Brief Profile:
I spent a year in research while studying towards a masters in biomedical ethics. After that year, I took a job working in health care market research and consulting. Took 3 years of 'doing' before I was ready to apply and get in, but, I had a low BCPM GPA and only scratching the surface MCAT scores. So, it was what I needed. Well, well worth it to enjoy life and gain experiences before applying.
// Applications //
Application Cycle One: 2007
Undergraduate college: Union College
Undergraduate Area of study: History/Humanities
Institution: MS: Biomedical Ethics
Area of Study: Computing and Information Science
Degree Obtained: MS
Total MCAT SCORE: 509
MCAT Section Scores:
B/B 127,
C/P 126,
CARS 129
Overall GPA: 3.50
Science GPA: 3.30
Summary of Application Experience
I was not the typical applicant, but medical school is something I deeply wanted. After college, I got a degree in biomedical ethics, which was something I was interested in anyway, and want to pursue as a physician. At the same time, I took a job as a research assistant in a neuroimaging lab. Hated it. But, I learned a lot from it, and medical schools seemed to be impressed.
I took the MCATs the first time after studying till I couldn't keep my eyes open at night, and still bombed them. It was too much pressure and I didn't sleep well the night before. So, I continued through life, and got a job in the financial world of New York City in market research. Then, I studied less hard for the MCATs, but studied smarter, and did much better.
So, in the end, I'm 3 years 'behind' folks who went straight into medical school from college, but, I'm 3 years 'ahead' in terms of knowledge about myself, the world in general and great stories. Patience was well worth it.