I graduated college with a degree in International Affairs and a 2.67 gpa in 2008. Worked abroad for an American company as well as taught English. I've also traveled to several countries: India, Guatemala, China, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, and enjoyed the diversity and cultures very much.
That being said I decided I wanted to be a physician in the spring of 2010. I came back to school and have been taking pre-reqs since. I've done well; 3.98 GPA. I'm finishing up Organic 2 this semester and plan to take Biochem (2 semester class) next year while accruing research as well as clinical experience. Moreover I want to get my CNA and EMT certification this summer and hopefully be able to volunteer a day or more a week in the upcoming year.
I've also been volunteering in a diagnostics lab at National Jewish 4 hours a week since last August and Chemistry research lab since November for ~15 hours a week. I will start hospice volunteering soon. There is the possibility of getting my name on a publication if I continue working ~15 hours week but I won't count my hens just yet.
Additionally I plan to apply to a SMP after the biochem year is over. Thereby having an informal as well as a formal post-bacc GPAs to buffer the uGPA. I've raised my uGPA from the 2.67 to 3.01. There is no way to raise it further without many more years in college. I plan on taking the MCAT next February and use the score to apply to the SMP as well as med school a year or two later.
That being said during my undergraduate career I was involved in an incident in class involving alcohol. Moreover in the same month I was arrested for a DUI. Both happened in April of 2006. I completed a year of therapy as well as the required community service. I met some amazing people in therapy; house wives, college kids, older people with alcohol addictions that ruined their career, meth addicts, etc. They shared some wonderful anecdotes and I learned a lot through them.
Both aforementioned events happened two months shy of my 21st and I will be turning 27 this year. I've matured (hopefully) quite a bit since and am glad those events transpired the way they did; I was dealing with personal issues (sexuality) and had a somewhat tumultuous upbringing. I was going down the wrong path and this steered me clear of some potentially devastating scenarios. I am Chinese American and my parents have both been involved in numerous brushes with the law during my upbringing and were often neglectful/occupied. I took care of my sister growing up and I am happy to report she is doing orders of magnitude better than I did in college.
That being said what are my chances of getting into an MD school? If I do well in the official post-bacc SMP as well as get 36+ on the MCATs? I've been planning on getting a LOR from the same professor, whose classroom I had the alcohol incident in, by asking to audit an upper level course she may teach later this year. I hope to impress her with the individual I am today. I realize this pivots on her willingness to write me a letter when things are said and done. It may be pertinent to add I took an International Affairs capstone course during my last year in college with the same instructor and wrote a compelling paper which garnered an A.
I often reflect on my actions and the lack of maturity and foresight I showed for so many years. I was addicted to internet gaming during high school and college as a means to escape the drudgery of normal life, i.e. I had no motivation and was utterly apathetic about anything and everything I did. People have suggested I should consider DO schools but I want to take a shot at an MD school first.
I no longer doubt my abilities but I am questioning whether this type of background already stymies any chance of me getting a interview at an MD school. I would really like to get more opinions on what I should do to make myself more competitive. I realize there are individuals on this forum who think my chances are slim to none, however I am still determined to trudge on.
Thanks in advance!
That being said I decided I wanted to be a physician in the spring of 2010. I came back to school and have been taking pre-reqs since. I've done well; 3.98 GPA. I'm finishing up Organic 2 this semester and plan to take Biochem (2 semester class) next year while accruing research as well as clinical experience. Moreover I want to get my CNA and EMT certification this summer and hopefully be able to volunteer a day or more a week in the upcoming year.
I've also been volunteering in a diagnostics lab at National Jewish 4 hours a week since last August and Chemistry research lab since November for ~15 hours a week. I will start hospice volunteering soon. There is the possibility of getting my name on a publication if I continue working ~15 hours week but I won't count my hens just yet.
Additionally I plan to apply to a SMP after the biochem year is over. Thereby having an informal as well as a formal post-bacc GPAs to buffer the uGPA. I've raised my uGPA from the 2.67 to 3.01. There is no way to raise it further without many more years in college. I plan on taking the MCAT next February and use the score to apply to the SMP as well as med school a year or two later.
That being said during my undergraduate career I was involved in an incident in class involving alcohol. Moreover in the same month I was arrested for a DUI. Both happened in April of 2006. I completed a year of therapy as well as the required community service. I met some amazing people in therapy; house wives, college kids, older people with alcohol addictions that ruined their career, meth addicts, etc. They shared some wonderful anecdotes and I learned a lot through them.
Both aforementioned events happened two months shy of my 21st and I will be turning 27 this year. I've matured (hopefully) quite a bit since and am glad those events transpired the way they did; I was dealing with personal issues (sexuality) and had a somewhat tumultuous upbringing. I was going down the wrong path and this steered me clear of some potentially devastating scenarios. I am Chinese American and my parents have both been involved in numerous brushes with the law during my upbringing and were often neglectful/occupied. I took care of my sister growing up and I am happy to report she is doing orders of magnitude better than I did in college.
That being said what are my chances of getting into an MD school? If I do well in the official post-bacc SMP as well as get 36+ on the MCATs? I've been planning on getting a LOR from the same professor, whose classroom I had the alcohol incident in, by asking to audit an upper level course she may teach later this year. I hope to impress her with the individual I am today. I realize this pivots on her willingness to write me a letter when things are said and done. It may be pertinent to add I took an International Affairs capstone course during my last year in college with the same instructor and wrote a compelling paper which garnered an A.
I often reflect on my actions and the lack of maturity and foresight I showed for so many years. I was addicted to internet gaming during high school and college as a means to escape the drudgery of normal life, i.e. I had no motivation and was utterly apathetic about anything and everything I did. People have suggested I should consider DO schools but I want to take a shot at an MD school first.
I no longer doubt my abilities but I am questioning whether this type of background already stymies any chance of me getting a interview at an MD school. I would really like to get more opinions on what I should do to make myself more competitive. I realize there are individuals on this forum who think my chances are slim to none, however I am still determined to trudge on.
Thanks in advance!
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