I had a conversation with a premed advisor this morning and I am very discouraged. She told me that it is becoming increasingly difficult for people with PhDs to gain entry to med school. She said the standards are tougher, they expect to see no B’s in grad school and higher MCAT scores.
I was waiting to submit my app tomorrow after seeing my scores, but now I am second guessing everything. I was wondering if someone could look over my personal statement and provide some feedback.
I suppose I should add some more info. I am really in a panic mode right now and not thinking clearly. I don’t know if I am really too late in this application cycle and maybe I should hold off another year. I graduated with my PhD in biomedical sciences in Dec 2011. I currently work part time so I would have time to study for MCATs and apply.
I have an undergrad cGPA of 3.36 and was discouraged of applying to med school from undergrad because I had a C in intro Chem.
I am late getting my committee letter from my undergrad institution, and clearly late with my apps. There’s a lot of holes to jump through and the process is difficult to navigate without any advisors.
- megscu24 Said:
There's a lot of holes to jump through and the process is difficult to navigate without any advisors.
That's why only the most motivated will succeed. I also have a PhD, with a less than stellar graduate GPA (MBA).
If you don't try, then no school can say yes. For what it's worth I hear you discouragement. I just submitted my AMCAS today after starting it on May 1st. So the process is a roller-coaster, no doubt about it.
Good luck, hang in there. Don't let anyone turn you away from your dream. If you want it hard enough, it will happen. Not saying it will be easy, but it will happen.
It’s still July, not August. Which means you’re not late, yet.
I don’t know what you look like on paper, but keep in mind that not all pre-med advisors are created equal. And many of them feel it is their job to discourage you, because if a few words are enough to sway you from the goal you might not make the finish.
Don’t let fear be your guide. DO consider the reality of what you look like on paper - your GPA is okay, but not amazing. Where does your MCAT compare? Are you applying to schools that accept students with your stats - and are those stats at the top, middle or bottom? Do you have volunteer work within the community and in healthcare? Do you have clinical or shadowing experience? Have you ever worked in the healthcare field in any way?
Answering those questions honestly and logically can put things in perspective. The year I took my MCAT, being unsure of my results (which wouldn’t have gone to schools until Sep, because I rescheduled for August) made me put off applying for a year. That was the result of a list similar to the one above.
Last year, I was confident that there was little I could do to change my appearance on paper, other than starting new volunteering experiences to discuss in “update letters” to my favorite schools. I submitted in July and rode the rollercoaster.
Only you know how ready you are! 
Good luck!
Thank you for the kind words. The support is exactly what I needed at this point of the process. My state of mind is not improved by knowing that I get my MCAT scores in less than 24 hours. deep breath