Major: Occupational Therapy with a minor in Psychology
cGPA: 3.61 sGPA: 4.0
I haven't taken the MCAT yet, but I'm hoping to take them Spring 2017. I'm about to enter my 4th year in a combined BS/MS 5-year occupational therapy at a relatively small school, however I ended up realizing I wanted to go into medicine. Unfortunately, most of the necessary pre-reqs weren't covered in my program, nor could I take them at my home institution because of the way they organize the curriculum, my psychology minor, and the maximum limit of credits my institution allows outside of my major. I was able to take physics 1 and 2 , but I didn't have enough space within my credit limits to take all other required courses. So, I took Bio and Chem at my state university over the course of a couple of summers. I just finished Orgo 1, I'm halfway through Orgo 2, and I intend on taking the UNE online Biochemistry course. If I had the option to take it in-person over the summer I would, but with what's coming up in my program I would have to wait 2 years for an available summer. I received an A in all of those science classes taken at both my home institution and state university. I was also required to take Anatomy & Phys. 1 and 2 and got an A in those classes as well. The occupational therapy program required me to take Functional Anatomy and Neuroscience, but those two classes were taught by the OT department themselves so I'm not sure if they qualify as science classes...but I got an A in both those classes too so it wouldn't change much if they count.
As for extracurriculars, my school is pretty small so there aren't many options. I am, however, a member of our occupational therapy student club which, for the most part, provides opportunities to volunteer around the community. I don't have the exact hours added up at the moment but I've volunteered numerous amounts of times at our county's special olympics bowling events, at the local nursing home, and at our city homeless shelter. I've also run fitness programs for elders at the city community center, developed and run a few winter "special olympics" for children with disabilities, and partook in a community outreach after-school program for low-income children to essentially educate them on certain concerning issues (i.e. health and wellness, bullying, etc.), help them with their homework, and make sure they get a meal before they go home since most of their families really can't afford 3 meals a day. I've also tutored for Calc 1 and I intend on tutoring for Functional Anatomy and Neuroscience this year.
Separate from school extra curriculars, I play 6 instruments. I'm also in a band and we venture off to many different states pretty often to play shows over summers (between my classes) and we've recorded 1 album and 1 EP (I don't think that will actually benefit me though haha). Tying into that, we've managed to set up somewhat of a booking agency where local bands or bigger name bands contact us or we contact them to set up shows to play. All our proceeds go to non-profit organizations (i.e. the National Eating Disorder Association).
In regards to clinical experience, I was lucky enough to shadow two doctors known by my extended family, however most of my exposure so far has been limited to my OT experience. I recently just finished a pediatric clinic rotation treating children with autism and fine motor delays with a supervising therapist. This semester I move on to adult populations, then I move on to geriatrics, and by next summer and fall, I'll pretty much be tackling therapy sessions on my own in a hospital of my choosing hopefully in neuro/orthopedics (of course, under the watchful eye of a licensed therapist).
I"m currently in the midst of research involving children with autism that is expected to be published as well as assisting in the development of an assessment for parents of children with autism.
Sorry for a rather lengthy post, but I thought some insight into whether or not I'm actually a competitive applicant into either an MD or DO school would be helpful.
cGPA: 3.61 sGPA: 4.0
I haven't taken the MCAT yet, but I'm hoping to take them Spring 2017. I'm about to enter my 4th year in a combined BS/MS 5-year occupational therapy at a relatively small school, however I ended up realizing I wanted to go into medicine. Unfortunately, most of the necessary pre-reqs weren't covered in my program, nor could I take them at my home institution because of the way they organize the curriculum, my psychology minor, and the maximum limit of credits my institution allows outside of my major. I was able to take physics 1 and 2 , but I didn't have enough space within my credit limits to take all other required courses. So, I took Bio and Chem at my state university over the course of a couple of summers. I just finished Orgo 1, I'm halfway through Orgo 2, and I intend on taking the UNE online Biochemistry course. If I had the option to take it in-person over the summer I would, but with what's coming up in my program I would have to wait 2 years for an available summer. I received an A in all of those science classes taken at both my home institution and state university. I was also required to take Anatomy & Phys. 1 and 2 and got an A in those classes as well. The occupational therapy program required me to take Functional Anatomy and Neuroscience, but those two classes were taught by the OT department themselves so I'm not sure if they qualify as science classes...but I got an A in both those classes too so it wouldn't change much if they count.
As for extracurriculars, my school is pretty small so there aren't many options. I am, however, a member of our occupational therapy student club which, for the most part, provides opportunities to volunteer around the community. I don't have the exact hours added up at the moment but I've volunteered numerous amounts of times at our county's special olympics bowling events, at the local nursing home, and at our city homeless shelter. I've also run fitness programs for elders at the city community center, developed and run a few winter "special olympics" for children with disabilities, and partook in a community outreach after-school program for low-income children to essentially educate them on certain concerning issues (i.e. health and wellness, bullying, etc.), help them with their homework, and make sure they get a meal before they go home since most of their families really can't afford 3 meals a day. I've also tutored for Calc 1 and I intend on tutoring for Functional Anatomy and Neuroscience this year.
Separate from school extra curriculars, I play 6 instruments. I'm also in a band and we venture off to many different states pretty often to play shows over summers (between my classes) and we've recorded 1 album and 1 EP (I don't think that will actually benefit me though haha). Tying into that, we've managed to set up somewhat of a booking agency where local bands or bigger name bands contact us or we contact them to set up shows to play. All our proceeds go to non-profit organizations (i.e. the National Eating Disorder Association).
In regards to clinical experience, I was lucky enough to shadow two doctors known by my extended family, however most of my exposure so far has been limited to my OT experience. I recently just finished a pediatric clinic rotation treating children with autism and fine motor delays with a supervising therapist. This semester I move on to adult populations, then I move on to geriatrics, and by next summer and fall, I'll pretty much be tackling therapy sessions on my own in a hospital of my choosing hopefully in neuro/orthopedics (of course, under the watchful eye of a licensed therapist).
I"m currently in the midst of research involving children with autism that is expected to be published as well as assisting in the development of an assessment for parents of children with autism.
Sorry for a rather lengthy post, but I thought some insight into whether or not I'm actually a competitive applicant into either an MD or DO school would be helpful.
