Medical Texas applicant advice for MCAT and application 1.5 yrs. away

[Catalystik]

I'm loving this forum.
I have a few questions I was hoping you all could shed some light on from past or present experience with their application and MCAT. I’m a sophomore don’t now and it’s technically my sophomore year however that is because of dual and AP credit, thus, it’s my first year on campus. I mention this to add that due to this I am on an “accelerated path” and haven’t had much time to join clubs since it’s my first semester on a traditional college campus.

My college GPA right now with 39 credits is a 4.0, my science GPA with 12 credits is also a 4.0. So I’m definitely focusing on academics as this is an important aspect of medical school applicants.

Anyways, Id like to list what I am doing now and what I plan to do so that I could get some suggestions and advice for my medical school application path.

Essentially, as far as metrics my grades are good, and I will continue to do well in my courses. I have a scholarship due to my SAT score.

1) For shadowing, I’ve been shadowing radiologists and interventional radiologists and have over 95 hours so far. I plan on getting 16 hours per month until the MCAT and apps so I’ll have around 350-400 shadowing.

2) For clinical, I applied for a job as a patient care associate- I’ll essentially be helping the nurses take vitals, take care of patients, feed the patients, change linens, transfer the patients to their procedures, etc. I’d be working nights 6pm-3am, 2 days a week. I only have classes 3 times a week and am taking 16 hours, so this works well for me. So I’ll have around 800-900 hours of this form of clinical.

3) Additionally, I plan on shadowing a sports medicine surgeon 2 Thursday’s a month for 6 hours. So I will have 150 hours “clinicing” a surgeon.

4) For volunteering I do 8 hours of habitat for humanity a moth and complete about 8 premed volunteering every month as well. Right now I have 56 hours HFH, and since I JUST join the premed society 8hours there. I aim to get 150-200 hours of volunteering.

5) Also, I’m starting a club for veterans and troops and I’m going to essentially get together 2x a month to create care packages, fundraiser, and host events. I’ll probably get 150-200 volunteering from this as well. And leadership opportunities.

6) For research, I applied to a program and I’m not sure how many hours I’d get yet as I just applied 2 weeks ago and haven’t heard back. How much do you think I need for research? I know it depends on the med school- I’m most interested in UT long.

7) So I’m aiming for 400 hours shadowing. 800 hours clinical from patient care associate. 150 clinical from surgeon. 250-300 for volunteering.

8) I’m a medical humanities major- minoring in psych and bio. Pre med obvi (I want to become a psychiatrist)

What are y’all’s thoughts on what I am doing now? Should I do more? Should I change how I get my hours?

9) As far as MCAT, I’m taking it in April of 2021 right after I finish my biochem. I’ll have finished all my sciences.


How do y’all suggest studying for the MCAT. For now should I just read the daily mcat questions and skim through the Kaplan content books as I go through my classes to ensure I’m learning the materials needed for the MCAT? I was thinking of using reddit, khan academy videos, Kaplan self - study course, Kaplan and exam crackers books, etc.

I am planning on clear out my spring semester right before my MCAT by taking classes this summer and only having biochem. That way I can have time to devote to hardcore studying. I’m planning on doing content review and taking the Kaplan rests for 3-4 months and practice tests from AAMC and building stamina for the last month. So 5 months of studying.

What are your thoughts on my MCAT plan? Any useful tips or videos or resources? Thx!

1) & 3) About 50 total shadowing hours is sufficient for general application purposes, if it's the right kind. If you're going to WAAAYYYY overdo it, keep in mind that you are shadowing to a) observe physician-patient interactions and to b) see what docs do all day. There is not a lot of "interaction" when a patient is under sedation or you're reading images. Texas schools particularly value longitudinal primary-care shadowing, which means office-based internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, family med, or OBGYN. I suggest you've planned to spend far to much time in a passive activity and could better utilize those hours in nonmedical community service that helps those in need or in a research activity. Both of the latter would potentially have far more positive impact on your application.

2) Sounds good.

4) Sounds good. But keep in mind that your volunteer work is of more value if it takes you out of your comfort zone and allows interaction with those who are unlike yourself. As H4H recipients are required to invest sweat equity in their future home, be sure you work along-side of them. Also consider volunteering to chair a committee eventually for another meaningful peer leadership role.

5) Excellent. Be sure you arrange for your organization to be self-sustaining after your departure and that it grows year-by-year. What inspired you to take this initiative?

6) How much research you need depends on the med schools you plan to target. For general application purposes, one term is fine and about one year is the average listed. If you plan to target Baylor or UTSW, 2 years is a good goal. Keeping your future career goals in mind, you might like to get involved in a project that would also be relevant to your career aspirations.

7) I've addressed some opinion of your activity mix above. Heavy involvement with volunteer services will particularly appeal to Texas, so that is an category to expand into.

8) You might consider psychiatry-relevant ECs if you are testing psychiatry as a career: needle-exchange, mental-health-crisis hot line, VA hospital or psych unit volunteering, homeless shelter, womens shelter, etc. If you don't change your mind, these activities would be of value to a residency application.

9) SDN has an entire forum dedicated to MCAT issues. You do not need a confidential consult to reiterate the available information.

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[Catalystik]

Thank you for the response. As far as my shadowing- I am shadowing a neuro-radiologist and am slowly gaining clinical experience through that avenue by meeting patients who need procedures. With your advice, I'll definitely aim to focus more on my clinical or research rather than trying to get over 200 hours in shadowing.

My volunteering is definitely out of my comfort zone as I go mostly during the weeks when the habitat house owners are working alongside me. The weekend is when it becomes more comfortable and less interactive-you are usually doing minimal jobs such as painting and never working alongside HOH owners.

I will definitely arrange for my society to be self-sustainable after I leave. I was prompted to start the soldiers' angels society because in the future I want to be a psychiatrist at a military base helping soldiers and their families. I love the military and am grateful for everything the men and women endure so that we can be free. Also, my dad, aunt, and both grandpas were in the military. Additionally, I am looking into becoming a leader of some sort (volunteer coordinator, Vice President, etc.) for my schools chapter of the pre-med society.

I only want to go to UT long UTHSCA in San Antonio for medical school. I was thinking of getting into a neurolab with my future career being psychiatry. I have emailed several professors doing research, hopefully I will hear a response soon. I was thinking of doing 100 hours for UT long. What is your opinion on this amount of hours for UT long?

I'll look into volunteering in the psych unit or doing clinical with a neurologist or a psychiatrist rather than a surgeon.

In response to your question about investing 100 hours in research with the goal of attending Long School of Medicine: it's my impression that they value research involvement more than some of the other Texas schools, so a longer period of involvement might be advisable. But to know for sure, you might look through last year's school-specific thread and reach out to some of those members for an opinion on this issue. Or attend one of their campus visits and ask questions. Here is their schedule: https://oume.uthscsa.edu/admissions/

Included so you can better craft your application: The mission of the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine is to provide responsive and comprehensive education, research and service of the highest quality in order to meet the health-related needs of the citizens of Texas. In all aspects of fulfilling this mission, the Long School of Medicine is committed to demonstrating particular sensitivity to and focus on the South Texas region while fostering the broadest diversity and inclusion that ensures successful achievement of the institutional priorities to:

• Cultivate a pervasive, adaptive and respectful environment promoting diversity, inclusion, equity, professionalism, humanism and opportunity.
• Provide exemplary medical education and training to a diverse body of health career professionals at all levels while fostering a commitment to scholarship, leadership and life-long learning across the educational continuum.
• Build and sustain recognized leadership, and advance scholarship excellence across the biomedical and health-related research spectrum.
• Deliver exemplary and compassionate health care to enhance every patient’s quality of life.
• Serve as a responsive resource to address community health needs whether local or global.
• Attain health equity for the diverse patient population of South Texas.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

This is very ambitious so I hope you understand why I express my doubts that you could do it all. Many ambitious premed get tripped up by something they don't anticipate and it results in big trouble in classes or in activities. As a prospective interviewer, I want to know why you would be a great caregiver and what experiences prove or affirm my impressions. A long list of these accomplishments can easily make an impression that you are about gaining approval from others for your accomplishments rather than caring about me, my sick relative, or a group of patients in great need.