Activities between Undergrad and med school

[jbernet1]

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I am going to graduate in December and was wondering what people are planning on doing/have done in the past who had time off between undergrad and med school. Did you get a job in medicine? Did you volunteer? Did you do something completely unrelated?

I'm just looking for some ideas, preferably something that might pay off some of my undergrad debts. I am going to have a B.A. in English, so I won't be researching in a lab (it seems like a lot of people do that)

Thanks!
Jbernet1

 

[avhart]

I graduated in June and I'm applying now and I'm spending the year working full-time at an animal shelter. I'm also volunteering at a local free health care clinic and hoping to get going in some other stuff, too...but right before I graduated I shadowed a doctor and her resident told me not to do anything with medicine as a full-time job for my own sanity. I love working at the shelter and I think that's the most important thing...

 

[jbernet1]

Why shouldn't you do anything with medicine full time for your own sanity? When you graduate from med school you will be doing medicine full time (not to mention in school)...?

 

[Amy B]

Originally posted by jbernet1
Why shouldn't you do anything with medicine full time for your own sanity? When you graduate from med school you will be doing medicine full time (not to mention in school)...?

It's because you are going to have your life revolving around med school and medicine. Now is your only chance to kick back and do whatever you want to do just for fun. I would say travel, stay up late playing video games, go boating, beachcombing.😎 , read trashy fiction books, lay in bed all day............

Just kick back and enjoy because once med school starts your time is gone.

 

[heifer]

teach english in a foreign country. you have the degree (not that it's necessary to get a job).
depending on where you go you can make a lot of money (pay off those debts), and regardless of where you go, you'll have the experience of a lifetime.

 

[mattorama]

Go on a 2200 mile backpacking trip.... 🙂 I can't wait.

 

[SMW]

I've been tutoring and making beaucoup bucks (of course, I don't know what your debts are like). I got into it through substitute teaching. I've deferred for my second year after taking the year after graduation to take the MCAT, apply and interview. So this is my 3rd year out of college. I figure this is my last chance to be normal. And I was a young college graduate anyway.

 

[jbernet1]

thanks for all of the ideas. Some of those sound really interesting. If only I could find a rent-free place on the beach for reading trashy novels and beachcombing...!
Backpacking sounds awesome too- have fun mattorama. I am jealous..

😛

 

[Anka]

I was a lit major and am doing research, not that I'm saying you should do that. Have you thought about doing a Masters in something interesting?

If I had another life to live, I'd do one of these things this year

1. Do a MA in English lit
2. Do a year of Jesuit Volunteer Corps through AmeriCorps
3. Go to Africa for two years through Peace Corps... for some reason Ghana sounds like a good place.

Anka

 

[jbernet1]

Anka,

Those sound like good options, but I am hoping to enter med school in august (I am applying right now), so more school wouldn't fit in.

My problem is that a "real job" usually takes more time committment than 6 months- so would the peace corps which I would love to do also.

I'm hoping when I graduate I will be able to travel to underserved countries like Africa and provide medicine on a short-term basis. My father does that right now (he's an optometrist, not the same, but similar?). So maybe you don't need another life to do some of those things!

jbernet1

 

[DrWuStar]

americorp has 6-month positions. some of them quite interesting. they don't pay much though.