U.C. 3.6c 3.5s

[smrtwrstlr]

I am Currently a 3rd year (transfer) at a UC. I just wanted to know where I stand with California schools. Here is a little bit about myself.
I am a first generation Hispanic.
EC:

-5 years in a neurologist office( since sophomore year in highschool)
- currently shadow 3 neurologist there for the past 2 summers, winter, and spring breaks ( 300 hr.)
-Wrestler for 9 years( national qualifier) didn't wrestle in college (redshirted 1yr)
-will have about 200 hrs of volunteering at a hospital in the E.R. by summer
-going to run a wrestling camp back home in the summer for 8th graders (programs is meant to get kids off the streets)
-minor involvement in a minority health group
-computational research in organic chemistry 1yr

LOR:

3 physicians (one is from a previous clinical professor at USC)
1 professor
so far


My grades where B's due to working almost full time for my first 2 years in college, once I transferred I started getting higher grades ( A's and A-'s).. since I don't have that many units at my school my GPA has a lot of room to grow.. possibly to 3.8 (UC gpa only) by the time I graduate.

-This is my main worry. My Intro bio grades are straight B's =( gen chem. stright B's, ochem stright A's (once I transfered), and physics A- average.
currently doing my upperdivisions and they are not going bad at all , kinda well actually.

I just wanted to know what my chances are of getting into a California medical school. I will be taking the MCAT this summer.

Just wanted to know what I should do to get into some california schools or at least improve my chance. What MCAT score is considered competitive? Any other involvement I should have?
Anything helps!!

Thank you guys so much! This site it amazing!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[VooDooo327]

Here's my input. I went to UCLA all 4 years and have the exact same GPA. I got a 30 on my MCAT really good EC's and LORs. I got 1 interview at an MD school (not in California) and am currently wait listed there. I applied very broadly too. I did get into many DO schools however. It's tough but I think if you can get a good MCAT you got a chance. Those LOR from physicians are nice but remember that some schools require letters from actual professors and limit the number of LOR you can send.

 

[bravofleet4]

you really need to meet the requirements for LOR's which is two science and one non-science professors who've you taken classes with.

after that it really depends on your MCAT, how much you accomplish in research, and your EC's. There's too many unknowns to say anything about your chances at a UC. I think the better question you should ask is after transferring to a 4-year school, what should I work on now?

 

[smrtwrstlr]

Hey,
Thank you for responding. I am currently working on the other two letters of req. I have an entire year to get the other two letters. I probably wont publish or go any farther with this research. So what would you advise I do to make my self look better? Should I drop this research and go to another lab and take my chances? Also my science GPA at UC is 3.69 and climbing. If that helps at all. Its my grades at city college that are B's..

 

[Catalystik]

You have the potential for getting into a California school if you continue the upward momentum of your GPAs. EC-wise, assuming you have patient contact in the Neuology office, then your clinical experience is well above the average. You've only shadowed one type of doc; I recommend you try to shadow a primary care physician and maybe someone who is hospital based to broaden your experience. You will have demonstrated leadership by starting the wrestling initiative, and that would cover teaching, too, another desirable thing to have on your application. A year of research is about average. If you want to try for two years, then the research-strong schools would be more interested in you. In your shoes, I'd try to build on nonmedical/noncampus community service. Volunteering to get kids off the streets is a great service. Making it grow /expanding services would be even better leadership. So far, well done!

 

[smrtwrstlr]

thank you for the advice! I just set up some shadowing with another neurologist that runs a rehab center as well and works at the ER I volunteer at, is this enough to cover another field of medicine as far as shadowing goes? (I will be shadowing at the rehab center) Also I will be working as a sleep apnea tech. this summer as I study for the MCAT and run that wrestling camp.

Do these plans look good or do you have anything to recommend in place of these?

What should I do about the research I dont see myself getting serious enough to publish research is not a passion and I would rather volunteer or interact with people more. Is not publishing going to affect my application for Cali schools?

 

[Catalystik]

If the neurologist is working as a general ER doctor, then shadowing him/her in that role is fine for a hospital-based experience. JMO, but I think your neurology-based experience is strong enough as it is, and you don't want an overly lop-sided experience. And I'd still get in some time with a primary care doc , which is a pediatrician, obgyn, family doc, or internal medicine doc.

I think the research you have, without a publication, is fine considering the strength of some of your other ECs.

 

[smrtwrstlr]

kool! thank you so much.. I'll try and shadow another physician thats not a neurologist this summer lol and I guess I'll stick with the research for another year just to make it 2 years and keep my fingers crossed.