New here; Questions

[bonoz]

Hello everyone, this is my first post here I didn't see a section for new members, so I'm saying hi !

I am a rising Junior in my undergrad, an IT major doing pre-med. I used to be a computer science major, long story short I realised it's not what I wanted to do with my life and have changed tides and am on track to become a doctor, hopefully.

I know I will be in college for around 5 years because of my major change, etc. I have taken 3 pre-med classes: Biology 1, Chem 1, and Physics 1. I'm taking Chemistry 2 in the summer, organic and biology 2 in fall, organic 2 and physics 2 in spring, and hopefully my MCATS in next summer.

Well right now I am working at a Children's learning center where I am a sort-of a teacher where I help the "less-fortunate" children with their schoolwork and am part of a computer lab team to assist them in learning computers. I hope that this can be counted as a "Plus" for med schools to see. Though I want to do something more in my field, more focussed towards health. I don't know what I should be looking at right now, a volunteer experience? lab assistance? EMT (but I have no clinical experience)?? What should I be doing right now in terms of job/internship/extracurricular activities.

And btw, I goto George Mason University in Virginia, I'm 19 years old, nice to meet you all.

Thanks a lot for reading this, I do have more questions but I will ask them later.

[jameslynton]

IT is a good major as that you can get some pretty easy A's. Logic is also important. Do searches and read for your questions. There is a lot of knowledge on VMD and SDN about schools.

[bonoz]

Thanks. That's really why I did it because I knew CS would be a pain to get through with good grades. The subtle interest I have in computers does work well with IT, it's easier and also useful.

I don't know what to search for? But I'll give it a shot.

[jameslynton]

Actually, with the way modern medicine is going knowing IT and engineering is a plus in my opinion. Many of our modern marvels in medicine use computer programs to drive them. X-rays are digital images now in many offices. That is just the tip.

[jameslynton]

....I don't know what to search for? But I'll give it a shot.You may want to look at SDN (student doctor network) site. Also the MCAT website. They also have books with each US and some island schools in it. Generally don't set your sites low aim for the US school. Also Us News and World report and other mags rate the top 50 US schools. You want to compare them to AMCAS book for requirements for medical schools. You also want to find the best MCAT prep materials and prep courses. Note that for the MCAT, I say "prep" course and not "review" course. That is important to prep for the MCAT - it takes about 300 hours to prep for it to do a mid 30's to 40+ score. It is doable. Many people don't realize that and just take it cold. You don't want to do that!

[Blade07]

You don't need any clinical experience to enroll in an EMT class in Virginia. You can just sign up for the class and they'll teach you everything you need to know to get certified.

You might also want to try shadowing a doctor. It can be hard to find a doctor to shadow. I just e-mailed a nearby medical school and asked them if they knew of any doctors I could shadow. The admissions director was very helpful and she gave me a list of doctors to call. I got an added advantage in that most of these docs were affiliated with the school. The rec letter my doc wrote helped me get an interview there that I otherwise wouldn't have gotten.

Also, look to see if there are any free clinics in your area. Free clinics are great because they are dependent on volunteers to function and you can really get involved. At the free clinic I volunteered at, I got to take patient histories, triage and even help with administrative tasks. I wrote letters to various companies requesting discounts on equipment, pharmaceuticals etc. They even offered me a full time job. They can give you a great rec.

[bonoz]

Thanks very much this was good advice.

[bonoz]

Generally don't set your sites low aim for the US school. Also Us News and World report and other mags rate the top 50 US schools.


I won't. I will try my best.

You want to compare them to AMCAS book for requirements for medical schools.


What is the AMCAS book?


You also want to find the best MCAT prep materials and prep courses. Note that for the MCAT, I say "prep" course and not "review" course. That is important to prep for the MCAT - it takes about 300 hours to prep for it to do a mid 30's to 40+ score. It is doable. Many people don't realize that and just take it cold. You don't want to do that!

I have about 11 months before I take my MCATS. My questions:

1) When/How to register to take MCATS?

2) What's the best way to study for MCATS? take prep classes? buy study books?

3) What is the MCATs grading scale like?

Thanks.

[bonoz]

You don't need any clinical experience to enroll in an EMT class in Virginia. You can just sign up for the class and they'll teach you everything you need to know to get certified.


Is that so? That sounds ideal. Is that a good thing to show to the med schools then?


You might also want to try shadowing a doctor. It can be hard to find a doctor to shadow. I just e-mailed a nearby medical school and asked them if they knew of any doctors I could shadow. The admissions director was very helpful and she gave me a list of doctors to call. I got an added advantage in that most of these docs were affiliated with the school. The rec letter my doc wrote helped me get an interview there that I otherwise wouldn't have gotten.

Like the medschool, can hospitals help you out with that?


Also, look to see if there are any free clinics in your area. Free clinics are great because they are dependent on volunteers to function and you can really get involved. At the free clinic I volunteered at, I got to take patient histories, triage and even help with administrative tasks. I wrote letters to various companies requesting discounts on equipment, pharmaceuticals etc. They even offered me a full time job. They can give you a great rec.

And there are no prereqs to this? And this is basically a volunteering experience?

May I ask something: When you volunteered for this did you have a job? was it medical related?

Thanks.

[ericismyname]

EMT would def not hurt your application. I'd say most applicants generally have hospital and shadowing as their clinical expierence though.

Alot of hospital websites have an online application for shadowing and volunteering.

[slevit1]

EMT would def not hurt your application. I'd say most applicants generally have hospital and shadowing as their clinical expierence though.

Alot of hospital websites have an online application for shadowing and volunteering.

Shadowing or volunteering at a hospital is pretty much worthless. It's something to put on your application, but other than that, worthless. Everyone does it and it gives you about zero actual patient contact. I suppose if pushing hospital beds around is fun for you, then go for it.

If you can become an EMT, that's the far better way to go. I've been an EMT/paramedic for 9 years before being accepted to med school. In my personal statement, I talked about solid clinical experience, not just watching other people do it. I've had thousands of patients under my care, taken thousands of histories, read EKGs, given meds, performed advanced airway procedures hundreds of times, given thousands of IV's, etc.

As far as your MCAT question...check out AAMC.org for registration dates, but you've got a while before you have to worry about it. The BEST preparation really is to pay attention in your science classes and make sure you LEARN the material, not just memorize it for a test. Keep in mind that you will need it all again later (I wish I did that!). After that, taking a review course is definitely the best option if you can afford it. I took Kaplan and I like it a lot, so did everyone else I knew who took it.

[ericismyname]

[quote=slevit1;648967]Shadowing or volunteering at a hospital is pretty much worthless. It's something to put on your application, but other than that, worthless. Everyone does it and it gives you about zero actual patient contact. I suppose if pushing hospital beds around is fun for you, then go for it.

If you can become an EMT, that's the far better way to go. I've been an EMT/paramedic for 9 years before being accepted to med school. In my personal statement, I talked about solid clinical experience, not just watching other people do it. I've had thousands of patients under my care, taken thousands of histories, read EKGs, given meds, performed advanced airway procedures hundreds of times, given thousands of IV's, etc.

quote]

You are right, EMT is a much better choice to get your clincal exposure, but alot of people do not have the extra time to actually become an EMT. Alot of Pre-med students (and all college students for that matter.) Rarely work and could even do well academically if they were to work a real job...like EMT. Don't get me wrong though, I do believe EMT would be great for a medical school application.

And I wouldn't necessarily call shadowing and volunteering useless. While almost everyone and their brother does it and puts it on their application, I wouldn't want to be the one who applys to a US med school who doesn't have shadowing or volunteering on their application.

[bonoz]

[quote=slevit1;648967]Shadowing or volunteering at a hospital is pretty much worthless. It's something to put on your application, but other than that, worthless. Everyone does it and it gives you about zero actual patient contact. I suppose if pushing hospital beds around is fun for you, then go for it.

If you can become an EMT, that's the far better way to go. I've been an EMT/paramedic for 9 years before being accepted to med school. In my personal statement, I talked about solid clinical experience, not just watching other people do it. I've had thousands of patients under my care, taken thousands of histories, read EKGs, given meds, performed advanced airway procedures hundreds of times, given thousands of IV's, etc.

quote]

You are right, EMT is a much better choice to get your clincal exposure, but alot of people do not have the extra time to actually become an EMT. Alot of Pre-med students (and all college students for that matter.) Rarely work and could even do well academically if they were to work a real job...like EMT. Don't get me wrong though, I do believe EMT would be great for a medical school application.

And I wouldn't necessarily call shadowing and volunteering useless. While almost everyone and their brother does it and puts it on their application, I wouldn't want to be the one who applys to a US med school who doesn't have shadowing or volunteering on their application.

I guess EMT should be my main aim but having shadowing experience isn't bad might as well do it on the side.

[bonoz]

Shadowing or volunteering at a hospital is pretty much worthless. It's something to put on your application, but other than that, worthless. Everyone does it and it gives you about zero actual patient contact. I suppose if pushing hospital beds around is fun for you, then go for it.

If you can become an EMT, that's the far better way to go. I've been an EMT/paramedic for 9 years before being accepted to med school. In my personal statement, I talked about solid clinical experience, not just watching other people do it. I've had thousands of patients under my care, taken thousands of histories, read EKGs, given meds, performed advanced airway procedures hundreds of times, given thousands of IV's, etc.

As far as your MCAT question...check out AAMC.org for registration dates, but you've got a while before you have to worry about it. The BEST preparation really is to pay attention in your science classes and make sure you LEARN the material, not just memorize it for a test. Keep in mind that you will need it all again later (I wish I did that!). After that, taking a review course is definitely the best option if you can afford it. I took Kaplan and I like it a lot, so did everyone else I knew who took it.

So is EMT then an actual job that you also get paid for?

In that case it seems like the better option.

And what made you say that I have a while before I have to worry about that stuff? when should I worry about it then?

[ericismyname]

Yes, it has relatively short training as well.

[bidiboom]

Hi people, if you give some info I really will be very much relieved. Its actually very much a basic q: to have premed education do you have to have a 4-year bachelors degree in any US university? Isnt it enough just to have the prerequisite courses? I mean, do I have to have the prerequisite courses (Bio,Chem,Physics etc.) in any major field that takes years to graduate? After high school I graduated from a 2 year program of a university in Turkey, in IT. Later I worked as a software pro for years, now I may have an opportunity to have my dream education in medicine... MCAT is not the problem, I am preparing, but this premed ** degree and the time it consumes (if it takes 4 years in a university) is impossible. Would you please clarify this timing point? I cant be sure... Thanks for all... * * * * * * *