MD What should I work on...

[Tigriski]

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Hi everyone.

I graduate Au17 and I am applying next cycle.

Projected graduation cGPA 3.81 sGPA 3.78
MCAT 516
Major: Plant Pathology
URM (AA Female)

I have no clinical volunteering experience.

Clinical Experience:
60+ hours of shadowing (cardio, neurology, pathology, general surgery)

NonClinical experiences:

• I volunteer at an Urban community garden, which is in a low income area (median income is less than 15k) and is also one of the highest infant mortality rate areas in the nation. So issues surrounding malnutrition and food scarcity. I expect to have around 300 hours here before I apply and I continue there through the app cycle.

• Ochem/Biochem tutor (2016fall-current: 180+ hours) I think this will end when i graduate?
• For each spring break I chose to do an alternate spring break serving groups facing some kind of social injustice. Groups go to group/partner/clinic that deals with that social issue (total~160hr)

Research:

• Research Assistant at home institution (with plants) (spring2017-current: 310 hours) Ill start working here full time once i graduate so this should be greater than 1000 and Ill be there during the year app cycle so... I have an independent project. hopefully Ill get a publication
• I did two summer research programs: 1. Case Western(Su15)-- biomarkers of septicemia 2. Columbia Graduate School (Su16-- Certain plants affect on climate change. I'm sure both add up to over 1000 hrs. I'm not really sure what med schools think of these experiences

Leadership:

• I've lead 2 of those spring break trips listed above^^
• VP of a Scholars Organization geared toward Minorities in STEM
• Student Mentor throughout the semester and for a Summer Bridge program (bridges minority students coming from high school into STEM majors)
• Won an outstanding Senior award from the university based on a cumulation of academics, service, and leadership (top 1%, school Pop. is ~ 45k)

I've always been premed, but I seriously looked into PhD for my last two years and I've decided it isn't for me. My exposure through shadowing and non-clinical volunteer experiences ultimately showed me I would be more satisfied with medicine. I'd like to go to a med school that requires a research thesis. But I don't really know where to go from here or if my stats are good enough. I feel like my ECs are weak and the ones I have I started late, like my last 1.5 years of undergrad--everything is concentrated... However I have a nice gap yearish to improve...

 

[Faha]

It would help your application greatly if you could accumulate 200 hours of clinical volunteering (hospital setting would be good) in the coming year. Then you would be competitive for most MD schools. The exceptions would be state public schools that accept few non residents. Where is your state of residence?

 

[Tigriski]

It would help your application greatly if you could accumulate 200 hours of clinical volunteering (hospital setting would be good) in the coming year. Then you would be competitive for most MD schools. The exceptions would be state public schools that accept few non residents. Where is your state of residence?

Thanks for your advice!

Ohio. So we have lots of MD school I'll be applying to. None of them has required research tho.....And why clinical volunteering? Im just curious. I've always been a little confused of its purpose.... I know it's a chance to see intimate interactions between physicians and nurses/ what doctors do etc. But when I went get a clinical volunteering job there was so much red tape. you cant touch any one. all you can do is push wheelchairs (if youre lucky) or direct people around... that seems hardly educational. I actually planned on doing more shadowing. I learned so more from it. I didn't really care that I couldn't touch the wheelchair.

I figured my current non-clinical volunteering ties my app together nicely (please burst my bubble if this is not true)

 

[workaholic181]

Thanks for your advice!

Ohio. So we have lots of MD school I'll be applying to. None of them has required research tho.....And why clinical volunteering? Im just curious. I've always been a little confused of its purpose.... I know it's a chance to see intimate interactions between physicians and nurses/ what doctors do etc. But when I went get a clinical volunteering job there was so much red tape. you cant touch any one. all you can do is push wheelchairs (if youre lucky) or direct people around... that seems hardly educational. I actually planned on doing more shadowing. I learned so more from it. I didn't really care that I couldn't touch the wheelchair.

I figured my current non-clinical volunteering ties my app together nicely (please burst my bubble if this is not true)

It's just a way to show that you care about healthcare and patients. An attempt to weed out intelligent people who don't have a realistic view of what modern medicine is really like.

Just add more clinical experience and you should have a successful app cycle.

 

[Tigriski]

It's just a way to show that you care about healthcare and patients. An attempt to weed out intelligent people who don't have a realistic view of what modern medicine is really like.

Just add more clinical experience and you should have a successful app cycle.

Okay thanks!

 

[Faha]

When you apply, apply to all your Ohio schools (including Case Western). Then you can add any OOS schools that appeal to you.

 

[Tigriski]

When you apply, apply to all your Ohio schools (including Case Western). Then you can add any OOS schools that appeal to you.

my number one pick would be Mt. Sinai. I feel my humanitarian interest matches theirs. Is this too much of a reach? Do my grades match?

 

[Faha]

You are competitive for Mount Sinai but it is not possible to predict if any one school will interview you. It is not a reach.

 

[Tigriski]

You are competitive for Mount Sinai but it is not possible to predict if any one school will interview you. It is not a reach.

okay! thanks for the advice/perspective