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Any advice on what I could do to increase my odds of getting into med school?

I'm 21 years old and I'm graduating this semester, hopefully with a 3.5 GPA. My goal is to join medical school but my grades aren't that competitive. I need to apply next year and I was thinking of enhancing my extracurriculars to improve my profile; however, I live in Lebanon where we have both economic and health issues. As such, research programs aren't accepting volunteers the way they used to. #medicine #college #doctor #medical #biology

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Andres’s Answer

High MCAT score. Extracurricular activities and perseverance!
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Yasemin’s Answer

Hi Yara! I hope I can be of help, but I am unfamiliar with the medical education pathway in Lebanon. I would like to offer my perceptive from the US application process. In the US there is an MCAT exam, which is an exam required for entry into medical school. Usually, students whose grades are not as competitive- while focusing on additional coursework such as Master's or postbacc programs-also strive to do well on the MCAT. A high MCAT score can compensate for a lower GPA and vice versa. Your GPA of a 3.5 is average for medical school applicants (based on US statistics) but still admirable. There are also other parts to the medical school application such as the personal statement aspect, secondary essays for each school, extracurriculars (as you mentioned) and letters of recommendation on top of academics. Is there an entry exam for the medical schools in Lebanon? If so I would strive to do well on it in order to show that you have a strong understanding of the coursework and help in compensating for your grades. Aside from research, community service is also valued in medical school, therefore if there are other service opportunities to volunteer I would take part in those if you can. With COVID things have been difficult but there are also plenty of virtual activities as well that can help you in showcasing the commitment to medicine and enhancing your candidacy when applying. I truly hope this helps and please let me know if you have other questions!

***As a last note, don't give up if you truly believe medicine is for you, because there is always a way even if it takes time. I would also recommend checking out Dr.Gray-MedicalSchool Headquarters on Youtube- he has a lot of helpful videos and good insight into applying.

Best of luck future doctor!
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