What else should I do?

[vmc303]

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I graduated in 2004 with a Philosophy degree from an Ivy League school. 3.3 GPA, no science coursework or related extracurriculars. I've started taking postbac courses at a local university, and I'm currently enrolled in general chem. In the fall and spring, I'll be take biology, physics, and organic chemistry. I should come out with a very strong science GPA, and as I've always been a good test-taker, a high MCAT as well.

What else should I do over the next year or two to make myself a real candidate for some of the top schools? Should I postpone applying for a year, so I can take more than just the minimum requirements or possibly get started on a master's? When should I look to start doing research? As I'm not even done with general chem at this point, I doubt I'd have much luck getting into a lab. I'll probably work about 15 hours a week through the fall, then try to get something going at that point. Is that too little, too late? Any other suggestions for what I should be doing over the next year or two?

 

[Caboose]

I graduated in 2004 with a Philosophy degree from an Ivy League school. 3.3 GPA, no science coursework or related extracurriculars. I've started taking postbac courses at a local university, and I'm currently enrolled in general chem. In the fall and spring, I'll be take biology, physics, and organic chemistry. I should come out with a very strong science GPA, and as I've always been a good test-taker, a high MCAT as well.

What else should I do over the next year or two to make myself a real candidate for some of the top schools? Should I postpone applying for a year, so I can take more than just the minimum requirements or possibly get started on a master's? When should I look to start doing research? As I'm not even done with general chem at this point, I doubt I'd have much luck getting into a lab. I'll probably work about 15 hours a week through the fall, then try to get something going at that point. Is that too little, too late? Any other suggestions for what I should be doing over the next year or two?

Wow, vmc303! Nice switch! Physics and ochem sound oh so fun. Are you going to take the MCAT this April too? Just a warning on that one, you probably are already aware, but I talk a lot - take a pretest before you sign up for the test. I thought I was going to take it this August, but... well, no. My friend is in the same situation, only she hit the register button. She's a smart cookie - aced a lot of classes, but she's not doing so well with that monster. Just a thought with all of your other activities and your fluidity with your timing.
I would say to try and work for a hospital or something instead of research. Research is cool, but two things happened to me: I found myself doing a lot of grunt work that was no where near getting my name on a paper and when I did land a job that could get my name on the record, I spent 40-60 hours in the lab trying to figure out my project. Research is slow going, so if you're going to do it, I'd start looking for contacts now. You can most likely get into a lab doing something lame and then meet the people you really want to be working for. Personally, I wish I had more experience in the health field so I could be educated on all the politics and such that I am quite naive about at this point. When I worked at an emergency vet for a few months, I had a lot of experience with surgery, calculating drug dosages, administering shots/IV's and working around a high stress environment... who says you have to be a nurse? I got much more from the latter experience than research.
I'm sure you have very impressive non-science oriented activities you can emphasize, so for now grades and the test are the number one. If it were me and I believed I was competitive by the end of the MCAT, I would apply, but plan on doing other things, just in case. Why not?
😳

 

[Law2Doc]

I graduated in 2004 with a Philosophy degree from an Ivy League school. 3.3 GPA, no science coursework or related extracurriculars. I've started taking postbac courses at a local university, and I'm currently enrolled in general chem. In the fall and spring, I'll be take biology, physics, and organic chemistry. I should come out with a very strong science GPA, and as I've always been a good test-taker, a high MCAT as well.

What else should I do over the next year or two to make myself a real candidate for some of the top schools? Should I postpone applying for a year, so I can take more than just the minimum requirements or possibly get started on a master's? When should I look to start doing research? As I'm not even done with general chem at this point, I doubt I'd have much luck getting into a lab. I'll probably work about 15 hours a week through the fall, then try to get something going at that point. Is that too little, too late? Any other suggestions for what I should be doing over the next year or two?

It's far more important to med schools that you get clinical experience than research. Thus if you haven't found a way to volunteer or shadow such that you can observe doctors with patients, and know what medicine is really all about, you need to do so ASAP. If you can also do some research that's great, but you need to consider clinical experience/exposure a premed prereq at most places. As for whether to get a masters, I would only do so if you end up not getting mostly A's in the postbac. Getting A's in your postbac will get your GPA high enough that, with a decent MCAT, you probably will be ready to apply - you won't need the added credential of a masters or additional proof that you can handle science classes.