Where to go from here?

[futr_trauma_surgeon?]

This is going to be a little long so thank you to anyone who gets through it:

I am going to be a senior this year with a GPA of 3.54 and sGPA of 3.47. Hopefully I can raise both after this year to 3.6 something and 3.5 something. I have done research in an infectious disease research facility for a year and a half and am continuing it this year. I have already been published once and have done a poster presentation. I regretfully did not do the research needed on medical school requirements (despite having known I have wanted to do this for 10 years) and was under the impression that research would be enough extracurricular-wise. I am in a biology society that I am not active in at all, and that is my only extracurricular. I have zero volunteering. I went to Haiti for one summer and shadowed doctors there for about 90 hours total. I have shadowing set up for two weeks this winter with a pediatric surgeon.

I was diagnosed in October 2016 with Leukemia and had to withdraw from that semester and took two more semesters off. I am cancer free and got back to school this past semester and have realized how insanely behind I am on everything. I have enough credits to graduate this spring and not stay for the last semester I would have in the fall. However, I will not be able to take biochemistry because I am taking organic chemistry this year (I withdrew from it sophomore year and was retaking it when I got sick) and my school won't let me take it without finishing organic chemistry.

I think I plan on graduating Spring 2019 and studying for the MCAT that summer and taking it in August and either applying that cycle or the next one.

So here are my questions:

1) Do I really need biochemistry? If I apply to schools that don't require it will that be a deal breaker if I don't have it?
2) If I volunteer during the school year for a few hours every week at a hospice or something medical related and maybe also some non-clinical would that be enough volunteering to apply after I graduate and plan for just one gap year?
3) Will joining another club for one year be enough of another extracurricular in that area?
4) I have zero leadership so if I tutot for this year would that be enough?
5) If I do all of the volunteering, tutoring, and club-joining for one year and get a good MCAT score, would that be enough to apply in the summer after I graduate or should I plan on taking an extra gap year and being a scribe during that and apply after I can add that to my application?

Any advice is welcome, thank you so much!

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[MyOdyssey]

This is going to be a little long so thank you to anyone who gets through it:

I am going to be a senior this year with a GPA of 3.54 and sGPA of 3.47. Hopefully I can raise both after this year to 3.6 something and 3.5 something. I have done research in an infectious disease research facility for a year and a half and am continuing it this year. I have already been published once and have done a poster presentation. I regretfully did not do the research needed on medical school requirements (despite having known I have wanted to do this for 10 years) and was under the impression that research would be enough extracurricular-wise. I am in a biology society that I am not active in at all, and that is my only extracurricular. I have zero volunteering. I went to Haiti for one summer and shadowed doctors there for about 90 hours total. I have shadowing set up for two weeks this winter with a pediatric surgeon.

I was diagnosed in October 2016 with Leukemia and had to withdraw from that semester and took two more semesters off. I am cancer free and got back to school this past semester and have realized how insanely behind I am on everything. I have enough credits to graduate this spring and not stay for the last semester I would have in the fall. However, I will not be able to take biochemistry because I am taking organic chemistry this year (I withdrew from it sophomore year and was retaking it when I got sick) and my school won't let me take it without finishing organic chemistry.

I think I plan on graduating Spring 2019 and studying for the MCAT that summer and taking it in August and either applying that cycle or the next one.

So here are my questions:

1) Do I really need biochemistry? If I apply to schools that don't require it will that be a deal breaker if I don't have it?
2) If I volunteer during the school year for a few hours every week at a hospice or something medical related and maybe also some non-clinical would that be enough volunteering to apply after I graduate and plan for just one gap year?
3) Will joining another club for one year be enough of another extracurricular in that area?
4) I have zero leadership so if I tutot for this year would that be enough?
5) If I do all of the volunteering, tutoring, and club-joining for one year and get a good MCAT score, would that be enough to apply in the summer after I graduate or should I plan on taking an extra gap year and being a scribe during that and apply after I can add that to my application?

Any advice is welcome, thank you so much!

Biochemistry is the most heavily tested subject on the MCAT. You need that class to help you on the MCAT.

Your schedule seems super rushed to me.

There seems to be a correlation between people who read really well and are used to reading complex texts (e.g. classics, philosophy, etc. or those have read a lot of primary research articles and have done lots of science research) and doing well on the MCAT. Otherwise, you'll have to grind at it like the rest of us and that takes time even if you've taken the required courses.

 

[futr_trauma_surgeon?]

Ah I know I am just trying not to spend thousands more just to take one more class. But I guess at the end of the day what's a few thousand dollars when you're talking about my entire future and it would help that much. Maybe I will be able to take it through a community college or somewhere closer to my parents' places and save money that way. Thank you for your feedback!

 

[MyOdyssey]

Ah I know I am just trying not to spend thousands more just to take one more class. But I guess at the end of the day what's a few thousand dollars when you're talking about my entire future and it would help that much. Maybe I will be able to take it through a community college or somewhere closer to my parents' places and save money that way. Thank you for your feedback!

Are you able to take other courses in addition to biochemistry for the same tuition? If so, you might consider taking other classes that will help prepare you for the MCAT. Examples include psychology, sociology, cell biology, and physiology.

Regarding tutoring as leadership, I think it depends on whom you're tutoring. Ad coms look for leadership among your peers. If your're tutoring middle school math, that's still considered worthwhile volunteering but not leadership. If you're tutoring your classmates in physics, then that would be considered leadership, as I understand it.

I suggest browsing the MCAT discussion forum for helpful advice on test prep material, test prep strategy and time and helpful courses to take.

 

[Goro]

Very sorry to hear about your health! How are you doing?

1) Do I really need biochemistry? If I apply to schools that don't require it will that be a deal breaker if I don't have it?
Strongly suggest taking it.

2) If I volunteer during the school year for a few hours every week at a hospice or something medical related and maybe also some non-clinical would that be enough volunteering to apply after I graduate and plan for just one gap year?
There's always the risk that such a late bolus of volunteering looks like box checking. Strongly suggest that you stop research, because it isn't going to help you like volunteering and service will.


3) Will joining another club for one year be enough of another extracurricular in that area?
No.

4) I have zero leadership so if I tutor for this year would that be enough?
Tutoring is not leadership.

5) If I do all of the volunteering, tutoring, and club-joining for one year and get a good MCAT score, would that be enough to apply in the summer after I graduate or should I plan on taking an extra gap year and being a scribe during that and apply after I can add that to my application?
It will depend upon what you app looks like by next June/July. But the way you phrase htis questing immediately makes me think that you have a box checking mentality. You have a compelling story and a rising GPA trend (hopefully), so take the time to do it right, even if it means skipping an app cycle. Med schools aren't going anywhere, and by the time you apply, more will have opened their doors or expanded their class sizes.

 

[MyOdyssey]

2) If I volunteer during the school year for a few hours every week at a hospice or something medical related and maybe also some non-clinical would that be enough volunteering to apply after I graduate and plan for just one gap year?
There's always the risk that such a late bolus of volunteering looks like box checking.

4) I have zero leadership so if I tutor for this year would that be enough?
Tutoring is not leadership.

OP’s struggles with leukemia would be a compelling reason why substantial volunteering, club involvement and ECs wasn’t feasible earlier.

Regarding tutoring as leadership, would being a TA and giving lectures to peers be considered leadership?

What about working at the school writing center as a writing tutor to peers?

 

[Goro]

OP’s struggles with leukemia would be a compelling reason why substantial volunteering, club involvement and ECs wasn’t feasible earlier.
In retrospect, I agree.


Regarding tutoring as leadership, would being a TA and giving lectures to peers be considered leadership?
What about working at the school writing center as a writing tutor to peers?
Not in my book; others may have different opinions.

 

[futr_trauma_surgeon?]

Very sorry to hear about your health! How are you doing?

1) Do I really need biochemistry? If I apply to schools that don't require it will that be a deal breaker if I don't have it?
Strongly suggest taking it.

2) If I volunteer during the school year for a few hours every week at a hospice or something medical related and maybe also some non-clinical would that be enough volunteering to apply after I graduate and plan for just one gap year?
There's always the risk that such a late bolus of volunteering looks like box checking. Strongly suggest that you stop research, because it isn't going to help you like volunteering and service will.


3) Will joining another club for one year be enough of another extracurricular in that area?
No.

4) I have zero leadership so if I tutor for this year would that be enough?
Tutoring is not leadership.
5) If I do all of the volunteering, tutoring, and club-joining for one year and get a good MCAT score, would that be enough to apply in the summer after I graduate or should I plan on taking an extra gap year and being a scribe during that and apply after I can add that to my application?
It will depend upon what you app looks like by next June/July. But the way you phrase htis questing immediately makes me think that you have a box checking mentality. You have a compelling story and a rising GPA trend (hopefully), so take the time to do it right, even if it means skipping an app cycle. Med schools aren't going anywhere, and by the time you apply, more will have opened their doors or expanded their class sizes.

Thank you, I am doing a lot better. Still on oral chemo but life is essentially back to normal minus all the doctors visits, thank you for asking! I am really passionate about volunteering in hospitals especially ever since I spent the better part of a year and half in one, but I agree that if all of my volunteering is just from one year adcoms won't see it that way even with my story. My Leukemia was acute and didn't affect me until a month before I was diagnosed so I regretfully don't really have an excuse as to my lack of service/ECs my freshman and sophomore year other than my ignorance. My GPA is trending up, I got a 4.0 my first semester back and hopefully it continues on that path. So if I take the extra time and volunteer and work in a few gap years, will my lack of extracurriculars in college be too dark of a stain on my application?

I can definitely see your reasoning as to why tutoring is not leadership. Thank you for answering all of my questions, this really is helping a lot!

 

[Goro]

Thank you, I am doing a lot better. Still on oral chemo but life is essentially back to normal minus all the doctors visits, thank you for asking! I am really passionate about volunteering in hospitals especially ever since I spent the better part of a year and half in one, but I agree that if all of my volunteering is just from one year adcoms won't see it that way even with my story. My Leukemia was acute and didn't affect me until a month before I was diagnosed so I regretfully don't really have an excuse as to my lack of service/ECs my freshman and sophomore year other than my ignorance. My GPA is trending up, I got a 4.0 my first semester back and hopefully it continues on that path. So if I take the extra time and volunteer and work in a few gap years, will my lack of extracurriculars in college be too dark of a stain on my application?

Not at all!

 

[futr_trauma_surgeon?]

Not at all!

I can't tell you how happy I am to hear you say that because I have been freaking out that I am doomed. Thank you for all of your help, the both of you!

 

[ciestar]

OP’s struggles with leukemia would be a compelling reason why substantial volunteering, club involvement and ECs wasn’t feasible earlier.

Regarding tutoring as leadership, would being a TA and giving lectures to peers be considered leadership?

What about working at the school writing center as a writing tutor to peers?

Teaching has its own category on AMCAS.