Process vs Product: Building solid EC's during post-bac program

[Hume]

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Is anyone battling with the tension of desiring to get to the application process vs taking time to cultivate the best resume possible?

I'm sure wisdom sides with the later, but to what extent?

I am a 24 year-old post-bac who has one more semester of prerequisite at a community college before applying to a few 2-year, formal post-bac programs. With international medicine as my primary interest, I plan on taking summers to volunteer abroad while volunteering at a hospital and hospice during the school year.

With 2 and 1/2 to 3 years left before applying, it seems like to little time to show my "commitment to medicine."

Can anyone shed light on the process of getting solid EC's in the time frame of two to three years? Should I take an extra year to become an ER scribe or EMT? Any other EC advice would be great.

Thanks for any thoughts and good luck to you all,
Hume

 

[GoodmanBrown]

Hey, Hume. I admire your deliberate process in finding ECs. However, I think you're overthinking it a bit. My ECs are a bit short (only ~1 year), and I think that's hurting me some. However, 2 years before applying is plenty of time. You can become an EMT in about 6 months and volunteer for 1 1/2 years. Or, work as a hospice volunteer for 2 years. Or work with pediatric oncology kids. Or do all 3 for a few hours a week. 2 years of an EC or two, plus medical mission trips is plenty of medical ECs. You'll be fine.

 

[Hume]

Goodman Brown,
Thanks for the thoughtful words and advice. Ill look into becoming an EMT.

 

[OBK]

i got my emt cert this spring - it took about 4 or 5 months - a cake walk except in the way in which it sucks your time away from your classes

i dont ride with an ambulance squad and my fire company does not do medical calls so the extent to which i use my training is pretty insignificant - you can ride an ambulance in many places with only cpr training - that is what i did briefly