<p>I am currently a Junior and I am just now starting my Pre-Med requirements.</p>
<p>I am taking Chem1 and Phys1 right now (first semester of Junior year)
& planning on taking Chem2 and Phys2 next semester</p>
<p>Then Orgo1 and Bio 1 (first semester of Senior year)
Then Orgo2 and Bio 2 (second semester of my senior year)</p>
<p>I really just started the pre-medical path and haven't done any research, or interning, or shadowing. I also have no relationships with professors for letters of recommendation.</p>
<p>When would the best time to take the MCAT be?
When would the best time to apply to Medical School be?</p>
<p>I don't mind taking a gap year. (No more than one.)</p>
<p>You can’t possibly apply earlier than after your graduation since you won’t have your pre-reqs finished nor will you be able to take the MCAT until you’ve completed–or have nearly–completed your pre-reqs. Earliest possible date for MCAT would late spring 2014.</p>
<p>This means you have no choice but to take at least one glide year. The med school admissions process takes a full year to complete.</p>
<p>Since you have no research, no shadowing, no medical volunteering and no relationships w/ sciences profs for LORs, you need to start doing those activities NOW. </p>
<p>Finding a research lab to take may be the toughest hurdle since few labs want students with zero lab skills. Most lab want students with some prior lab experience, even if it’s just lab experience from required coursework.</p>
<p>ECs are just as important in the application process as a high GPA and a good MCAT score. (The latter will get your application looked at but it’s the former which will get you invited for an interview.)</p>
<p>IMO, you may want to consider dialing your plans a bit. Unless you can get a reasonable number of hours in shadowing, science research and medical ECs between now and summer 2014, you will be better off delaying your application for year and having a really strong app than applying sooner with a weak app. Reapplicants undergo greater scrutiny and often have a slightly high bar than do first time applicants.</p>