What am I missing?

[kitesandstars94]

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So the health advising at my college kind of sucks, and I would REALLY like to get into a good medical school, so I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of things I could do to maybe improve my chances of getting in somewhere. So if you could let me know if there are any gaping holes in my resume, or things that I could improve on, please let me know! So here's my basic resume: I'm a biology major (rising junior) with a minor in chemistry and Spanish at an SEC school. I have a 3.97 cumulative GPA. I'm not exactly sure what my science GPA is, but I know it's not lower than like a 3.95, so I guess I consider my GPA my strong point. I'm in a sorority, so I have some service (non-clinical) and leadership experience from that. I'm doing cancer research this summer and the fall semester with a doctor/ professor from a really famous hospital (I don't want to give the name away, but its very well respected and a household name), and I'm going to write a thesis and hopefully get published on the research. I'm also really hoping to get a internship full time at the hospital next summer, because I'm competitive for one of their internship programs and I think that doing research with one of their doctors will really help. Also, he'll hopefully write me a recommendation letter, but I can't really think of anyone else I would ask for one. I volunteer regularly at a Humane society, but they don't really keep track of hours. Should I start doing this and having them sign off? Last summer I interned at a doctors office (internal medicine) for about 2 months. This included shadowing the doctor for about 2 hours every weekday, and being an office bitch for about 6 hours a day (Does the office bitch part count as volunteering or clinical volunteering or anything? Sorry I'm so clueless!). I haven't taken the MCAT yet, but I'm taking it at the end of the summer and in December. It's really early to tell, but I've historically done awesome on standardized tests so I would guess my score would be somewhere between a 31-35. I'm planning to study abroad spring semester next year in a Spanish speaking country. I'm doing a program this summer where I'm basically a camp counselor to high school students taking college classes. I have work experience of being a waitress. I'm also in the honors college at my school. So I'm guessing I need more clinical volunteering, but like how much is enough and does anything I've already done count toward that? Also what is a good amount of non-clinical volunteering? Should I try to join any honors societies or intramurals or any of that? What kind of recommendation letters should I try to get? (ie do they need to be from teachers, or would it be ok to get one from my research mentor and the doctor I shadowed and call it a day?) Is there anything else I'm just fundamentally missing? Thanks so much, and again, sorry for being clueless!

 

[SemperPacem]

Welcome to SDN! First tip: paragraphs and formatting that make it easy for people to read will help you get a lot more responses (bullets for questions, etc). You sound like you have things going your way, and I imagine if you complete everything you have planned you'll be in good shape. My two cents: do you have a hobby? Pursue something you love in addition to all your great ECs.

 

[kitesandstars94]

Thanks for the advice! And yeah, I play tennis, I just didn't know that was relevant haha.

 

[LaceyMD]

Sounds like you've got a lot going on for ECs. Just make sure that you're keeping track of your own hours so that you have them handy when you're filling in your primary application.

In terms of LORs, I'm assuming since you're not happy with the health advising office, you'll be going with the individual letter route rather than the committee letter. You'll absolutely need professor letters, your research mentor and/or a doc you've shadowed will not be enough on their own (although those are also good letters to have if they are strong). I'd recommend checking the websites of a few schools you're interested in and seeing what their individual requirements are; generally, it is 1-2 science professors, possible a non-science professor, and at least 1 from outside of school (work supervisor, research, doc, etc).

I haven't taken the MCAT yet, but I'm taking it at the end of the summer and in December. It's really early to tell, but I've historically done awesome on standardized tests so I would guess my score would be somewhere between a 31-35.

I'm hoping I'm reading this wrong, but if I'm not, please do not plan on taking the MCAT twice. Study hard, make sure you're scoring where you want on the AAMC full-length practice tests, and don't take it until you are ready. Med schools will see every score you get. This isn't the SAT where they only get your highest score reported - if you score a 27 and then a 30, they'll see both. A retake isn't the end of the world, but when you say you're taking it in the summer and in December, that sounds like you're planning to take it once to see how it goes and then take it again for "real"...which is a very bad idea.

 

[kitesandstars94]

My health professions advisor said to take it twice, is that bad advice? I was basically planning to take it in August-September "for real" and then take it again in December if I didn't get my desired score. The problem is I'm studying abroad next spring and I have a STRONG desire to take the 2014 MCAT, so would you suggest taking it once on an all-or-nothing in December, or taking it potentially twice?

 

[SemperPacem]

My health professions advisor said to take it twice, is that bad advice? I was basically planning to take it in August-September "for real" and then take it again in December if I didn't get my desired score. The problem is I'm studying abroad next spring and I have a STRONG desire to take the 2014 MCAT, so would you suggest taking it once on an all-or-nothing in December, or taking it potentially twice?

That's the worst advice I've ever heard. Take it only once, and only once you are ready.

 

[LaceyMD]

My health professions advisor said to take it twice, is that bad advice? I was basically planning to take it in August-September "for real" and then take it again in December if I didn't get my desired score. The problem is I'm studying abroad next spring and I have a STRONG desire to take the 2014 MCAT, so would you suggest taking it once on an all-or-nothing in December, or taking it potentially twice?

If that's actually how it was given to you, that is terrible advice. Being one who looks for the good intent, I'm going to give your advisor the benefit of the doubt and assume that what s/he meant (but may not have communicated well) is that if you're dead-set on taking the current MCAT, you ought to aim for being ready for the late summer test dates, so that if something goes wrong (you get sick on test day, have a mental lapse, whatever), you'll have room for a retake before going abroad.

The MCAT definitely isn't an exam you want to plan to take twice. Only take it when you are ready (the general advice I've heard is that "ready" means scoring at or above your target on the full-length practice tests), and only plan to take it once. If you feel you'll be ready in August/September, take it then, but go in to your study plan and your test with the attitude that you're only doing this once, and it's not practice. Without knowing you and your current preparedness level, I don't think any of us could appropriately advise what date you'll be ready for, but assuming you've done well in your pre-reqs and won't be teaching yourself an entire subject, I think spending the summer studying and then taking an August/September MCAT is certainly a reasonable proposition.

 

[kitesandstars94]

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll take a slightly later test date and take it once.

Edit: slightly later than August/ September, that is