<p>Ideally I want to go to a california med school. If not in california, I want to go to a 'good' med school. I'm not too picky about location seeing as I expect to be so busy that it probably won't matter all that much. (preferably a liberal area, with decent nightlife for binging/partying after exams)</p>
<p>My question is this: Should I rush to collect everything I need to apply this year? Or should I take a year off to strengthen my app with more EC's and clinical experience and apply next year?</p>
<p>Here are my stats:</p>
<p>I'm 23, turning 24 in October. (I only bring this up b/c i don't want to be like 30 entering med school, but im not in a big hurry either)</p>
<p>I'm currently a senior at UCLA. I scored 35P (12P,11V,12B) on my MCAT, and my science GPA is a 3.6. I'm about to get my BS degree from UCLA this spring. I took the majority of my science courses at a california community college before I transferred (I know some med schools look down on this). I've held part-time jobs throughout college (starbucks, restaurant serving/bartending). I recently began teaching MCAT courses and tutoring for a big test prep company, and I intend on doing this until I enter med school.</p>
<p>I have no clinical experience, haven't shadowed any doctors, don't have a single letter of rec yet (but I can get them... i know this is bad i've just procrastinated this the whole time...). I know a ortho surgeon personally who will let me work at his private practice, and shadow him all I want. I haven't taken him up on it because he lives and practices in NorCal, and I've been going to school in SoCal for the last 5 years. After graduation I intend on moving up there for a bit to do this.</p>
<p>My only volunteering experience is stuff I did in high school (catholic high school required about 100 hours of service by senior year).</p>
<p>So, what do you guys think? Thanks in advance</p>
<p>id say take a year off to get some clinical experiences. Hard to get in without that.</p>
<p>p.s. When does the Narwhal Bacon?</p>
<p>Haha, at midnight!</p>
<p>Thanks, I agree. But if I wait to apply next year, then I will have technically taken 2 years off right? ugh… I guess now I have to wait</p>
<p>yes, if you are a senior and want to take one year off, you will apply this coming summer. I think you’d probably be better off taking 2 years off (thus applying summer 2013) such that you can use stuff from your year off in your app. It’s much better to talk about what you’ve done than what you’ll do.</p>
<p>high school volunteering means nothing, don’t mention anything from high school on your app when the time comes</p>
<p>Bisonman: definitely take the year off and get lots of patient experience. Do the work experience and as much shadowing of the ortho as you can. Try to get some other shadowing (perhaps through his/her contacts while you are there). Also, right now, find some volunteer experience once a week. You can volunteer or just visit at a nursing home or elderly day care center or some kind of hospital with direct patient experience. '</p>
<p>Your MCAT score is great but you need to get the patient exposure and volunteer commitment up. You need that for both your application and so you will have something to talk about at your interviews.</p>
<p>Since you are a senior, if you are applying this year, that means you are taking one year off, if you are applyin g next cycle, then you are taking 2 years off. So, you do not have a choice, you are taking at least one year off. So, basically, your question is if you want to take another year off. Only you would know. But you have an opportunity to do some addtional medical EC’s starting ring now, correct?
BTW, UCLA is very well represented at D’s Med. School class, but Berkeley beats all other UG’s in representation.
I have no idea what you mean by “good” Med. School. All American Med. Schools are awesome and very hard to get in. But you have stats, you should feel confident. Best wishes!</p>