Senior with very little ECs?

[StressfulMD]

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Hi all,

For context I’m a graduating senior. I didn’t do many ECs throughout college in terms of clubs and leadership, but have some shadowing and research experience. I wanted to prioritize studying after a poor sophomore year. Nothing clinical or substantial yet.

God willing, I will end with a 3.6 cGPA/3.5 sGPA.

I want to take the MCAT next January and will begin studying in a few weeks after finals. I want to do as best as I can on it given the mediocre GPA. Want to apply in 2022.

My question is, will it raise eyebrows that I started the bulk of my ECs after taking the MCAT? Will the (hopefully) 1.5 years of experience post-MCAT be enough to talk about?

 

[and 99 others]

Med schools want to see commitment to service. I don't think it is so weird that you start volunteering later. Plenty of non-trads and career changers do exactly that. But the timespan definitely matters and I'd say you want AT LEAST 1.5 if not 2 or more years of meaningful and sustained service. Both clinical and non-clinical, of course.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Med schools want to see commitment to service. I don't think it is so weird that you start volunteering later. Plenty of non-trads and career changers do exactly that. But the timespan definitely matters and I'd say you want AT LEAST 1.5 if not 2 or more years of meaningful and sustained service. Both clinical and non-clinical, of course.

This. It's not unusual or unheard of for a lot of the meaningful experiences to be weighted more heavily later in the years leading up to application time. Just make sure that you have something that is meaningful and allows you to bring an identity to the application. For example, I only did 2 years of clinical before I applied but those two years were an EMT license where I took on three or four leadership opportunities. That gave me and identity for when I talked about my experiences.

David D MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[StressfulMD]

@MedSchoolTutors @and 99 others Thank you both. I'm going to try my best. I understand I should've started this earlier in undergrad, but can thank my wonderful sophomore self for making the hole I'm (thankfully) digging myself out of.

Would love to hear from you too @Goro !--thanks so much.