Recent grad starting now. I really need advice!

[Cactus Wren]

Hi everybody, I'm a recent college graduate who has recently become serious about a career in medicine, and I really need your advice.

My sGPA is 3.49 and my cGPA is 3.60 from a pretty competitive college. I have not taken the MCATs yet, although I plan on taking them this year in May (just before it all changes, yikes!). I am taking a year or two off to strengthen my application, but I definitely need direction in this.

So far, my ECs seems very weak compared to the other impressive lists I've seen:
-24 hours of shadowing an oncologist
-1 summer of doing cancer research
-1 summer volunteering for a non-profit cancer foundation (leadership role)
-2 years as a chemistry Teaching Assistant

I'm planning on taking on a research job to get more experience with biomedical research, take the MCATs in May, and from May until I apply, use all my free time to shadow/volunteer.

Is this a good idea? Will waiting two years be worth it for any advantage it will give me? Overall, how important are ECs in admission? Should I be focusing on something other than a research job, or should I focus on studying now? Please give me any advice you can. I'm really reeling here.

Thanks a lot.

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[Isha2018]

For many MD schools, your GPA is unfortunately, below average. I would rock the MCAT to give yourself a more competitive position. Your in-state schools may be more willing to accept your GPA.

If you're applying the DO route, research is not very important. However, it is a good idea to shadow a DO. Shadowing and volunteering are great ideas for either MD/DO. EC's are very important, because they show your humanity, commitment to service, and exposure to healthcare environments.

 

[alpinism]

1. Figure out a way to take some upper division science courses to buff up that sGPA (post bacc or extension program). Even if you have tons of credits, an upward trend in grades really helps. A semester or 2 of mostly As should do the trick.

2. Continue shadowing and volunteering. Try to get a poster presentation/abstract/publication out of the research.

3. Whether or not you need to take 1 or 2 years off depends on a few factors. Mostly your MCAT score, but also your state of residence and how many applications you're willing to complete.

 

[Goro]

As a non-trad, I think it's far more important for you t o get actual patient contact experience, to show us that you really want to spend the next 40 years bein around sick and injured people. We and other schools have rejected people with even better numbers than than you because they had literally never set foot in a hospital.

So yes, ECs are critical. You need to show off your humanism and altrusim too.

Hi everybody, I'm a recent college graduate who has recently become serious about a career in medicine, and I really need your advice.

My sGPA is 3.49 and my cGPA is 3.60 from a pretty competitive college. I have not taken the MCATs yet, although I plan on taking them this year in May (just before it all changes, yikes!). I am taking a year or two off to strengthen my application, but I definitely need direction in this.

So far, my ECs seems very weak compared to the other impressive lists I've seen:
-24 hours of shadowing an oncologist
-1 summer of doing cancer research
-1 summer volunteering for a non-profit cancer foundation (leadership role)
-2 years as a chemistry Teaching Assistant

I'm planning on taking on a research job to get more experience with biomedical research, take the MCATs in May, and from May until I apply, use all my free time to shadow/volunteer.

Is this a good idea? Will waiting two years be worth it for any advantage it will give me? Overall, how important are ECs in admission? Should I be focusing on something other than a research job, or should I focus on studying now? Please give me any advice you can. I'm really reeling here.

Thanks a lot.