WAMC and School List Advice: Engineering student with 3.96 GPA, 515 MCAT

[scudopodium]

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[Mr.Smile12]

Don't apply until you get shadowing and other clinical experience with direct patient care (no virtual), at least 150 hours total, suggesting hospice or assisted living. Don't apply until you get 150 hours of nonclinical community service, especially if you can do food distribution, shelter work, job placement services, housing services, or something outside your comfort zone (not education or tutoring). Otherwise you are just throwing money away.

 

[scudopodium]

Don't apply until you get shadowing and other clinical experience with direct patient care (no virtual), at least 150 hours total, suggesting hospice or assisted living. Don't apply until you get 150 hours of nonclinical community service, especially if you can do food distribution, shelter work, job placement services, housing services, or something outside your comfort zone (not education or tutoring). Otherwise you are just throwing money away.

I am not sure if my COVID-19 vaccination clinic would be considered direct patient care, but I was assisting medical professionals with vaccines and screening patients. I am also planning to get shadowing during spring break and I am looking to get part time work as a scribe over the summer. I am going to spend my gap year hopefully working as a scribe and volunteering. My only concern is since that won’t be done by May when applications open, I’m guessing it wouldn’t be worth applying then and I should probably wait until next cycle?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Vaccination clinics are important work, but your interaction with patients is extremely minimal. (Pharmacists give vaccines all the time so why not be a Pharmacist?)

I do think you should wait. You need to really see what doctors do. Future hours are not considered in an application.

 

[scudopodium]

Vaccination clinics are important work, but your interaction with patients is extremely minimal. (Pharmacists give vaccines all the time so why not be a Pharmacist?)

I do think you should wait. You need to really see what doctors do. Future hours are not considered in an application.

Okay, those were my concerns as well. Thank you for your feedback! I’ll definitely have to reconsider my current plans.

 

[candbgirl]

Okay, those were my concerns as well. Thank you for your feedback! I’ll definitely have to reconsider my current plans.

For sure reconsider your plans.In addition to shadowing and clinical experiences @Mr.Smile12 suggested nonclinical volunteering. This is very important too. So don’t ignore that part of your application. You really aren’t ready to apply. You have several holes you need to plug. You only want to apply one time with the best application possible. So do it right, do it once.

I know you are only interested in the NE but take a look at Carle in Champaign IL. Very focused on engineering students.

Good luck.

 

[scudopodium]

For sure reconsider your plans.In addition to shadowing and clinical experiences @Mr.Smile12 suggested nonclinical volunteering. This is very important too. So don’t ignore that part of your application. You really aren’t ready to apply. You have several holes you need to plug. You only want to apply one time with the best application possible. So do it right, do it once.

I know you are only interested in the NE but take a look at Carle in Champaign IL. Very focused on engineering students.

Good luck.

Thank you for your feedback as well! I have a meeting with my Health Professions Office soon, but I feel like they will echo the same sentiments that you guys have told me. I was not aware there were medical schools focused on engineering, this is very useful! My only concern about waiting is my MCAT score validity. If I took it at the end of August 2022, I don't think I should have to worry about my score expiring?