Question about applying to med school.

[capthunterdude]

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Here is my current situation:

32 years old, father of 2 with 1 on the way. Degreed in English, minor in Political Science. 7th grade reading teacher in a very poor, largely Hispanic community.

Cumulative GPA: 3.69
Science GPA: 3.75
Last 60 hours GPA: 4.00

MCAT: Not taken yet.

I am planning to apply for med. school this summer. Probably sometime in July or August. I had planned to apply in June but have been sidetracked by my MCAT progress.

My goal on the MCAT is a 32. I am registered to take the MCAT on March 23, but I positive that I will be nowhere near that. I will probably score somewhere in the upper 20's. I have decided to void the score and retry with more prep time in May or June.

The problem that I am going to encounter is I was going to use the time between March 23rd and application date to do my volunteering and shadowing. I have been unable to do massive amounts of this because of my hectic work schedule, and my wife working into the night.

If I retake the test in June, I will not get in much volunteering or shadowing due to focusing on the MCAT.


Is it possible to stuff the volunteering and shadowing in the month after I take the MCAT in June?

Any suggestions?

 

[kimposibl]

This is possibly bad advice, but from what I've seen if you have high GPA and MCAT you can get away with minimal extracurriculars. But how do you know you want to be a doctor without clinical experience (volunteering, shadowing, etc)? Kinda seems like you're rushing the EC's portion, which may or may not come up in interviews.... Also, good luck with your MCAT studying!

 

[kimposibl]

Actually, I gave you TERRIBLE advice. Lots of people with high MCAT and GPA get rejected for not being well rounded (or maybe applicants with nothing but numbers just aren't personable?) . If you can, try to at least get 200+ hours of volunteering and shadowing each. If you don't have research experience, don't waste your time applying to research heavy medical schools. I think you working in a low income area might be a good non-clinical experience, but its your job so I have no idea how admin committees will see it (its not volunteering or with a non profit program). My best recommendation will be to fill out your application more by getting more EC's done. Its more expensive and time consuming in the long run to apply when you aren't ready and have to reapply.

 

[capthunterdude]

How far back can ECs go. I have hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteer hours under my belt in the community. Unfortunately, they are not within the last three years due to starting family and going back to school for pre-reqs.

 

[anguisette]

How far back can ECs go. I have hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteer hours under my belt in the community. Unfortunately, they are not within the last three years due to starting family and going back to school for pre-reqs.

There's no real time limit, but it's generally not recommended to list anything before undergrad unless you continued it into college.

Here is my current situation:

32 years old, father of 2 with 1 on the way. Degreed in English, minor in Political Science. 7th grade reading teacher in a very poor, largely Hispanic community.

Cumulative GPA: 3.69
Science GPA: 3.75
Last 60 hours GPA: 4.00

MCAT: Not taken yet.

I am planning to apply for med. school this summer. Probably sometime in July or August. I had planned to apply in June but have been sidetracked by my MCAT progress.

My goal on the MCAT is a 32. I am registered to take the MCAT on March 23, but I positive that I will be nowhere near that. I will probably score somewhere in the upper 20's. I have decided to void the score and retry with more prep time in May or June.

The problem that I am going to encounter is I was going to use the time between March 23rd and application date to do my volunteering and shadowing. I have been unable to do massive amounts of this because of my hectic work schedule, and my wife working into the night.

If I retake the test in June, I will not get in much volunteering or shadowing due to focusing on the MCAT.


Is it possible to stuff the volunteering and shadowing in the month after I take the MCAT in June?

Any suggestions?

First, I'd suggest only taking the test once. Don't plan on taking the MCAT in March only to void it. You'll save yourself time and money by studying hard, taking it when you're ready, and doing it right the first time.

Have you done any shadowing or have had prior clinical exposure? The clinical volunteering and shadowing is an unwritten requirement because adcoms want to make sure that you understand the field, know what you're getting into, and have the right motivations for it. If you haven't had any clinical exposure prior to your AMCAS submission, I'd imagine that it'd be difficult to convince others of any one of those things.

 

[DrMidlife]

All "extra-curriculars" since high school count.

I'd blow off volunteering in favor of focusing on the MCAT. No question.

Pick up a serious clinical volunteering gig after you take the MCAT, while you're waiting for your score, and keep it going. Start reading healthcare news and Atul Gawande.

Don't wait too long - look at the score release dates, not the exam dates, for the MCAT. Get your score back and your app out before the end of July. The cautionary tales start after that.

Best of luck to you.

 

[galaxyx]

Actually, I gave you TERRIBLE advice. Lots of people with high MCAT and GPA get rejected for not being well rounded (or maybe applicants with nothing but numbers just aren't personable?) . If you can, try to at least get 200+ hours of volunteering and shadowing each. If you don't have research experience, don't waste your time applying to research heavy medical schools. I think you working in a low income area might be a good non-clinical experience, but its your job so I have no idea how admin committees will see it (its not volunteering or with a non profit program). My best recommendation will be to fill out your application more by getting more EC's done. Its more expensive and time consuming in the long run to apply when you aren't ready and have to reapply.

This is probably excessive. Try a reasonable 50ish hours of shadowing and volunteering a couple hours a week. If you have lots of volunteering in the community, try to find some clinical type volunteering to show you've had exposure to medicine.

 

[kimposibl]

There's no real time limit, but it's generally not recommended to list anything before undergrad unless you continued it into college.



First, I'd suggest only taking the test once. Don't plan on taking the MCAT in March only to void it. You'll save yourself time and money by studying hard, taking it when you're ready, and doing it right the first time.

Have you done any shadowing or have had prior clinical exposure? The clinical volunteering and shadowing is an unwritten requirement because adcoms want to make sure that you understand the field, know what you're getting into, and have the right motivations for it. If you haven't had any clinical exposure prior to your AMCAS submission, I'd imagine that it'd be difficult to convince others of any one of those things.

Well, its past the Mar 9 deadline to change your MCAT date, and you only get a partial refund if you cancel and reschedule. Also, rescheduling will have you risk looking for a test seat in your area which may or may not work out. I know someone who had to travel out of state to take the MCAT because all in state seats were gone. IMO, I don't think its a bad idea to take the test and void the score. I've known lots of people who did that, but they have money so it just depends on your finances. Med schools only see your SCORED tests, not voided ones.

Dr. Midlife has good advice. So I'd take it. Rocking the MCAT is first and foremost.

 

[Goro]

Score in the high 20s and you're an "in" to any DO program.

Here is my current situation:

32 years old, father of 2 with 1 on the way. Degreed in English, minor in Political Science. 7th grade reading teacher in a very poor, largely Hispanic community.

Cumulative GPA: 3.69
Science GPA: 3.75
Last 60 hours GPA: 4.00

MCAT: Not taken yet.

I am planning to apply for med. school this summer. Probably sometime in July or August. I had planned to apply in June but have been sidetracked by my MCAT progress.

My goal on the MCAT is a 32. I am registered to take the MCAT on March 23, but I positive that I will be nowhere near that. I will probably score somewhere in the upper 20's. I have decided to void the score and retry with more prep time in May or June.

The problem that I am going to encounter is I was going to use the time between March 23rd and application date to do my volunteering and shadowing. I have been unable to do massive amounts of this because of my hectic work schedule, and my wife working into the night.

If I retake the test in June, I will not get in much volunteering or shadowing due to focusing on the MCAT.


Is it possible to stuff the volunteering and shadowing in the month after I take the MCAT in June?

Any suggestions?

 

[anguisette]

Well, its past the Mar 9 deadline to change your MCAT date, and you only get a partial refund if you cancel and reschedule. Also, rescheduling will have you risk looking for a test seat in your area which may or may not work out. I know someone who had to travel out of state to take the MCAT because all in state seats were gone. IMO, I don't think its a bad idea to take the test and void the score. I've known lots of people who did that, but they have money so it just depends on your finances. Med schools only see your SCORED tests, not voided ones.

Dr. Midlife has good advice. So I'd take it. Rocking the MCAT is first and foremost.

1 ) MCAT is the most important thing at this point, agreed.

2) Even though you'd only get a partial refund if you cancel and reschedule, that's cheaper than voiding and signing up for a new exam entirely. Whether you reschedule for a later date or void and sign up for a new exam date--you're at equal risk of not having an in-state option.

3) Personally, I don't think there are enough positives for taking the MCAT and voiding it. I thought taking the MCAT once was stressful enough, I can't imagine purposefully setting myself up to do it a second time. All you're getting out of voiding is understanding how the test day works and the set up of the test center (both of which you can figure out without taking the real deal). I ended up canceling and rescheduling my date with a partial refund, didn't have an in-state option, and flew to Hawaii to take my exam. Best decision ever. . Either way, good luck with your decision OP.