First generation college students/ Pre-Med students that started at CC

[mmd0418]

Hey guys,

So I'm a worry bug and I'm wondering if I even have a shot at med school anymore. I'm a first generation college student so I'm putting myself through school. I started at a CC did a semester and a 4-year but had to go back to CC for financial purpose. I plan on returning to the four year uni after just one semester.

Also I can't help but feeling like I'm behind in some way with obtaining clinical experience, volunteer hours, and shadowing. I'm considered a sophomore and so far this is what I've done to build my medical resume:

Clinical experience: none
Volunteer hours: approximately 96 hours
Shadowing: none

Do you guys have any suggestions for me? I have no idea where even to begin with shadowing because I'm from Austin, so most doctors work with UT students.

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[gerges]

I didn't start getting any volunteer hours until I was in my 4th year of school. I'm not first-gen, but I started at CC as well and things have been working out fine for me. Make sure when you apply you mention the reason you went back to community college after going to a 4 year somewhere on your app. If your app is impressive enough it won't matter to schools, but some schools are so ready to throw out applications that if they don't see an explanation of this on your application, their suspicions will be enough to reject you before you even have a chance to explain it in an interview.

 

[mmd0418]

I didn't start getting any volunteer hours until I was in my 4th year of school. I'm not first-gen, but I started at CC as well and things have been working out fine for me. Make sure when you apply you mention the reason you went back to community college after going to a 4 year somewhere on your app. If your app is impressive enough it won't matter to schools, but some schools are so ready to throw out applications that if they don't see an explanation of this on your application, their suspicions will be enough to reject you before you even have a chance to explain it in an interview.

So as long as I explain it, I'll be okay?

 

[gerges]

So as long as I explain it, I'll be okay?

Yes and if you have the opportunity to explain it anywhere on your app (primary or secondary) it will work out better for you then saving the explanation for interviews. I should clarify though, it will look suspicious especially when you are taking classes that are known by schools to be difficult at a community college literally one to a few semesters after having been enrolled at a university (or even while you're still enrolled there). You're fine if you use community college for what its meant for (cheap, convenient, and a stepping stone into a 4 year education to complete a bachelors).

So a case where they would be suspicious and think you're lying is if you were at a university and got a bad grade in ochem and then the following semester enrolled in ochem or an equally difficult course at a community college (or any institution that is not the university you initially matriculated to).

 

[reaction mechanisms]

Hey! I'm first generation college student who started and CC in Austin too.

That's all. Carry on.


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