Americorps, Peace Corps, etc.

[qtpai]

I applied this cycle, and things did not fare well for me. I am considering why they did not, I am considering that age-old question why medicine, and I am considering my backup plans. I applied with 3.73 overall, 3.95 BCPM, 33Q, and if I decided to reapply next year, I would probably have 3.81 overall, 3.97 BCPM, 33Q. This cycle I applied very late and only to top tiers, foolish I know; the reasons for this are manifold, and I don't feel like getting into it too much, but I think part of it was that I did not yet feel ready to go to medical school. If I freshened my PS, applied early, and more realistically, I am sure I could find someone to take me. But I am growing tired of all these applications, academics, this proverbial rat race. I simply feel a little "too academic, too cerebral" sometimes, and I suspect that this may well become worse as I continue to race through all these degrees, residencies, and so on. More power to people who do, but I am not sure this is right for me right now.

So I am tossing some other ideas around, besides reapplication. I have spent the last couple of days researching my options. I am considering 2-3 years off, in the following manner. AmeriCorps for the first year, then either the Peace Corps or a Fulbright for the second and/or third year. A Fulbright is a crapshoot, so the former is more probable; if I am rejected for the Fulbright, I will do Peace Corps. If I do AmeriCorps, then the Peace Corps, that will mean 3 years off, which means I will be matriculating at 26, something I have no problem with.

The reason I want to do AmeriCorps (preferably HealthCorps) is:
1. Learn about myself, mature, and cultivate my leadership and people skills. I think I have been in school for quite a while, and over the last few years, all I have really been doing is "living in the books." When I didn't have enough classes to take and things to learn, I simply stacked more courses and research activities on top. "Living life" might be eye-opening and something different.
2. Learn about the healthcare system, poverty, etc. in the U.S. This will help me to have a better vision of what I want to do with a medical degree and whether I want to pursue an MPH or other graduate level degree. I have a ton of theoretical knowledge but much less real world experience. I suspect that if I enter medical school during the next application cycle, I will never get quite the same kind of real world experience that I would in AmeriCorps.
3. Pursue a lot of things I have wanted to do for a long time. Read some more of the philosophy that I have wanted to get around to, and continue to cultivate my book knowledge of the healthcare system.
4. Of course, to make a difference in people's lives. To cultivate a practical sense of what it means to make a difference in concrete terms, rather than the abstract sense that I currently have. I think this is a really important point to emphasize, but really difficult to relate without writing a novella, so I will refrain.
5. $5000 at the end to pay for a small bit of my rather intimidating debt.

My motivations for Peace Corps are similar. I am under the impression that you will learn more about domestic system (which includes health care, political situation, economic situation, and so on) from the HealthCorps (AmeriCorps), and you learn more internationally (which includes health care, culture, etc.) and will undergo more personal transformation in the Peace Corps. I have the dream of having fluent Spanish (learning another language would be great, too), so that is another reason for doing the Peace Corps. The advantages of doing a Fulbright are similar to the Peace Corps, except the Fulbright is possibly more prestigious, and I will be able to conduct supported research (probably some kind of medical anthropology or comparative health policy). With a Fulbright, it is questionable whether I would have the same kind of exposure as with the Peace Corps, so that is also something I am considering as well. So basically while I could do just Peace Corps (or Fulbright) or just AmeriCorps, doing both would give me both sorts of experiences.

I am an extremely goal oriented and focused individual. When I was in elementary school, I was the kid running around, disrupting class, and going to the principal. I need a lot to keep me occupied, and I think these kinds of activities might be the kinds of things I'd be interested in. This is why the notion of just working for few years before medical school is extremely unappealing to me, and it would drive me nuts. So I think I will do something a little more intense.

This is what I have been turning over in my head for the last couple days. Let me know what you think. If you think that this sounds like a good idea, let me know. If you think it sounds like a horrible idea, let me know. If you have done the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps (or Fulbright), please chime in. Apologies for the novella. I know I said I wouldn't write one.

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[qtpai]

Nobody? Was the post too goddamn long? If I don't get something soon, I will edit it down to say, "So, I am thinking about AmeriCorps or Peace Corps. Anyone want to share your experiences?"

 

[Nevadanteater]

Nobody? Was the post too goddamn long? If I don't get something soon, I will edit it down to say, "So, I am thinking about AmeriCorps or Peace Corps. Anyone want to share your experiences?"

you've waited 2 hours for a response and you're already chomping at the bit?

type A much?

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=476992&highlight=americorps

I'm doing SF Health Corps right now. It is great. Rough, but I'm loving it. Read my post in the link above. PM me if you've got specific questions.

 

[qtpai]

you've waited 2 hours for a response and you're already chomping at the bit?

type A much?

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=476992&highlight=americorps

I'm doing SF Health Corps right now. It is great. Rough, but I'm loving it. Read my post in the link above. PM me if you've got specific questions.

Haha, sorry, I was just worried that my post was too long and there were 40+ views. If I ask for advice, I do not want to burden anyone that would otherwise like to give it.

SF Health Corps is something I've looked at and from what I understand so far, probably among my top choices for something I'd like to do.

I will probably drop you a PM soon as I learn more.

 

[Jolie South]

I did Peace Corps, and I only have positive things to say about it. However, it is difficult and an extreme eye-opener.

I think it offers more opportunities than domestic work in the health field for a variety of reasons. You're on your own in the village. Everything in your projects is managed by you. You would never be able to have as much power in the states as someone so inexperienced. This a.) provides the opportunity for personal growth b.) tests you in ways that you never thought possible c.) gives you exposure to projects in a global sense d.) forces you to relate and collaborate with people vastly different from you.

I also gained a lot of perspective about Americans in general while I was over there. I realized what was really important to me and focused my goals accordingly. It was such a huge undertaking that taught me more than I can express here.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask here or PM me.

 

[Candlestick Man]

Hi... Like you, when I graduated from undergrad I was tired of school, apps, testing, etc. however I didn't have much of an idea what I wanted to do, least of all medicine. I joined the Peace Corps and the expereince led me to medicine and made me very sure of my choice. I should warn you that a number of the group that went with me still don't know what they want to do - but I think if you have an inclination, Peace Corps will help you decide one way or the other.

I didn't like everything about it, particularly some of my dealings with the Peace Corps administration, but honestly that is about 2% of the experience. The other 98% was incredible and I have no regrets - I would recommend it to someone in your situation....

 

[Luxian]

I think the response you've gotten from med schools is precisely because you applied late in the cycle. I did that myself last year (applied to seven top schools in late Nov/Dec and didn't get a single interview). This year I applied earlier and to more schools. The heartening thing is that some of the schools I applied to last year are now interested, so it really is timing and not a change in my application.

So basically, I just wanted to encourage you. If you really want to go to med school, it'd only be one more year of application hell and then I'm quite sure someone will take you. Then again, any of the service options you are considering would (a) be a great experience and (b) help prove your dedication to service when if you do decide to go back to medicine. Just know that, at least with Peace Corps, it'll take you a year to apply and get placed. Every one of these things takes time.

Good luck with whichever decision you make!

 

[Jolie South]

Just know that, at least with Peace Corps, it'll take you a year to apply and get placed. Every one of these things takes time.

Good luck with whichever decision you make!

Definitely, but applying during your year with Americorps would work out great!

 

[qtpai]

Bump!

Definitely, but applying during your year with Americorps would work out great!

Yep, this is exactly what I'm doing. Graduate, AmeriCorps 2 months later, then Peace Corps immediately after. I will be sending out PM's with questions soon. Need to finish my proposal now. After I get that done, I can do some more research and planning and will have better questions.

 

[PanicAttack]

I'm finishing up Teach for America, which is under the Americorps umbrella (we get the stipend totalling almost 10K for school; score!). It's been a pretty incredible experience, has taught me a lot of skills in time and stress management, as well as dealing with impossible people and systems (sound like medicine?). I think it has also helped me in the application process, but I haven't got accepted anywhere yet. I just got my 2nd interview offer today. It has given me a lot of insight into that "living in the real world" idea you spoke about, and a lot to talk about during interviews. Best of luck in whatever you do!

 

[Perrotfish]

Remeber your MCAT scores expire. If you take 2-3 years off you're going to be taking it again.

You'll get in next cycle if you actually do it right, so make plans that will be complete by a year from this August. Don't waste your time on the Peace Corps. If you really want to do something like that wait until after Residency and do Doctors without Boarders when you'll actually be useful. In the mean time if you want to heal the world pick up an MPH so that you actually know how.

 

[Drogba]

Remeber your MCAT scores expire. If you take 2-3 years off you're going to be taking it again.

You'll get in next cycle if you actually do it right, so make plans that will be complete by a year from this August. Don't waste your time on the Peace Corps. If you really want to do something like that wait until after Residency and do Doctors without Boarders when you'll actually be useful. In the mean time if you want to heal the world pick up an MPH so that you actually know how.

You are assuming the onlyreason someone would do the peacecorp is to provide the most help to others. While this is obviously a big part of doing something like this I doubt it is the prime motivator. Also, different experiences shape you differently at different points in your life (wow, talk about repetative use of the word different). Who knows how your life will precede as a result of the change in perspective you would undergo as a result of this type of undertaking.

 

[qtpai]

Remeber your MCAT scores expire. If you take 2-3 years off you're going to be taking it again.

You'll get in next cycle if you actually do it right, so make plans that will be complete by a year from this August. Don't waste your time on the Peace Corps. If you really want to do something like that wait until after Residency and do Doctors without Boarders when you'll actually be useful. In the mean time if you want to heal the world pick up an MPH so that you actually know how.

I'll probably do an MPH either way (or some other form of health-related graduate degree). I do think the Peace Corps would still be useful to pick up real world experience and better understand what direction I am headed in.

To be clear, I have pretty much decided upon undertaking this course of action, for the following reasons:
1. Personal development, maturity, greater cultural awareness, a "phenomenological" understanding of poverty, and a better "vision" of what I want to accomplish through medicine.
2. Improved language, leadership skills, improved international political and comparative health care knowledge, especially if I do AmeriCorps first.
3. A year of study time, 2-3 hours a day, for the MCAT so I can properly wipe that mother****er out like I should have the first time.
4. If I can make a difference in people's lives, which many suggest is perhaps one of the less powerful aspects of the Peace Corps experience, then that makes the experience altogether complete and perfect. If I do find the opportunity to make real change, I will work my ass off to make it happen. If not, I think I can still leave knowing I did good.

I'm really not sure about medicine right now. A big question in my mind if I'm interested in the macro-side of medicine: why not get a J.D.? That holds some clout for change, especially if I were to embark on a career in politics. Would going in that direction be more conducive to making a difference? These are questions I continue to ask myself.

I do not understand why everyone is in such a rush. It is certain that one only has a certain amount of time during which one is productive, i.e. one's youth, and therefore one should maximize their progress during this time, but I think the experience, both in terms of the knowledge it will yield and the "better picture of the world" it can give me, would perhaps be even more productive than beginning medical school immediately. I have had this notion for quite some time.

I really don't want to gun through med school and residency in the hopes that I am making a difference, then finally specializing and knowing, "okay, I'm a doc," and not having the faintest clue why or what I'm going to do with it. Sure, medicine is great, you make a difference in people's lives, but I am definitely interested in the macro side of making a difference as well, and I think I need these experiences to properly orient myself in that direction.

I have seen a lot so far in my ethnographic studies in the psychiatric hospital (anthropology is one of my majors and I'm doing an honors thesis) to suggest that medicine is far more than simply helping individual people on a day to day basis. Our society determines the constraints on helping, both in terms of who is helped and how they are helped. Moreover, our society plays a role in who gets sick and how. These are questions I am interested in, and I would like to have a better understanding about. And I am quite frankly sick of speculating behind a desk about this and simply reading about it.

You say get an MPH. Well, I could, but I would still be all book knowledge, no real life knowledge. I would still not really have the faintest clue about the big picture, just a bunch of words and ideas. Trust me, I have the greatest regard for education. I have embarked on an enormous amount and made it almost exclusively my life for the past several years. And what I have found from this is that education does NOT give you a clear idea about the world, simply theoretical tools with which to address it.

 

[Jolie South]

a

Remeber your MCAT scores expire. If you take 2-3 years off you're going to be taking it again.

You'll get in next cycle if you actually do it right, so make plans that will be complete by a year from this August. Don't waste your time on the Peace Corps. If you really want to do something like that wait until after Residency and do Doctors without Boarders when you'll actually be useful. In the mean time if you want to heal the world pick up an MPH so that you actually know how.

you're assuming that anyone that wants to go wants "clinical" experience. you couldn't be further from the truth on that one. even if someone did go for this reason, he/she would never finish their service. it's too much to deal with just to add a little "fluff" on the resume.

i think synth is right on with his objectives. he/she is obviously looking for more than resume padding. it's also about finding out who you are, becoming self-reliant, and succeeding under the most adverse conditions. i personally didn't think it was a waste of my life and despite not being an md, i made a difference.

the work that you would do as a peace corps (health) volunteer is what you would do as an entry level MPH person. i can tell you that no schooling prepares you adequately for what you will encounter in the field, so you might as well go with the PC "quick and dirty" preservice training and actually get some hands on experience and gain the personal benefits that I described above.

there are many "useful" things you can do. some arguably more important than what an md would do such as helping people gain access to potable water, reducing the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, educating on malaria (which claims as many lives as AIDS) and providing access to prevention methods. you seem to forget that the majority of health problems in the developing world aren't due to lack of access to competent providers, but rather poor infrastructure and lack of education.

synth, i think you are right on with what you want and no amount of schooling could teach you life experience. if you feel like this is what you need to do, get out there and do it. don't rush into this career. in the grand scheme of things, 2-3 years is not a lot. explore what you can and reflect on your choice to enter into medicine. either this experience will show you that medicine is not for you or it will solidify your resolve.

i don't regret for one second the time that i took off to do this. i feel centered and certain that medicine is right for me.

 

[Drogba]

I'll probably do an MPH either way (or some other form of health-related graduate degree). I do think the Peace Corps would still be useful to pick up real world experience and better understand what direction I am headed in.

To be clear, I have pretty much decided upon undertaking this course of action, for the following reasons:
1. Personal development, maturity, greater cultural awareness, a "phenomenological" understanding of poverty, and a better "vision" of what I want to accomplish through medicine.
2. Improved language, leadership skills, improved international political and comparative health care knowledge, especially if I do AmeriCorps first.
3. A year of study time, 2-3 hours a day, for the MCAT so I can properly wipe that mother****er out like I should have the first time.

I'm really not sure about medicine right now. A big question in my mind if I'm interested in the macro-side of medicine: why not get a J.D.? That holds some clout for change, especially if I were to embark on a career in politics. Would going in that direction be more conducive to making a difference? These are questions I continue to ask myself.

I do not understand why everyone is in such a rush. It is certain that one only has a certain amount of time during which one is productive, i.e. one's youth, and therefore one should maximize their progress during this time, but I think the experience, both in terms of the knowledge it will yield and the "better picture of the world" it can give me, would perhaps be even more productive than beginning medical school immediately. I have had this notion for quite some time.

I really don't want to gun through med school and residency in the hopes that I am making a difference, then finally specializing and knowing, "okay, I'm a doc," and not having the faintest clue why or what I'm going to do with it. Sure, medicine is great, you make a difference in people's lives, but I am definitely interested in the macro side of making a difference as well, and I think I need these experiences to properly orient myself in that direction.

I have seen a lot so far in my ethnographic studies in the psychiatric hospital (anthropology is one of my majors and I'm doing an honors thesis) to suggest that medicine is far more than simply helping individual people on a day to day. Our society determines the constraints on helping, both in terms of who is helped and how they are helped. Moreover, our society plays a role in who gets sick and how. These are questions I am interested in, and I would like to have a better understanding about. And I am quite frankly sick of speculating behind a desk about this and simply reading about it.

You say get an MPH. Well, I could, but I would still be all book knowledge, no real life knowledge. I would still not really have the faintest clue about the big picture, just a bunch of words and ideas. Trust me, I have the greatest regard for education. I have embarked on an enormous amount and made it almost exclusively my life for the past several years. And what I have found from this is that education does NOT give you a clear idea about the world, simply theoretical tools with which to address it.

I completely understand where you are coming from with the desire to engage in something more macro level. I would have to say that medicine is not the way to go if you don't derive some particular joy from helping people on a very individual and concrete way with nearly-immediate tangible results. This is what sets medicine apart from institutional change on a "helping people" level in my opinion.

It's probably easy to argue that macro level changes are what have the greatest potential and medicine is not necessarily the best way to focus your efforts on this type of change, because, well frankly you are "wasting" your time learning how to and actually treating individuals.

This is something I've thought about somewhat extensively and I've decided that you really need to extract a certain amount of contentment from helping individuals, even if you aren't working to change the social contexts of their lives. If your primary desire is to alter discouraging and unjust social conditions than medicine is probably not your best bet. Personally, if I were to decide against medicine I would still want to follow a profession that allowed a great deal of direct experience with the people I'm trying to help. So if I wanted to engage in law, economics, politics etc I would still want training and experience in sociology or anthropology. Medicine is one way to get this interaction, but I think you would find it difficult to realize in the american context especially if you have any concern for money and lifestyle.

In the end my reasoning for wanting to pursue medicine is a combination of the joy I get from helping the person right in front of me in a tangible way, the intriguing scientific nature of the human body, my high valuation of health as a primary input to a satisfying life and the flexibility to make as much or as little money as I decide I need in the future.

Sorry if my post is poorly worded, I have written it in its entirety without the use of my contacts. Not being able to see and reread what you are writing surprisingly is quite a hindrance to my thought formation.

 

[qtpai]

I completely understand where you are coming from with the desire to engage in something more macro level. I would have to say that medicine is not the way to go if you don't derive some particular joy from helping people on a very individual and concrete way with nearly-immediate tangible results. This is what sets medicine apart from institutional change on a "helping people" level in my opinion.

It's probably easy to argue that macro level changes are what have the greatest potential and medicine is not necessarily the best way to focus your efforts on this type of change, because, well frankly you are "wasting" your time learning how to and actually treating individuals.

This is something I've thought about somewhat extensively and I've decided that you really need to extract a certain amount of contentment from helping individuals, even if you aren't working to change the social contexts of their lives. If your primary desire is to alter discouraging and unjust social conditions than medicine is probably not your best bet. Personally, if I were to decide against medicine I would still want to follow a profession that allowed a great deal of direct experience with the people I'm trying to help. So if I wanted to engage in law, economics, politics etc I would still want training and experience in sociology or anthropology. Medicine is one way to get this interaction, but I think you would find it difficult to realize in the american context especially if you have any concern for money and lifestyle.

In the end my reasoning for wanting to pursue medicine is a combination of the joy I get from helping the person right in front of me in a tangible way, the intriguing scientific nature of the human body, my high valuation of health as a primary input to a satisfying life and the flexibility to make as much or as little money as I decide I need in the future.

Sorry if my post is poorly worded, I have written it in its entirety without the use of my contacts. Not being able to see and reread what you are writing surprisingly is quite a hindrance to my thought formation.

Yes, I agree. I love people, need to be around them. I also want to make a difference and really like seeing the immediate change; that is why I hated basic science research. Medicine, partly for this reasons, is inherently rewarding. Medicine also, as you have mentioned many times, makes for awesome flexibility. After you've established yourself, you can do international medicine, politics, consulting, administration, what the hell ever. That is why medicine is awesome and one of the reasons I chose it in the first place.

But I still want to do all the other work before, for the reasons I've elucidated above. I think after that, I'll be much more clear on what direction *I* want to take *my* career as a doctor, if I am to be one. And if not, then all the better.

Your post was excellent, as always.

 

[qtpai]

a

you're assuming that anyone that wants to go wants "clinical" experience. you couldn't be further from the truth on that one. even if someone did go for this reason, he/she would never finish their service. it's too much to deal with just to add a little "fluff" on the resume.

i think synth is right on with his objectives. he/she is obviously looking for more than resume padding. it's also about finding out who you are, becoming self-reliant, and succeeding under the most adverse conditions. i personally didn't think it was a waste of my life and despite not being an md, i made a difference.

the work that you would do as a peace corps (health) volunteer is what you would do as an entry level MPH person. i can tell you that no schooling prepares you adequately for what you will encounter in the field, so you might as well go with the PC "quick and dirty" preservice training and actually get some hands on experience and gain the personal benefits that I described above.

there are many "useful" things you can do. some arguably more important than what an md would do such as helping people gain access to potable water, reducing the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, educating on malaria (which claims as many lives as AIDS) and providing access to prevention methods. you seem to forget that the majority of health problems in the developing world aren't due to lack of access to competent providers, but rather poor infrastructure and lack of education.

synth, i think you are right on with what you want and no amount of schooling could teach you life experience. if you feel like this is what you need to do, get out there and do it. don't rush into this career. in the grand scheme of things, 2-3 years is not a lot. explore what you can and reflect on your choice to enter into medicine. either this experience will show you that medicine is not for you or it will solidify your resolve.

i don't regret for one second the time that i took off to do this. i feel centered and certain that medicine is right for me.

Awesome. I will probably drop you a PM this weekend after I have ironed out the details and have specific questions. I'm also going to attend a recruitment session on the 23rd. Thanks for the input!

 

[Perrotfish]

To the OP, I think the main question is: why weren't you interested in taking several years to get 'real world experience' before you got rejected? It's hard to judge someone over the internet, but I'm suspicious of any new ambitions that pop up in the face of failure, especially in the case of premeds who are so unused to dealing with it. If you wanted to be a doctor before you probably still do: have the courage to suck it up and try again. Teaching English out of some third world hut probably is not going to clarify anything for you. Being a penniless 25 year old trying to scrape up enough money to live while he retakes the MCAT is going to suck, as will being burried under debt in your mid-30s residency when you want to start a family. These are barriers to a medical career that you do not need.

There are plenty of volunteer opportunities that only require you to commit for a year if you really want the experience. Don't waste a stellar medical school application on the freakin' Peace Corps.

 

[qtpai]

To the OP, I think the main question is: why weren't you interested in taking several years to get 'real world experience' before you got rejected? It's hard to judge someone over the internet, but I'm suspicious of any new ambitions that pop up in the face of failure, especially in the case of premeds who are so unused to dealing with it. If you wanted to be a doctor before you probably still do: have the courage to suck it up and try again. Teaching English out of some third world hut probably is not going to clarify anything for you. Being a penniless 25 year old trying to scrape up enough money to live while he retakes the MCAT is going to suck, as will being burried under debt in your mid-30s residency when you want to start a family. These are barriers to a medical career that you do not need.

There are plenty of volunteer opportunities that only require you to commit for a year if you really want the experience. Don't waste a stellar medical school application on the freakin' Peace Corps.

That's your opinion, dude. If you think it's worthless, that I'm application padding, that's fine. Before I posted this thread, I did a Peace Corps search and went through every thread on this board. That was the encouragement I needed to post this thread and start to think about my decision. And if I do a year in AmeriCorps and decide to apply and work for the off-year (or stay a second year in AmeriCorps), all the better. I am not committed yet, which is part of the reason I am trying AmeriCorps first.

Other opportunities? If you have suggestions, I'd like to hear them.

EDIT: There are really good reasons why not before, and I wrote them out and decided to then delete them. I will leave it at that, since anything else would require an abridged autobiography, which I was finding out while writing my response. I do not think I am blind to my frustration due to this cycle, and I will not deny that I could not tolerate another application cycle on the tail of this one, but there are a ton of reasons for these decisions. I have had a pretty unique college experience and reasons for coming to this point. But I ultimately do think we have different perspectives.

 

[Perrotfish]

That's your opinion, dude. If you think it's worthless, that I'm application padding, that's fine.

First I'd like to make it clear that I don't think these programs are worthless, or that they're application padding, just that they're not worth the opportunity cost for someone with your stats.

Anyway, why not before? Partly because I hadn't been rejected, and partly because I *had* thought about it before, but parents pushed me hard to apply anyway. I think med schools were saying something to me. I don't have a lot of real world experience. I think they see 4.0'd 24 hour science semesters and all my volunteer work at the tail end of my application, and wonder about me... You may say it's late application, whatever, that is altogether irrelevant. If anything I said was substantial, it should have overcome that

This is what I worry about. I can promise you that medical schools weren't trying to say anything to you. You applied only to top institutions and on top of that you applied late. That's why you didn't get in, that's the only reason you didn't get in. Nothing is going to overcome applying late to only top schools, I don't care if you're Mother Theresa herself they're still not going to interview you. ADCOMs do not care that you haven't taken several years to save African babies, just apply earlier and more broadly. If you don't believe me apply broadly on the first day of this coming June: if you're right you won't get any interviews, if I'm right you'll be in medical school a year from this coming fall having spent a full year getting 'life expereince'.

One thing I've seen in your posts is a lot of self depricatoin. You said your GPA is 'low'. If you ended up with over a 3.7 your GPA never was never that low. You said you want to retake the MCAT so that you can kill it like you should have the first time. A 33Q is killing the MCAT. These are not posts indicitave of a healthy attitude towards the competitive process of Med School admissions.

 

[qtpai]

First I'd like to make it clear that I don't think these programs are worthless, or that they're application padding, just that they're not worth the opportunity cost for someone with your stats.



This is what I worry about. I can promise you that medical schools weren't trying to say anything to you. You applied only to top institutions and on top of that you applied late. That's why you didn't get in, that's the only reason you didn't get in. Nothing is going to overcome applying late to only top schools, I don't care if you're Mother Theresa herself they're still not going to interview you. ADCOMs do not care that you haven't taken several years to save African babies, just apply earlier and more broadly. If you don't believe me apply broadly on the first day of this coming June: if you're right you won't get any interviews, if I'm right you'll be in medical school a year from this coming fall having spent a full year getting 'life expereince'.

One thing I've seen in your posts is a lot of self depricatoin. You said your GPA is 'low'. If you ended up with over a 3.7 your GPA never was never that low. You said you want to retake the MCAT so that you can kill it like you should have the first time. A 33Q is killing the MCAT. These are not posts indicitave of a healthy attitude towards the competitive process of Med School admissions.

I'll apply broadly the next go around when I'm ready. I applied narrowly because I wasn't ready. I thought we had gone over this.

Also, I'm sorry you don't agree with my competitiveness. Yes, my GPA was low before I brought it up. That is what I meant in that post. After my first year, my GPA was below 3.0.

If I have expressed anything problematic in this thread, I think it is my reacting and defending myself to people who have already made up their minds.

 

[Jolie South]

To the OP, I think the main question is: why weren't you interested in taking several years to get 'real world experience' before you got rejected? It's hard to judge someone over the internet, but I'm suspicious of any new ambitions that pop up in the face of failure, especially in the case of premeds who are so unused to dealing with it. If you wanted to be a doctor before you probably still do: have the courage to suck it up and try again. Teaching English out of some third world hut probably is not going to clarify anything for you. Being a penniless 25 year old trying to scrape up enough money to live while he retakes the MCAT is going to suck, as will being burried under debt in your mid-30s residency when you want to start a family. These are barriers to a medical career that you do not need.

There are plenty of volunteer opportunities that only require you to commit for a year if you really want the experience. Don't waste a stellar medical school application on the freakin' Peace Corps.

First off, there are no "English teaching" programs any more. Peace Corps is trying to phase these out. There is a health program that focuses on developing solutions to public health issues. I know because I did it.

Second, I don't think you can accurately judge what this experience would do for the OP considering that you haven't done it. Everyone gets something different out of Peace Corps, but saying that it is a waste is really off-base.

Also, when you finish your full 2 years of service, you come out with $6000. This is more than enough to get started on things and will give the OP a little "cushioning" till he/she can find a job. Taking the MCAT later isn't that big of a deal. I took it after being out of undergrad for 4 years. I did better than fine.

As I said earlier, pushing back a career for 4 years won't change much. I'm doing it and I think my experience will make me more likely to excel in medical school. I've worked under horrible verbally abusive people, dealt with uneducated people with vastly different beliefs from my own, and been faced with obstacle after obstacle while still managing to accomplish my project objectives.

The way I see it, synth would have liked to enter med school this fall, but is looking to benefit from his/her failure in the cycle this year. Throwing out blanket negative statements on something that you don't agree with or know about isn't really helping. I'm not saying that synth should absolutely do PC, just that he/she is exactly the kind of person that would do well and could stand to benefit from it.

 

[qtpai]

First off, there are no "English teaching" programs any more. Peace Corps is trying to phase these out. There is a health program that focuses on developing solutions to public health issues. I know because I did it.

Second, I don't think you can accurately judge what this experience would do for the OP considering that you haven't done it. Everyone gets something different out of Peace Corps, but saying that it is a waste is really off-base.

Also, when you finish your full 2 years of service, you come out with $6000. This is more than enough to get started on things and will give the OP a little "cushioning" till he/she can find a job. Taking the MCAT later isn't that big of a deal. I took it after being out of undergrad for 4 years. I did better than fine.

As I said earlier, pushing back a career for 4 years won't change much. I'm doing it and I think my experience will make me more likely to excel in medical school. I've worked under horrible verbally abusive people, dealt with uneducated people with vastly different beliefs from my own, and been faced with obstacle after obstacle while still managing to accomplish my project objectives.

The way I see it, synth would have liked to enter med school this fall, but is looking to benefit from his/her failure in the cycle this year. Throwing out blanket negative statements on something that you don't agree with or know about isn't really helping. I'm not saying that synth should absolutely do PC, just that he/she is exactly the kind of person that would do well and could stand to benefit from it.

Thank you, Jolie. I actually sent a PM to Perrotfish, and received one in response, and it certainly did give me pause to think. I spent a long time thinking about this and actually lost a bit of sleep. I think there are tons of reasons I'd want to do this, but I think a major point is that I had wanted to take time off in the first place. Now I really have that opportunity. I probably would have gone to med school if I was accepted, and this is basically my excuse in the face of the pressure from my parents (who realize now that I am not God, though unfortunately this PC thing is building them up in a similar way...damn parents 🙄) to really spend some time for myself and do something meaningful in the process. It is now simply a question of what I do, and the Peace Corps is definitely at the forefront of this.

By the way, I'm a "he." 😉

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Thank you, Jolie. I actually sent a PM to Perrotfish, and received one in response, and it certainly did give me pause to think. I spent a long time thinking about this and actually lost a bit of sleep. I think there are tons of reasons I'd want to do this, but I think a major point is that I had wanted to take time off in the first place. Now I really have that opportunity. I probably would have gone to med school if I was accepted, and this is basically my excuse in the face of the pressure from my parents (who realize now that I am not God, though unfortunately this PC thing is building them up in a similar way...damn parents 🙄) to really spend some time for myself and do something meaningful in the process. It is now simply a question of what I do, and the Peace Corps is definitely at the forefront of this.

By the way, I'm a "he." 😉

You must not be Asian lol

 

[Twiigg]

Remeber your MCAT scores expire. If you take 2-3 years off you're going to be taking it again.

I believe MCAT scores last 3 years. So really, he could take the MCAT before he left and apply when he got back and it would still be good. At least, that's what I thought! 😀

 

[qtpai]

I believe MCAT scores last 3 years. So really, he could take the MCAT before he left and apply when he got back and it would still be good. At least, that's what I thought! 😀

Yeah, 3 years. If you submit your application + MCAT within 3 years of taking the MCAT, then the score is valid.

 

[BigMDT]

Peacecorps??? Americorps?? psshhttt.

its all about DRUM CORPS INTERNATIONAL BABY!!!!! whooooooooo!!!!! DCI!!!!!!!!!

 

[Thewrongstuff]

You can learn about the healthcare system by taking a sociology class relating to healthcare, there are many wonderful sociology teachers out there. You can get plenty of experience within the scope of medicine by volunteering 2-3 months abroad through various volunteer agencies and still learn about yourself and gain some wisdom for a change. Just wondering, did you take spanish classes during your undergrad years?

I think its wonderful you want to do a peaccore type of adventure, and I am not knocking it down. I just want to say that if you apply broadly next cycle there is an extremely high chance you will get in, with more maturity and wisdom, and less of your youth wasted, albeit to a higher purpose, yes.

That is simply my opinion.

 

[qtpai]

You can learn about the healthcare system by taking a sociology class relating to healthcare, there are many wonderful sociology teachers out there. You can get plenty of experience within the scope of medicine by volunteering 2-3 months abroad through various volunteer agencies and still learn about yourself and gain some wisdom for a change. Just wondering, did you take spanish classes during your undergrad years?

I think its wonderful you want to do a peaccore type of adventure, and I am not knocking it down. I just want to say that if you apply broadly next cycle there is an extremely high chance you will get in, with more maturity and wisdom, and less of your youth wasted, albeit to a higher purpose, yes.

That is simply my opinion.

Yes, I took Spanish. I am sufficiently proficient to engage in conversation and read most texts. I still have a long way to go, however, and do not feel comfortable with the language. That's another huge plus of the Peace Corps. I could approach fluency by the end if I went to a Spanish speaking country. I had a very good friend who was doing her PhD in Spanish at my school, and she approached the point where people in Mexico thought she was a native speaker, and it was rumored that she had that ability in multiple languages. It's a dream of mine to get that good, at least in Spanish.

Thanks for the input.