First, here are my stats:
VA Resident (formerly MA)
University of Virginia, class of 2012
B.S. Biology
Dean's list 6/8 semesters
GPA: 3.72
sGPA: 3.70
*upward trend (4.0 last 2 years, GPA was hovering around 3.4/3.5 prior to that)
1/26/2013 MCAT (first time): Overall: 37 (11v, 14ps, 12bs)
Clinical EC's
-Teaching Assistant for intro bio labs for 3 semesters (about 200 hours total)
-40 hours at a burn center at a major Richmond hospital
-45 hours at an ER
-65 hours volunteering at a therapeutic riding center (interact with children with various forms of mental and physical disabilities)
-80 hours shadowing physicians (ER doctor, surgeon, internist)
Unrelated EC's
-UVA Equestrian team, 2 years
-University Programs Council Event Coordinator, 5hrs/week, 1 year
Research Experience
-1 year Independent Research (20hrs/week) for highly regarded faculty member of the cancer center at UVA
-Summer internship at Novartis Institute of Biological Research in Cambridge, MA
-Currently working (since graduation in 2012) for clinical trial company in a vaccine lab
Letters
- 2 from Biology professors, 1 from an English professor and 1 from my research adviser
These are some of the schools I'm looking at applying to (I know I need to edit and add, but it's a start):
-University of Virginia (top of my list)
-Virginia Commonwealth (aka MCV)
-EVMS (safety?)
-Virginia Tech (not accredited yet, but will apply since it's a state school)
-Boston University
-Brown
-Vanderbilt
-Georgetown (Georgetown is one of the tops on my list, but unfortunately since it's one of the most applied to schools I don't know if it's realistic)
-George Washington
-Mayo
-Duke
-Emory
-Northwestern
-Michigan and Oregon -- possibilities just b/c of the oos representation
I was set on getting my PhD until the beginning of my senior year in college and spent that last year making sure that I was putting myself in as good of an academic place as possible for med school. I took a biotech job following graduation so that I could pay the bills and give myself the ability to volunteer and study for the MCAT. Ideally I would have done something clinically related (I was aiming for a scribe position) but I am not living at home and I needed to be able to financially support myself. The 9-5 thing has gotten in my way of volunteering in clinics (around here they're only open 9-4ish). I plan in my personal statement to explain that I'm doing everything possible to expose myself to the field and hopefully explain away my lack of EC's. Also, looking at schools seems so overwhelming, is there any tools you would all suggest using to narrowing it down (other than MSAR)? I would appreciate any help that you all could give me!
VA Resident (formerly MA)
University of Virginia, class of 2012
B.S. Biology
Dean's list 6/8 semesters
GPA: 3.72
sGPA: 3.70
*upward trend (4.0 last 2 years, GPA was hovering around 3.4/3.5 prior to that)
1/26/2013 MCAT (first time): Overall: 37 (11v, 14ps, 12bs)
Clinical EC's
-Teaching Assistant for intro bio labs for 3 semesters (about 200 hours total)
-40 hours at a burn center at a major Richmond hospital
-45 hours at an ER
-65 hours volunteering at a therapeutic riding center (interact with children with various forms of mental and physical disabilities)
-80 hours shadowing physicians (ER doctor, surgeon, internist)
Unrelated EC's
-UVA Equestrian team, 2 years
-University Programs Council Event Coordinator, 5hrs/week, 1 year
Research Experience
-1 year Independent Research (20hrs/week) for highly regarded faculty member of the cancer center at UVA
-Summer internship at Novartis Institute of Biological Research in Cambridge, MA
-Currently working (since graduation in 2012) for clinical trial company in a vaccine lab
Letters
- 2 from Biology professors, 1 from an English professor and 1 from my research adviser
These are some of the schools I'm looking at applying to (I know I need to edit and add, but it's a start):
-University of Virginia (top of my list)
-Virginia Commonwealth (aka MCV)
-EVMS (safety?)
-Virginia Tech (not accredited yet, but will apply since it's a state school)
-Boston University
-Brown
-Vanderbilt
-Georgetown (Georgetown is one of the tops on my list, but unfortunately since it's one of the most applied to schools I don't know if it's realistic)
-George Washington
-Mayo
-Duke
-Emory
-Northwestern
-Michigan and Oregon -- possibilities just b/c of the oos representation
I was set on getting my PhD until the beginning of my senior year in college and spent that last year making sure that I was putting myself in as good of an academic place as possible for med school. I took a biotech job following graduation so that I could pay the bills and give myself the ability to volunteer and study for the MCAT. Ideally I would have done something clinically related (I was aiming for a scribe position) but I am not living at home and I needed to be able to financially support myself. The 9-5 thing has gotten in my way of volunteering in clinics (around here they're only open 9-4ish). I plan in my personal statement to explain that I'm doing everything possible to expose myself to the field and hopefully explain away my lack of EC's. Also, looking at schools seems so overwhelming, is there any tools you would all suggest using to narrowing it down (other than MSAR)? I would appreciate any help that you all could give me!