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Hi all. I have a really interesting dilemma that I was hoping I could have help with. I am currently doing a year of domestic service and have felt called to join the Peace Corps as a compliment to my AmeriCorps year. Basically, my service with AmeriCorps has not been as personally challenging as I had hoped, and I am drawn to the Peace Corps precisely because it requires you to live in community with the persons you are serving. As someone who wants to go into community health, I see this cultural exchange and collective living as extremely vital to my career goals. I was accepted to a Health Exchange position that manifests as preventative health education and developing community health projects aimed at decreased health inequity.
However, I did not realize my desire to do the Peace Corps until well after applying to medical schools in July. I have also been accepted to several MD schools. Now, I know most schools will not give deferrals of more than one year, but there are a few that accommodate Peace Corps volunteers. The problem is that my position is 27 months with an August start date, which means that I will have to defer for 3 years. I highly doubt any medical school will let me defer for 3 years.
To further complicate the matter, my MCAT (>520) will expire in June of 2019, which means that if I am not granted a deferral for the Peace Corps, I will have to retake it and reapply. Though I am confident in my test taking skills, I am unsure that I will be able to score quite as high as I did again, especially several years out of undergraduate.
While I am aware of the Peace Corps options for physicians as well as the abundance of global health opportunities in medical school, none of those options have the level of cultural immersion and exchange as the Peace Corps.
I am drafting a deferral letter to the MD schools to which I have been accepted, but I am almost confident that they will all say no. What should I do?
However, I did not realize my desire to do the Peace Corps until well after applying to medical schools in July. I have also been accepted to several MD schools. Now, I know most schools will not give deferrals of more than one year, but there are a few that accommodate Peace Corps volunteers. The problem is that my position is 27 months with an August start date, which means that I will have to defer for 3 years. I highly doubt any medical school will let me defer for 3 years.
To further complicate the matter, my MCAT (>520) will expire in June of 2019, which means that if I am not granted a deferral for the Peace Corps, I will have to retake it and reapply. Though I am confident in my test taking skills, I am unsure that I will be able to score quite as high as I did again, especially several years out of undergraduate.
While I am aware of the Peace Corps options for physicians as well as the abundance of global health opportunities in medical school, none of those options have the level of cultural immersion and exchange as the Peace Corps.
I am drafting a deferral letter to the MD schools to which I have been accepted, but I am almost confident that they will all say no. What should I do?
