Five Years To Graduate

canUhearMEnow389
Wed, 06 May 2009 19:04:52 +0000

I was wondering if medical schools look down on applicants that took five years to graduate. Right now I’m in my fourth year at an undergraduate UC school and because I red-shirted my freshman year, NCAA gives me the option to attend another year of school on a 100% scholarship. Here are some of my stats and extracurriculars:

Science GPA is 3.73
Cumulative GPA is 3.85
MCAT 32
Double Major: Public Health and Political Science
Volunteer at a Childrens Hospital since Senior year of HS
Work weekends and summers as a Paramedic
2 years of research
I’ve done some shadowing and internships with a rheumatologist and hematologist
(More extra-curriculars in regards to my Political Science major)
Club memberships (American Medical Student Association - 3 years; iMed - 2 years)
NCAA Division I Soccer - 4 years

Also, I’ve heard that being mixed (African American and some Native American, although I haven’t registered with a tribe) can help my chances at getting into medical school. Is this true, and to what extent?

I really don’t know what to do about my fifth year. Will it help me, or will it hurt me? Also, what kind of medical schools should I think of applying to? I just decided this year I wanted to go the medical school route. Please help!