Advice on taking 2 gap years

[happy_jalapeno]

Hi folks! Long time lurker, finally made an account.

I want to apply MD/PhD to mid-top tier schools, here's a quick rundown of my stats: 3.93 cGPA/3.88 sGPA, big national science scholarship, 3.5 years of research, multiple posters and 2 competitive summer programs, submitting a first author paper to a top journal in our field in the next month, lots of nonprofit science outreach leadership and science writing, ~ 50 hours of specialty shadowing this past semester and 200 hours rural primary care to come this summer. If it's relevant: female, non URM.

Here's my dilemma: just graduated with my BS, between research and ECs I have had very little time over the past semester to study for the MCAT and my June 5th test date.

My practice tests (just 2) were a 30 (PS 8, VS 11, BS 11) and 32 (PS 10, VS 12, BS 10), so not where I want them to be (35-38). I know I can get them up to this level, I'm a good test taker and have improved quite a bit since starting but just haven't had enough time--I won't be ready until the end of the summer.

I was already planning on taking a gap year but now am either considering taking the MCAT late this year and thus applying late (bad for rolling admissions), or taking 2 gap years. I will continue to do full-time research and be productive with that, and will also pursue a big nonprofit project overseas (have this set up already).

I'm concerned chiefly (and perhaps I'm being paranoid) because I wonder if MD/PhD programs won't consider me as highly since I took 2 gap years and thus may come off as inefficient? I know they really want people to graduate the program within 8 years. To my credit, I'm also a year younger than my peers and will thus only be 22 when I apply next year.

Please let me know what you think!

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[ratherbefishing]

Seems like it would be a plus rather than a negative. Many students coming into my program have taken at least 1 year "off". An mcat in the low 30s isn't a deal breaker either except maybe the top places

 

[mTORC]

Take the two years off and use the first to study for your MCAT; don't sell yourself short! I am so glad that I took two years off! It's all about the journey

 

[gbwillner]

I don't understand why you need 2 years off. A whole year to study for the MCAT? What the heck for? You are already studying- take it next cycle.

A year of you life now may not seem like much- but you will be kicking yourself for it in the future. Trust me.

 

[Rowany]

To answer your question, MD-PhD admissions committees will NOT view you as 'inefficient' for taking 2 years off. Instead, with even more research experience under your belt and a great MCAT, you'll be viewed as even more likely to be successful. If you do get an MCAT in your target range (or even slightly below that), you won't even need to consider mid-tier schools. You're already a pretty good contender for the top schools now. I would just not make it a point in your application to say "you took 2 years off" just because you wanted to improve your MCAT score. Instead emphasize all the other awesome things that you've accomplished both before and after graduating, particularly research-wise.

You didn't ask this, but unless you really care about rural primary care or may consider applying MD-only, those 200 hours you're planning is not going to make a big impact on your MD-PhD application. You won't really be learning that much about what your future career will be like, since rural primary care is so different from specialized academic medicine. You could take that time doing two things: make your primary focus MCAT studying and writing your essays(I'm sure your mentors would understand) and get in your application this cycle with a good MCAT score. Or, take the 2 gap-years and use that time doing something else you're really passionate about (doesn't have to be MD-PhD related), having fun, meeting people, etc. A few hours a week during that time volunteering or doing clinical shadowing can be helpful for your app, sure; but 200 hrs in rural medicine is overkill. If that sounds weird to you, consider that MD-PhD committees also want to make sure that their students don't burn out, and look keenly for applicants who are well-rounded in all aspects, not just in academics.

For what it's worth, I took 2 years off. I don't regret my 2 year gap at all - I explored the heck out of my city while working in a lab, did some volunteering at a nursing home (for my own edification- I love working with the elderly and want to work in that area), did a few races, met my now-husband and traveled for 3 months (and mentioned that I would do that during the application process), did not have as good stats as you, sent in my AMCAS early July, and still had multiple acceptances from top-tier schools.

 

[happy_jalapeno]

I don't understand why you need 2 years off. A whole year to study for the MCAT? What the heck for? You are already studying- take it next cycle.

A year of you life now may not seem like much- but you will be kicking yourself for it in the future. Trust me.

Ahh yes, I have this fear

 

[happy_jalapeno]

To answer your question, MD-PhD admissions committees will NOT view you as 'inefficient' for taking 2 years off. Instead, with even more research experience under your belt and a great MCAT, you'll be viewed as even more likely to be successful. If you do get an MCAT in your target range (or even slightly below that), you won't even need to consider mid-tier schools. You're already a pretty good contender for the top schools now. I would just not make it a point in your application to say "you took 2 years off" just because you wanted to improve your MCAT score. Instead emphasize all the other awesome things that you've accomplished both before and after graduating, particularly research-wise.

You didn't ask this, but unless you really care about rural primary care or may consider applying MD-only, those 200 hours you're planning is not going to make a big impact on your MD-PhD application. You won't really be learning that much about what your future career will be like, since rural primary care is so different from specialized academic medicine. You could take that time doing two things: make your primary focus MCAT studying and writing your essays(I'm sure your mentors would understand) and get in your application this cycle with a good MCAT score. Or, take the 2 gap-years and use that time doing something else you're really passionate about (doesn't have to be MD-PhD related), having fun, meeting people, etc. A few hours a week during that time volunteering or doing clinical shadowing can be helpful for your app, sure; but 200 hrs in rural medicine is overkill. If that sounds weird to you, consider that MD-PhD committees also want to make sure that their students don't burn out, and look keenly for applicants who are well-rounded in all aspects, not just in academics.

For what it's worth, I took 2 years off. I don't regret my 2 year gap at all - I explored the heck out of my city while working in a lab, did some volunteering at a nursing home (for my own edification- I love working with the elderly and want to work in that area), did a few races, met my now-husband and traveled for 3 months (and mentioned that I would do that during the application process), did not have as good stats as you, sent in my AMCAS early July, and still had multiple acceptances from top-tier schools.

Thanks for your response, Rowany! And apparently your first post in 5 years But I see what you mean--taking the time off can be a bonus, but I can probably still get by this cycle without having to do that. For some reason, I was convinced that the extra rural shadowing this summer would help me out a lot, but you may be right that it's probably largely irrelevant to academic medicine/research. Thanks for your input and congrats on your success!