Brief Profile:
Getting 2 B.S. degrees (Psychobiology and Molecular Biology)
3 years of research in Neuropsychology, Genetics, and Neurobiology labs
Many research presentations including my own projects (my interests are in Neurosurgery and Neurobiology)
Volunteer Teacher at a center for mentally disabled children
Volunteer project coordinator and rape counselor for a homosexual youth group
President or Vice president for several organizations (pre-med club, Students for a Democratic Society, Gay-Straight Alliance, etc)
Started 2 now successful businesses
Lots of shadowing experience with Neurosurgeons
Currently work as a certified pharmacy technician
Miscellaneous Extras: sculpt stone, play violin and koto (Japanese harp), paint, speak 6 languages, play hockey and participate in extreme sports
**** Keep in mind that these activities are spread out through my undergrad education, most of the time I just worked.
// Applications //
Application Cycle One: 2008
Undergraduate college: Florida Atlantic University
Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences
Institution: Broward Community College
Area of Study: Biological/Life Sciences
Degree Obtained: AA
Total MCAT SCORE: 502
MCAT Section Scores:
B/B 125,
C/P 124,
CARS 127
Overall GPA: 2.61
Science GPA: 2.63
Summary of Application Experience
Having worked at least 2 full time jobs my entire undergrad career has left its mark on my GPA. I am the sole source of income for my household (myself and my disabled grandparents). I am strong willed and determined to make my dream come true, even if I have to resort to going to an island medical school.
I did apply as a URM because I am a Hispanic Asian. I am the first US born in the entire family, the first to never work as a field laborer, the first to graduate highschool, and the first to go college and earn degrees.
Applied to 27 medical schools initially (I have tried 3 times to list all of them here but this site doesn't want to list them idk why Y_Y), didn't submit some secondaries for the reasons located by the respectful university (ignore the dates for secondaries, completion, etc under the schools because I didn't want to look up all those dates lol). Approved for the FAP by AMCAS I was really lucky to only have to pay for like 6 or 7 secondary apps, the rest were free because of the waiver or because I was applying as an MD/PhD student.
I submitted AMCAS later in the process and therefore my secondaries were submitted later. Overall it was a grueling process and you will want to pull out your hair, drink until you forget your own name, and just scream every drop of life essence from your lungs- and in the end all you can really do is wait. If you are truly determined to achieve the dream of becoming a physician, then you'll get over the aforementioned phase rather quickly, because if you get accepted- all this will be worth it and MUCH more.
Lessons learned: first if you can go to school without working more than 40 hours a week DO IT!, second take time (3 FULL months) to just study all the stuff on the MCAT (even if it's been 3 years since you last saw physics or gen chem), third APPLY EARLY, fourth stay organized (I would be so lost without keeping track of everything), fifth don't doubt yourself because of low numbers- if you know you can do it and you really want it then you will FIND A WAY to prove yourself.
Most importantly- DON'T GIVE UP and GOOD LUCK to all!
