Premed Looking for Advice

[timsmith1999]

FL Resident, traditional, URM, asian, currently in my senior year

MCAT: Taking after my senior year
cGPA: 3.68 (Orgo 1 A+, Orgo 2 A+, Biochem: A+, Physics 1: A+)

sGPA: 3.6 (Still have Physics 2 to complete)

Research

• Publication with a rheumatologist in a well-known journal
• Research assistant with a professor (100+ hours)
• Directed Studies with a professors (70+ hours)

Clinical Exposure/Volunteering

• Volunteered at a Blood Drive (75 hours)

Shadowing

• 50 hours in person with family doctor
• 200 hours in person with a rheumatologist

Non-clinical volunteering

• Executive on 5 different clubs at my University
• Resident Assistant
• Tutor with the accessible learning centre (150+ hours)
• Crisis Text Line (200+ hours)

Awards

• Deans list for 3.9/4.0 GPA for junior year
• Deans list in sophomore year
• Research assistant scholarship

Other notes

• Pretty strong letters. Developed good, long-lasting connections with my writers.
• TA for Organic Chemistry 1
• TA for Physics 1

Looking for helpful advice please!

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[Goro]

Need more clinical exposure. Doing a blood drive is not clinical, although admirable.

No more shadowing.

GPAs are good.

Do you have any specific questions?

 

[timsmith1999]

Need more clinical exposure. Doing a blood drive is not clinical, although admirable.

No more shadowing.

GPAs are good.

Do you have any specific questions?

thank you so much for the feedback, i genuinely appreciate it! I know, i was planning on volunteering at my local hospital but they stopped taking in volunteers due to COVID-19. Im still on their waitlist and as soon as they accept volunteers, im going to volunteer there.

 

[jhmmd]

FL Resident, traditional, URM, asian, currently in my senior year

MCAT: Taking after my senior year
cGPA: 3.68 (Orgo 1 A+, Orgo 2 A+, Biochem: A+, Physics 1: A+)

sGPA: 3.6 (Still have Physics 2 to complete)

Research

• Publication with a rheumatologist in a well-known journal
• Research assistant with a professor (100+ hours)
• Directed Studies with a professors (70+ hours)

Clinical Exposure/Volunteering

• Volunteered at a Blood Drive (75 hours)

Shadowing

• 50 hours in person with family doctor
• 200 hours in person with a rheumatologist

Non-clinical volunteering

• Executive on 5 different clubs at my University
• Resident Assistant
• Tutor with the accessible learning centre (150+ hours)
• Crisis Text Line (200+ hours)

Awards

• Deans list for 3.9/4.0 GPA for junior year
• Deans list in sophomore year
• Research assistant scholarship

Other notes

• Pretty strong letters. Developed good, long-lasting connections with my writers.
• TA for Organic Chemistry 1
• TA for Physics 1

Looking for helpful advice please!

I agree w/Goro; more clinical volunteering is needed. MCAT score will make a big difference (believe it or not), depsite how good the rest of your app is.
Florida has a lot of medical schools so you have that in your corner
Good luck <3

 

[timsmith1999]

I agree w/Goro; more clinical volunteering is needed. MCAT score will make a big difference (believe it or not), depsite how good the rest of your app is.
Florida has a lot of medical schools so you have that in your corner
Good luck <3

thank you, much appreciated

 

[candbgirl]

It looks like most(all?) of your nonclinical volunteering was on campus. It’s supposed to be focused on the unserved/underserved in your community. Since you are currently having a hard time finding clinical experience maybe find a homeless shelter, food bank soup kitchen , ETC. to get out of your comfort zone.

What URM group to you represent? Most(many) Asians are not URM. Be aware of that.

And of course you need lots of face to face patient contact clinical experience(can be paid or volunteer). Don’t apply without this experience.

Good luck on the MCAT.

 

[timsmith1999]

It looks like most(all?) of your nonclinical volunteering was on campus. It’s supposed to be focused on the unserved/underserved in your community. Since you are currently having a hard time finding clinical experience maybe find a homeless shelter, food bank soup kitchen , ETC. to get out of your comfort zone.

What URM group to you represent? Most(many) Asians are not URM. Be aware of that.

And of course you need lots of face to face patient contact clinical experience(can be paid or volunteer). Don’t apply without this experience.

Good luck on the MCAT.

Thank you for the feedback! Yes, I was heavily involved with my school. Agreed, as Goro stated clinical experience is necessary and I'm planning to volunteer with my local hospital as soon as I get the chance. As far as nonclinical goes I have crisis text line and the blood drive which weren't completed with my school. But a soup kitchen or homeless shelter will definitely be a positive, so I will look into that.

 

[candbgirl]

Thank you for the feedback! Yes, I was heavily involved with my school. Agreed, as Goro stated clinical experience is necessary and I'm planning to volunteer with my local hospital as soon as I get the chance. As far as nonclinical goes I have crisis text line and the blood drive which weren't completed with my school. But a soup kitchen or homeless shelter will definitely be a positive, so I will look into that.

You counted that under Clinical Volunteering. But it is better included under nonclinical. So that’s a good thing.

 

[timsmith1999]

You counted that under Clinical Volunteering. But it is better included under nonclinical. So that’s a good thing.

Yea you're right. I just wasn't sure because its my first time posting and it was the closest volunteering I had that was clinical. But hospital volunteering and some sort of underserved volunteering will definitely be the next 2 things I will pursue!

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Ace the MCAT and you’re in good shape

 

[candbgirl]

Ace the MCAT and you’re in good shape

Not without direct patient contact. He currently has zero hours of that.

 

[jhmmd]

Not without direct patient contact. He currently has zero hours of that.

OP said that that's in the works though. OP is planning his med school app.

 

[proudofmykids]

What are you planning on doing your first gap year?
It seems you are taking a Non traditional path that will lead to two gap years before enrollment. I’m inferring this because you seem that you’ll apply the June after you take the mcat (summer after graduation). Make the most of your first gap year, look for Scribing opportunities for clinical experience to get >300 hours, and continue to improve non clinical service oriented volunteering as mentioned. Crushing the mcat will make a big difference with your 3.6x GPAs.

 

[timsmith1999]

What are you planning on doing your first gap year?
It seems you are taking a Non traditional path that will lead to two gap years before enrollment. I’m inferring this because you seem that you’ll apply the June after you take the mcat (summer after graduation). Make the most of your first gap year, look for Scribing opportunities for clinical experience to get >300 hours, and continue to improve non clinical service oriented volunteering as mentioned. Crushing the mcat will make a big difference with your 3.6x GPAs.

Thank you for advice, I appreciate it! I was planning on clinical volunteering the first gap year such as volunteering at a hospital. In terms of nonclinical, I was thinking of volunteering at a food bank or some sort of underserved volunteering opportunity.