MD Should I go for med school at this point? College kid here

[linziclip]

I'm a junior biochemistry major at a smaller private school in SoCal.
I have always wanted to go to med school, it was my plan when I first started my freshman year, but I dismissed the idea after a couple months because of the large time and lifestyle commitment to be a doc. I still wanted to study medicine, but I was afraid that I would have no life and not be able to raise a family.
Fast forward 2 years later, I realize that I still want to do med school. It's really my first choice for a career, but I've been focusing on other career paths just because they seem more feasible in the long run for the lifestyle I want. However I feel that I will always regret not studying medicine because it really is the thing that I feel I am cut out for most as a person. So I'm seriously considering giving it a shot. I haven't been doing any of the typical med school prep at all, so I'm wondering if I still have a chance without taking a gap year.

GPA is 3.73, science GPA is about 3.5. That has been just my doing my best in college, not me deliberately working my butt off with med school in mind. If I was actually fighting for a stellar GPA, I could *probably* boost those up a fair amount in the next year. I haven't done a ton of ECs, I trained as an EMT and volunteered in a couple places for a total of about 5-6 months.

Do you guys think I should give it a shot? I'm still trying to figure out lifestyle goals and how feasible it is to be a female MD who also wants to raise kids one day. I just can't shake the thought that med school really is what I've wanted for a long time and I may always regret that I dismissed without even giving it a try.

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[Goro]

Yes, it's doable. I've had students who had had one and even two children in medical school. I've had single moms and dads as students.

If they can do it, so can you.

Your GPAs are competitive.

Yes, you'll probably have to take a gap year. So what? There's no law that says you have to go to med school at 22. Some of my all time best students have been in their 30s and 40s. I just graduated one at 50!

You go, girl!!!

I'm a junior biochemistry major at a smaller private school in SoCal.
I have always wanted to go to med school, it was my plan when I first started my freshman year, but I dismissed the idea after a couple months because of the large time and lifestyle commitment to be a doc. I still wanted to study medicine, but I was afraid that I would have no life and not be able to raise a family.
Fast forward 2 years later, I realize that I still want to do med school. It's really my first choice for a career, but I've been focusing on other career paths just because they seem more feasible in the long run for the lifestyle I want. However I feel that I will always regret not studying medicine because it really is the thing that I feel I am cut out for most as a person. So I'm seriously considering giving it a shot. I haven't been doing any of the typical med school prep at all, so I'm wondering if I still have a chance without taking a gap year.

GPA is 3.73, science GPA is about 3.5. That has been just my doing my best in college, not me deliberately working my butt off with med school in mind. If I was actually fighting for a stellar GPA, I could *probably* boost those up a fair amount in the next year. I haven't done a ton of ECs, I trained as an EMT and volunteered in a couple places for a total of about 5-6 months.

Do you guys think I should give it a shot? I'm still trying to figure out lifestyle goals and how feasible it is to be a female MD who also wants to raise kids one day. I just can't shake the thought that med school really is what I've wanted for a long time and I may always regret that I dismissed without even giving it a try.

 

[linziclip]

Yes, it's doable. I've had students who had had one and even two children in medical school. I've had single moms and dads as students.

If they can do it, so can you.

Your GPAs are competitive.

Yes, you'll probably have to take a gap year. So what? There's no law that says you have to go to med school at 22. Some of my all time best students have been in their 30s and 40s. I just graduated one at 50!

You go, girl!!!

Thanks for the encouragement. You seem to be really knowledgeable on these threads, so I'll ask you a little more.
I think my weak point so far would be community service hours and research. I'm a fairly good test taker, so I'm hoping the MCAT will treat me ok. I tallied up what I have for clinical hours and this is what I've got

about 70 hours in Emergency Dept and 911 ambulance while training for EMT (not sure if this counts, but I'm putting it down, because it was all patient care, EKGs, vitals, trauma care, ect at an EMT level). All unpaid, it was part of training

40 hours volunteering for a local pregnancy care clinic helping with fundraising, paperwork, housekeeping, ect.

What more should I be focusing on? Shadowing? How about clinical internships like Clinical Care Extender?

 

[Lamel]

If lifestyle is very important to you then you are justified in thinking long and hard about whether medical school is the right path.

As for your current application, your GPAs are competitive, and will be more so if you raised them over the next year. You can continue to volunteer at hospitals, as an EMT, or other healthcare institutions; longevity of clinical experience is important, and currently yours is decent at best and can be improved. I would definitely recommend shadowing a few different doctors as well (this is almost an unwritten requirement). Think of this as a way to explore whether medicine is right for you, and try to see if you can envision yourself in the physician lifestyle in the future.

You can also look for some non-clinical volunteering activities, and whatever other extracurricular activities you have (clubs, sports, hobbies, employment etc.) Research will also be helpful for 2 reasons; it will help when applying to medical schools, and it may also help you explore a different career path.

If I were you at this point and really wanted to go into medicine, I'd improve the aforementioned things over the next 2 years. I'd also try to raise my GPA/maintain it as high as possible, and crush the MCAT over the next summer (your mcat score will also dictate your chances greatly). I think you should take a gap year because that extra year of activities/experiences will definitely help your application.

 

[Goro]

You will need shadowing so that you show us that you know what a doctor's day is like.
You'll need to demonstrate your altruism with some non-clinical volunteering. Your local houses of worship will have plenty of these for you you.
I think you probably have enough patient related contact experience.

Thanks for the encouragement. You seem to be really knowledgeable on these threads, so I'll ask you a little more.
I think my weak point so far would be community service hours and research. I'm a fairly good test taker, so I'm hoping the MCAT will treat me ok. I tallied up what I have for clinical hours and this is what I've got

about 70 hours in Emergency Dept and 911 ambulance while training for EMT (not sure if this counts, but I'm putting it down, because it was all patient care, EKGs, vitals, trauma care, ect at an EMT level). All unpaid, it was part of training

40 hours volunteering for a local pregnancy care clinic helping with fundraising, paperwork, housekeeping, ect.

What more should I be focusing on? Shadowing? How about clinical internships like Clinical Care Extender?

 

[DaMedDude]

Yeah I'd say you're in good shape. GPA is okay. You have 4 more semester to boost it up if you take a gap year. If you can score a 30+ on the MCAT and get the necessary ECs then I think you could be a competitive applicant.

 

[linziclip]

Thanks for the replies and tips guys It's been really informative.

I'm in Cali, which seems to be just the worst state for literally everything. I'd prefer to stay here for school, but I realize that may not be an option. My GPA is not super great for most CA schools, but I'm hoping to make up for it with the MCAT. Anyone here from California? I've been looking at schools for the past couple weeks and seeing which ones look like a decent shot. I'm not quite the cookie cutter applicant, I'm more of a math/physics person than bio (A's both semesters of calc-based physics, B's in ochem). I'm a missionary kid, so some interesting life experiences, and I'm in an honors program at my school where we basically read a crap ton of classical philosophy and literature (plato, aristotle, ect) and discuss it instead of taking traditional GEs.
Just wondering if any schools in particular would appreciate my particular attributes more

Thanks again for your responses, y'all are great

 

[gyngyn]

Thanks for the replies and tips guys It's been really informative.

I'm in Cali, which seems to be just the worst state for literally everything. I'd prefer to stay here for school, but I realize that may not be an option. My GPA is not super great for most CA schools, but I'm hoping to make up for it with the MCAT. Anyone here from California? I've been looking at schools for the past couple weeks and seeing which ones look like a decent shot. I'm not quite the cookie cutter applicant, I'm more of a math/physics person than bio (A's both semesters of calc-based physics, B's in ochem). I'm a missionary kid, so some interesting life experiences, and I'm in an honors program at my school where we basically read a crap ton of classical philosophy and literature (plato, aristotle, ect) and discuss it instead of taking traditional GEs.
Just wondering if any schools in particular would appreciate my particular attributes more

Thanks again for your responses, y'all are great

Are from the Central Valley? Inland Empire?
Without an MCAT score all I can say is you look good for Loma Linda with your background if you do not drink.

 

[linziclip]

Are from the Central Valley? Inland Empire?
Without an MCAT score all I can say is you look good for Loma Linda with your background if you do not drink.

I'm from LA/Orange county area.
Yeah, thought about that. I'm not SDA but iI might have an edge anyway.

 

[gyngyn]

I'm from LA/Orange county area.
Yeah, thought about that. I'm not SDA but iI might have an edge anyway.

LL may be your best bet in CA. Come back when you receive your MCAT score!

 

[Doug Underhill]

Your best bet is to just apply to schools outside of CA, honestly. Med school is only four years (or three, for some programs). I've been all over and I can tell you that other places aren't that much worse than California.