Unsure about When to Apply?

[orangeblue]

I still feel very naive about the med school admissions process. This is keeping me up at night, making me stressed out. My pre-med office at school doesn't give very good advice.


My story:
3.2 GPA at a top 5 undergrad in engineering, choppy transcript
spend considerable time working aboard and in US with underprivledged communities (my passion)
Good personal story
Did research (no publications however).


I am starting a post-bac (30 credits of biology) at a state university, probably will volunteer in a area i'm passionate about, and find a research position + work 15-20 hours a week.

I am wondering when I should apply?

Summer 2012 - right after post pac. I will continue my ECs in the summer and application and will be able to talk about them in interviews. That is what a few other students said.

Summer 2013: I can apply then, b.c I'll have one year of add. research/EC under my belt, and maybe longer time to take the MCAT, however I am told that 1 year of ECs etc wouldn't make a big difference to med schools, and it's not worth delaying admission appls for a year.



Note: I'm also a TX resident so TX school chances are great for me. There are 9 med schools in TX

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[bucks2010]

3.2 is low, but be sure to do well in your post-bac classes and that should help you out some. The good thing you have going for you is that, generally, engineering classes don't count towards your BCPM. So with a post-bac that is (presumably) all science, you should be able to help out your BCPM GPA significantly.

I think applying next summer is realistic for you provided you (a) get nearly all-A's in your post-bac and (b) get a competitive MCAT score (think 32+).

Don't forget medical volunteering (1.5 years @ 4 hrs/wk for a total of 150 hrs is common) and shadowing (~ 3 specialties [1 primary care] for a total of 50 hrs is average). The medical volunteering you should start soon ... or as soon as you start your post-bac if it's in a different location. The shadowing can be done during breaks, etc.

 

[NickNaylor]

You're fortunate to be a Texas resident; that'll help you substantially, especially if you don't care where you ultimately end up. I'd apply in 2012 and see where you get; if it doesn't work out, then at least you know you tried.

 

[orangeblue]

Thanks you so MUCH for your input. It is very very difficult to get good advice unless you look in the right places. EVEN THE 'premed' office (while they write good committee letters) aren't always the best or should ever be the only reliable source.

About hospital volunteering:
I did a summer of Emergency Medicine Volunteering/Research (with some shadowing)
I did a semester of outpatient primary clinic (shadowed the PCP a few times)
I did a semester of ambulatory surgery volunteering all at an inner-city hospital (shadowed the anesthesiologist a few times)

I wonder what I can do again ( for 4 hrs/ week or so) to get more insight into medicine and keep myself in the setting I want to be in. Just keep volunteering in a hospital setting (ie. 4 hours / week)?

About Texas Schools:
Should I be looking at TX schools only ? or throw in a 4 out of state ones as well, although it really doesn't make sense to go to a public out-of-state school at all. The out of state ones have to be "distinguished" medical schools.

Is it true that if I apply in Summer 2013 that I may have better shot at Baylor or UT Southernwestern granted that I work consistently and hard?

THANKS again for this invaluable input

 

[orangeblue]

3.2 is low, but be sure to do well in your post-bac classes and that should help you out some. The good thing you have going for you is that, generally, engineering classes don't count towards your BCPM. So with a post-bac that is (presumably) all science, you should be able to help out your BCPM GPA significantly.
.

yes, the POST-BAC is only for all sciences only. It would be VERY short-sighted/shooting myself in the foot again to take any classes outside of science. I hope to be taking 4-5 (I think four is good enough) of biochem, genetics. etc.


1) I have heard that at this point, no one cares whether it is a public university or elite private. THe point of this post-bac is to show that I can handle the coursework , study and make the grades. It may not help raise GPA significantly, but it will give them a set of data to evalute me on.