2 from doctors I have shadowed, 1 specialist and 1 primary care, and 1 came from the hospital I volunteer at). I have also wrote my personal statement and had it reviewed and edited countless times by an English professor at my university. I continued to volunteer at my hospital but also started volunteering at a homeless shelter once a week for 3 hours for the past 2 months. I was able to achieve a 3.98 gpa this quarter through 16 units of core bio classes at my university as well(my overall gpa is now a 3.85). I also received a national interpretation certification, which doesn't mean much here but it is still cool. And this whole time I have been studying at least 5 hours a day for the MCAT and I am set to take it the 29th(wish me luck). I have been pretty busy lately and not had much of a social life but it will all be worth it. Thanks
 
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