Advice for Sophomore on Track

[Lemon_Pouch]

1. cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS
   
   1. Currently I have a 3.90 GPA due to a B and B+ in my freshman fall semester, all A's since then. Assuming Gen Chem 2 dosnt completely kill me this Monday and I can get through the rest of college on my current track ill have around a 3.96 being optimistic.
2. MCAT score(s) and breakdown. Include all (non-voided) attempts.
   
   1. Have not taken
3. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
   
   1. US, Maryland
4. Ethnicity and/or race
   
   1. Caucacion
5. Undergraduate institution or category
   
   1. University of Maryland, College Park
6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
   
   1. Volunteer EMT: So far have worked approx 200 hours, will have over 1500 upon graduating. Will be working paid over the summers. I will be getting my drivers cert this summer and be an ambulance driver as well. I am also wrapping up a 6 month- 14 hour per week class to officially have my EMT license this month.
   2. I have done 6 hours of volunteering with an organization doing free HIV testing, but dont have time till at least next semester due to weekend classes to continue this.
7. Research experience and productivity
   
   1. 375 hours so far working in a plant virology lab conducting research on RNA virus structures. Will have over 1000 hours by graduation time. I get to do my own work and projects, and will have my name as a middle author on a methods paper soon.
8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
   
   1. So far only 10 hours in geriatrics, will be getting more this summer
9. Non-clinical volunteering
   
   1. Work with a food recovery organization on campus as a Recovery Leader once per week collecting and driving food. I will be on E-board of this organization in the coming year. 8 hours so far.
   2. 30 hours of Food Bank volunteering. I do this mainly in the summer and hope to have 200 hours at this location before I graduate.
10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc
    1. Just started a position as a CMNS peer mentor, and will be getting paid to assist students in making graduation plans, recovering from academic fails, campus orientations, etc
    2. I will be TA an introductory to the University class this coming semester, and will be TA a chem lab the semester after that.
    3. Will be picking up a Business minor this coming semester

Overall I really want to do everything in my potential to get into a T-20 medical school. I feel like I am behind but also feel like I dont have enough time to do anything. This semester I am taking 17 credits + my EMT class, which means that my weekends dont exist and I cant spend that time doing something else. From an outside perspective, where can I improve, where is my application the weakest, and what can I do to improve my chances of getting into a T-20 school?

*Edit: It wont let me unbold the first 2/3 of this post, I apologize.

Thank you!
Lemon Pouch

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[Mr.Smile12]

Don't fixate on brand schools until you attend recruitment events to give you feedback on what other "slow, steady" activities you should be starting now.

It sounds like you are okay on your activities, except that you need to ramp it up this summer. If food security and safety challenges become an important part of your purpose as a future physician, play it out with your activities (plant research, food bank/distribution, cultural dinners, nutrition courses and opportunities). If others recognize your sincerity to make a difference in this topic, that would get you noticed by schools, including your brand schools. That's when you ask the schools what they do to further help you promote your cause.

 

[Lemon_Pouch]

Don't fixate on brand schools until you attend recruitment events to give you feedback on what other "slow, steady" activities you should be starting now.

It sounds like you are okay on your activities, except that you need to ramp it up this summer. If food security and safety challenges become an important part of your purpose as a future physician, play it out with your activities (plant research, food bank/distribution, cultural dinners, nutrition courses and opportunities). If others recognize your sincerity to make a difference in this topic, that would get you noticed by schools, including your brand schools. That's when you ask the schools what they do to further help you promote your cause.

Thank you for the feedback! When you say ramp it up this summer, what are you thinking should be focused on?
Essentially I have a few options open to me now balancing research, nonclinical leadership work, or clinical emt work.

I can ride an ambulance 36 hours a week, work in lab maybe 12 hours per week, and do a few hours of leadership per week,
etc. I can essentially pick however much I want to do of a balance of the three, plus shadowing. Where do you think I should prioritize?

I do like the theme of food security. It is something that I have been interested in for a while. I am thinking of trying to create an org related to collecting food and packaging it and distributing it for homeless populations in DC, but really need to think into it more.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thank you for the feedback! When you say ramp it up this summer, what are you thinking should be focused on?
Essentially I have a few options open to me now balancing research, nonclinical leadership work, or clinical emt work.

I can ride an ambulance 36 hours a week, work in lab maybe 12 hours per week, and do a few hours of leadership per week,
etc. I can essentially pick however much I want to do of a balance of the three, plus shadowing. Where do you think I should prioritize?

I do like the theme of food security. It is something that I have been interested in for a while. I am thinking of trying to create an org related to collecting food and packaging it and distributing it for homeless populations in DC, but really need to think into it more.

Exactly. Get more experience to see if this is something you are passionate about and your impact as a physician.