What Are My Chances and Other General Questions

[Kaustikos]

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Hey,
so pretty much I'm freaking out after this quarter...here's the story:

I am a second year at a top public school. basically, I decided to take a load of pre-med courses although I was dealing with some family stuff (my mom was diagnosed with cancer)... Although I managed to scrape by in my chem lab with a B, I might have failed my O-chem class with a C-/D+.

And its not as if my pre-med grades have been great this far. I have averaged a B- in my other chem classes and an A- average in my math classes. I have a 3.8 average with my humanities major but have yet to take my Bio or physics classes.

As far as extracurriculars, I've had clinical experience working in a cardiology clinic for a year, research experience working with epileptic children for a year, and now working on a more public health project about mental health clinics. I am on an educating committee for a charity raising money for AIDS and am an editor for a top ranking college paper. I also work as a full-time academic/peer counselor during the summer. I also have a couple of other leadership positions but in less relevant areas.

Am I on the right track? Can I still get into a top tier? Realistically, its not like Im going to get straight As in physics or score amazingly well on the MCAT, but will my extracurriculars be any help at all?

Thanks for your help and I hope you have a great day!

Step 1: Stop worrying about top tier. Not because you can't obtain ti, but it will seriously diminish your chances of becoming a physician if all you think about is top tier medical schools.

Step 2: Retake O-Chem. That's my thoughts, anyways. I would consider retaking the course and getting a better grade, if not to please adcoms, but to help yourself later on. O-Chem will come back in the MCAT, remember that. And it will only help to restudy the material before studying for the MCAT.

Step 3: And this is because I'm not an a**hole and didn't just respond with this, but because you should have known better:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=483601
That will get you responses and it's where you should have put this thread in the first place.

 

[GZA]

Location: los angeles, ca

I am a second year at a top public school.

seriously, what do you hope for in making this thread? you can easily find average gpa of ::top tier:: schools in both science and nonscience. compare yours to those. no one here will be able to predict that much better than you.

 

[Lecter]

Those grades aren't very good, unless you're at Berkley or someplace really tough. Your ECs are pretty cool but it looks like you're doing them at the expense of your GPA.

 

[kdizzy]

Chances?

cum GPA: 3.64
BCPM: 3.68
MCAT: 27Q

good E.C., really good LOR, retaking mcat in early August. Should I apply this June with the 27Q and tell them i am retaking or will they not care by the time Sept. rolls around with my score. (ie apply again the june 2009). what are my chances without retaking an mcat

 

[Phoenix.]

Chances?

cum GPA: 3.64
BCPM: 3.68
MCAT: 27Q

good E.C., really good LOR, retaking mcat in early August. Should I apply this June with the 27Q and tell them i am retaking or will they not care by the time Sept. rolls around with my score. (ie apply again the june 2009). what are my chances without retaking an mcat

First off - what state are you a resident of? Second - can you give some examples of the types of ECs/experiences you have?

 

[scarletgirl777]

.

 

[MilkmanAl]

3.9 in chem at UNC? Wow...How many chemistry classes have you taken so far? Who'd you have as your professors?

 

[ronita1982]

I have a B.S. Bology minor chemistry. Due to have a child in undergrad my gpa dropped to 2.7 overall. I currently just finished up my Master in Public Health with a gpa of 4.0 overall. I have also did public health interships throughout my master program. I'm currently teaching high school chemistry and have done research work. I'm planning on taking the MCAT in September 13, 08 and wondering if scored very well, what are my chances of getting in.

 

[Blondnuttyboy]

I think you should take some post-bacc classes. Those master's classes wont raise your AMCAS gpa and some schools may filter you out if <3.0. For DO, I think you have a better shot; they tend to look at the overall applicant more.

For MD, the process sucks and sometimes you just have to play the game.

 

[kdizzy]

Chances?

cum GPA: 3.64
BCPM: 3.68
MCAT: 27Q

good E.C., really good LOR, retaking mcat in early August. Should I apply this June with the 27Q and tell them i am retaking or will they not care by the time Sept. rolls around with my score. (ie apply again the june 2009). what are my chances without retaking an mcat

I'm from California, go to UCSD. EC include: 60 hours maxillofacial surgery shadow (all scrubbed in, inside the OR), precalculus and algebra teacher, published clinical article in NMJ, unusual case report, biochem and bioengineer research assistant (250 hours), varsity crew team 1 yr.

 

[Phoenix.]

Originally Posted by kdizzy
Chances?

cum GPA: 3.64
BCPM: 3.68
MCAT: 27Q

good E.C., really good LOR, retaking mcat in early August. Should I apply this June with the 27Q and tell them i am retaking or will they not care by the time Sept. rolls around with my score. (ie apply again the june 2009). what are my chances without retaking an mcat?

I'm from California, go to UCSD. EC include: 60 hours maxillofacial surgery shadow (all scrubbed in, inside the OR), precalculus and algebra teacher, published clinical article in NMJ, unusual case report, biochem and bioengineer research assistant (250 hours), varsity crew team 1 yr.

If I were you, I'd submit my primary to AMCAS in June and check off that I will be retaking in August. Then, I'd submit the secondaries as I get them (many schools (primarily those that don't screen) will send you secondaries before you get your score back), and be sure that my LORs have been received. That way, when the MCAT score comes out in September, your applications will be almost instantly complete at most schools, and won't be held up waiting for submission of your secondary app or LORs (or waiting for someone in the admin office to log them in). And you should definitely check off that you'll be taking the August MCAT, or those schools that screen (or review and reject quickly) may reject you out based on your old MCAT. If you check off you're retaking, they will set your app aside until they receive the new score.

Also, I would definitely retake. The ONLY thing that will hold you back is your MCAT score. Sounds like you've got great research (and hopefully more than just 60 hours of clinical experience), so if you were in a state like FL, OH, TX (or even here in IL), I would say that you may have a decent shot without retaking (then again, I'm not sure what your breakdown is - if one section is perilously low, that may mean you REALLY have to retake no matter what). But given you're a CA resident and you have the time to retake (I think I remember hearing that CA schools don't process apps very early in the cycle (unlike TX schools), I think you should definitely retake. A 27 is right on the borderline, in my opinion, but in this case, go for the retake. There's a chance you could get in with the 27, but I wouldn't want to rely on those odds (especially if you want a good shot at CA schools). I would apply very broadly if I were you, since you're both a CA resident, and you won't know your ultimate MCAT score until later in the game. I'd shoot for at least 25 schools.

 

[skbirdie510]

Ok I know my stats are gross, but I'm curious what my chances are given what I am doing/plan to do after college. I went to an Ivy League University, which I'm not sure has any bearing on my grades, and I'm not sure if med schools necessarily take that into consideration.

Overall: 2.94 (went through a rough spot sophomore year, mostly due to personal issues)

BCPM: 2.87 (mostly because of gen chem/orgo)

I had an upward trend and finished in the mid to high 3s senior year.

ECs: I've done research in a bunch of different places on a bunch of different topics since high school. I also helped found an undergrad neuroscience society my junior year, and was on several e-boards for cultural organizations. I was briefly involved with a new organization on campus that paired undergrads with children in the area with chronic illnesses, where we would help them with work and generally hang out, but it fell apart after two years.

Currently I'm in my first semester of an MPH program and am hoping to take postbacc courses over the next few semesters.

Any advice/insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Phoenix.]

Ok I know my stats are gross, but I'm curious what my chances are given what I am doing/plan to do after college. I went to an Ivy League University, which I'm not sure has any bearing on my grades, and I'm not sure if med schools necessarily take that into consideration.

Overall: 2.94 (went through a rough spot sophomore year, mostly due to personal issues)

BCPM: 2.87 (mostly because of gen chem/orgo)

I had an upward trend and finished in the mid to high 3s senior year.

ECs: I've done research in a bunch of different places on a bunch of different topics since high school. I also helped found an undergrad neuroscience society my junior year, and was on several e-boards for cultural organizations. I was briefly involved with a new organization on campus that paired undergrads with children in the area with chronic illnesses, where we would help them with work and generally hang out, but it fell apart after two years.

Currently I'm in my first semester of an MPH program and am hoping to take postbacc courses over the next few semesters.

Any advice/insight would be greatly appreciated!

I don't think going to an ivy league will make much of a difference here, given that there are a lot of ivy applicants who have high gpas. Sure, you might get a slight boost over someone who took classes at a community college that doesn't have a great gpa either, but neither of you could end up getting in, so for all intents and purposes, forget about the ivy background as really helping you out here.

I'm going to be honest and say that your gpa is going to be a big problem for MD schools. If you get a good upward trend going, and do well on upper level science courses, I'd say you've got a great app for a DO school. Check those out. If you've got your heart set on an MD school, I'd recommend an SMP (special master's program). Getting an MPH is nice, but it's just not going to do a thing for you in terms of your undergrad gpa, and your undergrad gpa and MCAT are pretty much the first two things they'll look at (and two of the most important things they'll look at). If you don't want to (or can't do) an SMP, then you should take a bunch of upper level science courses as a post-bac (or retake pre-reqs you got a C or worse in) to boost your gpa and to show you can handle the work. I think you really need to try your best to get your gpa as close to a 3.2 as you can for a better shot.

Put your gpa into mdapps, with your state of residence, and see how people with your stats fared. I think a large factor will be your state of residence. If you've got a friendly instate school, and an otherwise solid application, you've got a decent shot. If you're coming from somewhere like CA, you've got a really difficult battle to fight. Regardless, if I were you, my game plan would be to:

1) Do an SMP or take a bunch of post-bac classes (via post-bac, try to boost your gpa - definitely to above a 3.0, and hopefully closer to a 3.2 if possible). Check out the various SMP programs and apply to those that have a strong linkage (i.e., their med school takes a good percentage of their SMP students). I think an SMP will be your best bet, and would have a MUCH greater impact on your chances for acceptance than an MPH.

2) Research is great, but I'm not sure about how much clinical experience you have. Make sure it's solid, and continue doing clinical volunteering/activities in the interim. Your research will definitely help with applications, but you need clinical experience too, or they'll think you're better suited for a PhD, and not an MD.

3) Study hard for the MCAT and do your best. I'd say that you need a 30+ with your low gpa. If at all possible, I'd shoot for a 32-35. But if you get a 30 and do an SMP, I think you've definitely still got a shot if you do well in your SMP classes.

4) You could consider moving to a state that has friendlier instate schools. I've certainly heard of people doing that - and getting in.

5) Talk to a pre-med advisor at your ivy league college. Even if you've graduated already they should be willing to meet with you and give you advice.

Bottom line: you need to pick that gpa up. If you can't take enough classes to feasibly bring it up much, then definitely do an SMP, or consider applying to DO schools instead/as well (they will substitute new grades for old if you retake classes, and put much more emphasis on upward trends than MD schools do).

 

[kdizzy]

If I were you, I'd submit my primary to AMCAS in June and check off that I will be retaking in August. Then, I'd submit the secondaries as I get them (many schools (primarily those that don't screen) will send you secondaries before you get your score back), and be sure that my LORs have been received. That way, when the MCAT score comes out in September, your applications will be almost instantly complete at most schools, and won't be held up waiting for submission of your secondary app or LORs (or waiting for someone in the admin office to log them in). And you should definitely check off that you'll be taking the August MCAT, or those schools that screen (or review and reject quickly) may reject you out based on your old MCAT. If you check off you're retaking, they will set your app aside until they receive the new score.

Also, I would definitely retake. The ONLY thing that will hold you back is your MCAT score. Sounds like you've got great research (and hopefully more than just 60 hours of clinical experience), so if you were in a state like FL, OH, TX (or even here in IL), I would say that you may have a decent shot without retaking (then again, I'm not sure what your breakdown is - if one section is perilously low, that may mean you REALLY have to retake no matter what). But given you're a CA resident and you have the time to retake (I think I remember hearing that CA schools don't process apps very early in the cycle (unlike TX schools), I think you should definitely retake. A 27 is right on the borderline, in my opinion, but in this case, go for the retake. There's a chance you could get in with the 27, but I wouldn't want to rely on those odds (especially if you want a good shot at CA schools). I would apply very broadly if I were you, since you're both a CA resident, and you won't know your ultimate MCAT score until later in the game. I'd shoot for at least 25 schools.

the brkdwn is PS:10 BS:9 VR:8 and yea i've had ER hours volunteering too. Thanks a lot for your input i was afraid that by the time they get my complete app. with my new score it would be too late and that i would only apply to 5 schools this june and 15 next june. But if a 27Q is borderline i think i will apply broadly this app period. My gpa should go up after this quarter to a cum gpa: 3.7. Thanks!

 

[Phoenix.]

the brkdwn is PS:10 BS:9 VR:8 and yea i've had ER hours volunteering too. Thanks a lot for your input i was afraid that by the time they get my complete app. with my new score it would be too late and that i would only apply to 5 schools this june and 15 next june. But if a 27Q is borderline i think i will apply broadly this app period. My gpa should go up after this quarter to a cum gpa: 3.7. Thanks!

Regarding the bolded sentence above, if you don't think you're going to retake, or don't think it will be higher than 27, then I would stick with just applying to a limited amount of schools you think you have the best shot at - you'll likely have to retake again and apply again next cycle. But if you think you can improve, then I would definitely go with a broad application this cycle. Good luck.

 

[kdizzy]

Regarding the bolded sentence above, if you don't think you're going to retake, or don't think it will be higher than 27, then I would stick with just applying to a limited amount of schools you think you have the best shot at - you'll likely have to retake again and apply again next cycle. But if you think you can improve, then I would definitely go with a broad application this cycle. Good luck.

thanks i will definitely practice and study for the august mcat, and if my practice tests are averaging 32+ then i will retake, but if the average scores aren't that high then i won't go to the august test and hope that my old score is good enough. Will there be a problem if i check "will retake" box and on my primary app but end up not retaking?

 

[neulite]

Been a while since my last post but I thought I would get everyone's opinion on my chances come this May for primaries. I know it's not stellar but I just hope it will get me in somewhere ya know? Like a state school or RFU for instance.

MCAT
28N (10VR 9PS 9BS); scored a P on a previous MCAT three months earlier if it helps (2 total MCATs)

GPA (complicated)
cumulative undergrad including post bacc (217 credit hours): 3.33
BCPM (83 credit hours): 3.43
post-bacc gpa (94 credit hours): 3.81
post-bacc BCPM (57 credit hours): 3.70
grad gpa (40 credit hours): 3.70

EC
see profile. lots of clinical work. degree in neurophysiology (EEG), Master's in experimental psychology (behavioral neuroscience emphasis), working on PhD

Florida state resident but attending grad school out of state.

Undergrad: The University of West Florida
Post-bacc: Hospital (EEG degree) and community college for some pre-reqs (calculus, physics, chemistry, anatomy, trig, etc.)
Grad: The University of Southern Mississippi (pre-reqs include organic chemistry, genetics, and biochemistry taken here)

Any opinions would help, thanks.

 

[Phoenix.]

thanks i will definitely practice and study for the august mcat, and if my practice tests are averaging 32+ then i will retake, but if the average scores aren't that high then i won't go to the august test and hope that my old score is good enough. Will there be a problem if i check "will retake" box and on my primary app but end up not retaking?

I guess you'd just have to contact each of the schools directly to let them know that you will not be retaking so they can take your app out of the "hold" pile and put it in the pile for review. However, I would definitely retake if your practice scores are around 30. I don't think you need to be hitting 32+ to retake. If you can get a 30, it may or may not get you into a CA school, but you'll have a TREMENDOUSLY better shot at OOS schools than if you have a 27. And as I said above, the odds with a CA are not great. If I were you I would commit completely to retaking. If you don't, you might be sabotaging yourself. Don't view raising your score as an "if." Make it a "must." Sorry to be so cheesy.... 😳

 

[Questions]

Studying for the mcat has been draining and discouraging...

stats:
Will take mcat next week.. practice exams were all 29 or 28
overall gpa: 3.83
science gpa: 3.7ish
major: history
as for extra curicc: most things that other premeds do...research, volunteering, tutoring etc.

I'm taking a few years off before I apply and now I'm considering if I should apply at all....

😕 😕

 

[MilkmanAl]

Wait until you have an MCAT score. Your grades are awesome, so if you hold in at the 29+ on the real test, you should be okay.

 

[Phoenix.]

Studying for the mcat has been draining and discouraging...

stats:
Will take mcat next week.. practice exams were all 29 or 28
overall gpa: 3.83
science gpa: 3.7ish
major: history
as for extra curicc: most things that other premeds do...research, volunteering, tutoring etc.

I'm taking a few years off before I apply and now I'm considering if I should apply at all....

😕 😕

I agree that it doesn't hurt to shoot for a 29 or 30, but if you're going to be applying in a few years, why stress so much right now? Do your best on the MCAT and see how you do. If you don't perform like you'd like, you obviously have the time to take it again before applying in a few years. When you get your MCAT score, feel free to post back here with your stats again, including your ECs and state of residence.

 

[jbeau06]

Cross-posting here to get more responses...

Ok, so here is some background info on me:

UG GPA overall: 3.3
UG Major GPA: 3.83

I have yet to take pre-med classes, but I have gotten As in A&P I and II and human biology, so I think I'll fair well in my science classes.

I am starting a second bachelors degree in nursing and will graduate in August 2009 from that, and plan to work as an RN while completing my med school prereqs.

My UG GPA is kinda weird...I graduated from college a year early. My first 3 semesters' GPA at Boston University was a 2.57. My last 3 semesters' GPA at University of Maine was a 3.79. I've taken 4 classes since graduating in 2006 for fun (US History, Human Bio, A&P I and II) and gotten As in all of them.

Also, for admissions essays...I have a good one that I've used and it has gotten me into every college/grad program I've applied to, so I am not worried there.

My question is, with these preliminary stats, do I even stand a chance? I feel my undergrad really hurts me from my first degree, and while I expect to do great in my BSN program, I don't know what med schools will look at when they're evaluating me. I did have a rough time at BU before I got into the groove of college. Should I even bother going through with prereqs? Will a great MCAT score/prereq GPA offset this?

 

[ChubbyChaser]

sure, why not?

 

[jbeau06]

Well, I figured since my UG total GPA is so low, that I'd pretty much be counted out since it seems well below the average of accepted applicants from what I've seen on the AMA website.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

You need a MCAT score of probably 33+ if you want to get into an allopathic school with that GPA. Not sure about DO... maybe 29-30. Also Caribbean would probably be much less. You can probably become a doctor if you really want to.

 

[enjoydrywax]

Alright guys, give me a rundown of how I stand - I'm a california resident and to tell you the truth I'm only interested in going to california schools (public or private).

Major: Biomedical engineering
Total GPA: 3.87
BCPM GPA: 4.00
MCAT: 39

ECs:
2 years biochem research (2 second author pubs)
1 year writer for school newspaper (paid job)
1 year senior design medical device project
Currently volunteering in a hospital (roughly 20 hours so far)
I plan on shadowing a few doctors within the next month

Honors:
Phi Beta Kappa
Few scholarships etc


I hate to sound like the stereotype (posting in this thread with high numbers), but I have serious concerns about my ECs. My clinical experience is next to nothing because I only decided last year that I wanted to go to medical school. I feel as if my current volunteering experience will appear as a desperation move to prove to the adcoms that medicine is really my passion.

As for LORs I have those under control.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Alright guys, give me a rundown of how I stand - I'm a california resident and to tell you the truth I'm only interested in going to california schools (public or private).

Major: Bioengineering
Total GPA: 3.87
BCPM GPA: 4.00
MCAT: 39R (14P, 12V, 13B)

ECs:
2 years biochem/bioengineering research (2 second author pubs, 1 poster)
1 year photographer for school newspaper (paid job)
1 year obesity medical device design/implementation/prototyping - obtained patent
Currently volunteering in a hospital (roughly 20 hours so far)
I plan on shadowing a few doctors within the next month

Hobbies (what I spend most of my time doing):
Surfing, weight-lifting, eating

Honors:
Phi Beta Kappa
Tau Beta Pi (engineering honor society)
Few scholarships etc


I hate to sound like the stereotype (posting in this thread with high numbers), but I have serious concerns about my ECs. My clinical experience is next to nothing because I only decided last year that I wanted to go to medical school. I feel as if my current volunteering experience will appear as a desperation move to prove to the adcoms that medicine is really my passion.

As for LORs I have those under control.

No chance whatsoever. With those stats I wouldnt even bother applying.

You lack clinical experience, but you already know that.

 

[enjoydrywax]

No chance whatsoever. With those stats I wouldnt even bother applying.

You lack clinical experience, but you already know that.

Thanks for the sarcasm - obviously my question was not "will I get into med-school" but where do I stand when applying to a CALIFORNIA school with a GLARING LACK OF CLINICAL EXPERIENCE.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Thanks for the sarcasm - obviously my question was not "will I get into med-school" but where do I stand when applying to a CALIFORNIA school with a GLARING LACK OF CLINICAL EXPERIENCE.

I wasnt being sarcastic. I wouldnt apply to cali schools with that application....sheesh.

Also how does... "will I get into medical school?" differ from "will I get into a Cali med school", especially since you said you only want to go to cali schools, meaning you will only apply to cali schools.

 

[enjoydrywax]

I wasnt being sarcastic. I wouldnt apply to cali schools with that application....sheesh.

Is my lack of clinical experience that bad? What should I do then?

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Is my lack of clinical experience that bad? What should I do then?

I dont think there is a way to get around looking like you are just doing this clinical experience at the last second, because it is what medical schools want.
If you are applying this year, go ahead and get as much shadowing and volunteering in as you can. Then make sure you can express you're reasons for wanting to go into medicine very well (make sure they are legit as well), if you can do that I think you should stand a really good chance.

 

[Lecter]

Alright guys, give me a rundown of how I stand - I'm a california resident and to tell you the truth I'm only interested in going to california schools (public or private).

Major: Biomedical engineering
Total GPA: 3.87
BCPM GPA: 4.00
MCAT: 39

ECs:
2 years biochem research (2 second author pubs)
1 year writer for school newspaper (paid job)
1 year senior design medical device project
Currently volunteering in a hospital (roughly 20 hours so far)
I plan on shadowing a few doctors within the next month

Honors:
Phi Beta Kappa
Few scholarships etc


I hate to sound like the stereotype (posting in this thread with high numbers), but I have serious concerns about my ECs. My clinical experience is next to nothing because I only decided last year that I wanted to go to medical school. I feel as if my current volunteering experience will appear as a desperation move to prove to the adcoms that medicine is really my passion.

As for LORs I have those under control.

gtfo and go to nursing school!

"Volunteer Experience" is so overrated in my opinion. I honestly don't think it does much except make people reading you resume think 'oh that's nice,' while they look for your clinical experience. I think it's obvious what you need to be doing...

 

[MilkmanAl]

You definitely need clinical experience, as you know, but those scores will probably take you a long way. Start getting expereience ASAP, and apply broadly (read: not just in CA). You'll get a chance somewhere.

 

[Phoenix.]

Alright guys, give me a rundown of how I stand - I'm a california resident and to tell you the truth I'm only interested in going to california schools (public or private).

Major: Biomedical engineering
Total GPA: 3.87
BCPM GPA: 4.00
MCAT: 39

ECs:
2 years biochem research (2 second author pubs)
1 year writer for school newspaper (paid job)
1 year senior design medical device project
Currently volunteering in a hospital (roughly 20 hours so far)
I plan on shadowing a few doctors within the next month

Honors:
Phi Beta Kappa
Few scholarships etc


I hate to sound like the stereotype (posting in this thread with high numbers), but I have serious concerns about my ECs. My clinical experience is next to nothing because I only decided last year that I wanted to go to medical school. I feel as if my current volunteering experience will appear as a desperation move to prove to the adcoms that medicine is really my passion.

As for LORs I have those under control.

I agree with the other posters in that you need to get more clinical experience ASAP. If you're dead set on applying this cycle, honestly pack in as many hours as you can between now and when you submit your primary AMCAS application in June or July. Then continue racking up those hours during the application process, so you can send an update letter to your CA schools in the fall, demonstrating how much more clinical experience you have under your belt and what you have learned from it. Also, be sure to really nail your personal statement to explain your change of heart and your passion for being a practicing physician. With your solid research background but little clinical experience, the first thing on their minds is going to be why you don't just get a PhD. You need to convince them of why you have changed tracks, and that your decision is based on solid experience and realistic expectations of what medicine entails. Given your stellar stats and great research background, if I were you, I'd seriously check out whether you should apply MD/PhD and not just MD alone.

So, the bottom line is to get lots of clinical experience ASAP to put on your primary, secondary, and then for update letters. If I were you, I'd try to volunteer in a local free health clinic and shadow. Or volunteer in an ER and shadow. Or two other clinical experiences you can squeeze in. Also, check out what is considered early for CA schools - I think I remember seeing somewhere that they don't start reviewing apps until a little later as opposed to other schools. And if you can gain more clinical experience in the interim, I'd put off filling out the AMCAS by a month or so if it won't make any difference for CA schools (i.e., if they don't start reviewing apps until August, why submit AMCAS in early June?). But do keep in mind that the later you submit AMCAS, the slower they get with processing. It starts out a one day turn around in early june, but slows down to a several week delay as time goes on. This may end up being an intricate thing to balance, so maybe just plan on submitting AMCAS at the end of June, and really detailing your additional clinical experience in your secondaries or in updates. Then again, you might also check and see how significant applying later would be for an applicant in CA with your stats. Maybe submitting your primary in August with a couple of more months worth of experience would be worth it. Your stellar stats may back that risk up....

I think with your numbers, if you can convince them that your heart is in the right place (tons of clinical experience and thoughtful essays on those experiences), and you've really worked through the reality of what a practicing physician faces, you stand a good chance. If you're not convincing, however, you'll likely have to reapply next year with more clinical experience under your belt. Good luck.

 

[enjoydrywax]

I agree with the other posters in that you need to get more clinical experience ASAP. If you're dead set on applying this cycle, honestly pack in as many hours as you can between now and when you submit your primary AMCAS application in June or July. Then continue racking up those hours during the application process, so you can send an update letter to your CA schools in the fall, demonstrating how much more clinical experience you have under your belt and what you have learned from it. Also, be sure to really nail your personal statement to explain your change of heart and your passion for being a practicing physician. With your solid research background but little clinical experience, the first thing on their minds is going to be why you don't just get a PhD. You need to convince them of why you have changed tracks, and that your decision is based on solid experience and realistic expectations of what medicine entails. Given your stellar stats and great research background, if I were you, I'd seriously check out whether you should apply MD/PhD and not just MD alone.

So, the bottom line is to get lots of clinical experience ASAP to put on your primary, secondary, and then for update letters. If I were you, I'd try to volunteer in a local free health clinic and shadow. Or volunteer in an ER and shadow. Or two other clinical experiences you can squeeze in. Also, check out what is considered early for CA schools - I think I remember seeing somewhere that they don't start reviewing apps until a little later as opposed to other schools. And if you can gain more clinical experience in the interim, I'd put off filling out the AMCAS by a month or so if it won't make any difference for CA schools (i.e., if they don't start reviewing apps until August, why submit AMCAS in early June?). But do keep in mind that the later you submit AMCAS, the slower they get with processing. It starts out a one day turn around in early june, but slows down to a several week delay as time goes on. This may end up being an intricate thing to balance, so maybe just plan on submitting AMCAS at the end of June, and really detailing your additional clinical experience in your secondaries or in updates. Then again, you might also check and see how significant applying later would be for an applicant in CA with your stats. Maybe submitting your primary in August with a couple of more months worth of experience would be worth it. Your stellar stats may back that risk up....

I think with your numbers, if you can convince them that your heart is in the right place (tons of clinical experience and thoughtful essays on those experiences), and you've really worked through the reality of what a practicing physician faces, you stand a good chance. If you're not convincing, however, you'll likely have to reapply next year with more clinical experience under your belt. Good luck.

Thanks for the advice Pheonix. I am currently volunteering at a hospital with plenty of patient contact and I should be able to rack up 100 hours or so before June (it's actually fun work so that won't be hard). I also have roughly 60-70 hours of misc. community service from my fraternity stuff. Hopefully some of the doctors I've contacted will be down for the shadowing deal.

 

[abcrunk]

Seeing how I have a few months to go before college... (please be gentle) what're the ideal things needed/required to increase the chances of acceptance into medical school? Of course 3 years from now I may decide I rather become an actress/singer/writer/hippy instead, but then again I'd just like to know what's needed just in case.

Oh and I'm sorry if this is the wrong place to post.. couldn't find anywhere else.

 

[Dr Roboto]

Seeing how I have a few months to go before college... (please be gentle) what're the ideal things needed/required to increase the chances of acceptance into medical school? Of course 3 years from now I may decide I rather become an actress/singer/writer/hippy instead, but then again I'd just like to know what's needed just in case.

Oh and I'm sorry if this is the wrong place to post.. couldn't find anywhere else.

Work hard, get good grades, rock the MCAT, become a well-rounded person in and out of academics, and cultivate a personality while you're at it. You have the benefit of your predecessors' mistakes here on SDN. Don't take it for granted. Good luck.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[coffeebeanjenn]

So I'm new to SDN, but I keep getting turned down from all of my requests to shadow. So I'm compelled to see how critical you all think my lack of shadowing will be for me...

BS in biology from a top tier engineering/science school, graduated 2004. GPA 3.8 (I haven't calculated the science GPA, but it will be roughly the same)

Going to school at night to get a MS in biotechnology. Current GPA 4.0. Will complete the program next fall. (I am doing this to keep my science skills sharp)

Work full time at a defense contractor.

Took the MCAT in 2003, got a 37O. I'm scheduled for the 18 July MCAT. Shooting for at least a 35 now.

I'm fairly confident that I'll have a good set of LORs.

I intend to apply this summer EDP to KU med. My husband and I want to settle in KS, so that is definitely my first choice. We currently live in DC, but he grew up in KS and I grew up in CO. If I am rejected, or moved to regular decision, well... we'll have to face some difficult decisions. He's in law school now and has a summer internship with a firm in KC that we're both hoping will evolve into a full time offer.

Because of the job and night school, I don't have a lot of recent clinical or shadowing experience. I worked all throughout college, so I had only limited experience then (shadowed a primary care physician for 3 days in 2003). In highschool, way back in the day, I shadowed a pathologist (1 day) and an epidemiologist (1 day). I also have a research lab and teaching lab experience. I'm starting to volunteer at a hospital on weekends now, which may seem transparent to ADCOMS given that it's a recent thing, but I honestly didn't have time for it before. I realize that a lot of you are going to say that everyone is busy and that is no excuse, but I do work 50-60 hours a week, go to school at night, travel frequently, and am trying to maintain a healthy marriage, so I really wasn't up for adding something new until recently.

And to preempt the "are you sure you want to do medicine" questions, I have put a ton of thought into this (I've been thinking about it for 8 years, at least). I've talked to doctors informally, as well as to medical students. I've read a ton of books on infectious disease and pathology. I've explored other options, such as research and national security, and decided that they are not right for me. My family and childhood friends all agree that being a doctor is what I've wanted to do since 7th grade, it's just that I had to do some other things first.

I didn't apply to medical school right out of undergrad because I wanted to work in the national security field for a while (I had a lot of friends serving in Iraq and that was the best way for me to feel like I was helping them). I also wanted to just experience life outside of school and do a little growing up. At that time, I was considering MD/PhD programs but wasn't ready to commit to 8 more years of school... I've now since done more research and reflection on what I want to do and have decided to just go for my MD. And I got married and we want to have kids at some point.

I'm mainly interested in pathology, forensic medicine, and/or infectious disease. Let's just say that I'm a huge science and technology nerd, and I know that I will thrive in those fields. I'm personable and enjoy interacting with people/patients, but I'm extremely analytic and would prefer a technical medical field. I've reached out to a lot of physicians in my area in those specialties, but because of sensitivities (especially with forensic medicine), they don't allow shadowing. I'm getting frustrated, because I'm not the type of person to shadow a doctor in a field that doesn't quite interest me just to say I shadowed someone... although at this point it seems like I probably won't have much of a choice. Are there any types of doctors that you all have had luck in shadowing? I was tempted to reach out to some doctors here that conduct surgery using a specialized robot, but I'm guessing that will get shot down as well...

So-to students who have been through the process before (and to those of you who just know a lot about this), what are your thoughts on my lack of recent shadowing? To those of you who have a lot of shadowing experience, how did you set up those experiences?

 

[MilkmanAl]

Put some polish on it, and that looks like a pretty strong personal statement, in my opinion. With your impressive scores and experiences, I'd imagine you'll be able to get in somewhere. If KU is the only place you're interested in, you're looking at a crapshoot. Applying to only 1 school is always risky. Your lack of clinical experience hurts, but you can remedy that with a bit of volunteerism. Shadowing isn't critical to a med school app, but I know it helped me decide that I definitely do want to be a doctor.

 

[iA-MD2013]

coffeebeanjen,
I think the biggest problem with applying EDP to KU is that residency is really important. So, are you a resident of KS? It doesn't matter how good your stats are, you should be a resident. If you are, I think you have a very decent shot at getting in. You probably should get in some shadowing. If not, try doing some volunteering in a local hospital (which should be easy to do).

 

[coffeebeanjenn]

Yeah... I am not a resident of KS, but I am volunteering at a hospital in DC currently. I've looked over the KU requirements closely, and I can technically apply for residency because we would be relocating to KS for my husband's job (but that would be after I'm admitted...). I guess I'm just hoping that my stats will get them to send me a secondary, and then through that I can convey how I really want to contribute to the KS health system and settle down there.

This is all really tough, trying to fit what is right for me personally (medical school) with what is right for my marriage (moving back out west, and also being supportive of my husband's law career).

 

[Phoenix.]

Coffeebean: I'm not sure about how it works with early decision to a state school if you won't have residency status at the time of application. If I were you, I'd call the school tomorrow and ask if you've got any chance at early decision in that situation.

Check out my mdapps - I had no shadowing experience whatsoever, and I don't feel it hurt me at all. But I'm a non-traditional application too, and I think they realize that we have a slightly different perspective and expectations (more grounded/realistic perhaps?) than someone still in college. Check out the non-traditional forum on SDN - there are a lot of us out there.

I think you've got a fantastic application. Just keep up the current clinical work/volunteering, and I think you'll be fine. I don't think there's any need to shadow in your case if you can demonstrate your understanding of what some of the limitations (and benefits) or practicing medicine are in your essays. You've certainly got reasons why you haven't been able to do much clinical work until now, and I think adcoms will be understanding and receptive if your personal statement (as to why you're pursuing medicine, and why now) is compelling, and you are able to show you know what you're getting into in that statement and/or your secondary essays, I think you're set. You've got great stats, and I imagine your MCAT will be excellent again. If you don't get in early decision, I'm sure you'll have great luck in the regular decision process. I know it's harder as a non-trad since you've got obligations (others to consider in this), but I believe that things will work out well for you.

 

[191159]

Okay so here's the incredibly long story sorry 🙂:

I went to college with a 4.6 or so in high school and had never really been in an bad academic situation like I'm in now. My first year of college and half was shaky due to being away from everyone and that fact that my mother (a nurse) was basically forcing me to focus on becoming a pharmacist. I've never had the desire to become one but my parents just wouldn't listen to the reasons I wanted to pursue the MD. "Doctors work crazy hours and are very stressed, bla bla bla" My third semester I ended up with 4 C's (bio II/phy II) and 2 A's in GenChem II/Lab. The next semester I was heading the same direction ( not attending class, sleeping in until 2 PM 😉) so I ended up with a semester of W's and took a year and a half off school. So then I went through the "make my parents feel like they screwed me up phase" and worked at a deli for a year and half. Anyways to get to the point I enrolled last fall retaking the 3 out of the 4 C's and got a 4.0, so I now have all A's in the basic prereqs with a few A-'s.

So with ~52 credit hours left (if i keep my 4.0) I can manage around a 3.65 by the time I graduate. The only thing is I have little to no EC's. I'm reading on everyone's MDapps files that they have "2 years of this.. 3 years of that.." I don't really have that much time to gather this much experience considering I'm on pace to graduate in Fall 2010. So.... sorry for the very detailed explanation but what should I do now in terms of EC's? I'm volunteering at a local ER and have another interview coming up for another hospital. I don't feel like I'm really getting any clinical experience in these situations though because I'm mostly just running the ER desk. Should I cram all this experience with in the next year and a half or do a post-bacc before applying the first time and gather more experience? I've seen people say it's not good to reapply and to wait until you're ready... Is this true and when should I apply? Also, how bad is an entire semester of W’s going to look? It seems obvious to me that I wasn’t in the right situation but I’m not sure how allopathic schools are going to view my situation. Anyways, there’s my life in 30 seconds. Enjoy.

 

[dresden62]

I'm very impressed to find out how helpful you guys are with so many inquiries. On this note I' m hoping you guys can give me some points and advice me in the right direction.

Undergrad: Microbiology and Cell Science from the University of Florida (May 2007), AMCAS calculations: Total GPA: 3.30 &#8211; BCPM: 3.02

MCAT: I took the MCAT last Jan scores on the lower 20's:
May - Physical Sci.: 7 Verbal: 7 Biological Sci.: 8 Essay: P

I'm currently studying to retake it in July 18th. So far, the practice tests are showing a great improvement: CBT 4 ( 31) and CBT 5 (33).

Research: I did two semesters of research in a Molecular Bio lab focusing on the studies of Fungi sporulation and biological insecticides. I've been working as a Research Associate dealing with the Microbiology aspect of wound care injuries since last summer. I'll have some publications soon.

Volunteering: I volunteered at different special events for a post-treatment cancer facility back in Gainesville.
Could not do much volunteer hours as an undergrad since I worked 20 hours a week while attending school full-time - hence my crappy GPA.
Tutor Physics and Chemistry at a local HS.
Various small little projects with the community: Habitat for Humanity, Beach clean ups, Recreational facilities restorations, etc.
5 hours a week ER volunteer at a near by Children Hospital since last June.
Big Brother/ Big Sister: taking my little brother 3 times a month for outings and activities since Feb. of this year.
Clinical: I want to shadow physicians while awaiting for the July 18th MCAT scores.

Publications/Posters and Abstracts: N/A. Soon to come.

What follows is a brief description of my bio and some questions that I hope you guys can answer in a detailed and reasonable way. Thank you so much for your help; it is truly and greatly appreciated.

I'm 28 years old. Married, have a wonderful one year old son and work full-time as a Research Associate. Because of my family life and the fact that I had to work during school, my GPA suffered. Hence I moved back home instead of taking the MCAT right after graduation. I didn't study much and because of my stupid over confidence I got a crappy MCAT score. Therefore I have decided to retake it in the hopes of achieving a better and more competitive score. I know I can do it; I just needed the wake up call.

• If I get a really good score, what are my chances of getting in? Do I need a SMP or MS if I do fairly well on the July 18th MCAT (34+)? And if I do need a SMP or MS:
• Would a regular Masters in Biomedical Science help my cause?
• I would love to do a SMP to improve my GPA but they are so expensive and as you can see I can't just get up and take my family across the states for a something that it might not even be necessary.
• If I end up in a SMP or MS program, do I have to finish the MS or SMP program in order to apply to Med School?
• Since I'm taking the MCAT on July 18th and the scores won't be available until mid-August, would this put me at a disadvantage? Would I be considered as a late applicant? I reckon that a great MCAT score is better than taking the test earlier and getting an average score.
• Since I moved back to Miami, my personal life has gotten a lot easier. My wife's family resides here in Miami and they are great, great help with our baby. I can also consider Atlanta as another city that I can live in since my family lives there and they will love to help us with our baby. I'm willing to move anywhere in the country for Med School but these two cities are my priority choices.

I would like to thank you guys for making a difference in this website by helping us, the blind and desperate drivers in this though and very competitive road.
I would also like to thank Casca. I pretty much copied and paste your format, so I'm thanking you for your indirect help.

 

[DarkKnight11087]

Alright guys im currently a Junior Biology Major who will be applying for admission in teh Fall of 2009. I took my mcats and got a 32Q (10-Phys, 11-VR, 11-Bio)

I used to be in a 7 year medical program that required no MCAT but i was dismissed from the program after my freshmen year of college for not being able to meet GPA requirements. My Overall GPA freshmen year was 3.04. The main reason for this was i was overwhelmed with the whole college lifestyle and had terrible study habits since i never had to study in highschool. Also my mom had a major surgery and post-op complications in the spring semester of my freshmen year that also hurt my focus. My grades have been much much better since my freshmen year. I have a 3.84 cum GPA and a 3.79 Science GPA since my freshmen year. My extracuriccular activities are i have 3 paper publications, one that i got published in highschool and 2 i have gotten published since being in college also i have another research project im currently working on. I shadowed a doctor this summer for about 40 hours and have been actively volunteering at a local hospital since i was in 9th grade. What do you guys think my chances are of getting into medical school given my history. Also im a NYS resident. I go to Rensselear Polytechnic Instidute(RPI) just in case you guys are wondering.

 

[Dr Roboto]

Okay so here's the incredibly long story sorry 🙂:

I went to college with a 4.6 or so in high school and had never really been in an bad academic situation like I'm in now. My first year of college and half was shaky due to being away from everyone and that fact that my mother (a nurse) was basically forcing me to focus on becoming a pharmacist. I've never had the desire to become one but my parents just wouldn't listen to the reasons I wanted to pursue the MD. "Doctors work crazy hours and are very stressed, bla bla bla" My third semester I ended up with 4 C's (bio II/phy II) and 2 A's in GenChem II/Lab. The next semester I was heading the same direction ( not attending class, sleeping in until 2 PM 😉) so I ended up with a semester of W's and took a year and a half off school. So then I went through the "make my parents feel like they screwed me up phase" and worked at a deli for a year and half. Anyways to get to the point I enrolled last fall retaking the 3 out of the 4 C's and got a 4.0, so I now have all A's in the basic prereqs with a few A-'s.

So with ~52 credit hours left (if i keep my 4.0) I can manage around a 3.65 by the time I graduate. The only thing is I have little to no EC's. I'm reading on everyone's MDapps files that they have "2 years of this.. 3 years of that.." I don't really have that much time to gather this much experience considering I'm on pace to graduate in Fall 2010. So.... sorry for the very detailed explanation but what should I do now in terms of EC's? I'm volunteering at a local ER and have another interview coming up for another hospital. I don't feel like I'm really getting any clinical experience in these situations though because I'm mostly just running the ER desk. Should I cram all this experience with in the next year and a half or do a post-bacc before applying the first time and gather more experience? I've seen people say it's not good to reapply and to wait until you're ready... Is this true and when should I apply? Also, how bad is an entire semester of W’s going to look? It seems obvious to me that I wasn’t in the right situation but I’m not sure how allopathic schools are going to view my situation. Anyways, there’s my life in 30 seconds. Enjoy.

1. Good comeback.
2. Do the best you can with your current volunteering situation. On the flipside, if you learn nothing from thousands of hours volunteering, then what's the point?
3. Consider shadowing http://studentdoctor.net/blog/2008/03/22/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/
4. It's not so much that reapplying makes you look bad. It's more like it's not cost-effective and going through the whole process once is exhausting enough. Before you apply, you want to sit down and think about everything. Do you feel ready? Are you prepared to talk about your strengths and weaknesses? Are you prepared to talk about your mistakes? Are you aware of your motivations for medicine? Are you aware of what a career in medicine may entail? Both the good and bad?
5. Anyway, if you do decide to apply, apply early and broadly.

 

[Dr Roboto]

Alright guys im currently a Junior Biology Major who will be applying for admission in teh Fall of 2009. I took my mcats and got a 32Q (10-Phys, 11-VR, 11-Bio)

I used to be in a 7 year medical program that required no MCAT but i was dismissed from the program after my freshmen year of college for not being able to meet GPA requirements. My Overall GPA freshmen year was 3.04. The main reason for this was i was overwhelmed with the whole college lifestyle and had terrible study habits since i never had to study in highschool. Also my mom had a major surgery and post-op complications in the spring semester of my freshmen year that also hurt my focus. My grades have been much much better since my freshmen year. I have a 3.84 cum GPA and a 3.79 Science GPA since my freshmen year. My extracuriccular activities are i have 3 paper publications, one that i got published in highschool and 2 i have gotten published since being in college also i have another research project im currently working on. I shadowed a doctor this summer for about 40 hours and have been actively volunteering at a local hospital since i was in 9th grade. What do you guys think my chances are of getting into medical school given my history. Also im a NYS resident. I go to Rensselear Polytechnic Instidute(RPI) just in case you guys are wondering.

Looks good. Keep at it. I'm not sure if schools will even know you were dismissed from the program, but just in case, be prepared to talk about it. As always, apply early and broadly. You should get some love from the state schools.

 

[Phoenix.]

Alright guys im currently a Junior Biology Major who will be applying for admission in teh Fall of 2009. I took my mcats and got a 32Q (10-Phys, 11-VR, 11-Bio)

I used to be in a 7 year medical program that required no MCAT but i was dismissed from the program after my freshmen year of college for not being able to meet GPA requirements. My Overall GPA freshmen year was 3.04. The main reason for this was i was overwhelmed with the whole college lifestyle and had terrible study habits since i never had to study in highschool. Also my mom had a major surgery and post-op complications in the spring semester of my freshmen year that also hurt my focus. My grades have been much much better since my freshmen year. I have a 3.84 cum GPA and a 3.79 Science GPA since my freshmen year. My extracuriccular activities are i have 3 paper publications, one that i got published in highschool and 2 i have gotten published since being in college also i have another research project im currently working on. I shadowed a doctor this summer for about 40 hours and have been actively volunteering at a local hospital since i was in 9th grade. What do you guys think my chances are of getting into medical school given my history. Also im a NYS resident. I go to Rensselear Polytechnic Instidute(RPI) just in case you guys are wondering.

Sounds like you've got a great upward trend (I wouldn't mention about not having study in high school though in any apps), BUT what they're going to first look at is your MCAT (which is good), and then your overall and science gpas. Do you know what those are currently? Also, when you're filling out AMCAS, I'm pretty sure it limits things to college and beyond. I believe you might be able to get in a high school activity or research if it continued into your college years, but if not, then it won't be mentioned in your application, so just focus on your college accomplishmens/activites. Sounds like your clinical ECs are solid, and you've got research, which is a great plus. I think that you've got an excellent chance at your NY state schools, but your chances at AECOM, MSSM, NYU, Columbia, Cornell, etc. will likely depend on what overall/science gpas you end up with, your personal statement, LORs, etc. If you know you want to stay in NY, I'd apply to every medical school in the state of NY, and then apply to a couple in nearby states (depending on your preferences, perhaps NJ/PA schools, etc.). Overall, I think you're good to go - just get your app in early.

 

[Phoenix.]

1. Good comeback.
2. Do the best you can with your current volunteering situation. On the flipside, if you learn nothing from thousands of hours volunteering, then what's the point?
3. Consider shadowing http://studentdoctor.net/blog/2008/03/22/pre-med-preparation-the-importance-of-physician-shadowing/
4. It's not so much that reapplying makes you look bad. It's more like it's not cost-effective and going through the whole process once is exhausting enough. Before you apply, you want to sit down and think about everything. Do you feel ready? Are you prepared to talk about your strengths and weaknesses? Are you prepared to talk about your mistakes? Are you aware of your motivations for medicine? Are you aware of what a career in medicine may entail? Both the good and bad?
5. Anyway, if you do decide to apply, apply early and broadly.

I wanted to add, that from what I've read regarding reapplicants, it's not just the expense and time consumed in applying twice, but it's also the fact that reapplicants tend to be held to a higher standard. Many schools have an extra essay for reapplicants to submit, explaining how they've improved their application from the last time they applied.

 

[Phoenix.]

Okay so here's the incredibly long story sorry 🙂:

I went to college with a 4.6 or so in high school and had never really been in an bad academic situation like I'm in now. My first year of college and half was shaky due to being away from everyone and that fact that my mother (a nurse) was basically forcing me to focus on becoming a pharmacist. I've never had the desire to become one but my parents just wouldn't listen to the reasons I wanted to pursue the MD. "Doctors work crazy hours and are very stressed, bla bla bla" My third semester I ended up with 4 C's (bio II/phy II) and 2 A's in GenChem II/Lab. The next semester I was heading the same direction ( not attending class, sleeping in until 2 PM 😉) so I ended up with a semester of W's and took a year and a half off school. So then I went through the "make my parents feel like they screwed me up phase" and worked at a deli for a year and half. Anyways to get to the point I enrolled last fall retaking the 3 out of the 4 C's and got a 4.0, so I now have all A's in the basic prereqs with a few A-'s.

So with ~52 credit hours left (if i keep my 4.0) I can manage around a 3.65 by the time I graduate. The only thing is I have little to no EC's. I'm reading on everyone's MDapps files that they have "2 years of this.. 3 years of that.." I don't really have that much time to gather this much experience considering I'm on pace to graduate in Fall 2010. So.... sorry for the very detailed explanation but what should I do now in terms of EC's? I'm volunteering at a local ER and have another interview coming up for another hospital. I don't feel like I'm really getting any clinical experience in these situations though because I'm mostly just running the ER desk. Should I cram all this experience with in the next year and a half or do a post-bacc before applying the first time and gather more experience? I've seen people say it's not good to reapply and to wait until you're ready... Is this true and when should I apply? Also, how bad is an entire semester of W’s going to look? It seems obvious to me that I wasn’t in the right situation but I’m not sure how allopathic schools are going to view my situation. Anyways, there’s my life in 30 seconds. Enjoy.

You should get in as much clinical experience as you can before you apply. If you don't feel it's sufficient, take a year more before you apply. As I said above, when you reapply, you most likely will have to submit an extra essay to those schools you're reapplying to explaining how you've improved your application. It can be done, but you don't want to aim for presenting a weak application the first time around.

Regardless, if you don't feel you're getting much out of volunteering at the ER, look into if there are any free health clinics around. I found the experience I get there helping with triage and phlebotomy (they trained us there), is MUCH more satisfying than what I was able to do at my local ER.

Regarding your grades and Ws, yeah, you're going to have to explain that. While DO schools tend to be much more forgiving in terms of upward trends (they'll also let you substitue an A for a C if you retake the class whereas for MD schools, they just factor both grades in), MD schools are not. I think if you get your ducks in a row, do well on the MCAT (aim for a 30+) and present an otherwise mature and well-thought out application that you've got shot. However, I'd suggest that you consider applying to DO schools as well given that they're much more encouraging of students who had a rough start. Look into that.

I think it's hard to really estimate your chances, however, as a lot will depend on what your transcript looks like and how you explain the low grades and Ws. You need to sound mature, like you've learned from your mistakes, and continue with your trend of As. Your personal statement will also be key. Also, a lot will depend on what state you're a resident of. If you're in CA, the odds are a little steeper, because you can't depend on your state schools so much. If you're a resident of somewhere like TX, FL, OH, etc., you've got slightly better odds.