<p>I'm a senior in high school. I have great academic stats, my GPA is really good as well as my SATs.</p>
<p>I have a lot of volunteering and extracurriculars, but none have them have been medically related.</p>
<p>Do I still have a shot at some of these programs?</p>
<p>It probably depends on the program and unfortunately, your interviewer. At one school, my son's interviewer was only interested in what research he had done. Didn't really seem interested in hearing about anything else. I think 50 kids were interviewed (by maybe 5 or more different interviewers). Other kids were never asked about research. It all depended on who interviewed you. As expected, he wasn't offered a slot there.</p>
<p>I think you need a way to show that you have a real understanding of and a desire to be part of the medical profession - that being a doctor isn't a whim. These programs need to find kids who are MATURE enough to truly KNOW they want to be doctors and are committed to HARD WORK and show that they can succeed (HIGH GPA, TOP RANK, HIGH SATS). Premed majors drop like flies throughout the four years - not just because the courseload is difficult and there's pressure to do well, but because they realize medicine isn't what they want.</p>
<p>Perhaps you already have ways to show you're the person they're looking for. If not, you still have time to do so. Maybe you can relate your life experiences to show how your interests are somehow related. Perhaps you have a strong fascination with something (diseases, bugs, birds, animals, mechanics - seeing how things work) and have done research on your own. Maybe you helped rehabilitate injured animals. Maybe you grew up with doctors and know the REALITY of the medical field and can convey why you want to be a doctor. </p>
<p>My son didn't volunteer in a hospital because in our area, those jobs were superficial, no contact with patients, etc. He did volunteer with special needs kids in 2 programs for 4 yrs. You could shadow a doctor or 2 this coming fall. Check with your local hospital or medical school to see if it offers any programs for HS kids interested in medicine - you might be able to do that soon. On the apps, just list these as 2007. Most apps don't have to be submitted unil Dec/Jan.</p>