Hello All,
I am a PharmD student in my final year and have started to question where my passion in health care truly lies. Throughout the last year, I have had surgery myself as well as witnessed my grandmother’s hospitalizations, each time interacting with doctors and seeing their impact in healthcare on a different level. Through these experiences my interest has really grown in becoming a physician – I feel my impact in healthcare may be greater there than as a pharmacist.
Regardless of my decision, I have a three-year Naval commitment to complete. I’m thankful for this experience, as it will provide great opportunities to serve this country and gain many life experiences. So I have some time to build competitiveness, and I would like some input on how to do so.
As of today, here is where I stand:
NO MCAT yet – waiting to take until two years into my naval commitment.
GPA
3.96 cumulative undergrad
3.74 cumulative graduate so far
3.9 something science GPA (if my A- in biochem is factored into my 4.0 science)
ECs
- Undergrad research project: 200+ hours, lab based, non-published, dept. honors
- Community Care Clinic – indigent population – 20 volunteer hours (many more this summer and next year)
- 12 hours volunteering with Kroger – wellness clinics, BPs, glucose test
- Other clinical pharmacy experiences throughout curriculum, interacting with other health professionals
- 40 hours volunteering at summer camp – construction work
- 40 hours volunteering at SOS Memphis – construction work, interacting with people
- University concert band member, 2 years
- Freelance musician for a few performances
- 1000+ hours campus church volunteer
- 10 hours – Global connections volunteer, providing furniture to international students
Planned ECs
- Shadowing anesthesiologist and ED physician (met during my surgery)
- Hopefully shadowing internist and radiologist
- Volunteering at local hospital throughout summer and next year
- Continued volunteering at community care clinic
- Coordinating trips to and volunteering at local soup kitchen throughout next year
How do my current and planned ECs look? What other ECs could I be doing to immerse myself in medicine? I’m going to have to be creative the three years when I’m with the Navy, as I’ll be working then.
I do need to take a full year of physics yet, most likely at a community college; I’ll probably throw in a psych/sociology course to brush up on those as well, as MCAT changes.
Thanks for reading and for any comments/suggestions.
Tim
I am a PharmD student in my final year and have started to question where my passion in health care truly lies. Throughout the last year, I have had surgery myself as well as witnessed my grandmother’s hospitalizations, each time interacting with doctors and seeing their impact in healthcare on a different level. Through these experiences my interest has really grown in becoming a physician – I feel my impact in healthcare may be greater there than as a pharmacist.
Regardless of my decision, I have a three-year Naval commitment to complete. I’m thankful for this experience, as it will provide great opportunities to serve this country and gain many life experiences. So I have some time to build competitiveness, and I would like some input on how to do so.
As of today, here is where I stand:
NO MCAT yet – waiting to take until two years into my naval commitment.
GPA
3.96 cumulative undergrad
3.74 cumulative graduate so far
3.9 something science GPA (if my A- in biochem is factored into my 4.0 science)
ECs
- Undergrad research project: 200+ hours, lab based, non-published, dept. honors
- Community Care Clinic – indigent population – 20 volunteer hours (many more this summer and next year)
- 12 hours volunteering with Kroger – wellness clinics, BPs, glucose test
- Other clinical pharmacy experiences throughout curriculum, interacting with other health professionals
- 40 hours volunteering at summer camp – construction work
- 40 hours volunteering at SOS Memphis – construction work, interacting with people
- University concert band member, 2 years
- Freelance musician for a few performances
- 1000+ hours campus church volunteer
- 10 hours – Global connections volunteer, providing furniture to international students
Planned ECs
- Shadowing anesthesiologist and ED physician (met during my surgery)
- Hopefully shadowing internist and radiologist
- Volunteering at local hospital throughout summer and next year
- Continued volunteering at community care clinic
- Coordinating trips to and volunteering at local soup kitchen throughout next year
How do my current and planned ECs look? What other ECs could I be doing to immerse myself in medicine? I’m going to have to be creative the three years when I’m with the Navy, as I’ll be working then.
I do need to take a full year of physics yet, most likely at a community college; I’ll probably throw in a psych/sociology course to brush up on those as well, as MCAT changes.
Thanks for reading and for any comments/suggestions.
Tim