Battleing Cancer

[timothy786]

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If someone battled cancer during their gap year which led to lower hours of volunteer/shadow/clinical than expected and not a lot of time to study thus resulting in lower mcat how will this be viewed. Would medical schools question why i would even apply this cycle without my best and not give leeway or would there be some mercy with how my app is viewed. I wil mention my journey in the secondaries and dedicated 2-3 lines in my personal statement as well.

 

[Goro]

It would not be viewed well by me. Medical schools want students who make good choices.

The MCAT is a career deciding high-stakes exam, and what should not take it when one is not at their best, rather they should take it when they are 100% ready. Medical schools are not going anywhere

 

[timothy786]

It would not be viewed well by me. Medical schools want students who make good choices.

The MCAT is a career deciding high-stakes exam, and what should not take it when one is not at their best, rather they should take it when they are 100% ready. Medical schools are not going anywhere

Ok thanks. For context, not sure if it makes a dif for your answer, i got a 505 mcat and i have enough hours from my previous years in undergrad for clinical just not a whole lot during the gap.

 

[candbgirl]

Are you sure you should be applying this close to your diagnosis? As @Goro always says, med schools aren’t going anyplace. Do your doctors know you want to jump in to the furnace that is med school so quickly?
Please take care of yourself first.

 

[LunaOri]

I would rather see that you took another gap year to fully recover. Not having enough hours is different than having a year of poor grades because of cancer treatment.

 

[timothy786]

Are you sure you should be applying this close to your diagnosis? As @Goro always says, med schools aren’t going anyplace. Do your doctors know you want to jump in to the furnace that is med school so quickly?
Please take care of yourself first.

i am currently cancer free for around a month and since i apply this cycle i would get a gap anyways on top of the gap i had this year since i graduated last summer. What i meant is that i had cancer earlier this year in the fall until around recently where i have fully recovered

I would rather see that you took another gap year to fully recover. Not having enough hours is different than having a year of poor grades because of cancer treatment.

No i already graduated before my cancer the cancer occured duirng my gap year an d i have a gpa of 3.8 the only thing that suffered was my mcat at 505 124 chem 124 bio bichrm 127 cars 130 psych

 

[LizzyM]

Your MCAT is indicative of someone who is well below average for admission to MD school. You may be able to do okay in med school but there are more than twice as many applicants as spots and you are more likely than not to be left behind. The fact that you were being treated for cancer will NOT factor into the assessment of your academic prowess.

It might be hard to hear that you should delay another year but it is likely you'll be empty handed this time next year and looking at a reapplication cycle so why not just cut out the first cycle and apply when you have a stronger application.

 

[timothy786]

Your MCAT is indicative of someone who is well below average for admission to MD school. You may be able to do okay in med school but there are more than twice as many applicants as spots and you are more likely than not to be left behind. The fact that you were being treated for cancer will NOT factor into the assessment of your academic prowess.

It might be hard to hear that you should delay another year but it is likely you'll be empty handed this time next year and looking at a reapplication cycle so why not just cut out the first cycle and apply when you have a stronger application.

Does it factor in that i can write a disadvantaged essay on it which is what i was doing? Also i am part urm black if that gives more context. I really cannot take another gap year ive had really bad mental health this year looking at how behind i am and cannot afford another year in this situation.

 

[LizzyM]

Does it factor in that i can write a disadvantaged essay on it which is what i was doing? Also i am part urm black if that gives more context. I really cannot take another gap year ive had really bad mental health this year looking at how behind i am and cannot afford another year in this situation.

It is counterintuitive but you need more time more than ever if you have been in neither good physical nor mental health. These days, your race is not likely to factor into any decision. The disadvantage essay is now called "other information". You are risking unconscious bias if you reveal your health issues. Some may see resilience and strength but others may see a risky situation given the possibility of recurrence. Don't consider yourself "behind" until you are on the far side of 30 headed toward 40. Okay?

 

[Goro]

Does it factor in that i can write a disadvantaged essay on it which is what i was doing? Also i am part urm black if that gives more context. I really cannot take another gap year ive had really bad mental health this year looking at how behind i am and cannot afford another year in this situation.

Get your mental health back first. Med school is a furnace and I've seen it break even healthy students.