Brief Profile:
Undergraduate research in radiopharmaceuticals for 2.5 years including summers (1 publication, 2 presentations/1 award, NSF-REU, Hughes Scholar) Graduate research inorganic synthesis--hydrothermal synthesis (1 conference) Volunteer (hospital and free clinic, Alternative Spring Break-set up career seminar for disadvantaged Latino Youth in El Paso, TX) Deans list every semester Tutored chemistry and physics TA'ed organic and inorganic lab Goal: to be a socially-minded physician, be involved with free clinics, have a healthy family life. Concerns: 41+ million Americans with no health insurance, unequal ballance of power between health providers and insurance companies.
// Applications //
Application Cycle One: 2003
Undergraduate college: University of Missouri-Columbia
Undergraduate Area of study: Physical Sciences
Institution: University of Cambridge
Area of Study: Physical Sciences
Degree Obtained: M.Phil.
Institution: Boise State Univeristy
Area of Study: Biological/Life Sciences
Degree Obtained: N/A
Total MCAT SCORE: 514
MCAT Section Scores:
B/B 127,
C/P 128,
CARS 130
Overall GPA: 3.70
Science GPA: 3.64
Summary of Application Experience
I decided Jan 2003 that I wanted to be a doctor. I was a chem major so didn't have any bio. After taking MCAT in Apr I started at Boise State (my local university) in May to take bio classes to complete pre-reqs. I'm completing the 2nd semester of gen bio now and have also taken a few upper level bio classes. I am very grateful for my experience in these classes because without getting a taste now, I would probably have been blind-sided in med school. When I started this process, I had no idea how difficult the road would be. Medical school application process must be the most difficult of all graudate programs.
I suppose the one thing I've learned is that you need to apply early. I definnitley should have completed all my secondaries but didn't budget my time well enough. I also shold have researched each school more beforehand. Some schools do not accept out-of-staters with no ties to the area. I am still very confused on how schools decide whether to interview/accept applicants.
Invited for interview/interview/accepted: Missouri (early Oct/early Dec/Late Jan) Illinois (late Nov/Late Dec/Mid Jan) GWU (late Mar/early Apr/mid Apr) My interview experiences were extremely positive. I was surprised no one questioned my lack of volunteering experience (did not do any clinical or hospital volunteering during undergrad). I was surprised by the conversational quality of all my interviews.
PS GWU intially put me on their back-up back-up list late in Feb. I called in late March thinking I may have to reapply next year. I wasn't angling for an interview since I already thought they were closed. I honestly just wanted to find out why they didn't interview me this time around in the hopes that I'd be able to improve my application for next year. I had a nice conversation with the admissions staffer. The next day, a different staffer called me for an interview. I am so grateful for their staff. They were all very nice and I'm glad that I'll be going to a school where the beurocracy does not make the system completely inflexible. I'm not sure whether my calling them had anything to do with the interview invitation but I'll take what I can get. I'm very very thankful they are giving me an opprotunity to go to medical school next year.
