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[biologyBS]

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[Doctor246853]

Hello everyone,
I wanted to know what my chances will be with the current grades and EC's. I never considered medical school as an option till now because I was really interested in research. I just finished my junior year and I have not taken the MCAT yet. I really do not know much about how to proceed from here and I want your advice on when to take the MCAT and how my grades will affect me. Here are the stats
Freshman Year
Bio 1 - B
Chem 1 - B
Chem 1 Lab - A
Calculus - B
Theatre Arts - A
Bio 2 - A
Chem 2 - B
Chem 2 Lab - B
Health/Race Ethnicity - A
Calculus II - B
Overall GPA - 3.366

Sophomore Year
Bio 211 (Genes and Evolution) - B
Organic Chemistry 1 - C
Organic Chemistry Lab - B
Physics - A
Sociology - B
Making a C in organic chemistry really opened my eyes and I was determined to start making better grades.

Sophmore year second semester
Organic Chemistry II - A
Molecular and Cell Bio -A
History - A
Physics - A
Biochemistry research - A
Political Science - B
Overall GPA - 3.396

Junior Year
Humanities - A
Biochemistry Research - A
Genetics - A
History - A
Statistics - B
Organic Chemistry Lab - B

Junior Year second semester
Microbiology - A
Ecology - A
Microevolutionary Theory - A
Research - A
Biochem Research-A

Overall GPA - 3.566

EC's
- 100 hours working at a homeless clinic that is run by BCM
- 2 and a half years of research (It will be 3 and a half by the time i graduate)
- Collaborated with an MD/PHD at Baylor College of Medicine on a project that we worked on for about a year involving gene predictions using a novel program that tracked evolutionary and chemical characteristics of a gene. Successful Results. Program worked with 76% accuracy. Results need to be published
- Got bored of working on a computer and wanted to get my hands wet, Moved to a cell biology lab where my proposal got accepted to a research scholars program. The first part of the project is finished with very exciting results!
- I know I will get great LOR from these PI's.
- I am a nationally ranked badminton player and I really enjoy practicing (about 4 days a week for 3 hours a day)

- I have no other shadowing experience mad.

What should I work on improving? I am confident my upward trend will continue through senior year, leaving me with a GPA around 3.65 when I graduate.

Thank you all for reading this really long post and any advice will be greatly appreciated

*edit. I also came to the US when I was 13 years and I have been constantly working on English which is not my mother tongue. I have done really well on the SAT's english section (760) out of 800 and placed out of college requirements for english. I am currently 20 years old and will turn 21 next year

Your grades are ok just do well on the mcat. You will need some clinical experience for sure and some shadowing. I see what you are doing with the research . I assume you are trying to get in well with BCM by having some kind of connection with them ( I did the same thing with TCOM and UTSW). How much this will benefit you by giving you a leg up? Maybe not too much. Still apply broadly no matter what. Other than that your research looks very good and is solid. *Moral of the story* Focus on gaining clinical experience, shadowing and publishing (in that order). I also assume you are applying MD/PhD, if so you might want to really push that publishing. Good luck

 

[biologyBS]

Your grades are ok just do well on the mcat. You will need some clinical experience for sure and some shadowing. I see what you are doing with the research . I assume you are trying to get in well with BCM by having some kind of connection with them ( I did the same thing with TCOM and UTSW). How much this will benefit you by giving you a leg up? Maybe not too much. Still apply broadly no matter what. Other than that your research looks very good and is solid. *Moral of the story* Focus on gaining clinical experience, shadowing and publishing (in that order). I also assume you are applying MD/PhD, if so you might want to really push that publishing. Good luck

Thank you very much for your reply
Actually it was by pure coincidence that the collaboration was presented to us. I honestly will go to any med school in Texas. I will take your advice and start looking opportunities to gain clinical experience.

 

[cyanide12345678]

Thank you very much for your reply
Actually it was by pure coincidence that the collaboration was presented to us. I honestly will go to any med school in Texas. I will take your advice and start looking opportunities to gain clinical experience.

If you can score a 30+ on the mcat then you should get into some texas medical school. But you really really need to do well on ur mcat to cover for your GPA.

 

[biologyBS]

If you can score a 30+ on the mcat then you should get into some texas medical school. But you really really need to do well on ur mcat to cover for your GPA.

I will aim for a 30+

Any other advice?

 

[cyanide12345678]

I will aim for a 30+

Any other advice?

Apply really really really early. And get that shadowing experience that you are lacking. About 30% of the interviewers at texas schools asked me directly about my shadowing experience. So you want to have something to talk about.

 

[cyanide12345678]

I will aim for a 30+

Any other advice?

Also, you need some leadership experience. Theres an entire section on whether you've had any leadership role in the TMDSAS. You've done a lot of research which is really good.

 

[cyanide12345678]

I will aim for a 30+

Any other advice?

And check with your premed advisor if you fulfill the english course premed requirement. I believe the requirement is 1 year of english of some form. I understand you've placed out of english, but was it 2 semesters of english?

 

[biologyBS]

And check with your premed advisor if you fulfill the english course premed requirement. I believe the requirement is 1 year of english of some form. I understand you've placed out of english, but was it 2 semesters of english?

Yes, I have checked with my advisor and I haver placed out of both semesters of english.

Also I forgot to mention that I have have been a mentor for the past 1 year for students starting biochem research. I was responsible for grading and assessing their work and providing feedback to various students who enrolled in the class (We had a lot of foreign students from Brazil etc) Im not sure if this counts as leadership experience?

 

[cyanide12345678]

Yes, I have checked with my advisor and I haver placed out of both semesters of english.

Also I forgot to mention that I have have been a mentor for the past 1 year for students starting biochem research. I was responsible for grading and assessing their work and providing feedback to various students who enrolled in the class (We had a lot of foreign students from Brazil etc) Im not sure if this counts as leadership experience?

I just looked at my TMDSAS application. I put in tutoring and being a teaching assistant in there so I guess that counts as leadership.