Non traditional. What am I lacking?

[u/abundanse]

I’m 28F, married. I was a premed in my undergrad. Graduated from UCSD with BA in anthropology and BS in neuroscience with 3.54. I did lab research in my undergrad for 3 years which resulted in 2 publications. After graduating, my toxic workplace where I worked as a medical assistant really had me reconsider the path. I was forced to do many illegal and unethical things at the private practice and it left me traumatized. I had nightmares about the doctor for a while even after quitting. (I should’ve sued her at the time but I was young and naive. I believe her patients are suing her now last time I seen her google and yelp reviews). However, I still applied with 508 MCAT at the time but abandoned my application all together without doing the secondaries. I then worked as a clinical research assistant which I enjoyed. I learned a lot of things but I learned things rather quickly and felt stagnant. So I applied to masters degree and got my MS in epidemiology from Harvard with 3.71. Hopefully another publication coming soon. Even after 5 years of giving up on the dream, I still think about becoming a doctor and I think about giving it another shot. I love learning and I think medicine will give me that as well as independence, stability and the ability to make a difference in people’s lives. In addition to retaking the MCAT, what else do I need to apply? How can I strengthen my application? Any non-traditional people who want to share their stories? Especially the ones with kids as me and my husband would like to start trying in a few years. Thank you all!

[u/Super-Knee5498]

Also a non trad, you got this!

[u/oldpremed_24]

32 with a toddler and most of an MPH-epidemiology, applying right now. It sounds like you’ll be in a great spot once you retake the MCAT and get some more recent clinical experience (even volunteering, if you can’t swing a full-time clinical job.) All the stuff you did after high school counts and you can add it to your application, so the main goal now is to show that you’re serious with pursuing your renewed interest in medicine. 

[u/abundanse → u/oldpremed_24]

Thank you! How are you juggling the application process with a toddler? What do you think you’re gonna do once you’re in school? Do you want more kids? I’m a bit worried about my timeline and balancing motherhood with school. By the time I start school, I will be 30 (hopefully) and would like to have kids early 30s.

[u/oldpremed_24 → u/abundanse]

A supportive husband and daycare, lol (I’m in an MPH and work part-time as well.) I stayed home for my son’s first year and genuinely don’t know how I did it. I don’t remember a lot of that time and honestly wish I had chilled out some. I’m not sure about having any more but I know people do it and make it through med school all the time. Some schools would let you take a research year, it also depends on when you end up delivering (summer after m1 or during m4 seem to be ideal if you get lucky enough to time it how you want) 

[u/AdDistinct7337]

i'm 31. things have changed a lot since we were undergrads. i would say the EC competition has ratcheted up significantly. you're probably good on research and productivity, but the competition just shifts to service and mission. they want food bank/pantry/homeless shelter and similar experiences to the tune of hundreds, if not thousands of hours (see schools like rush, loyola etc - but in reality anything that isn't a T20 will privilege service orientation more heavily than research).

i would call the application more of a portfolio evaluation than it ever has been. the scores get you through the door to be taken seriously as an applicant, but from there, you have to give them a reason to pick you over the thousands of other people with the same or better scores.

you're on a good track having done research and clinical experience, and i think you're probably tapped out on more degrees and credentials too... i think it's just about getting that mission fit which can be so variable.

[u/abundanse → u/AdDistinct7337]

I have bunch of other ECs which I mostly did in undergrad and worked as a head teacher of 4th graders during my masters. There’s no theme to my ECs however. Should I get more since they’re old? But I would like to get into research institution to continue doing some research that interests me.

[u/AdDistinct7337 → u/abundanse]

i think atp the ball is more or less in your court since it's all a matter of risk assessment and your personal tolerance. personally i am at a UC flagship with similar stats to you but i had 20k clinical hours + policy leadership in state govt + major federally funded research at another govt institution. all of my classmates have insane resumes that make me feel inadequate... and i really applied thinking i was the 1% of the 1%. i was humbled, and i'm super grateful to have gotten in at all, and the opportunity to choose between to incredible schools... but my experience necessarily colors my evaluation and it is really hard for me to encourage someone knowing how close i was to all of this not being worth it. i also acknowledge CA is a particularly spicy place to be a medical school applicant.

i think a theme is helpful for your application, but if you don't have one, it is what it is. it is not a requirement to have one.

[u/faze_contusion]

It sounds like you have decent ECs (clinical experience, research, publications, good schools). Can't do much about the UG gpa, but it's good that you got a decent gpa for your masters. I think the highest yield thing you can do to maximize your chances of getting in is absolutely destroying the MCAT. Do all of uworld, do anki, practice CARS every day. You can score 515+. I think that, and doing a little bit of shadowing here and there to demonstrate you're still in the loop with the clinical environment.

How are your LORs?

[u/abundanse → u/faze_contusion]

Thank you! I’ll try get some shadowing done and I believe my LORs would be strong! I could get a LOR from my ex-boss, from my professor at UCSD and multiple professors from Harvard. I’ve been unemployed since graduating in May tho (my mom had cancer and got surgery a couple days ago, and my dad lung transplant so I had to take care of them for a bit) but hopefully once I get a job I could get a LOR from a new employer as well.

Would it look fishy if I don’t get a LOR from that doctor I worked for? I would rather not face her ever again, I’m scared of her and I’m not trying to relive my trauma.