What do you think of my EC's?

This sounds really good, and the fact that you have clinical experience is great. Not too many of us have the opportunity to do hands-on work these days and this is definitely a plus to your app. Shadowing a physician would be an enjoyable experience, though not totally necessary. But if you know of a physician who would be willing to have you shadow him or her, Go for it! best wishes.

 

yours ecs are EXCELLENT. no worries... have you spent much time with physicians while working on these projects? If so, i think you're fine. just think about why what their role is in the projects is so much better fit for you than the other roles.

 

Your EC's are excellent and will give you plenty of stuff to talk about at your interviews. I do think it's a good idea to shadow a physician. I know you said you've worked with lots of patients, but there are other things doctors do (spend a lot of time doing paper work and making phone calls, have to take call on holidays and weekends, things like that that you might see with your job), so I think it would be good to shadow a doc because you'll get to see what their day-to-day life is like (and also could get a LOR from a physician). I think you'd be fine without out, but with EC's like that, why leave out the one thing that they could find you lacking for? Don't give them that. Find someone to shadow (even if just for a day or two). I don't think it matters what kind of doctor, just that you do it and see what their life is like. I think you'll really enjoy it.

 

What, you looking for a pat on the back?

Your ECs look good, but yes, you should get some shadowing experience.

 

Other than a lack of originality, you're doing fine. I would recommend (as others have) more shadowing experience though.

 

By the way, why the interest in a lethal infectious disease?

 

yeah, that's the first thing that crossed my mind.

Tiger - make sure your academics are on par with your ECs, and you'll be fine.

 

TigerLilies, don't be ridiculous. Your ECs are amazing, and if you don't feel like shadowing a physician, then don't. Honestly, you probably wouldn't get a huge amount out of shadowing one physician (I'm an MS4 now, so I have had to do a lot of "shadowing" since I started med school). Also, the fact that you have chosen one area (HIV) and done a lot with it is great, much better than some once a week afternoon shadowing.

As TheProwler said, you just need to make sure that your academic credentials are as good as your ECs, because amazing ECs won't make up for a 20 on the MCAT.

 

I was told University of Illinois Chicago's department of infectious disease has a number of HIV researchers. Not sure if this is correct because I try to avoid AIDS research.

 

How come?

 

Harvard has a lot of HIV researchers (see www.pih.org)

Shadowing isn't a rite of passage to enter med school. It's definitely not a necessity if you prefer other activities such as those that you're already involved in.

 

Yeah I agree with this. I had the same type of medical EC's as you, and never shadowed anyone, and it was never mentioned.

 

Just because 1. it does not interest me and 2. the risks involved if doing something invasive or lab related. More power to those that are interested in it.....I imagine they would not be terribly fascinated by my lightning pathology research.