What are my chances, pals?

[pastryman]

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Hey guys, I thought I would give this a try since a lot of good feedback is thrown around here.

I am a senior now who has no MCAT score (17 days left until I see what I made on the July 16th exam). Was scoring 34-36 on the practices, though.
GPA: 3.96
Have been promised solid letters from important folks.
I have 700 hours over 3 semesters at a well-known research laboratory. Plan on continuing this for 2 more semesters until I graduate.

Now, this is where I am scared. I don't think I have enough hours for various activities.
1. I held a job for 2 winters and 1 summer break. Plenty of hours.
2. I worked at a free clinic for 2 summers (only 70 hours).
3. Shadowed a doctor for one summer (45 hours).
4. Volunteered at a hospital for one summer (50 hours).
5. Minor fundraising for a walk for diabetes cure (12 hours).

That is all folks. Seems like:
700 hrs research
Less than 200 hours of this other stuff if you exclude the job. Probably like 650 hours on top of that with the job, but I am not counting it because it isn't helping the community and isn't surrounding me with medicine.

Everyone else's posts seems to have like 300+ hours of community service and/or medical experience: Scary. Am I not competitive?

 

[Catalystik]

If you apply with the really strong numbers you project, it might help some adcomms overlook the sparse activities. But maybe not. Your best bet would be to continue building your ECs through the application cycle and letting schools know your efforts through update letters, hoping to sway them in your favor.

Your clinical experience is below average hours-wise, but at least it wasn't all at the last minute, and you do have some nice variety. It would be wise to continue building it. If possible, try to get a regular weekly gig somewhere near campus, perhaps in a nursing home, private clinic, rehab center, etc, if a hospital or free clinic is too far away.

Your shadowing isn't too bad, being just below average. I'd suggest 30 more hours split between two other docs. At leaast one doc you've shadowed should be primary care.

Nonmedical community service is a big lack for you. A regular, hands-on, weekly noncampus volunteer spot would be nice to see, like soup kitchen, Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society, homeless shelter, migrant camp, tutoring kids after school, but ideally something you care about. Fundraising is less appreciated unless you took on an organizational role in the activity.

You mention no leadership or teaching. At least one of these would be nice to see.

Your research is above average already. More will appeal to strongly research-oriented schools, though.

If worse comes to worst and you end up reapplying, you'd be in a much better position with the improvements outlined on a second go-round.

Is there any reason you can't submit your Primary without the MCAT score so the transcripts can get verified and be ready to go once the MCAT score is available?

 

[pastryman]

Thanks, that sounds like what I was fearing I would hear. Anyway, I am going to go ahead and sign up to work at a free clinic all through august and visit a food bank 1-2 times a week until May. I suppose, I will lighten up my coursework next two semesters and sign up to tutor around campus as well. I am waiting for my friends to review my PS before I submit my app. One of my friends said that med schools don't begin looking at your app until they get your MCAT and letters. Is he right or do they start looking at what you give them as soon as you give it to them?