What Holes to Fix before Applying?

[KiddCo]

I graduated back in 2013 with a double major in Biology and Neuroscience.
BCPM: 3.50
Cumulative: 3.65

I decided I wanted to take a few years off before going into medical school. I wanted to try working in a lab and experiencing the work force as a non doctor.

I ended up working in a large brewery doing Quality Assurance in a lab for about a year. Then accepted a job working in a large plastics producer managing a quality control laboratory. It was science, but nothing related to the health field. The company was bought out around the end of 2016 and all the managers got the pink slip.

Shortly after I met a girl and things kicked off. I ended up selling my house and moving with her to New Mexico.
The dream of becoming a doctor never faded since leaving college and we decided that now was a good time to actively pursue medical school. I supported her for a few months until she graduated, and now her job takes us around the country every 6 months (shes a golf instructor and PGA professional).

With that background, I'm concerned I may not be looked upon favorably by medical school admissions.

My volunteer experience is a bit hit or miss. I used to be a volunteer EMT for my local fire and ambulance department before and during college. I have well over 1000 hours, but I'm not sure that will count since it was so long ago. Recently I've been volunteering at a local food pantry. I'm trying to volunteer with the local hospital, but I haven't heard back from them after submitting an application. My goal is to have at least 150-250 hours of recent volunteer experience before applying.

I've shadowed a GP for about 25 hours back in New Mexico and have several shadowing appointments in the next few weeks. I plan to have over 100 hours shadowing various specialties before sending in an application.

My largest concern so far is a lack of research experience. We'll be moving again at the end on September to Tampa, FL. I'm hoping there will be some opportunities to find research once we get down there. I'm also going to try and find a job as a scribe or some kind of clinical work.

Also, I plan to take the mcat around November. I've been spending most of my time recently getting prepared for it. I took one Kaplan FL before doing any studying in order to see my baseline and received a 495.

I plan to apply for the 2020 cycle. I feel like this gives me a good year to try and get things together. I'm looking for any advice on what I can do or what I should focus on to be a more attractive applicant.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[theITcrowd]

Research is helpful but not strictly necessary unless you want to be an MD-PhD, so I wouldn't sweat that too much

Volunteering at the food pantry is fine because it shows humility and a willingness to serve the less-fortunate. Getting some more clinical experience would be good, though, so try casting a wider net if that hospital doesn't get back to you.

Good luck!

 

[KiddCo]

Research is helpful but not strictly necessary unless you want to be an MD-PhD, so I wouldn't sweat that too much

Volunteering at the food pantry is fine because it shows humility and a willingness to serve the less-fortunate. Getting some more clinical experience would be good, though, so try casting a wider net if that hospital doesn't get back to you.

Good luck!

I'm glad to hear a lack of research won't hurt me too much if I'm going straight for MD. Though I'll jump at the chance if something is available once we get to Tampa.

As far as clinical experience, there isn't much around this small farming community I'm currently at. Just driving to the hospital for shadowing is about 45 minutes away.

Though I believe there is a hospice about 30 minutes away. I'm going to call them today and see if they could use a volunteer for about a month or so until we move down south. I'm fairly certain hospice would provide clinical experience as long as I'm not answering phones all day.

 

[theITcrowd]

Though I believe there is a hospice about 30 minutes away. I'm going to call them today and see if they could use a volunteer for about a month or so until we move down south. I'm fairly certain hospice would provide clinical experience as long as I'm not answering phones all day.

Hospice is a great option, there's opportunity for lots of patient contact depending on needs and, at least in my area, they're always looking for volunteers. You probably won't be answering phones, but some of the tasks are pretty heavy, like vigil (sitting with someone in their final hours).

 

[KiddCo]

Kaplan's stuff is trash meant to produce panic -> buying their product. NS is decent, Berkeley Review predicted my score exactly, save the AAMC's for when you get close.

I've found the Kaplan material to be a good refresher with content review so far; supplemented with khan academy. I've read elsewhere that the tests are hard compared to the real thing and are more about regurgitation of material than problem solving and critical thinking. I'll probably finish reading all the books and do the practice and FLs anyways. I might take one of the AAMC tests sooner than later to get a feel for how it is formatted. I'm curious how different it is from the single Kaplan one I've taken so far.

Also, I plan to apply in the 2020 rotation, which gives me almost an entire year to prepare for and take the MCAT. Though at my current pace I think I'll be ready to take it around November or December. Would be nice to be considered in the early admission programs.