What else should I be doing besides classes and volunteering?

[medworm]

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Hello, I'm a career changer (from industry/manufacturing) and am pretty out of touch with all the do's and don'ts of premed. Besides a full courseload (BCPM), I am volunteering at a local hospital 4 hrs/week. I get to rotate depts. quarterly for a total of about 200 hours/year. I'm also in a Shadow program for 4 hrs/week for 2 months. I plan to volunteer some more at another hospital (county type) for 100 hours and read to disadvantaged kids in school for 1 hr/week. My unrelated ECs include ballroom dancing and other community service but none of which garners awards. Since I've been out of school for 5 years now, my CV will be pretty bland. Just the basic corporate America promotions and stats.

What else should I be doing to be a more attractive candidate applying next year? Are my chances nil? 😕 I know there aren't any shortcuts to showing dedication but heck I'm a woman and I've got a body clock to listen to! Can't afford to (though I would like to) spend 2 years with the Peace Corps deworming children in Uganda just to prove how dedicated I am to this endeavor.

I've heard EMT, lab research, clinical research. Any ideas on what's best? How do I get started on those? I considered learning Spanish but who knows.

Thanks! 😳

 

[angstrom55]

I believe research is a definate. General community service (aside from clinical stuff) is good, as well as involvement with school (clubs and such, leadership positions). I know other people have done research internships, published, done research symposiums, received awards (like deans list, research related, things like that).

 

[uclacrewdude]

those are all good suggestions, but i think more important than is an old hb adage:
do what you love, love what you do
adcoms like the kind of people we all should like -- people who are passionate about what they believe in. if you do this, what you specifically do matters less than how you did it.

 

[turnip]

That's a good question, I heard research will only help your application. I'm entering the summer of my sophomore year, so I was wondering how people juggle research, volunteerwork and possibly studying for the MCATs. I don't want to look back later and say "Pooh! I should have done that..."

 

[curlycity]

I absolutely agree with previous post that you should do things you are passionate about. I simply didn't do a lot of premed things because I wasn't interested in them (volunteering - I got a job; premed clubs - I preferred science clubs) but what I did, I threw myself into and had a lot to put on the app/discuss in interviews. And don't be so dismissive of your corporate resume - consider what strengths and talents contributed to your promotions etc. and make those a continuous theme in your application. For instance, if you're really good at organizing people, leadership, etc., taking a position of responsibility in a community clinic or Habitat for Humanity would be more fitting than taking a no-responsibility, low-impact position just to get into a medical environment. Don't get me wrong, you need some medical experience, I'm just suggesting you roll with your corporate-field strengths and do ECs that will illustrate to the adcoms how those strengths will make you an excellent physician. From my own experience, it's important to incorporate the typical premed endeavors into activities that illustrate your interests and aptitudes on your application, rather than fitting into a cookie-cutter mold and creating an app that looks the same as every other app. And your activities can be alternated so you can still get good grades and do well on the MCAT - you don't have to do everything all at once, and you don't have to do any one thing forever. Showing the maturity to have balance in your priorities is more important than overachieving, I think.

Good luck!

 

[gujuDoc]

I agree completely with the post right above mine.

Don't fall into this trap of I need this many volunteer hours to get into medical school type of persona.

Medical schools want to see unique individuality and dedication to the field of medicine.

They don't want to see someone doing something just to impress them. A friend of mine is applying this year and has a first aid certification, is a life guard, a former soccer player and current soccer coach and does some marine research which has led to the discovery of anticancer agents.

She shadowed a little bit. But what she didn't do was join every premed organization, volunteer at every hospital, and do medical research for the sake of doing research.

In all cases, she did stuff she loved to do and with her GPA as long as she makes the MCAT score, I think she has a much fairer shot than the person who was president of every student organization and did research they weren't really interested in.

 

[gujuDoc]

Oh and I forgot to mention a few things:

One buy the book HOW NOT TO APPLY TO MEDICAL SCHOOL by PAUL JUNG.

Its a great book. He talks about misconceptions. For instance, he says are you a researcher or a rat killer? Are you a volunteer or a candy striper?
Are you a club member or clubber?

In other words, he says look into why you do what you do and only do it if you really want to be there.

In other words, don't do things just to impress because there are people who never volunteer a day in their life and who never do research a day in their life and they get into medical school.

The fact that you have some life experience in something different from the typical first time in college student will work in your favor if you eloquently state why you made the career change and what swayed your decision to go to medical school, while making the grades, MCATs and showing a little bit of exposure to medicine in some form another.

P.S. I have a 35 yr old friend whom was an RN of 10 yrs and just got into University of Miami School of medicine back in March. She leaves in July to move down there with her hubby and by the way had only a 24 MCAT but a 3.9 GPA postbac.

 

[fullefect1]

P.S. I have a 35 yr old friend whom was an RN of 10 yrs and just got into University of Miami School of medicine back in March. She leaves in July to move down there with her hubby and by the way had only a 24 MCAT but a 3.9 GPA postbac.

Wow, she is very lucky to get in with that low MCAT. They must have really liked her.

 

[gujuDoc]

Yah my friend only applied in the state of Florida. So in other words, she applied at only 4 schools and all MD schools only. However, she got interviews at the 3 of the schools, USF, UM, and FSU. And she got a waitlist at USF, and in at UM and FSU. So obviously someone really musta liked her. Maybe her nursing background helped her.

The interviewer at USF said see you in the fall. Like he wanted her to get in.

The interviewer at UM said what would make you choose another school over UM, like he really wanted her to be there. Her interviewer at UM was Dr. Finkley, the actual Associate dean of admissions down there.