how important are gap year activities?

hootiehoo said:

For my gap year, I had intended to volunteer for Americorps in my dream city. However, the placement site at which I'll be interviewing doesn't seem well-suited for me (I can't see myself working with high schoolers). I've saved up enough to try to make it in my dream city for the year, but without a clear objective or job prospect, would this be viewed unfavorably with adcoms? My current (lab) job and city aren't satifying, and moving for just a year would likely mean a food service or other low-paying job in my new city.

Click to expand...

You do not want to have an empty gap year. Assuming your application is otherwise very competitive, keeping busy this year is probably not a huge deal, but if you have average or below average stats, depending on where you want to go you will want to keep busy. If you want to move, by all means move, but make sure you keep busy with volunteering, working wherever you can, etc. to demonstrate you are driven. There is no reason you can't move to your dream city, work the best job you can find even if it is food service, etc., and fill your time with clinical and non-clinical volunteering, leadership, etc.

stranger1 said:

I have a question about doing Americorps. If I were to do Americorps for my gap year, would I be able to apply and do my interviews that year? Or would I have to take another year off?

Click to expand...

depends COMPLETELY on your supervisor. you get 10 vacation days and 10 sick days in the program, and no one can stop you from using those (though they might hate you for it if you call in sick and they later find you're on interviews)

theseeker4 said:

you do not want to have an empty gap year. Assuming your application is otherwise very competitive, keeping busy this year is probably not a huge deal, but if you have average or below average stats, depending on where you want to go you will want to keep busy. If you want to move, by all means move, but make sure you keep busy with volunteering, working wherever you can, etc. To demonstrate you are driven. There is no reason you can't move to your dream city, work the best job you can find even if it is food service, etc., and fill your time with clinical and non-clinical volunteering, leadership, etc.

Click to expand...

+1

Use the year to let yourself grow as a person. It's your job to define what growth means. Some people travel, some gain work or research experience, some take classes, just make sure that you're improving yourself meaningfully. If what you're doing means something to you then it will show positively on an application.

That being said, if you have a blatant absence of research or volunteering in your application, they should be considered. But it's possible to get accepted without those things, so don't feel forced or obligated.

I am in a similar boat, kind of. I am in my 2nd year off, but I'm really discontent with my lab position... I should have spoken up or moved to a different job earlier, but with only 1 year left here (applying this cycle), I'm not sure if it's worth finding a different job.

My line of thought was that (1) it will be a hassle at this point trying to look for something just for 1 year, especially it will be a year of busy-ness with med school apps (2) I think it'll be difficult to find a non-research position that will give me as much flexibility to take days off for interview travels...

My plan is to work towards a change of attitude and take labwork as lightly as possible... then come home and enjoy the rest of my day. I think working in a lab does bring some convenience for people applying. Good luck deciding!

stranger1 said:

I have a question about doing Americorps. If I were to do Americorps for my gap year, would I be able to apply and do my interviews that year? Or would I have to take another year off?

Click to expand...

That's my plan! I'm starting an AmeriCorps position in Nashville in September. None of the sites I interviewed with had any problem with me taking several days off for interviews - in fact, most if not all of them had med school applicants participating in their program in the past.

I'm in a somewhat simular situation. I didn't get accepted last cycle, graduated in Dec and really haven't done much since. I work 5-6 nights a week and have been helping my mother through a recent cancer diagnosis so frankly, (along with living with a fiance, dog) it's all I can do to keep sane without trying to work even more into my already very tiring life and I can't afford to cut hours at work if I want to keep paying rent and bills (last cycle left me totally broke. Thank you $5K spent and counting).

Blah. Being an adult kind of sucks

I'm sitting on two waitlists but my MDApps will show someone what NOT to do I applied top heavy, late in the year with a mediocre MCAT.

stranger1 said:

Sweet! I think I am going to do that as well!

Click to expand...

Good luck! Are you looking into Community HealthCorps programs?

kpcrew2oo2 said:

congrats man, good luck with that.

Click to expand...

I'm a girl, but thanks.