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I am just having a lot of mixed feelings about applying this cycle to med school and I would like your thoughts on if I have a chance to get into an ok med school and what schools those could be. I think I am still going to apply anyways, but I want to pick the right schools. Just to try.
Ethnicity and/or race: Hispanic
Year in school: Junior (Johns Hopkins University)
Country/state of residence: California
Schools to which you are applying: I would really like to apply to all of the California Med Schools. But I know my chances are pretty low.
Cumulative GPA: 3.56
Science GPA: 3.36
MCAT Scores: Haven't taken it, but calculated ExamKrackers practice exam 501 (used a thread to calculate it)
Am going to take it May 21 (because March is too soon and April is filled up) and I know that is very late, but I really want to try to apply this year.
Research: 2 nonclinical wet labs (for both worked over the winter and summer. TSRI full time, LMRI part time like at the end of the days/holidays. At TSRI I have 3 papers and 2 abstracts, not first author in any.) 1 clinical lab during sophomore year (no paper but an abstract.)
Volunteering (clinical): 3 hospitals in Mexico, 2015-2017 summer and winters (I dont know how to calculate hrs. should I include driving? I also shadowed here some days more than others).
freshman year at school about 12 hrs. did not stick with this group.
sophomore year at school about 12 hrs again did not stick with this group.
I am also volunteering at a hospital near my college. Just started though.
Shadowing Experience: I did this the same time I was volunteering, would help them with surgery prep (putting eye drops, giving them gowns, etc. and then watch the surgery and scribed for them so would this be considered volunteering or shadowing?
But I did go to a California clinic and just observed for a summer (around 30hrs).
I also shadowed a US neuroscience doctor one day though (6 hrs)
Also going to shadow this semester at a hospital near me and at the clinic I'm volunteering at.
Non-clinical volunteering: was a part of the board that created a community service organization (fall of sophomore year) and volunteered weekly with this organization (around 200 hrs).
Another group I joined sophomore year took about 16 hrs.
Extracurricular activities: freshman year was a part of the frisbee team, the board of directors I talked about above, hiking club (but I normally just do it with friends/whenever I have time). Probably other stuff, but I am not entirely sure what to include.
Employment history: The labs I talked about above.
Immediate family members in medicine?: Yes, my mother is a retina surgeon and my brother is currently finishing his 4th year of residency.
Graduate degrees: Will be graduating with a BS in Neuroscience and potentially a minor in psychology.
tl/dr:
GPA has been increasing since freshman year (3.33 -> 3.37 -> 3.51 -> 3.56)
I am just worried that my science GPA is not good enough (3.36, I didnt include psychology/neuroscience courses), let alone my cumulative.
I am also worried about my clinical experiences. I haven't shadowed USA doctors that much and I don't have that much clinical volunteer experience besides going to Mexican clinics and hospitals.
I do not feel like I am going to get into a med school in California with this application, but I would like some advice on what I can do this semester so that I can potentially 'make it' as well as some schools that could be my safe schools. I really would like to apply this year even if my chances are low.
credit for post format: DO - WAMC: 500/3.27 cGPA/2.99sGPA + suggested schools? ... filled in my own information though.
Ethnicity and/or race: Hispanic
Year in school: Junior (Johns Hopkins University)
Country/state of residence: California
Schools to which you are applying: I would really like to apply to all of the California Med Schools. But I know my chances are pretty low.
Cumulative GPA: 3.56
Science GPA: 3.36
MCAT Scores: Haven't taken it, but calculated ExamKrackers practice exam 501 (used a thread to calculate it)
Am going to take it May 21 (because March is too soon and April is filled up) and I know that is very late, but I really want to try to apply this year.
Research: 2 nonclinical wet labs (for both worked over the winter and summer. TSRI full time, LMRI part time like at the end of the days/holidays. At TSRI I have 3 papers and 2 abstracts, not first author in any.) 1 clinical lab during sophomore year (no paper but an abstract.)
Volunteering (clinical): 3 hospitals in Mexico, 2015-2017 summer and winters (I dont know how to calculate hrs. should I include driving? I also shadowed here some days more than others).
freshman year at school about 12 hrs. did not stick with this group.
sophomore year at school about 12 hrs again did not stick with this group.
I am also volunteering at a hospital near my college. Just started though.
Shadowing Experience: I did this the same time I was volunteering, would help them with surgery prep (putting eye drops, giving them gowns, etc. and then watch the surgery and scribed for them so would this be considered volunteering or shadowing?
But I did go to a California clinic and just observed for a summer (around 30hrs).
I also shadowed a US neuroscience doctor one day though (6 hrs)
Also going to shadow this semester at a hospital near me and at the clinic I'm volunteering at.
Non-clinical volunteering: was a part of the board that created a community service organization (fall of sophomore year) and volunteered weekly with this organization (around 200 hrs).
Another group I joined sophomore year took about 16 hrs.
Extracurricular activities: freshman year was a part of the frisbee team, the board of directors I talked about above, hiking club (but I normally just do it with friends/whenever I have time). Probably other stuff, but I am not entirely sure what to include.
Employment history: The labs I talked about above.
Immediate family members in medicine?: Yes, my mother is a retina surgeon and my brother is currently finishing his 4th year of residency.
Graduate degrees: Will be graduating with a BS in Neuroscience and potentially a minor in psychology.
tl/dr:
GPA has been increasing since freshman year (3.33 -> 3.37 -> 3.51 -> 3.56)
I am just worried that my science GPA is not good enough (3.36, I didnt include psychology/neuroscience courses), let alone my cumulative.
I am also worried about my clinical experiences. I haven't shadowed USA doctors that much and I don't have that much clinical volunteer experience besides going to Mexican clinics and hospitals.
I do not feel like I am going to get into a med school in California with this application, but I would like some advice on what I can do this semester so that I can potentially 'make it' as well as some schools that could be my safe schools. I really would like to apply this year even if my chances are low.
credit for post format: DO - WAMC: 500/3.27 cGPA/2.99sGPA + suggested schools? ... filled in my own information though.
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