Dilemma

Started by medstudent257
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medstudent257

medstudent257

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7+ Year Member
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Hi,

I'm currently a junior now, and I'm planning to take the MCAT sometime next spring/summer. I'm currently on winter break right now, and I really want to get some studying in for exam. If i'm trying to apply for med school during the next cycle, when would be the most appropriate time being studying & and taking the exam? (I'm trying to avoid a gap year) Do you think that I still have a shot in getting in during this cycle?

****Stats below****
1. 3.94 overall GPA; 3.92 science GPA
2. 200+ hours of Research Experience (Hospital/research lab)
3. Currently have 2 semester's of experience being lecture/lab TA (Will have 3 by the summer). Have taught a lab section that meets weekly, and have given several review sessions ranging from 20-130 attendes. Also held office hours, made and graded quizes, wrote part of lab final
4. Will have 1 year of RA experience by the end of the spring semester
5. Worked part time at numerous jobs, including 6 months in retail and 3 months online
6. Occasionally sport recreation experience
 
If you want to take the MCAT next spring try and shoot for April or May. This would mean you could start studying in Jan-Feb and have a lot of time to get prepared. You might start in March if you feel you're a good test taker who preps well, but deciding when to start studying for the MCAT is something you'll need to feel out and decide for yourself.
 
You can take the MCAT in like April or May of 2017; that should give you plenty of time to study for it, and you should get your scores back before the application cycle really gets into gear. Your stats look great, but you are completely lacking clinical experience and/or service-oriented volunteering, which I really think you should get started on if you want to not have to take a gap year. Without this type of experience, your application's likely dead in the water. If you can get a couple hundred clinical and service-based volunteering hours in (especially with underserved populations if possible) by the time you start applying, IMO you look pretty good!
 
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I'm just concerned that if I do take the test in April or May, I won't have enough time to study, especially during the semester!
 
If you really want to put the effort take the spring semester off just to study then take it in april. Then take your spring classes in the summer. This is assuming you took all the pre-reqs
 
If you can't study enough to take the exam in April or May and from what you have shared you are very lacking in important EC areas, you will probably be taking a gap year. You only want to apply once with the best possible application possible. You currently have some big holes that need filling in before you apply. Don't rush. Do it right!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app
 
Your GPA is great, but you are seriously lacking in ECs. You need to get working on clinical experience and non-clinical volunteering asap. Personally, I would take a gap year so that you have time to really get some meaningful stuff in as well as nail the MCAT. With that GPA, a great MCAT will take you places.
 
medstudent257 said:
Hi,

I'm currently a junior now, and I'm planning to take the MCAT sometime next spring/summer. I'm currently on winter break right now, and I really want to get some studying in for exam. If i'm trying to apply for med school during the next cycle, when would be the most appropriate time being studying & and taking the exam? (I'm trying to avoid a gap year) Do you think that I still have a shot in getting in during this cycle?

****Stats below****
1. 3.94 overall GPA; 3.92 science GPA
2. 200+ hours of Research Experience (Hospital/research lab)
3. Currently have 2 semester's of experience being lecture/lab TA (Will have 3 by the summer). Have taught a lab section that meets weekly, and have given several review sessions ranging from 20-130 attendes. Also held office hours, made and graded quizes, wrote part of lab final
4. Will have 1 year of RA experience by the end of the spring semester
5. Worked part time at numerous jobs, including 6 months in retail and 3 months online
6. Occasionally sport recreation experience
Click to expand...

No clinical experience, nonclinical volunteering or physician shadowing? That spells trouble for your application regardless of your mcat score. Take the MCAT over the summer and start working on those three things, as they're some of the absolute most important pieces of your application and without them, you're facing an extreme uphill battle.
 
I absolutely against taking a gap year. I really want to move forward with my life. If I can take the MCAT in June and get some clinical experience through out the winter/spring/summer, do you think I will be okay for this upcoming cycle?
 
medstudent257 said:
I absolutely against taking a gap year. I really want to move forward with my life. If I can take the MCAT in June and get some clinical experience through out the winter/spring/summer, do you think I will be okay for this upcoming cycle?
Click to expand...

Look up the average age entering medschool. A gap year can help boost your application and make you a better doctor down the road. You can definitely fit everything in before next cycle but take into consideration that medical schools will wonder why you haven't been seeking clinical experience/shadowing all along


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
medtech2MD said:
Look up the average age entering medschool. A gap year can help boost your application and make you a better doctor down the road. You can definitely fit everything in before next cycle but take into consideration that medical schools will wonder why you haven't been seeking clinical experience/shadowing all along


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...

I'm going to try to get involved with hospice throughout the winter break and throughout next year. I haven't been 100% inept with working with hospital environments. I've worked in the ED as a research assistant, working with doctors to screen a patient's eligibility for certain studies and approaching the patient for consent. Additionally, how many hours of clinical experience and volunteering does one need?
 
That's awesome! As long as you learned from the experiences then the actually number of hours isn't as relevant. Pulling a letter of recommendation from one of those experiences would boost your application as well. Committees just want to see that you're getting involved with things that you're passionate about and seeking experiences for the right reasons. Seems like you're definitely off to a good start


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
medtech2MD said:
That's awesome! As long as you learned from the experiences then the actually number of hours isn't as relevant. Pulling a letter of recommendation from one of those experiences would boost your application as well. Committees just want to see that you're getting involved with things that you're passionate about and seeking experiences for the right reasons. Seems like you're definitely off to a good start


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...

I'm still partly concerned, because a lot of the above posters acted like I wasn't even close to having my application ready. I've just worked so hard over these last few years to make sure I can do this right. I know taking a GAP year isn't the end of the world, but I really think I can pull this through. Does hospice absolutely count as clinical experience? And is it "good clinical experience," as some of the posters have said that some clinical experience is better than others.
 
I had an almost identical position as you and did not want to take a gap year at all. I took a June MCAT (delayed bc I wasn't at my target score). My only difference is I had so many more hours in each of the things listed. 800+ research, 100+ shadowing etc. The most concerning thing is your lack of shadowing and lack of service.

I highly advise against rushing to apply as you close doors to schools you would have had a good shot at if you took a year off. You really need your ducks in line before applying.
 
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We understand you have "worked so hard over these last few years to make sure I can do this right" but so has most everyone else on here. And you will be submitting a lack luster application against those very people . Be smart and "do this right"! A gap year isn't the worse thing that can happen to you.


Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile app
 
medstudent257 said:
I absolutely against taking a gap year. I really want to move forward with my life. If I can take the MCAT in June and get some clinical experience through out the winter/spring/summer, do you think I will be okay for this upcoming cycle?
Click to expand...

You're seeking only one answer OP. You'll be fine for the next cycle, beating all the odds stacked against you. Take your MCAT in June and apply. Good luck!
 
I know I can definitely pick up some clinical experience/volunteering by JULY of next year. I still have 8 months to pick up something. It's not like we're having this conversation in June. It seems like everyone here is acting like I have zero chance to be accepted even with the clinical experience...
 
OP you are the one that posted here asking if you "had a shot". You don't like the answers people have given so go ahead and apply and see what happens. Early in this thread you said you couldn't take the MCAT in April or May because you wouldn't have time to study. Now, all of a sudden, you have time for classes, MCAT studying and filling the holes in your application. It's not just clinical experience you are lacking. But you seem to know what you intend to do so Good Luck next cycle.


Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile app
 
Okay I'm just trying to figure out how I need to organize my schedule in order to get the best possible chance for this upcoming cycle. Let me ask you all this. Is it realistic to fill in the wholes in my application during the winter/spring/summer and take the MCAT by the next cycle? I'm a bit ahead in my academics, so I could get away with taking 13 credits, and three of those credits would be extremely light.
 
medstudent257 said:
Okay I'm just trying to figure out how I need to organize my schedule in order to get the best possible chance for this upcoming cycle. Let me ask you all this. Is it realistic to fill in the wholes in my application during the winter/spring/summer and take the MCAT by the next cycle? I'm a bit ahead in my academics, so I could get away with taking 13 credits, and three of those credits would be extremely light.
Click to expand...

Think of it this way: if you were on an adcom and saw an application from someone who started shadowing, clinical experience, and non-clinical volunteering all in the 7 months before app season, would you think that applicant was doing anything other than last minute box checking? Would you pick the guy with half a year of ECs crammed in at the last minute over the thousands of applicants who have the same stats and years of the same or better ECs?

Or would you tell that person that they should have waited a year and gotten a better foundation of ECs before applying, since now they will be at a disadvantage as a reapplicant (assuming they don't just get lucky--but why would you bank on that when all the odds are stacked against you?)?
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
Think of it this way: if you were on an adcom and saw an application from someone who started shadowing, clinical experience, and non-clinical volunteering all in the 7 months before app season, would you think that applicant was doing anything other than last minute box checking? Would you pick the guy with half a year of ECs crammed in at the last minute over the thousands of applicants who have the same stats and years of the same or better ECs?

Or would you tell that person that they should have waited a year and gotten a better foundation of ECs before applying, since now they will be at a disadvantage as a reapplicant (assuming they don't just get lucky--but why would you bank on that when all the odds are stacked against you?)?
Click to expand...
op might get away with it and get lucky at a couple mid tiers and their state schools. with the risk that they dont get in anywhere and become a reapplicant with a poor first round application. thats what they seem to want: high risk, average reward.

or they could take the gap year, crush the mcat (517+) and have stronger longitudinal experiences + shadowing that could virtually gauruntee interviews at top 20 schools.

this thread is a classic example of someone who only wants the advice they want to hear.
 
kb1900 said:
op might get away with it and get lucky at a couple mid tiers and their state schools. with the risk that they dont get in anywhere and become a reapplicant with a poor first round application. thats what they seem to want: high risk, average reward.

or they could take the gap year, crush the mcat (517+) and have stronger longitudinal experiences + shadowing that could virtually gauruntee interviews at top 20 schools.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Yes, OP might get lucky, but there are literally thousands of applicants with his stats and better ECs (read: extant), so it's definitely not a lock. Why would you knowingly take that risk when just waiting one year will mostly likely lock it in for you? Waiting one year is nothing. Medicine is not really an instant gratification kind of game. Do it right the first time, OP, because being a reapplicant does put you at a disadvantage for multiple reasons.

this thread is a classic example of someone who only wants the advice they want to hear.
Click to expand...

Yup.
 
Some of you guys really need to work on how you convey criticism to others. It's not what you're saying, it's how you're saying it...
 
medstudent257 said:
Some of you guys really need to work on how you convey criticism to others. It's not what you're saying, it's how you're saying it...
Click to expand...
nah in this case it was clearly "what we were saying" that didn't fly with you.

good luck with your cycle op, let us know how it works out with your MCAT, personal statement, LORs, shadowing, volunteering, secondaries etc. over the next 6 months
 
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Chances are ZERO without any shadowing, patient contact volunteering, and non-clinical volunteering to show off your service to others. Would you buy a car without test driving it? Do you understand what you're getting into?



medstudent257 said:
Hi,

I'm currently a junior now, and I'm planning to take the MCAT sometime next spring/summer. I'm currently on winter break right now, and I really want to get some studying in for exam. If i'm trying to apply for med school during the next cycle, when would be the most appropriate time being studying & and taking the exam? (I'm trying to avoid a gap year) Do you think that I still have a shot in getting in during this cycle?

****Stats below****
1. 3.94 overall GPA; 3.92 science GPA
Click to expand...


People don't come here for hugs and kisses; they do so for advice. SDNers do not suffer fools lightly, nor people who only want to hear what they want to hear.

Some of you guys really need to work on how you convey criticism to others. It's not what you're saying, it's how you're saying it...
 
Last edited:
medstudent257 said:
If this is how you convey criticism in real life, then I'd be worried for you...
Click to expand...

Not criticism- once again advice you don't like. Nothing any of us can do about that. While you are doing everything else be sure to develop a good, well focused list of schools. You will probably have to update after you get your MCAT back.


Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile app
 
candbgirl said:
Not criticism- once again advice you don't like. Nothing any of us can do about that. While you are doing everything else be sure to develop a good, well focused list of schools. You will probably have to update after you get your MCAT back.


Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile app
Click to expand...

How would you recommend developing a good list of schools? Like what school statistics should I look at?
 
medstudent257 said:
How would you recommend developing a good list of schools? Like what school statistics should I look at?
Click to expand...
Spend $25 and get MSAR. It has all sorts of statistics on every MD school in the states. Look at 10th-90th percentiles for MCAT and GPA, look at tuition, class sizes, etc etc etc. That will help you get a general idea of where your stats could be competitive. After you start with that, you could factor in location, tuition, the school's mission, and add several safety schools.
 
I hate to beat a dead horse, but OP, the people here are right about you not having enough EC. I am tired of seeing both online and in person, people who have crazy good stats but lacking in EC's, interview skills, or other aspects needed for the cycle. Most schools more than anything, want to see well rounded applicants, and your application isn't well rounded. As a matter of fact, the schools like it when you take a gap year and experience experiences outside of a school setting. They view the year as a growing year for you, and that preference is shown in the fact that the average age of the MS1 in the states is at around 25. There is no reason to throw away thousands in an unsuccessful cycle and put yourself at a significant disadvantage.

Most adcoms are going to look into application and see that you have literally zero clinical experience. How can you know for sure if you want to dedicate 7 plus years and a million dollars (in between loan repayment and salary loss) if you have never been around patients or doctors?

I am going to go ahead and plus 1 on taking your time with the gap.

Good luck in all your future endeavors, feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.
 
Papa Oso said:
I hate to beat a dead horse, but OP, the people here are right about you not having enough EC. I am tired of seeing both online and in person, people who have crazy good stats but lacking in EC's, interview skills, or other aspects needed for the cycle. Most schools more than anything, want to see well rounded applicants, and your application isn't well rounded. As a matter of fact, the schools like it when you take a gap year and experience experiences outside of a school setting. They view the year as a growing year for you, and that preference is shown in the fact that the average age of the MS1 in the states is at around 25. There is no reason to throw away thousands in an unsuccessful cycle and put yourself at a significant disadvantage.

Most adcoms are going to look into application and see that you have literally zero clinical experience. How can you know for sure if you want to dedicate 7 plus years and a million dollars (in between loan repayment and salary loss) if you have never been around patients or doctors?

I am going to go ahead and plus 1 on taking your time with the gap.

Good luck in all your future endeavors, feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.
Click to expand...

I already said I'm going to do everything in my power to go through with it and avoid the gap year. I'll do my best to pick up as much clinical experience as possible during this upcoming year.
 
medstudent257 said:
I already said I'm going to do everything in my power to go through with it and avoid the gap year. I'll do my best to pick up as much clinical experience as possible during this upcoming year.
Click to expand...

Well, best of luck. But, you need nonclinical experience and shadowing too. (This is just me, but I had 200+ hours of clinical and nonclinical experience and 60+ hours of shadowing). Just be prepared to work your butt off to get your application where it needs to be to be competitive.
 
ciestar said:
Well, best of luck. But, you need nonclinical experience and shadowing too. (This is just me, but I had 200+ hours of clinical and nonclinical experience and 60+ hours of shadowing). Just be prepared to work your butt off to get your application where it needs to be to be competitive.
Click to expand...

I'm ready honestly to work, because I see zero value in waiting another year.
 
ciestar said:
Well, you're on winter break now so start looking into opportunities you can start now or as soon as possible. You just dont want your app to look like a rushed box check at the end.
Click to expand...

I'm in the process of doing so. I applied to work at a homeless shelter and to get some clinical experience with hospice.
 
sleepyhead22 said:
So I actually have been accepted after cramming in quite a few things (shadowing, volunteering, etc) in just 8 months or so while studying for the MCAT. It was incredibly stressful and I do think I could have done things differently/better. But it ended up working out for me. However, I'm a non-trad with an advanced degree in biomedical sciences, so I think I may have gotten some slack because my work for the past 6 years has been clinical research. My grades from undergrad weren't quite as great as yours though. I garnered IIs from some of my state schools along with some mid-tier's, which is exactly what I was hoping for.

I'm not sure what kind of school you're shooting for. I think what everyone here is trying to say is that your GPA and current experiences are setting you up well if you want to shoot for some really top tier schools. In order to have a good shot at those top tier schools, you'd need some more unique ECs and long-term commitment. If you're not looking for a top tier school and would be more than happy at your state schools/mid tiers etc, then studying for the MCAT, taking it in May/early June, while shadowing and adding in some clinical volunteering would probably be great! Definitely do-able, especially with your really stellar GPA.

It's really up to you and based on your personal aspirations. Good luck! Feel free to PM me for advice if you need it.
Click to expand...

I've always wanted to go to NYU, or somewhere in a large city.
 
Alright @medstudent257 here's what I think is best advice for someone that really does not want a gap year in your position.

During the next ~7 months, do everything you can to get hours of clinical exposure, shadowing, volunteering, research.
Study for the MCAT, and treat it as the most important thing you've ever had to do great on. This single test is already going to be weighted as much as your entire undergraduate grade record, and in your case you really want it to be strong.
Are you a minority? Are you from a Midwestern or Southern state? These things can make a huge difference for your odds.

Once you get your MCAT score and build ECs as much as possible, come back here for advice. If you are from a coast, white/Asian, and score below 508, you should gap. It's that simple. Going ahead and applying anyways is a great way to waste time, money, and hurt your future odds because you'd be a reapplicant.

BUT, if you dominate the MCAT, or just do quite well and are from a lucky state like West Virginia, it might not be that crazy to go ahead and apply.

Last thing since I haven't seen it above: Are you open to a DO instead of an MD? If you could avoid a gap and get DO, or take a gap and get MD, which would you want?
 
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medstudent257 said:
I'm just concerned that if I do take the test in April or May, I won't have enough time to study, especially during the semester!
Click to expand...
Do you have a really difficult semester coming up? Do you think you could just at least set aside one or two hours per day to study? If not, then is there a class you could put off until your senor year so that you could have a little more breathing room?
 
B-Lymphocyte said:
Do you have a really difficult semester coming up? Do you think you could just at least set aside one or two hours per day to study? If not, then is there a class you could put off until your senor year so that you could have a little more breathing room?
Click to expand...

To come to think of it, I'm slightly ahead of where I need to be, in terms of academics. I didn't realize this before, but I could take a light load in the spring, and study for my MCAT & pick up volunteer/shadowing/clinical experience along the way. The load last semester was rough. And I just picked a random user name. Didn't put to much thought into it.
 
efle said:
Alright @medstudent257 here's what I think is best advice for someone that really does not want a gap year in your position.

During the next ~7 months, do everything you can to get hours of clinical exposure, shadowing, volunteering, research.
Study for the MCAT, and treat it as the most important thing you've ever had to do great on. This single test is already going to be weighted as much as your entire undergraduate grade record, and in your case you really want it to be strong.
Are you a minority? Are you from a Midwestern or Southern state? These things can make a huge difference for your odds.

Once you get your MCAT score and build ECs as much as possible, come back here for advice. If you are from a coast, white/Asian, and score below 508, you should gap. It's that simple. Going ahead and applying anyways is a great way to waste time, money, and hurt your future odds because you'd be a reapplicant.

BUT, if you dominate the MCAT, or just do quite well and are from a lucky state like West Virginia, it might not be that crazy to go ahead and apply.

Last thing since I haven't seen it above: Are you open to a DO instead of an MD? If you could avoid a gap and get DO, or take a gap and get MD, which would you want?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I'm not in a race/ethnic minority group. I would rather take the MD over the DO, personally. Couldn't I always reassess after I take my MCAT, or in the weeks leading up to it, if I'm ready?
 
medstudent257 said:
Unfortunately, I'm not in a race/ethnic minority group. I would rather take the MD over the DO, personally. Couldn't I always reassess after I take my MCAT, or in the weeks leading up to it, if I'm ready?
Click to expand...
If you're comfortable waiting until just a few weeks before applying to actually decide abut applying, sure. Most people usually have strong feelings one way or the other though (either fine with a gap year or are fine with the limitations of DO)
 
medstudent257 said:
To come to think of it, I'm slightly ahead of where I need to be, in terms of academics. I didn't realize this before, but I could take a light load in the spring, and study for my MCAT & pick up volunteer/shadowing/clinical experience along the way. The load last semester was rough. And I just picked a random user name. Didn't put to much thought into it.
Click to expand...
Good, that sounds like a reasonable plan of action. Are you planning on being a physician scientist? Regardless, you could cut down on research this semester and focus on MCAT/EC's. Unless of course you are gunning for MD/PhD, in which case you can't drop your research.
 
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