Here's my plan. I have close to a 3.8 from college, and an MCAT of 32. ECs are good (documented meaningful volunteer work, shadowing etc.)
Trouble is, I don't really want to graduate from med school with lots of debt, and I don't really want to graduate and then end up working 100 hours a week in some fancy schmantzy residency.
I want to graduate with as little debt as possible, and I want to go into something like psych or FP. I have no desire whatsoever to go into anything like surgery or some other competitive residency.
So here's my plan. Get into med school (yeah, I know, I'm not guaranteed a place, but let's pretend that this hurdle is already jumped, okay?) Then do about enough work as necessary to pass. That is, learn the material thoroughly and put in the effort, but not to the extent that I'm competing with the gunners and the pre-orthopedics people.
I also anticipate working part time through med school (except the third year, where it will be almost impossible). I have a nice job right now that will allow me to work as little or as much as I need.
Then after med school, I'll hopefully walk into a FP or psych residency, and I'll supplement that income with more PT work if need be. Then I'm done.
Thoughts? (And please, in advance, there's no need to give me a lecture about how I should not count my chickens before they've hatched, nor that I should step aside and let someone more worthy take my place in med school.)