Did I mess up my gap year?

[Adamb83]

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So I didn't apply this cycle, and instead took an entire year off (graduated last may). During this time, I shadowed two doctors (probably 20 hours worth), and worked full time as a pharmacy technician. I will begin volunteering at a hospital next month, but I'm guessing it won't help me too much for this coming cycle.

In July I will be starting a one year masters program of Pharmacology at Tulane, and sending in my med school apps this June.

Do you think this will reflect poorly on me that I didn't utilize my time off more effectively?

I attempted to get a lab/research position, but was unsuccessful, and the hospital didn't grant me an orientation until late March.

Am I in trouble here? Any last minute things I can do?

 

[99redballoons]

Of course there is. Lie, come up with significant sounding ways to spend time that may not be put on application. Figure out stuff that cannot be proved wrong. Say you were a private tutor for a high school student. Say you traveled the country in an attempt to crap on the bathroom floor of every mcdonald's you could find. Say you volunteered part-time as a taxidermists assistant. Obviously the best thing to say is that you worked full-time and then some in order to save money for school.

 

[87DO15]

So I didn't apply this cycle, and instead took an entire year off (graduated last may). During this time, I shadowed two doctors (probably 20 hours worth), and worked full time as a pharmacy technician. I will begin volunteering at a hospital next month, but I'm guessing it won't help me too much for this coming cycle.

In July I will be starting a one year masters program of Pharmacology at Tulane, and sending in my med school apps this June.

Do you think this will reflect poorly on me that I didn't utilize my time off more effectively?

I attempted to get a lab/research position, but was unsuccessful, and the hospital didn't grant me an orientation until late March.

Am I in trouble here? Any last minute things I can do?

You worked full time. If that's not a good use of time, I'm really not sure what would count. Do some medical volunteering and such between now and June (I'm assuming you already have some medical volunteering, right?).

You didn't spend the time in your basement trying to get to the 10th Prestige level in Call of Duty...tell them you worked to support yourself and save some money for medical school. You'll be fine. Good luck

 

[Adamb83]

I did a semester's worth of volunteering in the ER (60 hours), but that was almost 3 years ago. I also tutored anatomy and physiology for two years during undergrad, as well as one semester of research on an ornithology project (don't ask 🙂 ).

I'm worried my EC's are too scattered and short term, with not enough clinical. I'm not sure if this will make me appear indecisive, or well rounded.

I think I'm just freaking out because June is approaching quickly and I feel I should of done more. Problem is, I still need to wait at least two weeks for the hospital gig (TB test and interview), and then I would have to quit in July because I will be heading out to New Orleans.

 

[Postal]

I did a semester's worth of volunteering in the ER (60 hours), but that was almost 3 years ago. I also tutored anatomy and physiology for two years during undergrad, as well as one semester of research on an ornithology project (don't ask 🙂 ).

I'm worried my EC's are too scattered and short term, with not enough clinical. I'm not sure if this will make me appear indecisive, or well rounded.

I think I'm just freaking out because June is approaching quickly and I feel I should of done more. Problem is, I still need to wait at least two weeks for the hospital gig (TB test and interview), and then I would have to quit in July because I will be heading out to New Orleans.

I worried about my EC's being scattered as well when I applied. But I think what's most important is that you took the time to get those EC's in there at some point. There's no shame in having a full time job and supporting yourself while still taking the time out to shadow physicians. I think you'll be okay. The application season is a long one and by the time you get an interview, you'll have a couple of months of volunteer work behind you

 

[gatorfann14]

You worked full time. If that's not a good use of time, I'm really not sure what would count. Do some medical volunteering and such between now and June (I'm assuming you already have some medical volunteering, right?).

You didn't spend the time in your basement trying to get to the 10th Prestige level in Call of Duty...tell them you worked to support yourself and save some money for medical school. You'll be fine. Good luck

I've gotten to the 8th prestige and I dont have a basement but instead a very comfortable futon. I think I have made great use of my gap year.

 

[87DO15]

I've gotten to the 8th prestige and I dont have a basement but instead a very comfortable futon. I think I have made great use of my gap year.

Well, I can't argue with that. Personally, I never tried Prestige mode, just stayed at Lvl 50...though I supposed I have the whole summer to get started.

 

[99redballoons]

Well, I can't argue with that. Personally, I never tried Prestige mode, just stayed at Lvl 50...though I supposed I have the whole summer to get started.

+1. I didn't want to raise people's expectations of my skills. I like being able to suck and not feel guilty about it.

 

[TILalot]

TBH I took 3 years off, stayed as a pharm-tech (part-time) for 2 years of it and worked at a body shop for the last year. I don't remember too much what I did but still got in. In the words of Tupac "You gotta keep ya head up" 😎

 

[Bungie]

I worked in a warehouse full-time during my year off, volunteering once a week/shadowing in the ER. Now doing a post-bac (1 yr) and non-med volunteering, and I just got into a MD school for next year. So no, just make sure you get some volunteering in while at school. Some people have to make money, that's not a crime.