a year off?

[uclakid]

If any of you have taken a year off after graduation, what did you do? What sort of ECs did you guys do? I am slightly considering doing this, but I need ideas to keep myself busy and looking good to med schools.

Thanks

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[Syranope2]

i am in the middle of my year off. i didn't do it so much to boost my ec's as because i just didn't want to go straight into school again. i was getting a bit tired of it at the end of my senior year. i've been working as a lab assistant at the medical center near where i live. it's good work, i've been able to save up some money for med school, i have nights and weekends free (no homework, no tests, yay!), and i've gotten to hang out with my friends and family for 6 months before packing it up for med school. i'd totally recommend a year off for anyone. i have friends who have worked and volunteered at a hospital, one who spent six weeks volunteering with a healthcare organization in peru, and one who is traveling in europe, getting odd jobs to pay for things. no matter what you do with your year, i think it will leave you refreshed and ready to jump into academia again (plus, it's a hell of a lot easier to complete secondaries and interviews when you don't have classwork to do)

 

[SarahGM]

I'm working as a lab tech at Duke, and in a restaurant in Chapel Hill.

Take time off!!! It's great to have time to enjoy myself before such a big committment. And this is about as financially secure as I'm going to get for the next 10 years!!

 

[SharkFan3]

I am also in the middle of my year off and I recommend it 100%. Actually, I have a hard time imagining applying while I was in school. I work in a biomedical lab which helps me earn enough money to pay for the insane cost of applying and interviewing. I didn't have homework on top of secondary essays to write, tests conflicting with interview days, etc so I feel like this year off has really helped out. I also do some volunteering at a domestic abuse shelter. I guess it's just a personal preference though.

 

[SurgeryRA]

I'm working as a research assistant and volunteering in peds. No, I'm not in a third world country saving the entire population from disease or war, but just showing the admissions committees that I am involved in some manner. I work at a med school so seeing the students is a constant reminder of where I need to be. You almost feel like a kid looking at a toy in a display. You can watch but you can't play...but I digress.

 

[jlee9531]

i tutor to support my fam.

red cross volunteer.

homeless feeding thing with a church...

etc...