Will I get in .. anywhere?

[GuitarFreak]

Hey everyone
I still have about 2 semester left at undergrad. My current GPA is 3.59 and I think it might go down just a little bit. I have taken my MCAT once and got a 24, and I plan on taking it again.

I have done a summer long, full time internship at a doctor's office where I did everything a medical assistant does, except giving shots etc which they are certified for, and I got a decent amount of doctor shadowing as well. I also had three MDs write recommendations for me.

I am also a musician and have done a lot of shows around the country including charity shows, and have done work as a sound engineer and produced music for a few bands, so that would hopefully look good on the app as an extra curricular.

I am also doing research at the Dept of Immunotherapy at a hospital affiliated with the medical school I wanna go to, and will continue to do it for a year.

I do not, however, have any volunteer experience. How important is it to have done volunteer work?

Assuming I graduate with a 3.5 and score a potential 30 on the MCAT (which is always an impossibility as well as a possibility), how would my app look and what kind of chances do I have?

Thanks guys

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[funkydrmonkey]

We need to know your state of residence. Then it will be easier to determine whether you will get in...

 

[GuitarFreak]

I go to school in Connecticut and am a resident of the state

 

[Mobius1985]

Volunteer work is very important for your application. You did mention charity performances. If this was a substative experience over a period of time, you might be fine. Many premeds get their volunteering in at the same time they are getting their clinical experience, but as you had your clinical exposure through the workplace or classroom (not sure what "Internship" is meant to imply) and by shadowing, you need something else to show your humanitarian/altruistic bent. This could be Humane Society, Habitat for Humanity, soup kitchen, mentoring young students, etc.

The research experience looks good. Have something to list under Leadership as well.

Your current presumed stats are competitive for DO (Osteopathic) med schools. For MD schools, your GPA is a bit below the mean of 3.6. For consideration at the lower selectivity MD schools, aim for an MCAT of 32+. And I'd try really hard for an upward grade trend these last two semesters. BTW, UConn acceptees have a mean GPA of 3.7 and MCAT of 32.

 

[GuitarFreak]

Thanks Mobius! The charity shows were not over a certain period of time. I did a show for the save Dafur organization, another for Katrina relief, an earthquake relief show (for the one is southern asia) etc. I have another one coming up which is a homeless sleepout and sort of simulates what a winter month is like for a homeless person. Anyway, that is the kind of stuff I have done and continue to do as far as that is concerned. Doesn't this sort of indicate the humanitarian bent?

I didn't get my 'internship' thru school. I got a job thru someone I know who worked at that practice so it wasn't associated to the school at all. I did get to help the MDs do a lot of minor procedures like cystoscopies, vasectomies, frenulotomies etc, so I'm hoping that sort of gives me an edge? Or is that just wishful thinking?

What exactly do you mean by leadership experience? Does a mentoring program count as that?

I plan on volunteering either at an ER or a soup kitchen during winter break and hopefully find enough time to keep up with it for the next couple semesters that I have left at school. But one thing that has always confused me is that why it is important to show that you like to do something humanitarian and help people without getting financial compensation? What if one's circumstances don't really allow that for the most of it? Shouldn't the goal be to show that you really just genuinely like to help people and just that? I'm sorry if it sounds a little messed up, thats not my intention. I still plan on volunteering eitherway =).

I am obviously trying to raise my GPA enough to get a shot at the MD schools around the area and like you said I would need an MCAT score higher than 32 with the GPA that I have right now to get a chance at UConn Med.


Thanks so much again!!

 

[Mobius1985]

Since you have done a number of charity shows, I feel that helps to demonstrate your altruism. Since you've done four in three years, I feel it would help to get something else to report on as well, by the time you apply. I think it's felt that having a humanitarian mind set is important, because much of medical practice involves sacrificing your sleep, and time with family/friends to the obligations that come with this vocation. Also, if you have a habit of serving the poor and underpriveileged, you are more likely to help people because they need help, rather than to serve your pocketbook. Demonstrating motivations that are not self-serving are more in tune with the type of physician that schools like to produce. I've seen better explanations than this, but my best shot at explaining. It's better to prove you want to serve others by your actions, than by words.

Your job in the medical office sounds like it was a great clinical experience as you got to do a lot of things that served the patient. This is more valuable than washing beds in the ER (the result of my volunteering in the ER).

Mentorship counts as leadership. If you organized any of those charity shows, that would help, too. Being president of an organization, or serving on an advisory board are other examples.

Good Luck.

 

[GuitarFreak]

Thanks Mobius! Your explanation worked just fine =)