<p>Imagine this situation:</p>
<p>One student 4.0 San Jose State, Good MCAT, good EC's related to hospitals etc.</p>
<p>Another student 3.5 Princeton, Good MCAT, good EC's as well.</p>
<p>Who would the get the admission letter from a med school?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Bump please........</p>
<p>You need to realize that grades and MCATs are the way you get past the initial screen to get evaluated for an interview. Grades and MCATs get your foot in the door, but the rest of your application will make or break you. You will need to focus on all aspects of your application to make your case to a med school ad com. This is why it is critical to work on ECs and research experience, and relevant work activities to appeal to med school ad coms. In your example, no one can answer the question because there is not enough information. People with relatively low MCATs and GPAs can get into Ivy League med schools if they have eyepopping other aspects to their applications. You're being too simplistic.</p>
<p>Oh..I understand...but will there always be hospital or research experience no matter what undergrad school you go to? or is it good to go to schools near big cities?</p>
<p>For example at the U of Washington there is a children's hospital (Seattle Children's Hospital and Regional MEdical Center) it's like 5 minutes away. I did a shadow there and I would love to do those everyday...if I lived closer.</p>
<p>So Is it important to find schools near hospitals or around big cities?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Bump please........</p>
<p>Calm down, man. I'm here to get help..and since youre not offering any...don't post.</p>
<p>I also HELP people..you don't seem to be doing that...</p>
<p>i am truly convinced that any1 who wants to be a doctor should spend time in level 1 trauma centers ED departments and on a busy ambulance unit. </p>
<p>Ive done this and let me tell u, it shows you a different side then what you see on ER.</p>
<p>Ive also seen some of the brightest 4.0 2300 SAT kids collapse and decide medicine isnt for them.</p>
<p>I dont wanna sound harsh, but you say you like to help people. In all honesty, whos gonna say they dont like to help people? Id probably give someone a really weird look if they told me they dont like to help make people feel better.</p>
<p>What ive learned through my experiences with medicine at my age (18) and ive had 4 years of EMS experience and 2 at a major level 1 trauma center in NY...ive learned that if you wanna be a doctor, it takes ALOT more then wanting to help people. You gotta dig deep down and find your reasons for medicine, and they only exist in the heart bro. </p>
<p>But yea, if you wanna be a doctor, i highly suggest you start working EMS. When you lose someone in your arms, you'll know at that moment if medicine is right for you...its a feeling you will never forget, and ive had it NUMEROUS times...</p>
<p>EMS will teach you how to not only figure out how whats wrong with someone and how to treat them, but it will teach you how to work under pressure, how to deal with patients upset (and often hostile) families, how to communicate, how to deal with tradgedies, and to honestly see if you can handle the stuff that you dont hear doctors speak about very much.</p>
<p>Why would someone wanna talk about death and tradgedy when they can tell you about saving someones life? You gotta see it all to be able to know what you want for sure.</p>