What are my application weaknesses/how can I improve it?

[Icy14]

I'm an ND resident, hopefully applying in 2018-2019 cycle. I decided to take a gap year mainly to improve my extracurriculars and work experience. Here is what I have so far:

MCAT 509: 126/127/127/129 80th percentile (took in Sept. 2017)
Cum GPA: 3.96 (with two more semesters to go)
Major: Biology/Pre-Health Science
Minor: Spanish

Work/ECs:

• Phi Beta Kappa member
• CNA at hospital med/surg ~300+ hours (May-Aug 2015)
• Summer microbiology internship at State Dept. of Health Laboratory (summer 2017)
• Hospital volunteer in Pediatric Therapy, NICU, ER, Cardiopulmonary Rehab, and Ambassador (2015 - present)
• Community Volunteering: Meals on Wheels driver, tutor refugees at local high school, Guatemala mission trip in 2014
• Shadowing: ~24 hrs in Family Med, ~8 hrs misc. (watching surgery, oncology, w/nurses)
• Spanish Faculty Assistant/Teaching Assistant (2017-2018 school year)
• will be Freshman Biology Teaching Assistant next semester
• will be CNA at hospital Jan-May 2018 to get more patient care hours
• scheduling a medical mission trip over spring break 2018

What weaknesses are there in my application?
What else can I do in the next ~6 months to improve my chances before I apply in June?

Even though I have the recommended 300-500 direct patient care hours, my pre-med advisor told me that many other applicants have way more hours than that, which could be a weakness. So I will be working as a CNA at a hospital next semester.
I am also working on getting more shadowing hours, particularly in Family medicine and in rural communities.
I'm not sure yet what I will be doing in my gap year, but hopefully will find something that will look good to adcomms.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[nymd22]

Any research?

 

[freedoctor17]

Wow they told you most people have way more than 300 to 400 hours volunteering? I'm only gonna have maybe 150 clinical volunteer hours max before I apply. I think you're good with those 300 to 400 but if you enjoy it and have the time then can't hurt to do more!

 

[Icy14]

Wow they told you most people have way more than 300 to 400 hours volunteering? I'm only gonna have maybe 150 clinical volunteer hours max before I apply. I think you're good with those 300 to 400 but if you enjoy it and have the time then can't hurt to do more!

Well not simply volunteering, but patient care hours. I think the problem is that I only did it for 1 summer to get the recommended 300 minimum hours, but many other students work as CNAs all throughout college for several years straight. So compared to them, I'm lacking.

 

[Icy14]

Any research?

Not exactly. I had a summer internship at the state Dept. of Health Laboratory, where I assisted with the mosquito surveillance program, which included testing for arbovirus using DNA extraction and PCR. I had a lot of other duties though, like weekly counting and speciation of mosquitoes, and helping with surface water testing for E. coli. I'm not sure if this experience really counts as research...? It definitely was a unique experience and I learned a lot that is relevant to medicine.

I've been wanting to get involved in research, but haven't had luck. All the professors I ask about it shut me down or don't seem interested in working with me. I'm guessing either they don't have openings in their labs or don't know me well enough...?

 

[freedoctor17]

Not exactly. I had a summer internship at the state Dept. of Health Laboratory, where I assisted with the mosquito surveillance program, which included testing for arbovirus using DNA extraction and PCR. I had a lot of other duties though, like weekly counting and speciation of mosquitoes, and helping with surface water testing for E. coli. I'm not sure if this experience really counts as research...? It definitely was a unique experience and I learned a lot that is relevant to medicine.

I've been wanting to get involved in research, but haven't had luck. All the professors I ask about it shut me down or don't seem interested in working with me. I'm guessing either they don't have openings in their labs or don't know me well enough...?

Don't ask the professors! Most of the time they're not even in the lab (at least with the lab I'm in). If you find a graduate student or post doc listed in the lab (should be something on your school website) and email them directly, they're much more likely to accept you. I was making the same mistake until another student told me about this and I got a research position much easier that way!

 

[de Ribas]

my pre-med advisor told me that many other applicants have way more hours than that, which could be a weakness. So I will be working as a CNA at a hospital next semester.

Do you know what ADCOMs here think about pre-med advisors?

I think SDN is your best resource.

Your stats are great. You are on the right track with ECs. You have plenty of hours as CNA, but you may continue that experience.

Your plan for more shadowing hours is also a good idea.

scheduling a medical mission trip over spring break 2018

This might not be the best option to spend your time. May I ask why you are planning to do this?

 

[Icy14]

This might not be the best option to spend your time. May I ask why you are planning to do this?

It's something that I'm passionate about. I went on a similar trip to Guatemala several years back, which inspired me to get a Spanish minor. My hope is to travel to underserved Spanish-speaking countries once I'm a physician and provide medical care.
Over Spring Break, I'd go with an organization called MedLife, which is great because I'd gain medical experience by working at a mobile clinic, while also getting to use my Spanish skills to communicate with the people there.

What else could I be doing with my time that would be better?