Where to go from here?

[Paramagnetic]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hello folks on SDN! Long time lurker, first time poster.

During my sophomore year of high school, I earned my EMT-B certification. This is where my interest in medicine began. I went to community college for a year after high school with the intent of becoming a paramedic, but decided medical school would be a better fit for me. I transferred to my state university (Rutgers) and have completed 2 semesters thus far. Here are my current stats:

-3.5 years at a busy volunteer ambulance corps (911 only)
-2 years at private ambulance company (IFT only, paid)
-Just beginning to work at my school's ambulance service (911 only, paid)
~3.9 cGPA from community college (26 credits)
-3.68 cGPA from university (not factoring in community college GPA, 31 credits).

1 year bio and chem +respective labs taken with all A's except for a B in bio lab

I am a white male with a single father and 2 younger siblings.

From my high school GPA of 2.6, I have come a long way as far as academics are concerned. I do not have any LOR, legitimate shadowing or research experience. No med school pre-req's were taken at community college. I intend to take the MCAT after I graduate and take a glide year (will not have all the pre-req's taken in time and do not want to rush them).

What should be my priorities from here? Keep in mind I have to work to afford to go to school. Thank you!

 

[dextertrip]

clinical experience=essential
LOR=essential
research=beneficial

if you love research and think it will be part of your career than it "could" be essential, but I'd probably(and did around the same time in my education) try to find a volunteer opportunity in a clinical setting. that will give you the chance for the first two and will still allow you to work as an EMT.

but I haven't made it into medical school yet...does anybody else have any thoughts?

 

[dextertrip]

Take the MCAT whenever you feel ready. If you're taking a year off regardless, there is no rush. Study hard and only take it when you know you'll succeed. Don't feel pressured to take it immediately after you graduate.

There's no rush, but if you're going to take a gap year, you'll be applying right after you graduate so if its possible to take it right after you graduate your application will be far more solidified. Unless you're willing to take two gap years. If you can make time to prepare for it then the earlier you take it the less stressful the entire process will be

 

[dextertrip]

Assuming you take it when you're ready

 

[alpinism]

3 priorities:
Get some shadowing (aim for over 20 hrs from a couple different fields)
Get great LORs (work and classes where you received As)
Get some non clinical community service

At the same time study hard for the MCAT.

 

[Paramagnetic]

try to find a volunteer opportunity in a clinical setting. that will give you the chance for the first two and will still allow you to work as an EMT

Are you implying that EMT work does not count as clinical experience?

 

[Paramagnetic]

You will likely have a great LOR from your supervisor at work. Get to know some professors at Rutgers, because many schools require one LOR from a science prof or research advisor.

If you have interest in research, it is a big plus (depending on the school — at my school, ~95% of matriculants have done research). But that doesn't have to be bench work! If you like emergency medicine, you could get involved in clinical/outcomes research related to that. See what doctors and profs are working on.

Shadowing is necessary. You have excellent clinical experience, but no experience with a doctor's job. Ask your advisors how you might go about shadowing. If you start researching with an ER doc, for example, it will be easier; you can shadow your PI.

Take the MCAT whenever you feel ready. If you're taking a year off regardless, there is no rush. Study hard and only take it when you know you'll succeed. Don't feel pressured to take it immediately after you graduate.

Overall, I think your app looks solid as a work in progress. True clinical involvement, good GPA (keep improving it!), and fingers crossed for the future MCAT. It's a marathon, so just keep plugging away.

This is just what I was looking for. You're totally right, I know I understand what it's like to care for patients, however I don't have a solid enough understanding of a physician's perspective. There are a few ER doc's I know that would likely let me shadow them (as well as nephrologist's from dialysis clinics), so I'm making that my top priority for this year.

With respect to research experience; I understand that it is a bonus- but I honestly feel my heart is much more in clinical medicine. I'm concerned Adcoms might see a semester of lackluster research experience on my application and assume I just did it to have "checked off a box".

 

[dextertrip]

No, EMT will definitely count as clinical but you mentioned you don't have LOR's so it wouldn't hurt to work with a physician because you'll likely need one from one. An easy way to do that is volunteer with one. You can get one by shadowing physicians but it's far less likely the letter will be strong. The other option as was mentioned earlier is to do research with a physician but usually they want a physician from a clinical setting. At least the schools I have applied to this year.

 

[WedgeDawg]

You absolutely do not need a LOR from a physician.

 

[dextertrip]

Three of the 32 schools I applied to strongly suggest it so maybe it's not every school but my top two are among those three. If you apply to any DO schools it's also highly recommended.

 

[dextertrip]

Though do specifically want a DO so that's another topic

 

[dextertrip]

Bottom line alpinism's summary was spot on