Hi everyone - first-time poster here, so if this is in the wrong place, my apologies!
In September, I'll be entering my 4th year of Electrical Engineering at Western. I spent most of my time in undergrad planning on pursuing graduate studies in Biomedical Engineering, but after several months of contemplation and research experience, I've realized that what I really want is to be a doctor.
At this point, it's too late to take my MCATs and apply for the next cycle, so I'm left with two options: take a gap year, or go ahead and do my Master's and then apply for med school after that.
I have lots of concerns, but I'll point out my biggest pros and cons about each option:
Thanks a lot!
In September, I'll be entering my 4th year of Electrical Engineering at Western. I spent most of my time in undergrad planning on pursuing graduate studies in Biomedical Engineering, but after several months of contemplation and research experience, I've realized that what I really want is to be a doctor.
At this point, it's too late to take my MCATs and apply for the next cycle, so I'm left with two options: take a gap year, or go ahead and do my Master's and then apply for med school after that.
I have lots of concerns, but I'll point out my biggest pros and cons about each option:
- Gap Year Pros: I could take the summer after graduation to focus exclusively on studying for the MCATs. I've also been a bit light on the extra-cirriculars so far in my undergrad, so it would give me an opportunity to get some more volunteer experience (i.e. I'd like to spend a month or so volunteering overseas, and try to find general hospital volunteer opportunities during this year as well).
- Gap Year Cons: Money would be a large issue - taking the summer off while paying for MCAT prep AND possibly travel to volunteer would empty out what little I have left in my bank account after putting myself through school. Then, after the summer, I'd be worried about finding a good job - if I take a gap year but just end up working a crappy retail job or something to pay the bills (while also volunteering as often as possible, of course), would that look bad? Basically the point is that if I take a gap year, I need to make sure it ends up being worthwhile. I don't know any doctors or have any "connections" though - how realistic would it be for me to even find opportunities to shadow or something like that? And if I end up doing poorly on my MCATs, then the whole year will have been wasted right away.
- Master's Pros: I have great grades and research experience, so I could make some pretty decent money through scholarships if I do this. My research would also be in the area of cancer imaging, with some well-known scientists, which I'm sure would look good on a med school application. And if the med school thing doesn't work out, then at least I'll have a grad degree to show for my time after undergrad.
- Master's Cons: The biggest worry here is having enough time to study and prepare for my MCATs. It'd also take two years after undergrad (as opposed to just one for the gap year), but that's not a huge concern for me - med school will always be there. But my main concern would be the MCATs. If anyone has any experience doing their MCATs during grad school, I'd be very interested to hear about your experiences!
Thanks a lot!