Dilemma of Applying this Cycle

[drcougar21]

I have a dilemma. While I believe I am in good academic standing for medical school, I am worried about my experience in healthcare and exposure to it.

Academically, I have aced all of my pre-requisites. I have a cumulative GPA of 3.85, and a science GPA of 3.78. I took Physics I and Organic Chemistry II over the summer. I look to finishing my degree this fall. With my extracurricular, I am the vice-president of my school's pre-medical club and was the former secretary of its science club. I also work as a tutor for the school's tutoring center, helping with all the pre-requisites and then other science courses. I have been conducting research with a well-publicized faculty member for a little over a year, and I look forward to publishing my work with him this spring.

I have a little over 100 hours volunteering at a local hospital. I did some shadowing with local dentists when I was looking into dental school, but I am hesitant to use that on my medical school application. My concern stems from my lack of "real-world experience," such as clinical experience or the diverse exposure to healthcare that I hear so many applicants have. I am looking to ride-along EMT to work developing experience with patient interaction, but I am only five months away from applying to medical school.

I have yet to take my MCAT, but I am shooting for at least a 510 if I plan my prep schedule well.

With this, am I being too harsh in myself for reconsidering my application for medical school this cycle, or should I take one more year to develop a better resume and perhaps a better application?

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[acciobutterbeer]

Do you have any non-clinical volunteering? 100 hours of clinical volunteering is a little low. I think there’s a lot of value in taking a gap year, especially if it means applying with your best application.

 

[candbgirl]

It looks like your ECs are weak. Your clinical experience is low. You need double what you have at least and riding around with an EMT won’t be all that impressive. That sounds more like a shadowing experience. You absolutely need physician shadowing. You can shadow whatever kind of docs you want but be sure to include at least some with a primary care doc. Around 50 hours of shadowing will be enough. You didn’t mention any nonclinical volunteering. This is service to the unserved/underserved in your community. You have stuff on campus with various clubs and that’s fine for activities but you really have to get off campus and out of your comfort zone and start interacting with people very different than yourself. Medicine is a service profession and you need to show your altruism. You need around 150-200 hours of nonclinical volunteering. Maybe you should think about a gap year. You only want to apply one time with the best application possible. Take your time and do it right the first time.

 

[SweetBurger]

100 hours of clinical volunteering with 50 hours of non-clinical volunteering. Maybe im n=1 but you don't need to make a certain hours cutoff.

 

[Goro]

I have a dilemma. While I believe I am in good academic standing for medical school, I am worried about my experience in healthcare and exposure to it.

Academically, I have aced all of my pre-requisites. I have a cumulative GPA of 3.85, and a science GPA of 3.78. I took Physics I and Organic Chemistry II over the summer. I look to finishing my degree this fall. With my extracurricular, I am the vice-president of my school's pre-medical club and was the former secretary of its science club. I also work as a tutor for the school's tutoring center, helping with all the pre-requisites and then other science courses. I have been conducting research with a well-publicized faculty member for a little over a year, and I look forward to publishing my work with him this spring.

I have a little over 100 hours volunteering at a local hospital. I did some shadowing with local dentists when I was looking into dental school, but I am hesitant to use that on my medical school application. My concern stems from my lack of "real-world experience," such as clinical experience or the diverse exposure to healthcare that I hear so many applicants have. I am looking to ride-along EMT to work developing experience with patient interaction, but I am only five months away from applying to medical school.

I have yet to take my MCAT, but I am shooting for at least a 510 if I plan my prep schedule well.

With this, am I being too harsh in myself for reconsidering my application for medical school this cycle, or should I take one more year to develop a better resume and perhaps a better application?

No nonclinical volunteering?

i am worried that your app will look like you're simply checking the boxes.

Get off campus and out of your comfort zone.

 

[readmypostsMD]

100 hours of clinical volunteering with 50 hours of non-clinical volunteering. Maybe im n=1 but you don't need to make a certain hours cutoff.

You give me hope for a bright future

 

[SweetBurger]

You give me hope for a bright future

haha i mean its not like i didnt have experiences on my app. >1k hours research and >1k hours in teaching probably helped