Gap year options

[fawkes94]

Hey everybody,
I need some advice on which gap year opportunity to pursue. I have been offered both a scribe position that would start in 2 weeks, or an Americorps positions a mentor at a low income middle school that would start in Aug. Both opportunities sound really good to me and if I could do both I would. Money is also not a problem since I will be living with my parents to save money. So as need help deciding which one to pick. Will one have a bigger application boost than another?

Here is an overview of my application:
Female, 21, Florida Resident
Going to graduate in 2 weeks, applying this cycle
MCAT: 521
GPA: 3.75
Clinical volunteering: around a 140 hours volunteering at a hospital
Nonclinical volunteering: 50 hours mentoring at risk elementary school kids
Clinical experience: 125 hours at a pediatric clinic for a health disparities practicum
TA for 2 semesters
Exam proctor for my dept for 3 semesters
Public Relations director for a year for an organization that I've been a member of for 3 years
I also volunteered with that organization in hospital and Nonclinical settings for around 75 hours
Over a year and a half in a research lab, resulted in a poster

I know that I won't be able to mention them in my primary app, but would mentioning the job that I eventually pick on the secondary help my application all? I also plan on doing some volunteering on the side (clinical if I pick Americorps, and non clinical if I end up scribing)

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[Toutie]

Which would be easier to take time off for interviews?

 

[fawkes94]

I think both would be around the same. The scribe company allows you to switch shifts, so as long as I could find somebody to cover for me, I should be good. And the Americorps program will allow me to take days off as long as I make up the hours on another day

 

[fawkes94]

Does anybody have any advice? I need to let both programs know soon.

 

[Dr.Sticks]

If I was you I would do Americorps and do some volunteering in an e.r or some free clinic on the side
best of both worlds
I'm personally interested in it myself for when I'm done college

 

[Domepiece]

Can't say I am an expert, but lots of people scribe and I imagine not as many do Americorps, so if you are looking for something unique, go that route.

That being said, go with whichever you will find more personal satisfaction in. It is a year of your life.

 

[KinesiologyNerd]

I know that I won't be able to mention them in my primary app, but would mentioning the job that I eventually pick on the secondary help my application all? I also plan on doing some volunteering on the side (clinical if I pick Americorps, and non clinical if I end up scribing)

Yes. You need a good explanation of 1) why a gap year? 2) what did you do on your gap year? 3) did you benefit from it and how?

 

[needcafe]

Honestly, do the one you want to do more. Do the one you think you will enjoy more. Not the one you think will be more relevant to medicine, or the one that you think will make admissions more interested in you. There is something to be said for an applicant who is passionate about his/her work--and that passion really shows on the interview trail

 

[fawkes94]

Thanks for your responses, everybody! I'm leaning more towards Americorps right now because I know this is pretty much the only time in my life that I'll be able to do it, but I feel like scribing will also be an amazing experience

 

[JesseVenturaMD]

As someone that has done both, I strongly encourage you to do Americorps. We will see how it works for me, but several people I know have gone on to med school and it was a frequent highlight of their interviews. Best of luck.

 

[fawkes94]

Ok sorry to be neurotic, but one last thing. Do you think I have enough clinical hours that it won't be a problem to do americorps? Or do I need scribing to beef up my clinical experiences