Could Americorp hurt?

[neilpryde21]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey everyone,

So basically, I am a senior and will be applying to medical school this summer and will be taking a gap year. I've just recently been looking into Americorp, specifically the Healthcorp, and it really seems like something I would be very interested in doing. I've searched throughout student doctor about it and know how bad it can get at times but I do think it is something that I would genuinely like to do. But at the same time, I had originally planned on doing research for a year in a lab to make some money and gain more lab experience before med school. Basically, although it may sound dumb, my question is, would foregoing a year of research to do Healthcorp be held against me when applying to these top medical schools?

Currently, I have around a 3.5 cGPA and a 3.7 sGPA from a top liberal arts school and my grades by the time I graduate will be pulled up to around a 3.6 cGPA and 3.7/3.8 sGPA. I recently scored a 39 on my MCAT as well so I'm definitely not retaking that. In terms of EC's, I've been a volunteer EMT-B part of my school's volunteer EMS program for the past 3 years and I also volunteer for an organization that mentors underprivileged and first generation college students apply to college since last year. I recently started volunteering at a local hospital for 4 hours a week for the rest of the year to get more clinical experience and also now volunteer 2-3 hours a week at a homeless shelter for kids which I really enjoy and is what made me first look into Americorp. I've shadowed about 15 hours so far but have several different doctors that i'm lined up to shadow in different fields over January break which I'm very excited about.

Now for research, I have done research since summer of my freshman year when I was a Howard Hughes Summer Research Fellow and then worked in a lab at my school til the end of last year and now I'm writing a bio thesis in another lab at my school. I really enjoy research as well which is why I thought about doing that for year after I graduated.

I'm just concerned that since most people I know who take a year off, especially from my school, do research at much larger universities/medical schools and get publications while my only research, although for several years, has been a small liberal arts school with no publications yet (probably at the end of this year according to my PI), adcoms might think I'm lacking in research experience and so doing Healthcorp would somehow make me less competitive. I understand that you're supposed to do what you are passionate about, but I would still like some advice on this topic.

 

[NickNaylor]

No. Get real. Americorps isn't going to hurt your application.

 

[desphil]

Hey everyone,

So basically, I am a senior and will be applying to medical school this summer and will be taking a gap year. I've just recently been looking into Americorp, specifically the Healthcorp, and it really seems like something I would be very interested in doing. I've searched throughout student doctor about it and know how bad it can get at times but I do think it is something that I would genuinely like to do. But at the same time, I had originally planned on doing research for a year in a lab to make some money and gain more lab experience before med school. Basically, although it may sound dumb, my question is, would foregoing a year of research to do Healthcorp be held against me when applying to these top medical schools?

Currently, I have around a 3.5 cGPA and a 3.7 sGPA from a top liberal arts school and my grades by the time I graduate will be pulled up to around a 3.6 cGPA and 3.7/3.8 sGPA. I recently scored a 39 on my MCAT as well so I'm definitely not retaking that. In terms of EC's, I've been a volunteer EMT-B part of my school's volunteer EMS program for the past 3 years and I also volunteer for an organization that mentors underprivileged and first generation college students apply to college since last year. I recently started volunteering at a local hospital for 4 hours a week for the rest of the year to get more clinical experience and also now volunteer 2-3 hours a week at a homeless shelter for kids which I really enjoy and is what made me first look into Americorp. I've shadowed about 15 hours so far but have several different doctors that i'm lined up to shadow in different fields over January break which I'm very excited about.

Now for research, I have done research since summer of my freshman year when I was a Howard Hughes Summer Research Fellow and then worked in a lab at my school til the end of last year and now I'm writing a bio thesis in another lab at my school. I really enjoy research as well which is why I thought about doing that for year after I graduated.

I'm just concerned that since most people I know who take a year off, especially from my school, do research at much larger universities/medical schools and get publications while my only research, although for several years, has been a small liberal arts school with no publications yet (probably at the end of this year according to my PI), adcoms might think I'm lacking in research experience and so doing Healthcorp would somehow make me less competitive. I understand that you're supposed to do what you are passionate about, but I would still like some advice on this topic.

Current HealthCorps navigator here and I can tell you with 110% certainty that it is NOT going to hurt your application. PM me if you want any more information about AmeriCorps.

 

[neilpryde21]

No. Get real. Americorps isn't going to hurt your application.

Sorry, I guess what I was asking is if my research background going to sufficient enough when applying to these schools so I could do healthcorps for a year without adcoms saying I should have done more research before applying to medical school.

 

[Barcu]

Sorry, I guess what I was asking is if my research background going to sufficient enough when applying to these schools so I could do healthcorps for a year without adcoms saying I should have done more research before applying to medical school.

Your research is more than adequate. Publications aren't really the goal at the ugrad level. You've shown commitment. And if you can talk about it in interviews (and more importantly, what you learned from it), you are all set.

My Healthcorps experience was talked about way more than my research in interviews (which included 3 years, a pub, and an honors thesis). Though, I did emphasize it more in my essays. But still, Healthcorps experiences can be extremely valuable and unique compared to research.

 

[Barcu]

But I'll add a caveat to my previous answer.

Are you applying MD/PhD? If so, a research year may be more worthwhile. If you are applying just MD, I would say you are fine, even if you would like to continue researching once you get to med school.

 

[NickNaylor]

Sorry, I guess what I was asking is if my research background going to sufficient enough when applying to these schools so I could do healthcorps for a year without adcoms saying I should have done more research before applying to medical school.

But I'll add a caveat to my previous answer.

Are you applying MD/PhD? If so, a research year may be more worthwhile. If you are applying just MD, I would say you are fine, even if you would like to continue researching once you get to med school.

Barcu brings up a good point - this would probably be the only situation where getting research would be important. If you're just applying straight MD, though, I think the experiences you get from Americorps will be infinitely more valuable, interesting, and life-enriching then spending a year having your soul sucked out of you in a lab.

 

[neilpryde21]

But I'll add a caveat to my previous answer.

Are you applying MD/PhD? If so, a research year may be more worthwhile. If you are applying just MD, I would say you are fine, even if you would like to continue researching once you get to med school.

Barcu brings up a good point - this would probably be the only situation where getting research would be important. If you're just applying straight MD, though, I think the experiences you get from Americorps will be infinitely more valuable, interesting, and life-enriching then spending a year having your soul sucked out of you in a lab.

I am applying for MD, not MD/PhD. I appreciate the responses. I had the same feeling that Americorp would be much more fulfilling than doing a year in research but was just worried that I didn't have enough research coming from a small school. I think now I'm pretty much set on working for the Healthcorp next year. After reading about it and seeing what other people said, I just thought that this would be an amazing opportunity for personal growth and to really do something meaningful in the one year before medical school. I know that it's going to be really tough at certain points and I'm going to see and experience the widest range of emotions, but this honestly seems like the best possible thing I could be doing with my life for now and I'm really excited about it.

 

[NickNaylor]

I am applying for MD, not MD/PhD. I appreciate the responses. I had the same feeling that Americorp would be much more fulfilling than doing a year in research but was just worried that I didn't have enough research coming from a small school. I think now I'm pretty much set on working for the Healthcorp next year. After reading about it and seeing what other people said, I just thought that this would be an amazing opportunity for personal growth and to really do something meaningful in the one year before medical school. I know that it's going to be really tough at certain points and I'm going to see and experience the widest range of emotions, but this honestly seems like the best possible thing I could be doing with my life for now and I'm really excited about it.

I think that pretty much does it for you then IMO.

 

[Praefectus]

With those stats, you probably could've gotten in this cycle.

 

[neilpryde21]

With those stats, you probably could've gotten in this cycle.

haha thanks i appreciate that. I thought about applying this cycle but I didn't want to rush studying for the MCATs at the end of last semester so instead I studied for most of the summer before starting my thesis and took it at the beginning of august. Also, I thought taking some time off before applying would do me some good. I'm glad though that I found something I think will be really worth it.

 

[ur2l8]

.

 

[mvenus929]

Sorry, I guess what I was asking is if my research background going to sufficient enough when applying to these schools so I could do healthcorps for a year without adcoms saying I should have done more research before applying to medical school.

You'll be fine. I got in without any research experience. You've done plenty. As long as you're able to actually talk about the research you did, you won't have any problems on that front.

Americorps will be a good experience for you if you're interested in it, and will make your application stronger.