discouraged by counselor

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Hello,
Today I talked to my counselor whether or not I should apply to Medical school /DO school this summer after taking the MCAT. She said it is really up to me and told me that the ER experience I have is really just transporting in the ER. THe question I want to ask you guys is that shoud I apply this Summer. I am a transferee from a community college and this is my Junior year. If I dont apply this summer, then I will only be able to apply next year, which means that I will waste a year between graduation from undergrad school and starting med school. I have posted this question many time and I always get : "You should apply when you are ready" . If i apply this summer, I may or may not get in but if I do get in, I will not lose a year between undergrad and med school. BUt if I apply next year (i.e my senior year) to med school, I will have one full year off. What do you guys this is the best thing for me. All i have is ER expereince where I saw doctors working and pushed patients to the XRAY departments, etc. I also have about 15 hours in a nursing home and i am currently a TA for my Biochem professor . WHat about EMT? when I shoud i do that? When do you guys recommend I shoudl do the course. This summer I am doing the MCAT course and volunteering in a hospital. So I wont have time for the EMT thing. What do you guys think. Also my overall gpa is like a 3.912 and science is a like a 3.85. Looking at this circumstances, shoudl I really apply to a DO or MD school? i am in desperate neeed of help. thanks

Don't think of it as "wasting a year". Think of it as a year filled with possibilities to grow in new ways, new job/research opportunites.

When I was a junior, I also felt a very important need to start medical school right away, but now that I've gotten a chance to be away from school for a while, I think it's really given me a LOT more perspective. It's surprising how much you learn/grow outside of the academic bubble.

If you don't feel your grades and extracurriculars put you at an advantage right now, then dont' apply. I'd say take the MCAT this summer though. Never hurts to have that done with.

Originally Posted by Mystic03

Don't think of it as "wasting a year". Think of it as a year filled with possibilities to grow in new ways, new job/research opportunites.

ABSOLUTELY.

I applied last year, didn't get in. Now I have a great job working in clinical research that has basically helped me decide what I want to specialize in. I've made a large dent in my undergrad debt and I really think I've matured.

So don't rush to apply, a year between schools is not a bad thing.

hey depakote,
what do you think about the EMT-Basic. is it something worth doing? hwo did you go about getting in the clinical research thing? so I should be concentrating on my mcat this summer, right? i am taking the TPR too, but what do you recommend i should do along with studying the MCAT? perhaps something that would help me in my medical career and also as a means to pull my mind of the MCAT. thanks

I "wasted" 2 years between graduating college and beginning medical school, and they both rocked! Seriously, I highly recommend working for a year and doing the things you enjoy doing, because once medical school starts...

This is a chance to grow as a person and enjoy life. Do it! Do it! Just don't get into any trouble or procrastinate when it's time to submit your applications.

Originally Posted by woodhorse22

... Also my overall gpa is like a 3.912 and science is a like a 3.85. Looking at this circumstances, shoudl I really apply to a DO or MD school? i am in desperate neeed of help. thanks

With a 3.9/3.8 you should take the MCAT, get a 30 or above, and apply. Extensive clinical experience is not necessaryin my experience, especially with good stats.

You really just have to be able to articulate the reason you are dedicated to the career path of becoming a doctor.

I agree. Your clinical experience can be presented advantagously in your interviews and your PS. Sometimes experiences at the bottom of the healthcare food chain can produce valuable insights. I work as a paramedic, but my PS was crafted around something that happened while I was an ER volunteer.

If you apply realistically (include several safety schools) I don't see why you wouldn't get in. On the other hand, waiting a year is not a tradegy either. If you are applying in a limited geographic area, or only want an elite school, you might need an extra year. On the other hand, this process is so random anyway, and remember; if you aren't successful this cycle, you can apply in the next one. The converse is not true.

Originally Posted by KidCapri

With a 3.9/3.8 you should take the MCAT, get a 30 or above, and apply. Extensive clinical experience is not necessaryin my experience, especially with good stats.

You really just have to be able to articulate the reason you are dedicated to the career path of becoming a doctor.

I agree with all of this. The only additional thing I'd recommend is doing some physician shadowing. I think shadowing would be better for you at this point than looking for additional clinical experience in the manner you were posting about.

You can apply unless you take the mcat. The mcat isnt a joke, it takes a lot of work. After sometime of studying for the mcat you ll know if you are ready or not to apply to med school.

Also another year at a 4 year univ. would probably look much better considering you transfered from JC. If you did your prereqs at JC it might be good to do some upper div bio and chem classes at your univ.

Originally Posted by woodhorse22

Hello,
Today I talked to my counselor whether or not I should apply to Medical school /DO school this summer after taking the MCAT. She said it is really up to me and told me that the ER experience I have is really just transporting in the ER. THe question I want to ask you guys is that shoud I apply this Summer. I am a transferee from a community college and this is my Junior year. If I dont apply this summer, then I will only be able to apply next year, which means that I will waste a year between graduation from undergrad school and starting med school. I have posted this question many time and I always get : "You should apply when you are ready" . If i apply this summer, I may or may not get in but if I do get in, I will not lose a year between undergrad and med school. BUt if I apply next year (i.e my senior year) to med school, I will have one full year off. What do you guys this is the best thing for me. All i have is ER expereince where I saw doctors working and pushed patients to the XRAY departments, etc. I also have about 15 hours in a nursing home and i am currently a TA for my Biochem professor . WHat about EMT? when I shoud i do that? When do you guys recommend I shoudl do the course. This summer I am doing the MCAT course and volunteering in a hospital. So I wont have time for the EMT thing. What do you guys think. Also my overall gpa is like a 3.912 and science is a like a 3.85. Looking at this circumstances, shoudl I really apply to a DO or MD school? i am in desperate neeed of help. thanks

Counselors are about as useful as cactus toilet paper.

Apply to school this summer. PLEASE, give me one good reason you should not apply.

WHAT do you have to lose?

Take the advice above with a grain of salt---there is absolutely no reason to waste a year of your life. That is one less year you could be doing what you want to do --> practicing medicine.

Starting a year earlier means you will be an attending a year earlier.

Originally Posted by OSUdoc08

Counselors are about as useful as cactus toilet paper.

Apply to school this summer. PLEASE, give me one good reason you should not apply.

WHAT do you have to lose?

Take the advice above with a grain of salt---there is absolutely no reason to waste a year of your life. That is one less year you could be doing what you want to do --> practicing medicine.

Starting a year earlier means you will be an attending a year earlier.

I dont believe there is a great hurry to start either. You are young now and are free from major responsibilities right now. Many docs have told me to enjoy myself now and to take time off and travel, have fun,....etc before i start medschool (they wished they had). Med school will be over be you know it and u ll be 7 to 10 years older and wondering what happened to your youth.

Originally Posted by NRAI2001

I dont believe there is a great hurry to start either. You are young now and are free from major responsibilities right now. Many docs have told me to enjoy myself now and to take time off and travel, have fun,....etc before i start medschool (they wished they had). Med school will be over be you know it and u ll be 7 to 10 years older and wondering what happened to your youth.

You'll have plenty of time to vacation when you are a physician.

You can party and have fun in med school as well---it's not as bad as they say.

You can always do what I do and study in sports bars-----or on the beach.

Sitting around and wasting away for a year isn't gonna benefit you in any way.

Why travel to some stupid cheap vacation spot now when you can go on an awesome vacation all the time as a physician?

Taking a year off for National Lampoon's vacation isn't worth the extra year of letting your brain dessicate.

Originally Posted by KidCapri

With a 3.9/3.8 you should take the MCAT, get a 30 or above, and apply. Extensive clinical experience is not necessaryin my experience, especially with good stats.

You really just have to be able to articulate the reason you are dedicated to the career path of becoming a doctor.

I agree, I got in with vurtually no real clinical experience and my stats are not that good overall, but I'm older so that may be an influence

Originally Posted by OSUdoc08

WHAT do you have to lose?

yea it's not like the process is expensive or anything

I disagree, I would NOT advise applying this year. Why?

1. Taking the August MCAT puts you at an automatic disadvantage (applying late)

2. You have a great GPA, however only 1 semester is from a 4 year institution. Taking more upper division science classes will better prove your academics cababilities.

3. Your EC's don't seem very strong. OK, so you do have a little clinical experience that you could play up, but it will not compare to most successful applicants. Research experiences? Volunteering? Leadership?

4. Do you think you can get strong LOR from professors at your University? By the time you apply you would have only had 2 semesters...not impossible but still difficult.

i'm not saying you won't get in, but I am saying that if you took an extra year to get more meaningful experiences, keep your grades strong, get good LOR and apply EARLY next year, you will have a great application!

Originally Posted by murphomatic

yea it's not like the process is expensive or anything

You're kidding, right?

You'll make plenty of money to compensate as a physician.

This will occur a year earlier if the OP applies now.

If anything, taking a year off would allow more interest to accrue on loans, as well as make him have to enter repayment on the loans. After medical school is over, that 6 month grace period will be gone as well.

As someone who will be starting medical school at 26, I can tell you that taking time between undergrad and med school was the best thing I could have done. I spent the time teaching, working as an animator, volunteering, and doing research. It sounds like your grades are great and you will likely do well on the MCAT. I think what you should do is spend the year making yourself a more well rounded person. Yes, you should probably find a research job or something along those lines but remember once you start med school you won't have much freedom for a decade or more. Is there a part of the country you want to see? Is there a trip you want to take for some of that time? If you take the year off and end up starting school at 23 or 24 you will still likely be among the younger students in your class. You should take the year, especially if it would give you a better shot at getting into a good school. good luck.

Originally Posted by OSUdoc08

You're kidding, right?

You'll make plenty of money to compensate as a physician.

This will occur a year earlier if the OP applies now.

If anything, taking a year off would allow more interest to accrue on loans, as well as make him have to enter repayment on the loans. After medical school is over, that 6 month grace period will be gone as well.

All of that is irrelevant if the OP is not accepted this cycle, which is a very real possibility; it happens to 50% of all people who apply. The OP has only two years of a “real” college GPA and though it is very good, who knows how they will do on the MCAT. Also like the OP said their clinical experience is pretty lacking. I’m not saying they shouldn’t apply this cycle all I’m saying is there are some good reasons not to.

And no, I'm not kidding. The process can be very expensive. especially for those of us who applied to many many schools

Originally Posted by murphomatic

All of that is irrelevant if the OP is not accepted this cycle, which is a very real possibility; it happens to 50% of all people who apply. The OP has only two years of a “real” college GPA and though it is very good, who knows how they will do on the MCAT. Also like the OP said their clinical experience is pretty lacking. I’m not saying they shouldn’t apply this cycle all I’m saying is there are some good reasons not to.

And no, I'm not kidding. The process can be very expensive. especially for those of us who applied to many many schools

Absolutely not. There are NO good reasons not to. If the OP is not accepted, he can reapply the following year. If the OP decides to take the year off, he can defer a year.

If the OP does not apply, he has simply wasted his time.

You can throw around the "wasting money" line all you want. However, the amount of money you pay for medical school applications is a week's worth of tips as a physician. Whooptie Doo!

Originally Posted by woodhorse22

Hello,
Today I talked to my counselor whether or not I should apply to Medical school /DO school this summer after taking the MCAT. She said it is really up to me and told me that the ER experience I have is really just transporting in the ER. THe question I want to ask you guys is that shoud I apply this Summer. I am a transferee from a community college and this is my Junior year. If I dont apply this summer, then I will only be able to apply next year, which means that I will waste a year between graduation from undergrad school and starting med school. I have posted this question many time and I always get : "You should apply when you are ready" . If i apply this summer, I may or may not get in but if I do get in, I will not lose a year between undergrad and med school. BUt if I apply next year (i.e my senior year) to med school, I will have one full year off. What do you guys this is the best thing for me. All i have is ER expereince where I saw doctors working and pushed patients to the XRAY departments, etc. I also have about 15 hours in a nursing home and i am currently a TA for my Biochem professor . WHat about EMT? when I shoud i do that? When do you guys recommend I shoudl do the course. This summer I am doing the MCAT course and volunteering in a hospital. So I wont have time for the EMT thing. What do you guys think. Also my overall gpa is like a 3.912 and science is a like a 3.85. Looking at this circumstances, shoudl I really apply to a DO or MD school? i am in desperate neeed of help. thanks

assuming you do OK on the MCAT (IE 27+, obvioiusly the higher the better) I see nothing in the numbers tthat's a problem. your EC's are fine as long as you actually got something (personally) out of them that help form and fuel your interest in medicine as a career. be ready to talk about this in your interviews.

i really don't think you're any better or worse off than most applicants at the same point in applying as you - obvioiusly things may change when the MCAT scores come back.

and don't ever sweat what premed counselers say. i think it's pretty much consensus that 90% of them suck.

good luck,
dave

Originally Posted by DrMom

I agree with all of this. The only additional thing I'd recommend is doing some physician shadowing. I think shadowing would be better for you at this point than looking for additional clinical experience in the manner you were posting about.

also, what she said.

trust me, you should trust her.

dave

dont always jsut go on the opinion of your counselor. my first quarter freshman year my advisor told me to take gen chem in teh winter instead of the fall, but then in the winter I realized that the fall was a pre-req for the winter class. it's kind of stupid for me not realizing that earlier, but regardless dont blindly follow their advice.

seems like you have good grades. do some shadowing and rock the mCATS

Originally Posted by OSUdoc08

If the OP decides to take the year off, he can defer a year.

yea I guess your right, it's so easy to defer

Originally Posted by murphomatic

yea I guess your right, it's so easy to defer

actually, it is. at least at my school you can defer or even take a year off if you have a good reason. examples would include doing a year worth of mission work or a sick parent.

Originally Posted by OSUdoc08

You'll have plenty of time to vacation when you are a physician.

You can party and have fun in med school as well---it's not as bad as they say.

You can always do what I do and study in sports bars-----or on the beach.

Sitting around and wasting away for a year isn't gonna benefit you in any way.

Why travel to some stupid cheap vacation spot now when you can go on an awesome vacation all the time as a physician?

Taking a year off for National Lampoon's vacation isn't worth the extra year of letting your brain dessicate.

Sure i suppose you can vacation and party when you re in your late 30s or 40s. But it would be very akward. No one wants to party with a 40 year old. Most of your friends who didnt go to med school probably grew out that phase (had fun while you were slaving away in med school) and have families. Like you said you will make plenty of money when you are a doctor, but somethings are priceless...........for everything else there is mastercard.

I can picture this as a commercial on tv. Old rich guy who put off his life till he was out of med school trying to pick up on chicks in a bar and failing miserably. Maybe advertising should be my field?????

Originally Posted by OSUdoc08

Absolutely not. There are NO good reasons not to. If the OP is not accepted, he can reapply the following year. If the OP decides to take the year off, he can defer a year.

If the OP does not apply, he has simply wasted his time.

You can throw around the "wasting money" line all you want. However, the amount of money you pay for medical school applications is a week's worth of tips as a physician. Whooptie Doo!

Its a very good point that you can defer a year. But getting experience and taking more classes at a real university may help you to get into a better med school.

Listen here folks,
Most of us are aware of the fact that we are all over-anxious, ridiculously ambitious, mildly insane, pre-med nerds. I mean, look at what we do on SDN. The point is that we need to freaking relax. Not getting accepted last year was the best thing that could have happened to me, but at the time I thought it was the worst thing ever. Do crazy stuff for a year, live life, forget about homework and tests for a bit, allow your mind and body some relaxation time. The guy who said it was a waste of time is completely wrong IMHO. How many times have you heard someone say they regretted taking a year off between undergrad and med school. Now contrast that with the number of times you hear med students say they wished they had taken a year or two off. We're so rushed with our future plans that we take no time to enjoy the present. My two cents.

Originally Posted by woodhorse22

Hello,
Today I talked to my counselor whether or not I should apply to Medical school /DO school this summer after taking the MCAT. She said it is really up to me and told me that the ER experience I have is really just transporting in the ER. THe question I want to ask you guys is that shoud I apply this Summer. I am a transferee from a community college and this is my Junior year. If I dont apply this summer, then I will only be able to apply next year, which means that I will waste a year between graduation from undergrad school and starting med school. I have posted this question many time and I always get : "You should apply when you are ready" . If i apply this summer, I may or may not get in but if I do get in, I will not lose a year between undergrad and med school. BUt if I apply next year (i.e my senior year) to med school, I will have one full year off. What do you guys this is the best thing for me. All i have is ER expereince where I saw doctors working and pushed patients to the XRAY departments, etc. I also have about 15 hours in a nursing home and i am currently a TA for my Biochem professor . WHat about EMT? when I shoud i do that? When do you guys recommend I shoudl do the course. This summer I am doing the MCAT course and volunteering in a hospital. So I wont have time for the EMT thing. What do you guys think. Also my overall gpa is like a 3.912 and science is a like a 3.85. Looking at this circumstances, shoudl I really apply to a DO or MD school? i am in desperate neeed of help. thanks

What's the hurry to getting to medical school? What's wrong with having 365 extra days to relax, devoting your entire time to this rather insane application process, and taking the time to grow as a person? Don't rush, man. Life's too short for that. I know that we're all neurotic and overly ambitious pre-meds, and I understand the temporary horror of "taking a year off." But in the end, it probably would be best for you to gain more clinical experience, study like crazy for that beast that is the mcat, and work on strengthening your application overall. The decision's up to you, so good luck.

For people who take a year off, do you go back to your undergrad professors for recommendations or you just take the recommendations in advance.

Do the recommendations have to be current?

Originally Posted by NRAI2001

Sure i suppose you can vacation and party when you re in your late 30s or 40s. But it would be very akward. No one wants to party with a 40 year old. Most of your friends who didnt go to med school probably grew out that phase (had fun while you were slaving away in med school) and have families. Like you said you will make plenty of money when you are a doctor, but somethings are priceless...........for everything else there is mastercard.

I can picture this as a commercial on tv. Old rich guy who put off his life till he was out of med school trying to pick up on chicks in a bar and failing miserably. Maybe advertising should be my field?????

I suppose that if you want to delay your dream of becoming a physician aside to induce a fatty change in your liver and get as many STD's as possible on the beach all summer, then go right ahead. BUT WHY????

Some of us are over that. There is plenty of time to party in medical school and you still get spring break, summers, and holidays.

Originally Posted by NRAI2001

Its a very good point that you can defer a year. But getting experience and taking more classes at a real university may help you to get into a better med school.

So? You'll be a physician in the end, no matter where you go. If you have seen the OP's GPA, then you know he'll get in a "good enough" school.

Originally Posted by silas2642

What's the hurry to getting to medical school? What's wrong with having 365 extra days to relax, devoting your entire time to this rather insane application process, and taking the time to grow as a person? Don't rush, man. Life's too short for that. I know that we're all neurotic and overly ambitious pre-meds, and I understand the temporary horror of "taking a year off." But in the end, it probably would be best for you to gain more clinical experience, study like crazy for that beast that is the mcat, and work on strengthening your application overall. The decision's up to you, so good luck.

Ironic that you are all for delaying starting your career and "adult life" by using the phrase "life is short."

This is the very reason you should start living your dream (if it is being a physician and not partying, of course.)

I would suggest applying only if you have a good MCAT score. So if you don't get 28+ (and a 28-30 still seems to be looked badly upon, though i don't know why, i think its silly) go ahead and try it out. You may as well. the worst they can say is no. HOWEVER, keep in mind that when you apply a second time, if you have to , you'll have to mark that the school already rejected you once. And you are at a marked time disadvantage applying in august. I personally took the mcat in august and then waited a year to apply, because, even though i had a 3.95 GPA i had a 28 on the mcats and didn't want time to not be on my side. Nothing wrong with a 28, but its less competitive later in the game, possibly (still, no garauntees on this either)

. I stuck around in school finishing anEnglish degree i started and left behind my freshman year -- turns out in that time i re-discovered my old passion for writing, and got a grant to write a book! Had two short stories published. And Then , in my "wasted year" I got an offer to study nonfiction science writing at a great writing program and my medical school gave me the blessing for a one year deferral so i could do that, because my big dream is to become a doctor who writes, well non-fiction books related to my field for the lay-person. "Wasted" years, are a really bad way to think about them. I"m opting for another one, my med school is telling me to go, and i'm going to learn so much that will help me be the kind of doctor i want to be. You need to keep an open mind about this. Years are only wasted if you waste them, or have that attitude. What will you do if you don't get in?

Even if you do apply, there is a chance you will not get in and will have a year to wait. Its a little chancy with mostly community college grades and little EC's, but if you want to try, see how your mcat scores are first and then decide. don't decide now before you see the scores. If you get a 24, don't apply. If you get a 30, its your choice. 40 and above, welcome to harvard! (just kidding)

Right now, you may want to start getting more EC"s. think about it. if you start now, it'll be at least 5 months of experience before you take the august mcats and submit. Thats quite a bit of time. The school I got into told me that they chose people with an eye for their commitment to others. They wanted proof of altruism. I only had two medically related EC's, but i did them both for a long time. I feel that it strenghthened my application. And its not too late to choose one to strenghten yours.

the bottom line:

if you have something that is important to you to do before med school - a mission trip, visiting family in europe, etc - go ahead and take a year off.

however, if you're just gonna get drunk for a year, don't do it. i have friends who took a year off after being accepted to "earn some money." they spent it all on beer and plasma TV's and saved nothing. i'm serious.

ok?

Here are a few factors:

You've had less than 1 year of university (2 in community college) so your gpa, while great, will be suspect. Two years of university classes going into the admission cycle would be preferable.

You will get better letters of recommendation from faculty at the university this time next year than right now (they've only had a few months to get to know you).

August MCAT puts you at a disadvantage in the 06/07 cycle. Take it in August but apply in 07 for 08 and it works to your advantage.

Plan for your glide year. There are teaching, service, and research opportunities and you will find one that is a good fit if you start looking into it this Fall for the following Summer. This makes an excellent topic of conversation at interviews, gives you some time to mature and is an opportunity to live "real life" before plunging back into the artificial world of academia.

Each application cycle is costly financially and emotionally. Limit your exposure to one cycle if possible.