Hello everyone. This is my first post, so please lead me in the right direction if this belongs in a different thread or subforum!
I started working half time as a medical scribe in June, which was my first real exposure to medicine. From this experience I have realized that I want to go to medical school. I had always considered it throughout high school and college but wasn't dead set, and was thinking I'd likely go to graduate school until I realized how great being a physician really is.
I'd like advice on what my next moves should be. I took all the prerequisites in college but other than that and my job, I'm at square one. What should I do now that will allow me to start med school as soon as possible? I want to be able to get in the first time I apply, so I want to do it right, even if that means not applying right away so that I can work for another year, volunteer, do additional research, etc. Are any of the things listed below not helpful for applications? Is it 100% necessary to have a ton of volunteering and extracurriculars or is my work experience helpful?
25 y.o. Colorado resident. College GPA 3.5, sGPA 3.5.
Research: 2 semesters assisting with plant growth in ecology lab, summer undergrad research program in embryo development
Clinical volunteering: None
Non-clinical volunteering: None
Shadowing: None
Work experience: Full time ESL teacher in Korea for 13 months, 500 hr and counting medical scribing
Extracurriculars: Outdoor climbing club in college, traveling?
I am just starting down this path, so I feel like I don't even know what questions to ask. Is it impossible for me to expect to be able to apply next cycle? Would it be wise to work as a CNA or something similar where I am able to interact more with patients? Any advice appreciated.
I started working half time as a medical scribe in June, which was my first real exposure to medicine. From this experience I have realized that I want to go to medical school. I had always considered it throughout high school and college but wasn't dead set, and was thinking I'd likely go to graduate school until I realized how great being a physician really is.
I'd like advice on what my next moves should be. I took all the prerequisites in college but other than that and my job, I'm at square one. What should I do now that will allow me to start med school as soon as possible? I want to be able to get in the first time I apply, so I want to do it right, even if that means not applying right away so that I can work for another year, volunteer, do additional research, etc. Are any of the things listed below not helpful for applications? Is it 100% necessary to have a ton of volunteering and extracurriculars or is my work experience helpful?
25 y.o. Colorado resident. College GPA 3.5, sGPA 3.5.
Research: 2 semesters assisting with plant growth in ecology lab, summer undergrad research program in embryo development
Clinical volunteering: None
Non-clinical volunteering: None
Shadowing: None
Work experience: Full time ESL teacher in Korea for 13 months, 500 hr and counting medical scribing
Extracurriculars: Outdoor climbing club in college, traveling?
I am just starting down this path, so I feel like I don't even know what questions to ask. Is it impossible for me to expect to be able to apply next cycle? Would it be wise to work as a CNA or something similar where I am able to interact more with patients? Any advice appreciated.