gap year

  1. E

    Army Graduating undergrad at crossroads

    Hi everyone, I'm currently a graduating senior deciding between enlisting for 5 years, commissioning for 3 years, or going directly to medical school after 1-2 gap years. I will be graduating from a T20 undergrad with 3 majors and a first author publication, as well as a unique extracurricular...
  2. kirvoyant

    Gap Year Experiences

    Hi everyone! So, I recently started considering taking a gap year before applying to medical school. I was thinking that maybe this was the right move because this could be an opportunity for me to build up on relevant research and clinical experiences. I also feel like this would be a way for...
  3. soapjala

    Gap Years, Medical Jobs, Waiting for Interviews and Stuff

    Hey everyone, so as a gap year applicant, I have a few questions if y'all don't mind answering: What kinds of medical jobs did you have to prepare yourself for medical school? What was the latest interview invite you've gotten in your cycle? How long until you got your first interview? If I...
  4. C

    Should I take one or two gap years?

    Hello all, I am a senior right now at a T14 university with hopes of applying this cycle (URM, only to Texas schools). Originally, I wanted to take one gap year. However, I’ve been having some doubts and am considering taking two. Demographics: Science GPA : ~3.7 Overall GPA: ~3.8 Major: BA...
  5. B

    WAMC Debating Taking a Gap Year or Not

    Hi, Explanation after WAMC Template: Overall GPA: 3.55 Science GPA: 3.52 Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.71 (triple-checked, somehow this is right) DAT score (include AA and all sections): Haven't taken State of Residence: IL Undergrad Attended: UIUC Major: BIOE Minority? Yes Reapplicant? No Nontrad...
  6. R

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  7. F

    Need reapplicant/Gap year advice for mid to high stats ORM (soft WAMC too).

    I’m a 4th year undergrad graduating this May with double STEM majors (Biochem, Neuro) hailing from a large state school in the Southeastern US. My GPA is a 3.9 (probably will either stay or go up slightly at the end of this year) and my MCAT is a 518. I’m ORM, but from a rural area. I’m new...
  8. S

    SMP or something else after grad?- Anxious International Pre-med Senior

    Hi there! I'm a current senior very interested in med school, but definitely need to prepare before I even apply. For context: I am a male, Asian international Bio major at a T20 with a current cGPA 3.63 and sGPA: 3.4 and will likely remain so (kind of a weird trend neither up or down, kind of...
  9. Mined23

    Pre-med gap year advice

    Hi I’m an accepted MD student starting in 2024. I’m looking for advice if there’s something I could be doing during my current gap year that might help on a residency application. I am interested in surgery specialties, would it make sense to get more research? If research before med school is...
  10. H

    Going abroad during admissions

    Essentially, I want to go abroad to Spain for a few weeks in October with family to do a Spanish immersion program (one of my big goals for my gap year is learning some Spanish). My only school that interviews in person is Jefferson and I should be able to do remote interviews from Spain. My...
  11. B

    To gap or not to gap - advice appreciated!

    (Please don't quote) Hello all, I'll (try) to keep it short. Here's the numbers: ORM white guy at top 50 school. 3.896 cgpa / 3.87 sgpa, no MCAT Activities [CURRENT]: 309 hours of clinical volunteering in hospital 1 104 hours of clinical volunteering at hospital 2 72 hours as an EMT...
  12. R

    Gap year before advanced position

    I am a current TY resident, I went unmatched in radiology last year but matched into an advanced radiology position this year which will start July 2024, leaving me with a gap year. I'm unsure of what opportunities would be available for me following my 1 year of TY training. My main goal is to...
  13. Gao Xiong

    Seeking advice: Should I take a gap year? How can I further strengthen my application?

    I graduate next Spring 2024 and am at a crossroads right now. I’m in desperate need of advice so that I know what next steps I should take. I’m a psyc major. My current GPA is 3.4 and I’m hoping that after grinding my courses this year, I will be able to get at least a 3.5. My plan for now is...
  14. D

    Deferment year advice

    I'm deferring for an additional gap year before starting medical school in 2024. This is my second gap year and aside from scribing, which I have learned a ton from, I have been able to travel a bit and enjoy some time with friends/family ect. I do get the importance of not rushing into this...
  15. M

    Taking An Additional Gap Year: Should I Get New LORs?

    Hello, I'm a graduating senior who was initially planning on taking only 1 gap year and applying this current 2023-2024 cycle. That being said, I've come to the decision to take an additional (2nd) gap year which means I will apply next cycle. Granted that I initially wanted to apply this...
  16. M

    MD WAMC: 3.9 GPA, 518 MCAT, ORM

    Thanks for looking at my post :) GPA: cGPA=3.91, sGPA=3.9 (To this day, I facepalm at how I don't have an "upward trend" in GPA because of a B I got in my last semester LOL) MCAT score(s) and breakdown: 518 (C/P: 130, CARS: 126, B/B: 130, P/S: 132) State of residence or country of citizenship...
  17. Ilikespidey

    People who intentionally took 2+ gap years, did you love it?

    I initially went into this process thinking I’m gonna work so hard to get into med school straight through, but then I realized that taking a gap year or years would take a lot off my shoulders and actually be a benefit. Such as: 1. Easier studying for MCAT after taking all pre-reqs 2. Being...
  18. P

    non-stem gap year ideas?

    hi, i am wondering if anyone could offer some ideas on (ideally one year long) gap year programs related to: 1) research on history of medicine, health policy, medical humanities, or anything along these lines 2) community health centered jobs i am having trouble finding ones with decent pay 😅
  19. T

    "Why did you not take a gap year?" at a T5 interview—thoughts?

    "Why did you not take a gap year?" was a question posed to me by an interviewer at a T5 school about a month ago. She did acknowledge that the question was "perhaps unfair". I looked around at fellow interviewees—partially looking for inspiration and partially gauging whether I would even have...
  20. S

    Feeling stuck during gap year, what should I be doing?

    I'm in the middle of my gap year and I'm feeling stuck as to what I should be doing. I'm currently doing non-clinical volunteering at about 6 hours a week and working as a scribe 25 hours a week. I was initially planning on doing these at least until the app opened, but I feel like it wont be...
  21. H

    No home program at my (new) school - seeking some guidance

    Hello everyone, I am a M2 at a new US MD school in the NE who is interested in ophtho. Being that it's so new and there is no home program, I was wondering if anyone would be willing to let me PM them and ask some questions :) Specifically seeking some feedback on whether to take a research year...
  22. S

    How to best spend my 3rd gap year/ECs?

    Hello! I've been hoping to get some advice on my current standings and what to do before I apply for the 2023-2024 cycle. I was actually planning to apply this year but a family problem came up so I'm hoping to use another gap year to help build my EC. Just as reference, my GPA is about 3.73...
  23. D

    Reinvention Advice

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  24. S

    Apply this cycle and risk being a reapplicant next cycle?

    Hi everyone. I recently took 1 AAMC practice test and it was a 498 (123/123/126/126). I’m on the AAMC financial assistance package so the only FLs I have are those. I know they’re super important and have been trying to not use them until the last month, but I don’t want to waste anymore with a...
  25. S

    Gap Year Advice: Case Manager or EMT job

    Hi everyone, Currently deciding what job to take in my gap year. I'm deciding between working as a: 1) Case Manager, where I would help homeless clients keep their housing, address their substance use and behavioral health needs, and do a lot of trauma-informed care, help them with a variety of...
  26. A

    Thoughts on Oxford PhD before MD...in career planning crisis

    Hi everyone, I am a current 4th year premed student at Duke. I have always planned on pursuing an MD/PhD but after a fruitful research abroad experience last year I have been offered a (funded) 3-year PhD spot in a lab at Oxford. In terms of my background, I have a 3.99cGPA, 3.97 sGPA...
  27. P

    CRC/Research Position or Teaching + PT PCT/CNA during gap years?

    Hi all, I'm looking for some advice -- unfortunately, this might be long so I apologize in advance. I graduated earlier this month with a BS in chemistry. I thought I had a job lined up as a CRC at a major research university which is an hour commute from home (not ideal), and HR was merely...
  28. GreenThenGone

    Gap year advice for undecided applicant

    Hey everyone! I did three years of biochemistry research during undergrad (1000+ hours), gave a poster presentation, and wrote a thesis. I would receive a very strong LOR from this PI. That being said, I'm taking two gap years between undergrad and med school matriculation (applying in 2023-24...
  29. B

    Doing a non-trad masters while applying to med school

    In undergrad, I majored in biomedical engineering. During the year during which I will be interviewing at medical schools, I am considering doing a masters in Computer Science. Will medical schools view this as a lack of commitment to medicine? CS is becoming more and more important in medicine...
  30. lno1999

    Question about what ELSE I should do in my gap year?

    Hi all! So to start… Stats and Background • TX, ORM, graduated from T10 state school • cGPA=3.97 sGPA=3.94 • MCAT: The only thing really “missing” from my app • Not sure if I am applying MD-PhD or MD Only Clinical Experience Paid • ER Tech = 2100 hours...
  31. H

    Any advice for gap year?

    Hi you all very nice people, I am taking 2 years off and applying during the 2023-2024 cycle! I would like to know if there is anything else I can do to improve my application during this year, especially about the leadership part. My plan wasn't for MD until my Junior year, so everything...
  32. Meisbad

    Gap Year conundrum

    Two roads diverged in yellow wood............. After about 350 applications to be a clinical research coordinator (NYC) I finally got 2 job offers at the same time. I am having a tough time deciding which one to choose, I would appreciate any input! Option 1: Clinical research coordinator 2...
  33. D

    Should I take a gap year?

    Hello, I am currently a sophomore, and am planning to apply for 2024 matriculation, meaning I would not take a gap year. I don't currently have any clinical experience, however I will soon start volunteering in a hospice, and I plan on spending this summer volunteering in a hospital and...
  34. A

    WAMC? Apply or 2 gap years?

    Hi everyone- I'm having a hard time deciding whether or not to submit an application this cycle or wait until next year. I never thought that I would be in a position where I wouldn't be prepared to apply right after college, but unfortunately after the toll of losing a parent my right before...
  35. Dumplingz

    Apply or another gap year?

    Happy new year everyone! I'm looking for some guidance (again) and figured this would probably be a good place for that. I'll give a short outline of basically what my application would be (minus the PS) and what my dilemma is. GPA Stuff GPA: 3.988 sGPA: 4.000 MCAT: 518 LizzyM: 75.9 WARS: 85...
  36. N

    Gap year with any clinical experience

    I am in my third gap year. During my first gap year I did research (along with volunteering as a caretaker), second year, I worked as a medical assistant and clinical research assistant (and volunteered as a caretaker, at a hospital). Now I’m in my third gap year ( 4 months into it) without...
  37. S

    How bad is it that I didn’t do anything during the summers of college and don’t have a lot of entries to put for the AMCAS?

    It’s too late to change anything bc I already graduated but I wanted to hear opinions! I didn’t do anything the summers of my college years. Most of my clinical, volunteer and shadowing comes from my two gap years that I’m taking now. People might ask why and it was because I was helping my...
  38. A

    Should I Delay Graduation?

    Hey everyone. I posted here a couple months back and got some really good advice, thanks again for that. It's time to register for what will be my final semester starting in January. My plan was to take the MCAT in May and apply immediately after, thus taking a gap year. But not I'm not sure if...
  39. A

    Got my first A, should I quit my gap year job right now?

    I'm blessed and thankful to have been accepted to a couple schools a few months into my gap year. I'm now working as a scribe (actually still in training 2+ months in due to a lack of trainer availability) but really don't like it and don't appreciate some scheduling issues that have already...
  40. Dumplingz

    GPA 3.988, sGPA 4.0, MCAT 518, Aiming for T10-T20, Gap year advice needed

    Hi all, Looking for some guidance on what to do moving forward. I’m in my final year of undergrad and recently got my MCAT score back (518). I have an LM 75.9 and WARS 85, conservatively. The 2017 WARS doc gave me an S level rating and recommended I make 45% of my applications to Category 1...
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