Hi,
I’m an Old Pre-Med’s Newbie. I never knew this site existed but I’ve been browsing the discussion forums and there is some awesome advice…some of which I’m hoping can be applied to my current situation…so, here it goes.
I graduated a few years ago with a degree in English Literature. I started out as a Biology major but switched after several terrible grades (like D’s and F’s in chem and o-chem). I was a D1 athlete in college and our schedule, combined with my waning interest in academics - resulted in most of those poor/terrible grades. After graduating I ended up doing work in Public Health, working for an NGO in South Africa for a couple of years and subsequently deciding to go back and try to go to medical school.
I have been taking my pre-med pre-reqs at the University of Washington - in a sort of ad-hoc program. I’ve done fairly well, not great (two 3.0’s in physics hurt a little) but I’ve managed to come out with roughly a 3.35 GPA. I just recently took my MCAT and got a 34 so I’m hoping that will help out a little. I also have been working as a research assistant for the department of global health at the University of Washington. At the same time - to finance these classes, I work the night shift at a hotel (10pm-6am) which I’m hoping will give me a little leeway when it comes to GPA - maybe not though, I don’t want to make excuses.
I have decided to apply to med schools next fall - for various reasons. So, my question really is, What can I do to strengthen my application for next fall? I’ve heard several answers from friends 1) Take Advanced Classes (300 and 400 level) 2) try to get as much shadowing time as possible 3) keep doing what I’m doing.
I’m hoping that I’m not totally deluding myself here, I know a 3.35 (hopefully a 3.4 once I finish O-chem) isn’t great - certainly not by today’s ultracompetitive pre-med standards - but I have solid experiences, goals and ambition, and I’m hoping that counts for something. I guess we’ll see. Anyway if anyone has any advice (maybe even on schools that look favorably on “Public Health” interests that would be awesome. Any and all comments are much appreciated.
Thanks again,
SounderFan
Welcome! Glad you posted and asked questions. 
First, you need to apply to medical school in the summer. June is great, July is good, later is not going to help you and may hinder you.
However, I think the 34 on your MCAT will help quite a bit with the GPA, as long as you can write a compelling personal statement and are prepared to explain the “discrepancy” during interviews. Related to this, start your PS now, so you will be ready to apply in June, rather than delaying to polish it at the last minute.
You can get online access to the MSAR, which is the big book of MD schools, and see the range of GPA’s and MCAT scores each school considers, and then you can contact a few admissions offices for schools which you’re interested in and see what they’re expecting of you, and what upper div bio will make you more competitive (ie: biochem, anatomy/physiology, microbio, cell bio)
Finally, active community service is still important. The NGO looks great, but it was a job. You need to show involvement in your community as a volunteer, which you didn’t mention.
Good luck!
Wow PS, thanks for the advice/comments. I will definitely start working on my personal statement now, that’s a nice heads up. Any ideas specifically on what type of community service looks good. I’m assuming something related to healthcare. Volunteering in a hospital? VA? Suggestions? Thanks again!
-SounderFan
Since I haven’t been there yet, I just wanted to say welcome and props to you for doing night audit at the hotel. I always hated that shift in college because I could never stay awake. You do get some of the more “interesting” guests, though!
Not necessarily. Community involvement where you actually work with people may be more important than clinical volunteering. Volunteer at a food bank, tutor other students for free, etc.
But I’ll let others weigh in on this. 
yeah interesting is an UNDERSTATEMENT! That shift brings in the crazies.
I once had a guy jump OVER the desk because his Hotwire.com prepaid reservation card # was declined. No joke. I had to lock myself in the manager’s office and call the police (which I just happened luckily to have some FBI guys in-house training, so they saw and came to the rescue until local PD could come).
I also had a Bengals player get caught with over $1 million in drugs, a prostitute, and a few guns. That one was actually kinda funny because it was a bust, so everything was planned out (and safe on my end).
Lovely people come out after dark, lol.
So, you can handle angry patients no problem, right?
Hehe, yeah 