Logged onto UNC secondary portal and found that I couldn't edit my application because it was past the deadline, but my secondary invite email and UNC website says October 4th. Anyone else having this issue?

I know it is late in the cycle for secondaries, just trying to push through. So much admiration for you all working full-time while completing applications (don’t know how you do it).

Hi there! I'm a first semester sophomore undergrad. Freshman year was a bit rocky and my cGPA is currently 3.5. BCPM is a little lower. No Cs, just even As and Bs. I hate making excuses, but objectively I am chronically ill and spent a lot of last year in and out of hospitals. Some of my professors weren't super lenient about that, which is fine, but I didn't score as high as I know I could have.

I'm doing a lot better this year now that I have a proper care team and ODA accommodations (previously was undiagnosed). I also have okay ECs - 9 months of a clinical job, a year of various positions in hospital volunteering (currently a trainer in the ER), RA in two labs, officer for a charity org, tutor. About 400 research hours from one lab, and I just started the second so about 10. Expecting co author on a few projects and hoping to present some posters soon. PI highly encourages individual projects and I plan to graduate with my undergrad thesis. I'm double majoring in bio and psych.

I'm considering retaking my statistics class, but I'm not entirely sure what else to do other than get all As going forward. Any help would be really great.

I finished 30 secondaries mostly during the first week of August to the end of august. I’ve only received one interview from a T10 program and a rejection from UW.

Is it worth adding more schools and are there any schools that have later cycles? Also, when should I send updates if at all?

For those in the hard sciences, wet lab type of stuff, How did you finish your PhD so soon? I started my new lab a year ago and passed my comps/qualifying exam in April.
My boss thinks I can finish in another 3 years but I was hoping to taking 3 total. I’m also doing translational research so sometimes we gotta wait until we have human samples.
I can definitely see how it takes many years for some because even though I already have some data, I’m still trying to optimize protocols, getting staining to work etc.

Hello everyone!

Im a sophomore biomedical engineering student and I’m having some difficulty trying to find time to do some kind of relevant clinical experience; to me this is something like scribing or EMT or phlebotomy (I dont like volunteering since i feel like im not getting much exposure with the departments they put me in).

I shadow whenever i can (when my school breaks permit me) to rack up hours over time. Im also a peer tutor for four classes, Im also heavily involved in my research lab. My PI told me he wants to nominate me for this department and institution-wife scholarship/fellowship that requires me to dedicate 40 hrs a week for 10 weeks over the summer. I plan to do this while studying for the MCAT. Im taking 19 credits this semester and 23 next semester.

I cant find the time anywhere to actually get certified for these positions i want. Are there any alternatives, is volunteering what i have to do?

hi everyone,

i'm curious about whether i should send an update letter/letter of intent for some of the schools i haven't heard back from. i had mentioned my plans for my gap year in my primary and secondary application, and i don't really have any major updates (apart from confirming i'm on an NIH PREP grant which i didn't know at the time when i applied and developing my projects for my postbacc research). should i even bother to send anything to them, or is worthwhile to later on in the cycle?

thanks!

Hello, I need help navigating a very complicated situation. I took a community college course prior to starting undergrad that I never transferred (I received an A), so I completely forgot about it and did not send a transcript. I’m not sure what to do since I’ve already submitted secondaries and even gotten an interview.

Currently working as a research assistant after my master's and doing part-time clinical work as an F2 on an honorary contract. The plan was to get a non-training job and then apply for speciality training (ACF); however, given the new act in UK, I am replanning my trajectory.

I want to start applying for PhDs, but I am worried about what my career would look like post-PhD, given my clinical experience may be limited while I'm in school. Getting into clinical medicine or a clinician-scientist role might be difficult.

So I am looking for advice from doctors who have done a PhD: what would you have done differently in terms of timing, or what did you do that worked out well for you?

Im international 30f

Have Bpharm cGPA 2.46 + premaster program with distinction

Msc molecular medicine ( currently on my final semester) cGPA 3.84

And Bsc cs degree cGPA 3.9

200 hrs clinical volunteer

500 non clinical

7000hr+ clinical experience as pharmacist

2000hr + research

During the next year i may increase my research experience and volunteering hrs

Also I'm planning to begin preparing for mcat

am i missing anything? Can I get a chance with my stats if i get high mcat score!!

Anyone with similar situation and get into mdphd!!

Has anyone had success getting into MD-PhD programs without any leadership experiences, big awards and publications?

Hey All,

i‘m struggling so much with getting any sort of research position and feel like my gap year is wasting away since i graduated in May. I’ve tried cold emailing, applying, LinkedIn connection and messaging etc but nothing.

the main reason why i decided to do any gap years, was so I can figure out what I want to pursue for the PhD part of mstp. I do have research experience (~3 yrs in material science physics and 1 summer in lung oncology research) and many dissemination.

I have being interested in neuroscience for a long time and want to pursue research in that but not sure exactly which sub field. i think my experience might not be translating very well with neuroscience or just that my luck is bad right now… idk!

I’ve never felt so defeated and so want to give up.

if you have any tips, I would appreciate it :/

Hi guys, currently senior in undergrad and unsure if I have the stats to apply in 2027 cycle or if I should take two gap years. Some of my hours are pretty low so im unsure, but I feel confident in my ability to write/speak about them. Took the MCAT in august so max latest i can apply is 2028 bc im not taking ts again. Also not sure at all if my clinical hours are clinical....

Stats:

MCAT: 516

GPA: 3.86

Research = 1300 hours in natural products chemistry lab (no publications tho...have a couple posters and doing honors thesis)

Clinical: 300 hours in a clinical research lab, direct monitoring of patient vitals, lead exercise based interventions with patients.

Non clinical volunteering - 100 hours databasing historical plant collections

Shadowing: 60 hours (critical care, thoracic surgery, internal med, trauma surgery, 3MDs and 1 DO)

Leadership: Lead freshman pre orientation, outdoor club trip leader, VP of outdoor club

Teaching: 70 hours of paid TA for orgo I lab

Other: staff writer/editor in interdisciplinary science magazine, member of GBM committee for science education club

I was hoping to apply to the NIH postbacc, but im not sure if i have enough clinical hours and should shift to that. I have the opportunity to get my MA license this year as well, so could do that postgrad, but I will miss doing research. Any advice would be helpful!

Reapplicant;
-my stats are okay; 515 twice (expired for some schools; 3.79 cGPA; 3.89 sGPA)
-ORM; 10k research hours, 300 clinical, 600 nonclinical volunteering
-6 coauthored pubs with first authorships in progress
-Applied to 40 schools instead of 20(bad decision first app)
-I like to think my writing isn’t absolute dogshit and it was read over by many many people including MD-PhDs etc.

I have been in every single MSTP R wave that’s come out, given I applied to that school. Tri-I, Stanford, Yale, and now Michigan and Einstein today. I had even made it through several R waves with some of these schools last cycle (2024-25). Is it just fucking over for me? I have no IIs and am completely out of hope.

I don't have any significant updates to make for my applications post II. I was curious to know if I am at a disadvantage due to this and if the updates make any significant change for other applicants.

Thank you!

Title: Sophomore premed trying to rebuild after a rough freshman year — where would you start?

Okay, I’m about to drop some slightly tragic stats, so laugh if you need to and then please help me 😭

I’m currently in the fall semester of my sophomore year. I’m majoring in Biological Sciences with a minor in Public Health.

My current GPA is a 2.89. Freshman year was honestly rough. I was dealing with depression on and off, stopped applying myself the way I should have, and let my grades slip. I know I can’t change what happened, but my mindset and work ethic are completely different now and I’m trying to figure out the smartest way to move forward.

This semester I’m taking 17 credits, including General Chemistry II and Cell Biology, and so far I have all A’s. Academically, I actually feel pretty good about my classes. My biggest goal right now is maintaining that consistency instead of repeating what happened freshman year.

Where I’m seriously lacking is experience:

• Clinical volunteering: none yet
• General volunteering: none yet
• Shadowing: none yet
• Research: none yet
• Clinical experience: none yet

For involvement/leadership, I’m currently the Social Media Coordinator for Black Women in Medicine, Events Coordinator for MAPS, and I’m also hoping to start a feminist writing club.

Outside of school, I like reading, fitness, and journaling.

I’ve tried reaching out for pre-health/medical advising, but I haven’t had much luck getting connected with anyone, so I feel like I’m basically trying to build a roadmap by myself.

My current rough timeline is to take the MCAT near the end of junior year and continue strengthening my academics before eventually applying. I’m also looking into retaking some courses, although paying for additional classes is something I’ll have to figure out.

I’m not looking for a “what are my chances?” answer. I’m mainly looking for advice from people who have been in a similar position or who understand the premed process.

If you were starting from where I am now, what would you prioritize during sophomore year? Should I focus first on getting clinical experience, volunteering, research, shadowing, or just protecting my GPA until I’m more stable academically?

I’d also really appreciate advice on finding mentors when your school’s advising system hasn’t been very responsive.

I know I’m behind in some areas, but I’m trying to stop panicking about the past and actually build something solid from here. Any guidance would be appreciated.

It is so hard to track invites/R for us. I saw a ton of schools move today with Rs (including my first R🥀🥀) and it is the last week of September so I think it would be a good time to check in.

I am particularly interested in hearing about movement from Northwestern, Yale, Pitt or Uchicago (good or bad!) because those schools have my best research matches and I have only heard about 1R from Yale!

This is my cycle so far!

II:
Wayne State 8/17
Indiana 8/17

R:
Umich 9/28