Advise on improving application competitiveness

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PreMed.T

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Hey everyone,
2022 Grad, 2 years of gap, 1 year due to financial and familiar reasons and the other due to being too late in the cycle with no start on apps. I have not taken the MCAT yet, I was to take my MCAT 3 months ago but have been delayed with progress and will likely be pushing it back to aim for a 515+.
My ethnicity is South east Asian- Paksitani. Reside in Florida.
I am sitting at a 3.84 GPA, with roughly a 3.75 sGPA
I am currently virtually scribing for a clinic and have been for over 2 years and prior to that was scribing for roughly 6 months, totaling approximately 3000 hours or so in clinical experience. Primarily attained this position during the pandemic but due to the connection I have with the physician and enjoyment of the occupation I have continued working here.

My volunteering hours are 150 hours working at free clinic where I was helping with charting/ taking vitals, rooming patients, and then administrative tasks such as checking patients in and scheduling follow ups. This was done over the course of 3-4 months. I additionally did shadow the physician during the time, but I do not believe this can be considered full shadowing as it was mostly volunteering.

My extracurriculars include being a premed mentor to 2 students over the span of a year.
I was a main member of a subclub within a major club and assisted with presentations as well as presented my own 3 presentations for general health and wellness information given to general student body of campus.

I did shadow a urological clinic for approximately 1.5 months, aside from this I have about 50 hours of eShadowing.

Would it be best that I decrease working at this scribing position and incorporate shadowing of a doctor, or perhaps try to commit to research? Generally, what would YOU do in my position to give me the best chances, is what I am asking. Thank you for reading!
and wanted to know, with this additional year I will have until next application cycle how best should I improve my chances for the next cycle? I

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You really haven’t shared much info that will help us know where you are in building your application. You mention no nonclinical volunteering, no shadowing and a ton of virtual clinical work. Why isn’t your scribing in person? The pandemic restrictions were lifted a while ago. While this activity was okay during the pandemic, you should be doing face to face activities with patients.
What is your MCAT? Or is the planned test your initial test?
When do you plan to apply?
What is an “overrepresented minority”?

Please fill in the grid I’ve attached below. The information will help the members of the forum give you good advice.



 
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You really haven’t shared much info that will help us know where you are in building your application. You mention no nonclinical volunteering, no shadowing and a ton of virtual clinical work. Why isn’t your scribing in person? The pandemic restrictions were lifted a while ago. While this activity was okay during the pandemic, you should be doing face to face activities with patients.
What is your MCAT? Or is the planned test your initial test?
When do you plan to apply?
What is an “overrepresented minority”?

Please fill in the grid I’ve attached below. The information will help the members of the forum give you good advice.



Thanks, I have updated with some more information.
 
Last edited:
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From your description you have zero non-clinical volunteering. That will get you screened out practically everywhere. So start a non-clinical volunteering experience ASAP.

Research is entirely optional based on your school list. A common pattern for reapplicants is high stats, heavy clinical, heavy research, zero non-clinical volunteering. Don't be one of those people.

Come back when you have an MCAT score.
 
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From your description you have zero non-clinical volunteering. That will get you screened out practically everywhere. So start a non-clinical volunteering experience ASAP.

Research is entirely optional based on your school list. A common pattern for reapplicants is high stats, heavy clinical, heavy research, zero non-clinical volunteering. Don't be one of those people.

Come back when you have an MCAT score.
Thank you! This helps a lot. Are there any non-clinical volunteering activities that are seen as weighing heavier or less than others? Will work on this for sure.
 
Hey everyone,
2022 Grad, 2 years of gap, 1 year due to financial and familiar reasons and the other due to being too late in the cycle with no start on apps. I have not taken the MCAT yet, I was to take my MCAT 3 months ago but have been delayed with progress and will likely be pushing it back to aim for a 515+.
My ethnicity is South east Asian- Paksitani. Reside in Florida.
I am sitting at a 3.84 GPA, with roughly a 3.75 sGPA
I am currently virtually scribing for a clinic and have been for over 2 years and prior to that was scribing for roughly 6 months, totaling approximately 3000 hours or so in clinical experience. Primarily attained this position during the pandemic but due to the connection I have with the physician and enjoyment of the occupation I have continued working here.

My volunteering hours are 150 hours working at free clinic where I was helping with charting/ taking vitals, rooming patients, and then administrative tasks such as checking patients in and scheduling follow ups. This was done over the course of 3-4 months. I additionally did shadow the physician during the time, but I do not believe this can be considered full shadowing as it was mostly volunteering.

My extracurriculars include being a premed mentor to 2 students over the span of a year.
I was a main member of a subclub within a major club and assisted with presentations as well as presented my own 3 presentations for general health and wellness information given to general student body of campus.

I did shadow a urological clinic for approximately 1.5 months, aside from this I have about 50 hours of eShadowing.

Would it be best that I decrease working at this scribing position and incorporate shadowing of a doctor, or perhaps try to commit to research? Generally, what would YOU do in my position to give me the best chances, is what I am asking. Thank you for reading!
and wanted to know, with this additional year I will have until next application cycle how best should I improve my chances for the next cycle? I
As others have said:

1. Get in-person clinical exposure.
2. Get non-clinical volunteering serving the underserved.
3. Do well on the MCAT.
4. Line up recommenders for when you do apply.
 
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Thank you! This helps a lot. Are there any non-clinical volunteering activities that are seen as weighing heavier or less than others? Will work on this for sure.
Homeless shelter, food bank, advocacy-type work
 
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Thank you! This helps a lot. Are there any non-clinical volunteering activities that are seen as weighing heavier or less than others? Will work on this for sure.

Food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, housing rehabilitation. Military/first-responder commitments are also highly valued.
 
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