A year off before med school-what to do

[hardworker101]

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Hi
i am delaying my application to med school until after graduation, so i will be off a year. what are some of the things that premeds do after graduation, that will look good?
I wanted to get a 1year masters prgram, but i am worried about costs- 25,000-35,000 for one year. i am going to ask someone as a cosigner for my med school loan application that has a better credit. I don't know if i can ask for another loan before med school.
does any one know of programs that has financial aid or some alternative plans that are cheaper?

I came across a combined B.S and M.S at my school in microbiology and it only adds a year to my graduation, and it sound cheaper. Have anybody done a combind one?

Thanks alot

 

[UCDavisdude]

Hi
i am delaying my application to med school until after graduation, so i will be off a year. what are some of the things that premeds do after graduation, that will look good?
I wanted to get a 1year masters prgram, but i am worried about costs- 25,000-35,000 for one year. i am going to ask someone as a cosigner for my med school loan application that has a better credit. I don't know if i can ask for another loan before med school.
does any one know of programs that has financial aid or some alternative plans that are cheaper?

I came across a combined B.S and M.S at my school in microbiology and it only adds a year to my graduation, and it sound cheaper. Have anybody done a combind one?

Thanks alot

well, my plans for next year are to travel, ive saved up money for the app process and to travel. first place im going next fall is to iceland!

 

[bohemianink84]

no comment

 

[silas2642]

Hi
i am delaying my application to med school until after graduation, so i will be off a year. what are some of the things that premeds do after graduation, that will look good?
I wanted to get a 1year masters prgram, but i am worried about costs- 25,000-35,000 for one year. i am going to ask someone as a cosigner for my med school loan application that has a better credit. I don't know if i can ask for another loan before med school.
does any one know of programs that has financial aid or some alternative plans that are cheaper?

I came across a combined B.S and M.S at my school in microbiology and it only adds a year to my graduation, and it sound cheaper. Have anybody done a combind one?

Thanks alot

Unless you have a low gpa, I wouldn't bother with the masters program unless you really truly think that it's worth it to go into substantially more debt to gain another degree that you won't need in medical school. Instead, why don't you try doing some research, volunteering, gaining clinical experience, getting a job, or something? Don't worry about impressing adcoms with another master's degree-- they see these things all the time and I doubt it gets them all warm and fuzzy about an applicant. Just make sure you do something that is meaningful to you (i.e. not laying around all day playing Playstation at your mother's house).

 

[OwnageMobile]

Go abroad and learn another language.

 

[BaylorGuy]

I suggest finding a research job...either paid or unpaid, and most probably with a med school. It helps to get more involved in the goings-on of hospital work and getting rather familiar with one school. if you are lucky, you may get exposure to some docs, residents, and students.

And its one heck of an experience.

 

[ubcredfox]

I agree with finding a research/tech job for a year...though, you might find yourself going slowly insane after staring at pipettes for a year...

If you have $$$ I suggest going travelling and finding a job abroad

 

[silas2642]

I agree with finding a research/tech job for a year...though, you might find yourself going slowly insane after staring at pipettes for a year...

If you have $$$ I suggest going travelling and finding a job abroad

Nah, he doesn't have money. Read the original post more carefully... money, or lack thereof, is why he is not sure he wants to go to grad school.

 

[mazeymaze]

Hi
i am delaying my application to med school until after graduation, so i will be off a year. what are some of the things that premeds do after graduation, that will look good?
I wanted to get a 1year masters prgram, but i am worried about costs- 25,000-35,000 for one year. i am going to ask someone as a cosigner for my med school loan application that has a better credit. I don't know if i can ask for another loan before med school.
does any one know of programs that has financial aid or some alternative plans that are cheaper?

I came across a combined B.S and M.S at my school in microbiology and it only adds a year to my graduation, and it sound cheaper. Have anybody done a combind one?

Thanks alot

Teach english in Japan for a year...make lots money, neat experience....or do something original that you really wanna do that you won't be able to do once school beigins i.e. take a job as an auto mechanic and learn how to put a car together from scratch, take a job at a ski lodge and become an expert skier, go to alaska and work in a cannery. Med schools are interested in your personality as well as your stats, especially since there are so many qualified applicants. If you're not particularly interested in a certain degree or type of research don't waste the year doing something that may or may not help your app. You may impress them more by catching their eye with something wacky and different. Especially since whatever experience you have over this upcoming year will be excellent material for your AMCAS personal statement!

 

[gary5]

If your GPA and MCAT are high, then do clinical research and try to get paid for it. Only if your numbers are lower do you need to pay for a post-bacc / Masters program.

 

[Mizuno]

try teaching public school... that's what i'm doing this year
everyone of my interviewers were intrigued by my experiences...

 

[Zymogen]

Go abroad and learn another language.

but what about interviews? flying back would be very expensive

 

[snobored18]

i don't know where you are from but I would look into doing an americorps program (Healthcorps specifically) close to home. Yeah it may suck to live at home...but you can save money for the application cycle and get the exposure you need. There are all kinds of opportunities to work with the underpriviledged from being a patient advocate for the uninsured, designing preventative medicine programs for at risk youth, working HIV/AIDS clinics or staffing and fundraising for free clinics. I think this kind of exposure for a year is something that will make you stick out on paper, give you tons of stuff to discuss at your interviews and show a long term committment to improving health care regardless of financial gain...it takes balls but it will definitely add a completely different dimension to your application..you can also go anywhere in the country but your budget will be extremely tight with app fees and other stuff...some programs will even pay for some graduate coursework if thats something you are interested in pursuing...although it obviously won't result in a degree.

 

[OwnageMobile]

but what about interviews? flying back would be very expensive

Meh. Go to China and teach english (for instance); they'll pay you and give you round trip tix. It's a matter of looking around for the right job.

 

[OwnageMobile]

Teach english in Japan for a year...make lots money, neat experience....or do something original that you really wanna do that you won't be able to do once school beigins i.e. take a job as an auto mechanic and learn how to put a car together from scratch, take a job at a ski lodge and become an expert skier, go to alaska and work in a cannery. Med schools are interested in your personality as well as your stats, especially since there are so many qualified applicants. If you're not particularly interested in a certain degree or type of research don't waste the year doing something that may or may not help your app. You may impress them more by catching their eye with something wacky and different. Especially since whatever experience you have over this upcoming year will be excellent material for your AMCAS personal statement!

= my sentiments