I am currently a junior at a state school in AZ and am taking 18 credits that are mostly science classes, except one class which is a writing-intensive honors class. I'm in a dilemma about the timeline of my application and I know that I will have to take a decision very soon since the next cycle is coming up.
My cGPA and the BCPM GPA both are above 3.92 (haven't calculated the official GPA yet, these are just my estimations based on my university GPA)
I plan to take the MCAT in Jan 2021
I have volunteered at a local hospital since Jan 2019 until the pandemic happened. However, I only have around 36 hours because my volunteer coordinators kept leaving the job and getting replaced by another, which halted every volunteer's position due to administration issues. I rotated through various departments such as the surgery waiting room, patient unit, ICU, and front desk.
I have volunteered at a student-run free clinic as a Patient Navigator since Fall 2019 and we did our last volunteering event in March 2020 because of the pandemic, so I have 10 hours from that but I hope to gain more hours whenever possible. This is actually one of my most meaningful activities because I worked as a team with the physicians, nurses, medical students, residents, social workers and I learned to interact with the homeless people. I have consoled many people who almost were giving up on hope for a better life and were sick as well as had no place to live. My communication skills and the ability to empathize with people helped me in getting to the root of the patients' problems (medical or social), after which I connected them with social workers and appropriate medical professionals and they took it further to give them resources. I also learned to take medical histories, write the doctors' observations and findings, as well as the prescriptions, then I entered the data into a physical paper as well as an app.
I have only shadowed a neurosurgical oncologist at a teaching hospital in another state for 4 hours just before the lockdown was implemented. The hospital told me that they will allow me to come in for more shadowing opportunities once the situation gets favorable. However, I don't have any other way to get these hours, which has forced me to do the virtual shadowing activities (I know I can't probably put this on my app but still, it is what it is). I don't know any other doctor around the state and I have 0 connections.
I'm a TA for a General Biology lab section since Fall 2019 and I have approximately around 600 hours+ from this job till now. I plan to continue doing it until I graduate. This will be my 2nd meaningful activity because whatever I have learned from this job has made me a better communicator and a leader. My former professor for whom I work as a TA is willing to write a compelling LOR for me because he says that he has felt that I have truly grown as a person throughout my time at the university.
I'm a Vice president of a student-club that I co-founded and started this semester, which is basically a STEM club that is focussed on academic and professional enrichment as well as community service. I'll be the President of the club going from next semester since the other co-founder (who is a President) would be graduating.
I will be working on my honors thesis on medicinal chemistry and that will help me get the research hours starting next month till the time I graduate in Spring 2022. This can be my 3rd meaningful activity most likely. If not, then the club that I found would be my 3rd meaningful activity, I'll see.
I am applying to a Pre-health internship program through my university that is required for my major, but I think I can put that as a separate activity in my application for the clinical experience. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I am also likely going to participate in Virtual Volunteering by the Global Medical Brigades. It might count as clinical experience since the team of healthcare professionals (including doctors) will be showing us the day-to-day life as a global healthcare volunteer in an underprivileged country, and we will be doing many activities for the same.
For non-clinical volunteering, I have hours from a variety of different events and organizations (around 10 hours). But I do plan to add a consistent volunteering activity this semester, which will help me show commitment and also help me gain enough hours. I plan to do volunteer tutoring or food bank, I'm still looking out for opportunities.
For clinical experience, I am stuck because there are no places that I can get a scribe job due to the pandemic. I have contacted a hospital for volunteering since I want to leave the previous hospital position. If the schedule works out, I can probably start volunteering by the end of this semester. However, I know that clinical volunteering still might not help me gain appropriate clinical experience. So, please advise me on how should I proceed.
I know that my hours are not enough as compared to what other people might have because it took me a while to figure out the premed process, I still believe that I can compensate for this when I start next semester. However, owing to the pandemic and the possibility of it being extended next year as well, I am not quite confident about meeting all the requirements before the next application cycle. I do want to apply next cycle, but I don't know if medical schools would view me any less than other applicants.
If you can please offer any insights and advice, I would greatly appreciate it! Thank you very much and I hope that your help can lead me to take a concrete decision!
My cGPA and the BCPM GPA both are above 3.92 (haven't calculated the official GPA yet, these are just my estimations based on my university GPA)
I plan to take the MCAT in Jan 2021
I have volunteered at a local hospital since Jan 2019 until the pandemic happened. However, I only have around 36 hours because my volunteer coordinators kept leaving the job and getting replaced by another, which halted every volunteer's position due to administration issues. I rotated through various departments such as the surgery waiting room, patient unit, ICU, and front desk.
I have volunteered at a student-run free clinic as a Patient Navigator since Fall 2019 and we did our last volunteering event in March 2020 because of the pandemic, so I have 10 hours from that but I hope to gain more hours whenever possible. This is actually one of my most meaningful activities because I worked as a team with the physicians, nurses, medical students, residents, social workers and I learned to interact with the homeless people. I have consoled many people who almost were giving up on hope for a better life and were sick as well as had no place to live. My communication skills and the ability to empathize with people helped me in getting to the root of the patients' problems (medical or social), after which I connected them with social workers and appropriate medical professionals and they took it further to give them resources. I also learned to take medical histories, write the doctors' observations and findings, as well as the prescriptions, then I entered the data into a physical paper as well as an app.
I have only shadowed a neurosurgical oncologist at a teaching hospital in another state for 4 hours just before the lockdown was implemented. The hospital told me that they will allow me to come in for more shadowing opportunities once the situation gets favorable. However, I don't have any other way to get these hours, which has forced me to do the virtual shadowing activities (I know I can't probably put this on my app but still, it is what it is). I don't know any other doctor around the state and I have 0 connections.
I'm a TA for a General Biology lab section since Fall 2019 and I have approximately around 600 hours+ from this job till now. I plan to continue doing it until I graduate. This will be my 2nd meaningful activity because whatever I have learned from this job has made me a better communicator and a leader. My former professor for whom I work as a TA is willing to write a compelling LOR for me because he says that he has felt that I have truly grown as a person throughout my time at the university.
I'm a Vice president of a student-club that I co-founded and started this semester, which is basically a STEM club that is focussed on academic and professional enrichment as well as community service. I'll be the President of the club going from next semester since the other co-founder (who is a President) would be graduating.
I will be working on my honors thesis on medicinal chemistry and that will help me get the research hours starting next month till the time I graduate in Spring 2022. This can be my 3rd meaningful activity most likely. If not, then the club that I found would be my 3rd meaningful activity, I'll see.
I am applying to a Pre-health internship program through my university that is required for my major, but I think I can put that as a separate activity in my application for the clinical experience. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I am also likely going to participate in Virtual Volunteering by the Global Medical Brigades. It might count as clinical experience since the team of healthcare professionals (including doctors) will be showing us the day-to-day life as a global healthcare volunteer in an underprivileged country, and we will be doing many activities for the same.
For non-clinical volunteering, I have hours from a variety of different events and organizations (around 10 hours). But I do plan to add a consistent volunteering activity this semester, which will help me show commitment and also help me gain enough hours. I plan to do volunteer tutoring or food bank, I'm still looking out for opportunities.
For clinical experience, I am stuck because there are no places that I can get a scribe job due to the pandemic. I have contacted a hospital for volunteering since I want to leave the previous hospital position. If the schedule works out, I can probably start volunteering by the end of this semester. However, I know that clinical volunteering still might not help me gain appropriate clinical experience. So, please advise me on how should I proceed.
I know that my hours are not enough as compared to what other people might have because it took me a while to figure out the premed process, I still believe that I can compensate for this when I start next semester. However, owing to the pandemic and the possibility of it being extended next year as well, I am not quite confident about meeting all the requirements before the next application cycle. I do want to apply next cycle, but I don't know if medical schools would view me any less than other applicants.
If you can please offer any insights and advice, I would greatly appreciate it! Thank you very much and I hope that your help can lead me to take a concrete decision!
They evidence nothing more than an inadequate attempt to check boxes. 
