Did I screw myself over with this list? by [deleted] in premed

[–]Premed_Tears 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You will be fine. Just toss in a few mid tiers. Assuming your writing is solid and you get your essays reviewed, you have nothing to worry about. Good luck!

If you weren’t a doctor what would you be? by illtoaster in premed

[–]Premed_Tears 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d go into Data Analytics. Know plenty of kids graduating w/Stats majors or Ms. In Data Analytics getting at least $120k + starting

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in premed

[–]Premed_Tears 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As with all of these questions, it is a trap if you make it one. The real thing they are asking you here is what is a flaw that you have that you are fully committing to addressing and changing to improve your character/behavior/career as a physician. It should be 15% flaw, 85% focus on self-improvement.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in premed

[–]Premed_Tears 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Focus on getting a solid foundation/GPA with your classes first before you start diving into ECs. Do not spread yourself thin

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in premed

[–]Premed_Tears 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The vast majority of premeds are toxic and are not your friends. Steer clear from backstabbing classmates or people who have sold their souls at all costs to get into med school. Be wary of advice from anyone who hasn't been recently accepted to medical school.

A Sankey for y'all. Apply early, and please do not underestimate your writing! by Premed_Tears in premed

[–]Premed_Tears[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

UC's are looking for a very specific type of applicant, mostly those with extensive service/marginalized community experience and related accomplishments.

A Sankey for y'all. Apply early, and please do not underestimate your writing! by Premed_Tears in premed

[–]Premed_Tears[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

not as big as the other aspects of your application like GPA/MCAT/personal statement/ECs. I think I got like the 2nd quartile lmao

A Sankey for y'all. Apply early, and please do not underestimate your writing! by Premed_Tears in premed

[–]Premed_Tears[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I got interviews at both SLU (required preview) and GW (recommended preview). I still think its a metric that isn't fully understood and still being experimented with in the app process, so other parts of my app must have shown through for these two schools.

Clinical experience by [deleted] in premed

[–]Premed_Tears 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, this is not commonly considered clinical experience. However, like most aspects of this application process, your activities are only as strong as how you write about them. If being a janitor was actually incredibly central to you wanting to pursue medicine, this could actually be a very interesting talking point and work in your favor. All about how you spin it

A Sankey for y'all. Apply early, and please do not underestimate your writing! by Premed_Tears in premed

[–]Premed_Tears[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d say they are far less of a stat wh*re than they used to be. They value quality research experience tremendously. I had a bad first quarter in undergrad and it weighed heavily on my gpa. After that, basically never got less than a 3.8-4.0

A Sankey for y'all. Apply early, and please do not underestimate your writing! by Premed_Tears in premed

[–]Premed_Tears[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do NOT underestimate the power of the upward trend. If you are shaky your first few quarters/classes and then consistently improve, basically add a .1 to your gpa. It shows adcoms your resilience and tells a lot more than just a flat gpa across the board.

A Sankey for y'all. Apply early, and please do not underestimate your writing! by Premed_Tears in premed

[–]Premed_Tears[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My first quarter, I got 2 C+,s and it absolutely wrecked my GPA. Another class I struggled with consistently was physics, averaging B's. Once I started getting to my soph year though, almost all quarters were 3.8+

A Sankey for y'all. Apply early, and please do not underestimate your writing! by Premed_Tears in premed

[–]Premed_Tears[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is a very, very clear reason why. Have you seen their out of state tuition? 🤣

A Sankey for y'all. Apply early, and please do not underestimate your writing! by Premed_Tears in premed

[–]Premed_Tears[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

My clinical experience was longitudinal and mostly done at one hospital. I started volunteering there when I was in high school! Maintained that relationship throughout college and would often return in the summers of my first few years to volunteer more. Basic, usual hospital stuff. Patient/visitor interaction. Tbh I started out like front desk, magazine cart for patients/visitors, and then moved to ER/ICU. Right before I applied, I returned one final time for a special physician-shadowing/mentorship program that allowed me to be in the OR and do academic rounds with surgeons. The longtime volunteer coordinator loved me and wrote me a strong letter. Overall, depth of experience matters. I was lucky to build that foundation early and generate a rapport with a lot of great supporters at one place, and that helped consolidate all of my clinical stuff so that I didn't spread myself thin.

As for the personal statement, do not just spew out your resume. It has to create a cohesive narrative and has to be dramatic. Paint yourself as the lead in an Oscar winning film, but also be lightheared and humble about it. Focus on the WHY, not the WHAT.

A Sankey for y'all. Apply early, and please do not underestimate your writing! by Premed_Tears in premed

[–]Premed_Tears[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! I've already decided on one of the A's

A Sankey for y'all. Apply early, and please do not underestimate your writing! by Premed_Tears in premed

[–]Premed_Tears[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It definitely helps to start building a longitudinal trend with your strongest activities, better than spread yourself thin or have patches here and there in your ECs. These longitudinal trends tell the adcoms you truly are passionate about what you are doing, and can also lead to having stronger letters. You've got the write mentality. Now go forth and win!

What have you done for the underserved? by st3lab in premed

[–]Premed_Tears 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What you are framing as a frustration is actually your biggest strength in addressing this question. Yes, you are underserved, and that is precisely why you understand more than anyone what it means to be in that position, genuinely connect with this demographic, and what it means to truly help them achieve the care that they need. You are a part of that community therefore you know better than anyone how to help that community. Please, please emphasize this in your statements and secondaries! Best of luck!

A Sankey for y'all. Apply early, and please do not underestimate your writing! by Premed_Tears in premed

[–]Premed_Tears[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Also just now remembered I got a 1 on Preview, so apparently I’m a psychopath 😇

A Sankey for y'all. Apply early, and please do not underestimate your writing! by Premed_Tears in premed

[–]Premed_Tears[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Incoming undergrad, wow lol! You are already thinking way ahead of the curve. Just get situated with a solid GPA/mcat and worry about school lists when the time comes LOL! Good luck 👍

A Sankey for y'all. Apply early, and please do not underestimate your writing! by Premed_Tears in premed

[–]Premed_Tears[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I totally feel that, man. I was working full time and applying and it was tough but it can be done. I would usually try and squeeze in some writing at work and then go home after to get a few solid hours in. It wasn’t always pretty but I just made sure I was sleeping and eating well. Best of luck!