Gonnabeadoctor

Yesterday, I submitted my application for the Health Careers Program at Harvard Extension School. The application process is pretty much voluntary. If I wanted, I could simply start taking classes in the fall. But those who apply and get accepted qualify for financial aid and health benefits. So there’s that.

In January of 2008, I attended my first information session for the HCP. Fixsen said a lot of things, but one thing he said has been reverberating in my head for the past few weeks. He explained that when medical schools review applicants, they look at two things: the applicant’s MCAT score, and their GPA. If they don’t like those two things, they move on. He added, “You could have the best resume, the best work experience, the best volunteer experience, but they won’t SEE any of that if they don’t like your MCAT score and your GPA.”

In filling out my HCP application, I had to divvy up all of my different GPAs. Science, non-science, and total. For both of my undergraduate universities. And they pretty much suck.

Here’s the funny part. For the past month, I’ve been reviewing resumes from hungry applicants vying for my job at the hospital (I leave in July, two weeks before I go to Europe and attempt to get every dysfunctional habit out of my system before I begin classes). Most of the applicants stated their GPA on their resume. After seeing a few 4.0s, 3.9s, and 3.8s, I find myself scoffing at a lonely 3.4 or, God forbid, a 3.2. I’ve reviewed about 25 applicants. Med schools review thousands. And while my resume PUNISHES (great work experience, volunteer experience, leadership experience, etc.), my GPA deserves to be scoffed at.

I have to get a 4.0 in all of my classes at Harvard Extension School. And I have to destroy the MCAT. Absolutely, completely, brutally, and mercilessly destroy the MCAT.