Brief Profile:
I was a theatre major at Pomona College in Claremont, CA. Completed my pre-med coursework at UCLA Extension and UCLA from age 31-33.
Briefly, this is what I wrote for my ECs:
Employment: Studio Feature Film Editor/Visual Effects Editor & Independent Filmmaker for 12 years. Teacher through college and a year after college graduation.
Clinical Volunteering: Trauma I Emergency Room for 2 years.
Non-Clinical Volunteering: Food on Foot for numerous years. Editing Consultant for Doctors Without Borders. Educational Theatre Work.
Research: Phlebotomy/Path Lab Trainee. Winner of American Heart Assn Summer Fellowship at NIH over a decade ago.
Shadowing: Orthopedic Surgeon at a hospital and a private Family Med MD
Leadership: Co-Founder of Pre-Med Club for Non-Trad Students in Los Angeles. Co-Founder of Film/Video Prod Club at Pomona College. Producer/Director for many films/plays.
Arts: Stage/Screen Actress since childhood. Screenwriter & Playwright.
Hobbies/Interests: Snowboarding. Hiking/Camping. Traveling-Machu Picchu & southern Peru, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, all over Europe & US, Mexico, Whistler, Grand Tetons, Sequoias.
Awards: Phi Beta Kappa. Cum Laude. Recognition for my first feature film. Many Acting Awards. (I forgot to list my academic scholarships on my application.)
// Applications //
Application Cycle One: 2007
Undergraduate college: Pomona College
Undergraduate Area of study: Computing and Information Science
Institution: Post-Bacc
Area of Study: Premedical Studies
Total MCAT SCORE: 507
MCAT Section Scores:
B/B 127,
C/P 125,
CARS 129
Overall GPA: 3.73
Science GPA: 3.69
Summary of Application Experience
April '07: MCAT.
Mid June '07: AMCAS app submitted.
July-Sept '07: Secondaries submitted.
Late Oct '07: U of Maryland and George Washington were my first interviews and they were back-to-back.
U of MD's facilities are amazing. I loved their block curriculum--you take only one course at a time. Also, I'm originally from Maryland, so being back in my homestate would be a pleasure.
GW's students sold me. Being a non-trad, I'm looking for a class I feel comfortable in. From my experience there, I know that GW has what I'm looking for in that. Also, their international opportunities are fantastic. And I miss DC. I left GW in love with the school.
Late Nov '07: Tulane was my third interview. Again, I was happy with the students I met there, although I felt my age more at Tulane than at GW. Being at my third med school interview, I felt calmer and more certain of what I wanted to express. Tulane's clinical opportunities rocked my world. Because I want to focus on underserved/uninsured communities, post-Katrina New Orleans truly feels an excellent fit for me.
Early Dec: snail mail letter from U of Maryland. I'm not accepted, waitlisted, or rejected. I'm just still in the running. I updated them with my current grades -- all A's! :)
Xmas Eve (12/24/07): snail mail letter of acceptance from Tulane! :)
New Years Eve (12/31/07): snail mailed acceptance package from George Washington University! :)
Jan '08: a bunch of rejection letters/emails
Feb '08: withdrew from U of Maryland. I am doing my taxes soon and getting ready to fill out the FAFSA with all my parents' info. It's bizarre getting their tax info for med school as I've been independent since I was 18. Also, I'm pregnant!
Feb-Apr '08: talk to med school deans and many moms and dads that are med school students to get advice on deferring a year to have my first baby.
May '08: officially request a one-year deferral from GW. It is granted. I'm GW Class of 2013 and I couldn't be happier!!!
Best of luck, non-trads! You can do it! Go for your dreams!
