Hello,
Looking for some insight regarding my application for MD schools:
Went to Community College after graduating high school early (financial limitations + didn't know what I wanted to do with my life yet); had a very rough first semester - 2.58, eventually decided to major in biology....required to take Gen Bio, Gen Chem, English, O-Chem, Math, in order to transfer away to a bio program at a 4 year university....brought my GPA up from 2.58 to ~3.6 by the time I transferred. Transferred to a "top 25" university, and my overall (AMCAS) GPA was clobbered down from a 3.6 to ~3.3; science GPA is ~3.2.
Graduated with my bachelors in 2010, and took some "time off" to work in a laboratory. Stayed for a little over a year and a half. No publications, but left the lab for graduate school (on good terms) with a LoR offer.
Currently in my first semester of a 2 year MS program at a medical school. No transcript yet, but definitely on track for a 4.0 (perfect 100% on all exams, classes are not curved.) MS degree is in a "hard" life science discipline; is not an MPH.
Took MCAT summer 2012 and scored a 30 S (10 PS, 8 VR, 12 BS.) Spent summer 2012 shadowing a physician in one of the IM specialties, ~4 hours a week for 10 weeks. Currently shadowing a physician in one of the IM specialties at my schools hospital, ~6 hours week - they have agreed to let me shadow them for 8-12 weeks. Currently shadowing a pathologist who is also member of the teaching faculty at top 25 med school near where I live; they let me sit in on some of their classes and are teaching me (in small group with pathology fellows) diagnostic histology. Shadowing this pathologist ~7 hours a week over the course of the 2012-2013 academic year. Shadowed a cardiologist for 20 hours in one week through a shadowing program at my undergraduate school during winter break of my senior year. No letter, but a cool experience to discuss on application because of location/what I saw + it was my first shadowing experience. Volunteered ~120 hours in an emergency room over the course of 3 months (no LoR because I left on bad terms....(specifically, did not finish the duration/volunteer time promised, because I was offered a full-time job in a laboratory and the schedules conflicted.) Will be shadowing a neonatologist for 1 week (full-time schedule) during the 2012-2013 academic
winter recess. Currently volunteering ~5 hours a week in an urgent care center at a nationally recognized cancer hospital. I help patients with their non-medical needs, and I also do per diem interpretation (non-medical) in Spanish and Russian. Will hopefully clock ~200 hours or so before June 2013 (when I apply to MD schools) but plan on continuing volunteering there through the application cycle. Currently working part time in a stem-cell laboratory as a graduate research assistant. Potential for co-authorship on publication, but not likely to be published before I submit applications to medical schools. Was president/founder of a cardiology interest group in undergrad, and am currently the VP of the cardiology interest group at the medical school where I am doing my MS. As VP I am coordinating a community-outreach event that will provide free CV health assessments to the medically under-served in the area where my school is. I am also the VP of the Graduate Student Association and I am responsible for putting together a university wide student research symposium.
Have had the chance to travel and gain some "cultural exposure" on what I am told is considered by admissions committees "medical tourism"; was injured in a country where I did not speak the nation's language and had to go to the hospital to be treated - an absolutely frightening experience but in retrospect, gave me perspective on what emergency situations for non-English speaking immigrants in the USA are like....decided to study some foreign languages after this. Not fluent in any language, but have learned (through self-study, help from friends) Spanish, Russian, Norwegian. Currently expanding on my Russian, and will also learn Hebrew before applying in June 2013. Have seen the importance of knowing foreign languages in medicine both from the patients perspective as well as that of the physician (from shadowing.)
Overall, I have 16 LoR offers to sort through; I know the max that can be uploaded to AMCAS is 10 and most schools prefer no more than a maximum of 5 or 6 letters, but I just wanted to put that out that there that I have strong and plentiful LoR's to count on in my application.
I have zero interest in attending a D.O. school (hence I am doing my MS degree.) Hopefully will have a 4.0 GPA in 4 to 5 classes by the time I apply in June, and will complete the MS during the application cycle (and send update letters to schools as summer semester and fall semester grades are given post-submission of applications.)
If someone could please let me know what kind of application situation my 3.2sGPA/3.3cGPA, 30S MCAT, EC's and hopefully a 4.0 gGPA will create for me, it will be most greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
Looking for some insight regarding my application for MD schools:
Went to Community College after graduating high school early (financial limitations + didn't know what I wanted to do with my life yet); had a very rough first semester - 2.58, eventually decided to major in biology....required to take Gen Bio, Gen Chem, English, O-Chem, Math, in order to transfer away to a bio program at a 4 year university....brought my GPA up from 2.58 to ~3.6 by the time I transferred. Transferred to a "top 25" university, and my overall (AMCAS) GPA was clobbered down from a 3.6 to ~3.3; science GPA is ~3.2.
Graduated with my bachelors in 2010, and took some "time off" to work in a laboratory. Stayed for a little over a year and a half. No publications, but left the lab for graduate school (on good terms) with a LoR offer.
Currently in my first semester of a 2 year MS program at a medical school. No transcript yet, but definitely on track for a 4.0 (perfect 100% on all exams, classes are not curved.) MS degree is in a "hard" life science discipline; is not an MPH.
Took MCAT summer 2012 and scored a 30 S (10 PS, 8 VR, 12 BS.) Spent summer 2012 shadowing a physician in one of the IM specialties, ~4 hours a week for 10 weeks. Currently shadowing a physician in one of the IM specialties at my schools hospital, ~6 hours week - they have agreed to let me shadow them for 8-12 weeks. Currently shadowing a pathologist who is also member of the teaching faculty at top 25 med school near where I live; they let me sit in on some of their classes and are teaching me (in small group with pathology fellows) diagnostic histology. Shadowing this pathologist ~7 hours a week over the course of the 2012-2013 academic year. Shadowed a cardiologist for 20 hours in one week through a shadowing program at my undergraduate school during winter break of my senior year. No letter, but a cool experience to discuss on application because of location/what I saw + it was my first shadowing experience. Volunteered ~120 hours in an emergency room over the course of 3 months (no LoR because I left on bad terms....(specifically, did not finish the duration/volunteer time promised, because I was offered a full-time job in a laboratory and the schedules conflicted.) Will be shadowing a neonatologist for 1 week (full-time schedule) during the 2012-2013 academic
winter recess. Currently volunteering ~5 hours a week in an urgent care center at a nationally recognized cancer hospital. I help patients with their non-medical needs, and I also do per diem interpretation (non-medical) in Spanish and Russian. Will hopefully clock ~200 hours or so before June 2013 (when I apply to MD schools) but plan on continuing volunteering there through the application cycle. Currently working part time in a stem-cell laboratory as a graduate research assistant. Potential for co-authorship on publication, but not likely to be published before I submit applications to medical schools. Was president/founder of a cardiology interest group in undergrad, and am currently the VP of the cardiology interest group at the medical school where I am doing my MS. As VP I am coordinating a community-outreach event that will provide free CV health assessments to the medically under-served in the area where my school is. I am also the VP of the Graduate Student Association and I am responsible for putting together a university wide student research symposium.
Have had the chance to travel and gain some "cultural exposure" on what I am told is considered by admissions committees "medical tourism"; was injured in a country where I did not speak the nation's language and had to go to the hospital to be treated - an absolutely frightening experience but in retrospect, gave me perspective on what emergency situations for non-English speaking immigrants in the USA are like....decided to study some foreign languages after this. Not fluent in any language, but have learned (through self-study, help from friends) Spanish, Russian, Norwegian. Currently expanding on my Russian, and will also learn Hebrew before applying in June 2013. Have seen the importance of knowing foreign languages in medicine both from the patients perspective as well as that of the physician (from shadowing.)
Overall, I have 16 LoR offers to sort through; I know the max that can be uploaded to AMCAS is 10 and most schools prefer no more than a maximum of 5 or 6 letters, but I just wanted to put that out that there that I have strong and plentiful LoR's to count on in my application.
I have zero interest in attending a D.O. school (hence I am doing my MS degree.) Hopefully will have a 4.0 GPA in 4 to 5 classes by the time I apply in June, and will complete the MS during the application cycle (and send update letters to schools as summer semester and fall semester grades are given post-submission of applications.)
If someone could please let me know what kind of application situation my 3.2sGPA/3.3cGPA, 30S MCAT, EC's and hopefully a 4.0 gGPA will create for me, it will be most greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!