<p>I'm a Genetics major at UW-Madison. For my first two years of undergrad, the second of which I've just finished, I must say that I've slacked a bit, and I'm not used to coming from behind.</p>
<p>My GPA is around 3.71 - 3.72 with OChem and Bio under my belt. Haven't taken the MCAT yet. I have about a year's worth of research under my belt (in ecology) with hopefully some publications in the future, and a decent amount of volunteering over the summers. I have no leadership experience or even much club involvement. The stereotypical premed really turns me off, and I feel like spending time with them is deflating. I'm not much of a bossy "leader" anyway.</p>
<p>I know I'm in trouble. What would you recommend I do in the next year or so to become more competitive? Mostly I'm looking for MD schools, and I know that -- at this point -- I would be keen on doing research in the long-term, but I'd rather get the MD than the PhD since most of what I plan on doing is genetics.</p>
<p>Also, is it too early to make a list of schools I'd be interested in doing?</p>
<p>Edit: My apologies for putting volunteering twice in the title.</p>
<p>If you are keen on “doing research long term” then a PhD is the route you want to take, not a MD. Genetics is a viable research field for a PhD. MDs practice clinical medicine. They don’t do basic research.</p>
<p>Medical genetics as a specialty requires a concurrent additional specialty–either pediatrics or internal medicine.</p>
<p>(in 2014, only 3 IM-genetics residencies were offered, and 12 pediatrics-genetics positions were offered.)</p>
<p>The emphasis of medical genetics residencies is the diagnosis and therapeutic management of children or adults with genetic disorders.</p>
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<p>Leadership has many forms. You needn’t be the stereotypical club president to demonstrate your leadership qualities. You could work as a youth group leader with your faith community. You serve as a military officer. You could coach a sports team. You could be a Girl Scout or Boy Scout leader. You be an activities organizer for you fraternity/sorority or an outside club. You could be a camp counselor. You could start or organize an activity that you find valuable. (Hiking trip. Blood drive. Fundraiser for a charity.) Tons of things that do not involve “bossy pre-meds”. </p>
<p>Being a teaching assistant is leadership, leading the class. D wasn’t interested in the usual club activities either, but loved leading a class of biology students. </p>
<p>Greatest source of such an experience and sharpenning it was D’s participation in sorority (Board member, went to national convention). Sorority overall was one of the most positive and useful experiences in UG and was not planned at all, something that D. just decided to “plunge” into while in UG. Another one was her job as Supplemental Instructor to Chem. prof. for 3 years (actually received a Leadership medal at graduation for that). D’s sessions were reaching 40 kids in class and she was told by many students and the prof. that she has raised the average grade in this class. Well, Chem. is what she loved, did not have to study for the Chem. portion of MCAT after this job (fringe benefit).<br>
I would say, use any of your passion and seek opportunity to help others in this area and you will be rewarded for this personally. However, D. keep saying that she truly enjoy being in charge and directing others and having positive feedbacks for this type of responsibility is extremely rewarding for her. You will need skills like this if you are given a Research project to run while at Med. School. If you want to be a “First Author”, then you will have to run your own project.
I do not know how TA would not count as Leaderhsip if D’s SI (supplemental Instructor), did. Teacher is a leader. Without effective usage of leadership (and communication skills as a subset) one cannot teach effectively. </p>