Brief Profile:
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My "blog" contains advice for applicants & my overall application timeline. Check it out!
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I completed my undergrad requirements in 3 years and 1 quarter, so I spent my last 2 quarters on research, teaching, volunteering, etc, instead of enrolling in more classes. I graduated in June 2008 and took one 'year off' while applying.
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ACTIVITIES
The duration of some activities was shorter on my AMCAS, since I continued some activities during my year off.
MCAT instructor/tutor for The Princeton Review - 1 yr
Outcomes research in vascular and cardiothoracic surgery - 2 yrs
TA for vascular surgery elective for MS1/MS2's - 1.5 yrs
Medical education research resulting from above TA-ship - 1.5 yrs
TA, head TA & administrative coordinator for undergrad biology lab - 3 yrs
Shadowing program coordinator - 1.5 yrs
Premedical association - VP 1 yr, president 1 yr
Volunteer & steering committee member at free clinic - 2 yrs
Misc. volunteering at elementary schools - 1.5 yrs
Neurobiology research - 2 yrs, undergrad honors thesis
Study abroad in Australia - 1 quarter junior year
Shadowing various physicians - ~500 hrs total
Research lab scut monkey (summer job after freshman year)
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LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Our premed advisers do not write committee letters. We had a career center service which scanned the LORs and mail them as a packet. I wanted to include a LOR from each major EC that I held a leadership role in. I called schools' offices and was told that I could exceed the maximum if the letters all arrived in one packet, which they did. It was overkill in retrospect, but I felt that all my letters were strong and spoke to a different aspect of my application.
I included some detail about each LOR so you can see which activities I chose to back up with a LOR and how I 'fulfilled' my science and non-science letter requirements.
1. Surgical oncologist I shadowed for ~275 hrs. He focused on my performance in a clinical setting compared to the other med students / residents he works with. I wrote about this EC in my PS.
2. Vascular surgeon I shadowed for ~50 hrs. Took his vascular surgery elective and subsequently TA'd the class for 1.5 yrs. He became my PI - conducted surgical education research & outcomes research. He focused on my leadership, TA-ship, and research. I wrote about this EC in my PS.
3. Faculty adviser for premed shadowing program I coordinated. He focused on my role in rebuilding this program from scratch. I wrote about this EC in my PS.
4. Prof from my Writing & Rhetoric course Sophomore year. My project was about medical residency. She focused on my written and oral communication skills and collaboration with my classmates. I didn't know her as well as my other LOR-writers, but this was my 'non-science professor letter.'
5. Attending ophthalmologist at the free clinic where I volunteered several weekends per month. He wrote about my clinical skills, interaction with patients, and leadership roles at the clinic. I wrote about this EC in my PS.
6. PI from my undergrad honors thesis research. Worked in his lab for 2 yrs and took an upper-div class with him. He probably focused on my research rather than my performance in his class. Nonetheless, this was one of my 'science professor letters.'
7. Surgical fellow I met while shadowing and subsequently worked on a few cardiac surgery outcomes research projects with. I knew him better than the actual PI, so I asked him to write the letter.
8. Course director for undergraduate biology lab. Took the class as a sophomore, subsequently TA'd it for 3 years, became a head TA, and administrative coordinator for the course. She probably focused on my leadership, teamwork, and commitment to education rather than my performance as a student. Nonetheless, this was my other 'science professor letter.'
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MCAT
I took the MCAT the summer after my junior year. I studied from 6/26 - 9/6 (about 10 weeks) for a 9/7 test date. I did research and shadowed during the day, and studied most nights/weekends. I used The Princeton Review's books, which I borrowed from a friend who'd taken the course. I took all the full length online practice tests.
