1 or two gap years? Need help deciding

[deleted980811]

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Hey everyone!

I’m going to be a 4th year undergraduate this coming fall and after lots of thought I have recently decided to switch from pre-dental to pre-medical.

As of right now I have a 3.82 cGPA and my sGPA is probably ever so slightly lower. I’m also a Psychological and Brain Science B.S. major.

For research I have done about 150 hours of psychology research with a poster presentation and will be conduction my own independent research project with an honors thesis next year.

For volunteering, I have about 120 hours of tutoring lower income elementary school kids, 50 hours of volunteering at an assisted living center for the elderly, which I’ll be continuing into next year, 2 dental mission trips abroad, and next year I’ll be starting to volunteer at a street medicine clinic for the homeless 8 hours a month.

For leadership, I’ve been treasurer of my schools pre-dental club, Vice President of my schools pre-dental club, a pre-dental mentor, co-founder and co-president of a dental mission club that went to panama, and brotherhood chair of my pre-medical fraternity.

For clinical experience, I recently got hired as a scribe at the local hospital emergency room and will be working approximately 16 hours a week until I graduate. I’m also on the waitlist for a program where I will be on a resident team at the hospital where I will be able to interact with general surgery residents as well as shadow their surgeries, which will give me ~100 hours of shadowing.

I’m not sure what would be lacking in my application, so I’m not sure if 2 gap years are recommended. Despite this, I would have to take my MCAT next spring and wouldn’t have my score until mid-July, which sets me back as a late applicant. In addition, I want to complete a medical humanities certificate through my school, which would eliminate the possibility of taking the mcat and applying for next years cycle, forcing me to take two gap years.

I’m not sure if I should skip the medical humanities certificate and take the MCAT and apply late and hope for the best, or take a second gap year, have more time for my mcat, maybe round up some more clinical experiences or research then apply the cycle after that.

I would appreciate any thoughts or advice!

 

[LiftingMed]

Mid-July isn't late, being complete (secondaries and LORs sent in) before Labor Day is considered fine/on time by many ADCOMs on here. Submit your primary application when it opens in June to one throwaway school just to get verified, then add the rest when you receive your score back.

 

[deleted980811]

Mid-July isn't late, being complete (secondaries and LORs sent in) before Labor Day is considered fine/on time by many ADCOMs on here. Submit your primary application when it opens in June to one throwaway school just to get verified, then add the rest when you receive your score back.

That’s what I was thinking to do, however I’m not sure if my application would be fully competitive by that point. How will I stack up with all the experiences mentioned? Would the extra gap year be recommended for me to gain more clinical/research experience or will I have a competitive amount?

 

[Catalystik]

That’s what I was thinking to do, however I’m not sure if my application would be fully competitive by that point. How will I stack up with all the experiences mentioned? Would the extra gap year be recommended for me to gain more clinical/research experience or will I have a competitive amount?

One year of research is adequate for general application purposes. Two years is better for T-20 aspirations. You only need about 50 hours of shadowing, but much of it should aim toward observing physician-patient interaction, which is somewhat lacking with the anesthetized patient. Office-based, primary care observation should be included in the total.

Tell us more about the Medical Humanities Certificate. How would it make you a more appealing candidate?

What was your role in the abroad missions?

 

[Dr panda]

Two years is better for T-20 aspirations.

Sorry for bursting in your conversation, but do adcoms consider projected research hours? I also plan to take 2 gap years after graduation. For, example, can one graduate in may, obtain ft research position, take MCAT in January-April and then apply in June and list roughly 2000 hours for research with another 2000 projected during next year, is it a good idea? Also, my UG institution has linkage to medical school and there are opportunities of doing biomedical research there, will it be looked upon favorably?
Thank you

 

[Catalystik]

1a) do adcoms consider projected research hours?
1b) I also plan to take 2 gap years after graduation. For, example, can one graduate in may, obtain ft research position, take MCAT in January-April and then apply in June and list roughly 2000 hours for research with another 2000 projected during next year, is it a good idea?
2) Also, my UG institution has linkage to medical school and there are opportunities of doing biomedical research there, will it be looked upon favorably?

1a) No.
1b) Listing projected hours is fine as a signal of your current intentions, but all too often "life happens" and the best of intentions are interrupted: fractured leg, mono, parental catastrophes, PI leaves the university, etc. One can let adcomms know that the original plan is ongoing via Secondaries, update letters-where allowed, and interview conversations, though, and then those projected hours are given some weight.

2) If you mean does it enhance your chances at that one school, I can only answer based on what I've observed at mine, which is No. Perhaps if the PI is a voting member of the admissions committee and they don't recuse themselves from the vote (as they should) it could help you.

 

[Dr panda]

2) If you mean does it enhance your chances at that one school, I can only answer based on what I've observed at mine, which is No. Perhaps if the PI is a voting member of the admissions committee and they don't recuse themselves from the vote (as they should) it could help you.

Thank you! I meant – does bms research bear more weight than, let's say, just biological or chemical?

 

[Catalystik]

Thank you! I meant – does bms research bear more weight than, let's say, just biological or chemical?

Give an example of what you mean by BMS research.

 

[Dr panda]

Give an example of what you mean by BMS research.

For example, researches that focuse on:
Neurodegenerative mechanisms of osteoporosis in Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
Comparative Locomotor Biomechanics
Atherosclerotic Complications associated with Diabetes and Obesity
How retroviruses (RVs) cause paralytic and cognitive neurodegenerative diseases

 

[Catalystik]

For example, researches that focuse on:
Neurodegenerative mechanisms of osteoporosis in Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
Comparative Locomotor Biomechanics
Atherosclerotic Complications associated with Diabetes and Obesity
How retroviruses (RVs) cause paralytic and cognitive neurodegenerative diseases

Narrow-focus, medically-relevant sorts of projects are going to be more benefical to one's residency applications, provided they are related to the intended specialty. For med school applications, Bio or Chem research can be just as beneficial. Any of them require your understanding of the scientific method and the benefit derived depends on your level of involvement in the process. JMO.

 

[Dr panda]

Narrow-focus, medically-relevant sorts of projects are going to be more benefical to one's residency applications, provided they are related to the intended specialty. For med school applications, Bio or Chem research can be just as beneficial. Any of them require your understanding of the scientific method and the benefit derived depends on your level of involvement in the process. JMO.

Thank you.

 

[MyOdyssey]

One year of research is adequate for general application purposes. Two years is better for T-20 aspirations.

So by this, do you mean that two gap years of additional research are better for T-20 aspirations or that two gap years to burnish an application in general are better for T-20 aspirations?

I ask because of my impression that T-20s like balanced applications with strengths across multiple criteria.

 

[Catalystik]

1) do you mean that two gap years of additional research are better for T-20 aspirations or that two gap years to burnish an application in general are better for T-20 aspirations?

2) I ask because of my impression that T-20s like balanced applications with strengths across multiple criteria.

1) I mean that two total years of completed research are better for T-20 aspirants, whether completed during college or afterward.
2) I agree with your impression. A strong leadership experience, in particular, tends to be desirable.