Medical Should I apply this year?

Status
Not open for further replies.

GoSpursGo

SDN Chief Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
15+ Year Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
39,259
Reaction score
22,191
Hi, so I graduated in 2019 with a BS in neuroscience and minor in religion. My GPA's are cGPA: 3.12, sGPA: 3.25. These are super low I know, so I started taking some post bacc classes last year at 15 credits with a 3.7, all science classes. Because I get a tuition waiver at the school I work at, I can only take 2 classes at a time, plus working full time as a research assistant(~2000hrs in physiology lab) I dont think I could handle more! I have clinical experience working at a front desk person at a mental health clinic (gave psych tests, initial appt questionnaires) and volunteering at a hospital (total ~300hrs spread out over a year). I was going to start hospice volunteering but COVID hit. I also was on the board for a medical review journal in my undergrad, social chair for a LGBT+ magazine, school's radio DJ, and worked at the CDC one summer. Recently, (around a year ago or less) i started volunteering at a rehab center and crisis text line (both around 100hrs). I don't have any excuses for my performance/ underwhelming EC's in undergrad, other than I was immature and didn't have my priorities straight. I will say after grad, working and the pandemic have really put my perspective straight. However, this is the last year I can get a committee letter from my undergrad so I'd like to apply this year, but i'm not sure if it's worth it ... any advice is appreciated!

EDIT: Sorry, I forgot to add my MCAT scores: 506 -> 512 and I'm ORM (Asian)
Bottom line, 15 hours at 3.7 isn't enough of an upward trend. Spend another year getting a 4.0 and that might be enough reinvention to aim for DO schools and potentially state MD schools, depending on your residence. Or consider an SMP.

Members don't see this ad.
 
Agree with the above. Not enough classes taken so far to safely assume you have changed. I also recommend focusing your time/energy elsewhere besides the research lab if your goal is to get into medical school and you aren't loving the lab. You have enough hours already for research experience but your other ECs are lacking and you could use that time to boost those hours.
 
Thank you for your responses. Deep down I knew this answer but needed someone else to say it. My question is, I need to be working full time, and the job I have now pays for my classes. I don't think I could find another job that would do this, and I don't think I could afford taking courses out of pocket (even CC classes) if I worked a different job like scribing (minimum wage where i live is super low). Likewise, an SMP that's ~40-50K doesn't seem feasible to me. What kind of jobs would you guys recommend that would help me get more clinical exposure but also pays enough to take classes? Thanks so much for the help!
Most entry-level clinical jobs are not going to pay too well. If you cannot stop your job, that's 100% fine. You can still get more EC exposure in addition to the research job and then still afford to pay for your courses.
 
Okay, that sounds good. I also committed to staying another year so I think the plan is keep doing what I'm doing now currently, and hope that some clinical EC's open up again soon! Thanks again for your help :)
Sounds like a fine plan. Check back when you get those ECs.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top