I have read some posts and have found them very helpful. I am currently a 28 yr old pre-med student who is married with two girls! I re initiated school may 2008 with only 16 hrs from '99 and currently only need 8 hrs to graduate did all this while working full time. Have not taken the MCAT but plan on doing it before the year is over.
I haven’t had time to shadow but since a course I need to take to graduate is not offered until fall, I will do that this summer.
How much will it affect me (med school acceptance purpose) if I don’t get any research experience? Clubs? Or volunteering?
I have been through so much during these two years with my daughters (one diagnosed with trichotillomania and ADHD) and several other things that I had no time for that…
I have been invited by a family member in guadalajara Mexico to visit med school there. What advice can you give me about taking that route?
Any feedback would be great!
Thanks
Welcome to OPM, MariaVicky 
. Sorry I can’t help much with specific questions.
Different schools consider things like research and extracurriculars differently. Some schools really want you to have research; some are frankly indifferent. The MSAR might be a good guide there. But many applicants do get in without having research. Clubs and volunteering can be nice, but I don’t know that they are necessarily necessary, either. I certainly wouldn’t recommend joining some club just to have it on your application.
As for the Medican school route you mention, if you’re interested, it may pay to pursue. Pragmatically, I suspect it would add an additional layer of challenge to matching at a US residency program. Personally, I’d be somewhat leery of that route, myself.
Welcome, and best of luck!