3.5cGPA/3.3sGPA

[driftmanji]

Entering my junior year at the University of Illinois this fall, deciding to pursue medicine and hoping to get an idea of my current outlook at getting into med school, and what I can do to approach my next year in school and to better my chances at acceptance.

3.5 cGPA currently
3.3 sGPA currently
I think I'll have these both up .1 by the end of the year

Molecular and Cellular Biology Major, Chemistry Minor

Activities:
-Employed 20 hours per week during school year
-Member of Men's Fraternity
-->New Member Educator (Officer Position 2 semesters)
--> Recruitment Chair (Officer Position 1 semester)
-Anesthesiologist Job shadow (20 hours)
-80 hours of Volunteer work at local Hospital (summer before freshman year/fall of freshman year)
-Volunteer work through my Fraternity
-Member of AMSA

I'm confident with myself that I can get a 30+ on my MCAT being that I've always been a great test taker/ somewhat enjoy and do well in pressure situations. I know the MCAT is a monster itself, but after talking to friends that have done well and scored 32+ I am confident I can do the same with their guidance.


I know thus far I have less exposure to volunteer work and other medical exposure compared to others my age leaving me worried. What I can say about this is that with my current situation in regards to my family life, I absolutely must work my 20 hours a week to pay for my schooling and weekly expenses. With my heavy involvement in my fraternity, and 20 hours of work a week, plus trying to manage my grades, I am far too busy to even think about having the time to volunteer while at school, outside of the volunteer work we do within my Fraternity. Over the summer I work 40-60 hours a week to pay for school as well leaving me no opportunity to have time to volunteer either. It isn't a situation financially that I enjoy at all, and the personal issues within my family causing it have lead me to grow up a lot faster than I think most people my age have. I am hoping that these circumstances will give me some slack in terms of my current accomplishments/ EC involvement to this point.

This fall however, I'm going to be adding 5 hours of volunteer work a week in post- anesthesia care to my schedule because of a favorable school schedule. I also am planning on volunteering 4-5 days a week this coming winter break between the local hospital at home and a hospice care organization as I will not be able to work over this time period. The following spring semester, I plan on taking my MCAT in April and don't know if I could fit volunteering into my schedule until after the test with the additional studying that I will need to take up. I am concerned however, that schools may look at this next year of mine as a last stitch effort to get my EC's on par with those of others and I considering delaying my application a year if it would benefit me. This however would be difficult of me as I would have to start paying my student loans while I took a year off of schooling.

Please leave your thoughts, and any helpful advice that you can give. It will be greatly appreciated.

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[driftmanji]

Bump

 

[MedPR]

Hard to say without an actual MCAT score. Your GPA is low and will put you at a pretty big disadvantage.

 

[abruzz75]

If you get the science up you'll have a decent shot at some MDs.

 

[unluckybanana]

I would personally try to get you number of shadowing hours higher. Try to get at least 40-50 hrs in total.

 

[boshtrich]

Doing well on the MCAT will be important since it can help compensate for lower grades. I think studying for the MCAT should probably be your top priority as you can take a gap year to address any shortcomings in ECs.

 

[Davidasaurus]

Definitely do your best on the MCAT, you seem fairly confident but I've seen many kids who walk out with their heads held high quickly kicking themselves once scores are released.

Your friend's stories and successes are theirs and theirs alone. Each person absorbs and applies their knowledge in their own unique way, so don't go around announcing you're going to score well on the MCAT just because your friends did. Once you get your scores back that's a different story.

3.6 cGPA/3.4 sGPA should be solid barring a 30+ MCAT as you predict. Your EC's could use a little "mmph" , you'll need to at least double the amount of volunteer/shadowing you have thus far. A research gig surely wouldn't hurt either.