I am about to start my senior year (Fall 2011) as a biology major and I going to track my progress to obtaining placement into medical school. I am starting this blog so that others that follow can hopefully use this information to help them achieve their goals as a medical student in the future. Now let me tell you what I have been doing so far to try and set myself up for a great medical school application:
1. Keeping my GPA up, especially in my sciences courses.
2. Getting involved in clubs, currently in biology and chemistry club, looking to join several more my senior year.
3. Clinical shadowing hours, I think this is a must. I have clocked in nearly 300 hours now and have really learned so much more about the profession I dream of doing. To read about what physicians do and see them in action is a totally different prospective so I subject trying to set up some shadowing. Go to your local hospital and talk face to face with the staff their - that works much better than trying to e-mail someone who probably will not respond.
4. Setting up volunteer hours at my local free clinic. Most cities have one of these but this will also look really great on the application.
Other than that I have been researching medical schools thoroughly and seeing their requirements. Almost all of them are the same except for the Caribbean schools. These I already know are going to be my alternative if I do not get into any U.S. medical schools. Some of these are great school with great reputations, number 1 being St. George's University in Grenada, then Ross, and SABA. Those who do not think they can get into the U.S schools should also apply here if willing to travel to a different country in order to obtain acceptance. St. George's USMLE step 1 (United States Medical License Exam) pass rate is over 84% which is very competitive with US schools.
One other big debate I have been going through is whether or not to apply to Physician Assistants programs. I have decided against that because yes that is a great profession but it is not a physician. They always must practice under supervision of a physician and no matter how much experience they have they will always have a boss over them. If I do not get into any medical schools then it will have to be a second option, and I will still be able to practice medicine just without the total freedom I would like to.
My next step is I am going to order some MCAT, medical school interview, and medical school entrance exam prep books and start reviewing those. I am going to have to take my Physics the summer after I graduate which will be May of 2012, so I will take my MCAT shortly after that and then things will be happening very quickly with the application process. One tip I know I can already give is give yourself ample amount of time to do everything. I am already going to have to be rushing to get my applications in which is going to be stressful but it is well worth it. I will report back after receipt of my prep books and let you know what I think of them and how they could help you all.
Mike
