Bartending for gap year?

[coconutts]

Hey everyone! Starting undergrad I was SUPER adamant that I wanted to take the MCAT after junior year and go straight to med school after undergrad, but I am warming up to the idea of a gap year so I could have more time to take my pre-med classes and study for the MCAT (I am not a science major so I am taking pre-med classes as electives).

Initially I wanted to travel for a gap year, but I understand that I need to stay in the country at least for the first half of the academic year for possible interviews. I think it would be pretty enjoyable to just move to a new and exciting city and live life as a bartender for half a year before beginning medical school and then travel during the spring/summer after interviews conclude. Is that acceptable or would med school admissions not take warmly to the idea of me doing a non-science/medical related job for an entire year? I could seek employment at a research lab or hospital, but it just seems exciting to do something totally new and unrelated and low stress.

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[DrGoon]

Just bartender forever. Med school sucks

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Someone posted awhile back spending their summer between grad and med school bartending and he loved it. Earned a good amount of cash to save, and serving all sort of people in all sorts of moods was like a baptism by fire experience.

Initially I wanted to travel for a gap year, but I understand that I need to stay in the country at least for the first half of the academic year for possible interviews.

Lots of interviews happen after the New Year, so just staying in the country for the first half is a bad idea, too.

 

[Dwight Snoot]

100% do it if you can. Maybe try to maintain some kind of clinical exposure during your year off. Otherwise, make some bank and have fun.

 

[Stellaartwa]

I had a friend who wrote about bar tending in her AMCAS. She asked me what I thought and I advised her to take it out. After I read the description, though, I changed my mind. She framed her time working in a bar as a learning opportunity to improve her customer service, patience, small talk and relationship skills with her regulars. She tied all of those qualities to a career in medicine and I thought it worked perfectly. I will always look more favorably on a candidate with customer service experience than one without. It's not easy working with people! I agree with the others that you should continue with some sort of science or clinical opportunity. Maybe work part time as a scribe or research tech or continue to volunteer in a clinic or hospice or something. You'll need to be in the country from September to March for interviews as that's when mine were.

 

[cutandsew]

Do it. I worked for years as a bartender and picked up a bunch of soft skills that have been helpful throughout medical school. You learn how to work as a team (bartenders, barbacks, servers, back of house staff, etc. all have to work together to get it right), work long hours on your feet, work on small talk, learn how to manage people who feel they're entitled to everything, etc.

You also never know who you may meet. For example, the doc that got me into medicine and gave me my first shadowing experiences was a regular of mine. I met med students who helped me out come application time and I still stay in contact some of them with now. I had a lot of regulars who were nurses, and seeing a nurse you know on a floor your working on as a third year is golden. Plus you get to make some cash!

 

[Catalystik]

I think it would be pretty enjoyable to just move to a new and exciting city and live life as a bartender for half a year before beginning medical school

Is that acceptable or would med school admissions not take warmly to the idea of me doing a non-science/medical related job for an entire year?

Perfectly acceptable, but in case you need to reapply, be sure to engage in some type of clinical activity and some nonmedical community service, too.

 

[doc05]

Hey everyone! Starting undergrad I was SUPER adamant that I wanted to take the MCAT after junior year and go straight to med school after undergrad, but I am warming up to the idea of a gap year so I could have more time to take my pre-med classes and study for the MCAT (I am not a science major so I am taking pre-med classes as electives).

Initially I wanted to travel for a gap year, but I understand that I need to stay in the country at least for the first half of the academic year for possible interviews. I think it would be pretty enjoyable to just move to a new and exciting city and live life as a bartender for half a year before beginning medical school and then travel during the spring/summer after interviews conclude. Is that acceptable or would med school admissions not take warmly to the idea of me doing a non-science/medical related job for an entire year? I could seek employment at a research lab or hospital, but it just seems exciting to do something totally new and unrelated and low stress.

You don't need to do something "science or medical related", but bar tending? Give me a break. Keep in mind that more than half of all applicants don't get in. Consider Americorps, or perhaps a real job...Something that will make you marketable if you don't get in.

 

[cutandsew]

You don't need to do something "science or medical related", but bar tending? Give me a break. Keep in mind that more than half of all applicants don't get in. Consider Americorps, or perhaps a real job...Something that will make you marketable if you don't get in.

Maybe OP doesn't get in, but if they do, I'd argue their year spent bartending would be much more appreciated. They have the rest of their life to get a "real job" (whatever that means, plenty of folks make a very comfortable living in the hospitality industry) and shouldn't feel forced into doing something to check a box.

 

[Suess]

You don't need to do something "science or medical related", but bar tending? Give me a break. Keep in mind that more than half of all applicants don't get in. Consider Americorps, or perhaps a real job...Something that will make you marketable if you don't get in.

Sounds like you need a drink

 

[Stellaartwa]

You don't need to do something "science or medical related", but bar tending? Give me a break.

Do you really not see the value in a forward facing customer-service oriented position before med school starts? Is this a knee-jerk reaction to anything involving alcohol? Would you view a hotel receptionist most favorably than a bartender? Honest Qs.

 

[Incursio]

Do not feed the troll... i think most opportunities are fine PROVIDED you are able to vocalize what you learned from the experience and tie it to how you would apply it or how it would help out in a career in medicine. You could have the best/rarest experience ever, but if you can't talk about what you learned then it isn't doing much for you.

I would be cautious and go with the mindset of "you are rejected until you get an acceptance". So don't let up on the volunteering/clinical experiences if you feel that's an area of weakness in your application.

 

[twospadz]

Bartend for 6 months, save up and then travel the world for 6 months in low budget countries like south America or south east asia

 

[lolsmileyface15]

I pay to go out...getting paid to go out??? Do it!