premed timeline help pls!

[soobydoo]

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hello everyone, I’m looking for advice on how to approach things for the upcoming cycle. My current stats are a 3.226 undergraduate GPA (i just graduated) and a 504 MCAT score (128/125/126/125). I realize these numbers are on the lower end, so I’m planning to complete one or two quarters of a post-bacc. If I take two quarters with around 12 units each, my GPA should increase to approximately 3.354. Along with the post-bacc, I plan to add clinical volunteering and research experience.

I’m also considering retaking the MCAT, but I’m unsure when to retake it bc i dont have enough time to prepare for the sept one. Also, if i do the post-bacc courses this fall and winter, i wont be able to study for even the early test dates offered next year properly. Would it be a good idea to focus on building the rest of my application and take the mcat later towards the year (like maybe even after i submit my app with the current)?

Another question, should I prioritize working as a scribe or emt? i would still have to get my emt certification, so im leaning towards a scribe position

more info- My extracurriculars include 50 hours of shadowing, 350 hours of clinical volunteering, and some amount of research. I will be starting research again soon and will do either emt or scribe to inc my number of clinical hours.

 

[Med Ed]

Do you have any non-clinical volunteering?

 

[karaya]

Scribe is great, if you can get it. But those positions are drying up (because of AI) and, last I heard, pretty competitive. On the flip side, if you get EMT certified that'll be another course. And personally, from graduating EMT to starting work took me about 5 months of job searching. If you apply in summer 2026, the latest I would take the MCAT is May or June 2026. Or you could apply DO this cycle with current stats.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

What advice did your prehealth advisor give you before you graduated?

 

[soobydoo]

Scribe is great, if you can get it. But those positions are drying up (because of AI) and, last I heard, pretty competitive. On the flip side, if you get EMT certified that'll be another course. And personally, from graduating EMT to starting work took me about 5 months of job searching. If you apply in summer 2026, the latest I would take the MCAT is May or June 2026. Or you could apply DO this cycle with current stats.

hi, thank you so much for your reply! I see what you are saying but I'm planning on applying next cycle (2026) not this cycle, so according to that what should i be prioritizing first like bringing up my gpa or focusing on the mcat?

 

[soobydoo]

Do you have any non-clinical volunteering?

i have some hours but nothing significant so i do want to start with that too

 

[soobydoo]

What advice did your prehealth advisor give you before you graduated?

I attended a large university, which made it difficult to schedule appointments with my pre-health advisor. The last time I met with them, they recommended that I focus on gaining clinical experience; however, at that time, I had not yet taken the MCAT. My situation is somewhat unique because I completed all my coursework a year early, but I officially received my diploma a year later. As a result, I was not an enrolled student during the year I took the MCAT, which limited my access to advising resources.

 

[candbgirl]

Why are you in such a rush? You have lots planned for the upcoming year. You need to slow down and do each planned activity right. If it takes you two years that’s okay. You are building your application. And whatever you decide do not retake the MCAT until you are ready.

 

[soobydoo]

Why are you in such a rush? You have lots planned for the upcoming year. You need to slow down and do each planned activity right. If it takes you two years that’s okay. You are building your application. And whatever you decide do not retake the MCAT until you are ready.

There is pressure from home for starting school soon or changing paths and also financial struggle because I can't spend too much time without having a full time job.

 

[candbgirl]

There is pressure from home for starting school soon or changing paths and also financial struggle because I can't spend too much time without having a full time job.

I certainly understand that issue but applying before you have the best possible application is foolish.Only around 40% of all applicants are accepted each cycle. Many applicants with near perfect applications are rejected for whatever reasons. Would you rather be an accepted applicant who waited and eventually submitted the best possible application or a rejected applicant because you submitted a weak application. Medical schools aren’t going anyplace. They will be there when you are ready.
Good luck as you decide!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

There is pressure from home for starting school soon or changing paths and also financial struggle because I can't spend too much time without having a full time job.

Why can't you get a job and save some money? Have you told your family how much it costs to go to medical school? Are they going to help pay for it, given the caps on student loans that will go into effect by next year? Rushing when you are in a financial struggle is not putting yourself in a good position, especially when you have little/no clinical experience, little/no community service, and relatively below average GPA/MCAT combination. You seldom met with your prehealth advisors to get develop an action plan, and so it feels like you're throwing spaghetti against a wall, hoping it would stick after you undercooked it.

 

[eigen]

like maybe even after i submit my app with the current

Definitely don't do this. If you need more time, take another year. Don't try to rush and take the MCAT late and submit when you don't know your score.

I'm not sure why you can't study while taking post-bacc courses?

I definitely second the suggestion to get a full time job. Given your GPA you want some DIY post-bacc work, but you also really need non-clinical volunteering. I would suggest getting a job, taking classes part-time, and doing some volunteer work.