Applying after 4th year?

[iheartmcats]

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I am graduating in May (after 4 years).. and plan on applying for the next cycle. I wanted to work, save money, and go travel. I'm wondering what I should do until I actually do go travel. (Mid 2011 is what I plan for.) I was going to pursue a paramedic specialist certification, but that requires a big commitment/a lot of money I don't have. Would taking a few classes (like getting a certificate in something) look bad to med schools? How should I be utilizing my time after I graduate until I apply in order to appear competent to the application committees?

 

[Morsetlis]

If you already have a paramedic cert, it'd be better to just work/volunteer as a paramedic. If you don't, a program will require 1 year of previous EMT work (1100+ hours) unless it's a private one. The cost will run you from $3000 (community college) to $12k (private). Since paramedics aren't trained to differentiate well, it will be a LOT of memorization of specific NUMBERS.

You could spend money to get phlebotomy, CNA, or EMT certifications. Those are always good since they include a good amount of internship/externship which do qualify as clinical experience.

Alternatively, you could work in a science-related field that leads to publications (lab, clinical research, pharmaceutical rep, etc.)

Finally, you could travel to interesting countries and visit the healthcare systems there. However, I don't know how feasible this is, especially in places where you don't speak the local language.

 

[iheartmcats]

If you already have a paramedic cert, it'd be better to just work/volunteer as a paramedic. If you don't, a program will require 1 year of previous EMT work (1100+ hours) unless it's a private one. The cost will run you from $3000 (community college) to $12k (private). Since paramedics aren't trained to differentiate well, it will be a LOT of memorization of specific NUMBERS.

You could spend money to get phlebotomy, CNA, or EMT certifications. Those are always good since they include a good amount of internship/externship which do qualify as clinical experience.

Alternatively, you could work in a science-related field that leads to publications (lab, clinical research, pharmaceutical rep, etc.)

Finally, you could travel to interesting countries and visit the healthcare systems there. However, I don't know how feasible this is, especially in places where you don't speak the local language.

I already have a CNA certification (I worked as one over the summer after sophomore year). I currently work as a lab tech.. although it doesn't lead to any publications. They said they can allow me to keep my job for 5 months after I graduate. Would it be a good idea to keep that and just say I continued working after I graduated (when I apply)?

 

[the duck]

I am graduating in May (after 4 years).. and plan on applying for the next cycle. I wanted to work, save money, and go travel. I'm wondering what I should do until I actually do go travel. (Mid 2011 is what I plan for.) I was going to pursue a paramedic specialist certification, but that requires a big commitment/a lot of money I don't have. Would taking a few classes (like getting a certificate in something) look bad to med schools? How should I be utilizing my time after I graduate until I apply in order to appear competent to the application committees?

Curing cancer would look good.















But if that isn't a possiblity right now in your life, just try to keep u some clinical activities and fill any gaps in your application.

 

[Morsetlis]

Differentiating stem cells would also look good. Unfortunately, all I get are teratomae.

Poor mice.

 

[MrCheetah]

I am graduating in May (after 4 years).. and plan on applying for the next cycle. I wanted to work, save money, and go travel. I'm wondering what I should do until I actually do go travel. (Mid 2011 is what I plan for.) I was going to pursue a paramedic specialist certification, but that requires a big commitment/a lot of money I don't have. Would taking a few classes (like getting a certificate in something) look bad to med schools? How should I be utilizing my time after I graduate until I apply in order to appear competent to the application committees?

I'm sorta in your position. I've taken a year off and am using it to travel, among other things...

Don't mess around with getting certified to do something if you can find a decent job that will pay you something like 30-40k/year... Failing that, I would try to travel and look for jobs at the same time, work at a hostel, restaurant, or bar in a foreign country, work on a dude ranch...

You should strongly consider teaching english in korea, japan, taiwan, or spain or a south american country if you can speak spanish or portuguese.

Just get your application stuff in early. Like, the FIRST day you possibly can... Get into your interviews and get em over with as quickly as you can, then use the rest of the year to travel. If you get in, then great, you know that the banks will take care of you through school and don't have to worry about money that much. And even if you don't have all that much money, I'd get ahold of some credit cards if I were you and go into some small debt (like 3-5k or so) just to have the great life experience that you're seeking.

If you want some other opinions on this then feel free to PM me. I've travelled alot, and will travel more before I start in May... I hope this helps.

 

[MrCheetah]

I already have a CNA certification (I worked as one over the summer after sophomore year). I currently work as a lab tech.. although it doesn't lead to any publications. They said they can allow me to keep my job for 5 months after I graduate. Would it be a good idea to keep that and just say I continued working after I graduated (when I apply)?

Yeah, thats what I would do if I were you. Hopefully you're accepted to a medical school by then and can go travel for the rest of the year.

 

[iheartmcats]

Curing cancer would look good.

But if that isn't a possiblity right now in your life, just try to keep u some clinical activities and fill any gaps in your application.

Differentiating stem cells would also look good. Unfortunately, all I get are teratomae.

Poor mice.

LOL are you guys going for comedy central late night here?

thanks for the advice everyone else.