Hi!
I’m a non traditional student who just graduated in May from a 4 year college (I actually did five to complete pre med requirements). I am currently working as a research assistant for a nuclear neurologist as I study to take my MCATs this spring, and hopefully apply this upcoming cycle. As we’re currently working on the data organization/processing for the research, I’ve been listening to the Pre Med Years podcast as I transfer files. It’s really been an engaging mental stimulator, and I plan to catch up on it, then to continue listening to other podcasts I’ve encountered as a result(either directly, or through further research) of your podcast.
Anyway, your podcast has brought up some concerns I didn’t know I had yet with my application-namely my medicine-related extracurriculars. I have clinical experience as a CNA/STNA, but I haven’t really had the chance to do much, if any volunteering or shadowing.
Some more things about me you might want to know:
I was homeschooled-there is a >10 year gap where I was not in a formal academic classroom. During that time, I pursued a career as a professional ballet dancer. This path stopped at age 21(due to an issue with my ankle which surgery could correct, but would leave me without the flexibility to do pointe work, necessary for a ballet dancer- researching my symptoms really was the catalyst that piqued my interest in medicine)- I started college at age 22. While I started with the thought of going pre-med, I was highly uncertain in my ability to take on the study load required of a pre-med student(heavily science-based when I was very much arts focused), and eventually a med student. I started with high-school level sciences at a community college, and now have a major in Cognitive Science(ok, it technically says Social Science Interdisciplinary on my diploma) with minors in two hard sciences (Biology &Chemistry).
I was without a car most of my undergraduate career, and public transportation is not great where I live. I worked at least 1 job throughout my education, and had a second throughout my senior year, and sporadically during other years. I still do two jobs- the research assistant position, and I also teach ballet. I am in the process of trying to get volunteering& shadowing experience now that I have the transportation for it, but I am concerned as to how that’ll look to medical schools, and if I should hold off longer on applying to boost my extracurriculars? I really would prefer to get my life moving further forward towards my eventual career if possible, but I could see how a school could look at me and balk.
Oh, if it helps, my overall GPA was 3.95.