Medical Rethinking My Decision to Apply This Cycle, Any/All Advice Welcomed

[Goro]

I had been planning on applying to medical school this cycle. But in speaking with friends and coworkers also applying, I am afraid that I will not be successful. I have outlined my stats below, any advice on if applying is wise or where I can improve and focus would be great. It’s my grades and MCAT that really worry me:

Undergrad at a Public CA School
Neurobiology/Gender and Women’s Studies (double major)
cGPA:3.57, sGPA:3.3(not a stellar trend, one very bad grade in bio senior yr, I was working two jobs and just couldn’t balance it)
MCAT: 124/132/129/127 (could retake on 5/11 had the flu the first go)
Research: 3 yrs in wet lab(indep projects), 1 yr on senior women’s studies thesis
Honors/awards:honors thesis awards x 2, research fellowship Junior to Senior summer, two conference talks(one science/ one socio)
ECs, yrs:
-Research club (pres), 4
-Resident Assistant in dorms, 3
-TA for Chem, 3
- Women’s Cancer Support Group Volunteer-100+ hrs
-Science camp to support women and LGBTQ+ folks (age 7-12) in pursuing science in school, 30+ hours
Gap year:
-Clinical Research Full Time
(A few publications, 2 first author, lots of hands on work with patients, shadowing here)

No, you are not ready to go. One of the most glaring things is that you have several moments of questionable judgment.

First concerning the MCAT. This is a high-stakes career decide an exam and one should not take it when one has the flu, or in any other condition where one is not at their best.

Time management is a crucial skill for medical students, you will need to demonstrate that you can walk and chew gum at the same time, and take on reasonable responsibilities concerning your career, instead of bulldozing your way through when things are not your best.

Downward GPA Trends are not good.

I think it will be best if you do do it yourself post bacc or a special master's program, and Ace it

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[Catalystik]

I would also have to express a concern about the active clinical experience to which you refer. Have you completed a year of clinical research? Are you working with current patients with a known diagnosis, or with research subjects? What percent of the time is spent with patients? Do your results have any impact on current treatment of these patients? Would you list this experience as Research, or as Employment-Medical/Clinical? Is there other active patient experience you forgot to mention?

And as to the physician shadowing: is this dedicated time where you observe a doctor's day in a clinic, or are you only interfacing with physicians in the context of your research duties?

Right now your experience vibe seems more like someone who should be applying to PhD programs. But perhaps you just need to provide more explanation.