ephemerality
New Member
- Joined
- May 13, 2023
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** EDIT - Added some clarifying info 05/31/2023, since MCAT score came out **
Hi, first post here, looking to get some advice. Apologies if the formatting isn't what is expected of SDN. Thanks in advance!
Non traditional student. Graduated from a state school as a biomedical engineer, went to graduate school to do research and published a thesis.
Currently working as a data scientist at a major consulting firm. Have been struggling to find the time/availability to do clinical volunteering while holding a full-time job, and up until now I had been doing my DIY postbacc/studying for the MCAT. (I am currently draining my PTO to do my shadowing/non-clinical volunteering).
My letter of recs will come from my graduate thesis advisor, my manager at my current job, and the anesthesiologist that I am shadowing/doing coding volunteer work for at a simulation center (see volunteering below).
GPA:
UG - Bioengineering, Math Minor
undergrad cGPA: 3.12
undergrad sGPA: 3.09 (I really tanked with a few upper division math classes I took in statistics to get my math minor)
M.S. Biomedical Engineering
Graduate cGPA: 3.49 (tanked due to one difficult course in machine learning and struggled through with a passing grade)
Graduate sGPA: 4.0 (but only really took one non-engineering course for this category)
post bacc cGPA: 4.0 (12.5 credits)
post bacc sGPA: 4.0
I did a DIY postbacc, taking a few courses to fill in the gaps while working full time. I did take two quarters of OChem in 10 weeks (essentially double speed) over the last summer at my undergrad institution, getting an A+ & A, which I hope can demonstrate my ability to master content still. Did my final class online via an extension with an A+ to better fit into my schedule (outside of summer the classes mostly were offered in the day when I work).
Technically, I am still missing 3rd quarter Organic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry Lab, Biology Lab, and Psychology classes for certain school's requirements. Fitting lab courses into a working schedule is particularly difficult though. I was largely looking to apply to schools without strict requirements or finish them in this following year after acceptances (since I can quit my job then and finish prereqs full time). Also seeking leniency as a non-trad in this department.
I am unsure if this is sufficient to consider an upwards trend, since I did generally poorly in my undergrad as an engineer. Am considering an SMP, but am afraid of ruining my chances for the future if I do poorly.
MCAT: 519 (128/131/130/130). Did much better than expected.
Home State: CA
Ethnicity: ORM
Clinical: Starting volunteering at the local VA hospital soon. I understand this is a big barrier to my application.
Non-clinical volunteering: 100+ hours doing coding work for the local university's medical simulation center; recently updated a CPR application on the Google Play Store to help with CPR instruction. Was also able to observe trainings given at the center, and do some prep work.
Research: ~1700 hrs for my master's thesis in a topic around neuroscience
~1000 hrs for various research projects during undergrad, including a couple over the summer research programs overseas
~270 hrs as graduate teaching assistant for 3 semesters for biomedical engineering courses while doing my masters.
Shadowing: ~50 hours total: Split between anesthesiology OR & otolaryngology clinic
Extracurricular Activities: Undergrad, was philanthropy chair for an engineering student org, organizing events such as participation/fundraising in Relay for Life, and participation in a local program where we collected donations to buy Christmas presents for a family in need. (Unsure if I should put total # of hours I put into this club, or just the hours dedicated to being involved the philanthropy/volunteering aspect for the application)
Did paid part-time work as a lab assistant of a stem-cell research lab during undergrad.
Had a brief stint as a contractor, coding automation projects for a small finance company.
School list:
To be honest, not really sure how to tackle this. I am considering in state schools (UCs, etc), + Carle Illinois College of Medicine for Engineering. Obviously would prefer MD but seems like DO is more realistic, if that is even a possibility for this application cycle.
Hi, first post here, looking to get some advice. Apologies if the formatting isn't what is expected of SDN. Thanks in advance!
Non traditional student. Graduated from a state school as a biomedical engineer, went to graduate school to do research and published a thesis.
Currently working as a data scientist at a major consulting firm. Have been struggling to find the time/availability to do clinical volunteering while holding a full-time job, and up until now I had been doing my DIY postbacc/studying for the MCAT. (I am currently draining my PTO to do my shadowing/non-clinical volunteering).
My letter of recs will come from my graduate thesis advisor, my manager at my current job, and the anesthesiologist that I am shadowing/doing coding volunteer work for at a simulation center (see volunteering below).
GPA:
UG - Bioengineering, Math Minor
undergrad cGPA: 3.12
undergrad sGPA: 3.09 (I really tanked with a few upper division math classes I took in statistics to get my math minor)
M.S. Biomedical Engineering
Graduate cGPA: 3.49 (tanked due to one difficult course in machine learning and struggled through with a passing grade)
Graduate sGPA: 4.0 (but only really took one non-engineering course for this category)
post bacc cGPA: 4.0 (12.5 credits)
post bacc sGPA: 4.0
I did a DIY postbacc, taking a few courses to fill in the gaps while working full time. I did take two quarters of OChem in 10 weeks (essentially double speed) over the last summer at my undergrad institution, getting an A+ & A, which I hope can demonstrate my ability to master content still. Did my final class online via an extension with an A+ to better fit into my schedule (outside of summer the classes mostly were offered in the day when I work).
Technically, I am still missing 3rd quarter Organic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry Lab, Biology Lab, and Psychology classes for certain school's requirements. Fitting lab courses into a working schedule is particularly difficult though. I was largely looking to apply to schools without strict requirements or finish them in this following year after acceptances (since I can quit my job then and finish prereqs full time). Also seeking leniency as a non-trad in this department.
I am unsure if this is sufficient to consider an upwards trend, since I did generally poorly in my undergrad as an engineer. Am considering an SMP, but am afraid of ruining my chances for the future if I do poorly.
MCAT: 519 (128/131/130/130). Did much better than expected.
Home State: CA
Ethnicity: ORM
Clinical: Starting volunteering at the local VA hospital soon. I understand this is a big barrier to my application.
Non-clinical volunteering: 100+ hours doing coding work for the local university's medical simulation center; recently updated a CPR application on the Google Play Store to help with CPR instruction. Was also able to observe trainings given at the center, and do some prep work.
Research: ~1700 hrs for my master's thesis in a topic around neuroscience
~1000 hrs for various research projects during undergrad, including a couple over the summer research programs overseas
~270 hrs as graduate teaching assistant for 3 semesters for biomedical engineering courses while doing my masters.
Shadowing: ~50 hours total: Split between anesthesiology OR & otolaryngology clinic
Extracurricular Activities: Undergrad, was philanthropy chair for an engineering student org, organizing events such as participation/fundraising in Relay for Life, and participation in a local program where we collected donations to buy Christmas presents for a family in need. (Unsure if I should put total # of hours I put into this club, or just the hours dedicated to being involved the philanthropy/volunteering aspect for the application)
Did paid part-time work as a lab assistant of a stem-cell research lab during undergrad.
Had a brief stint as a contractor, coding automation projects for a small finance company.
School list:
To be honest, not really sure how to tackle this. I am considering in state schools (UCs, etc), + Carle Illinois College of Medicine for Engineering. Obviously would prefer MD but seems like DO is more realistic, if that is even a possibility for this application cycle.
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