Do I stay or go?

[goldenscalpel]

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Hello all, this is my first post on here and there is a bit to read, but any feedback/input is appreciated. My current stats are:

Upcoming junior at a small, rural liberal arts college in Wisconsin
Double major in biochemistry and philosophy
3.9 GPA, but will improve before graduating (3.95-3.97 range)
Mentor for at-risk high schoolers since the beginning of freshman year (200 hours so far; 300/400 when finished)
EMT-Basic for rural ambulance service (on call 30-110 hours/week; calls average from 1-20/week)
Member of Ethics Bowl team that has qualified and placed at Nationals each year I have been a member
Varsity tennis for two seasons (500 hours; academic all conference both years)
Head tennis coach for high school team (200 hours/season; fourth best team finish in school history)
Conducting chemistry research (1,400 hours, one patent so far, one third author publication, and an upcoming first author; will most likely present poster at ACS National Meeting in San Diego next spring; all of this has been done at my own college since I was not accepted to any REU's--will this affect me at all?)
Hospice volunteer (100 hours)
Will begin shadowing physicians at local hospital in the fall (100 hours anticipated)
Member of a national social fraternity (Secretary, Awards Committee)
Student Government Treasurer and former fraternity representative
Tutor for organic chemistry, quantitative analysis, and biochemistry (300 hours)

The only things I have left to do in order to complete my majors is finish my senior theses, which will be done this year. The big deal breaker is that I will be taking the MCAT next April, so I do not have any scores as of right now.

Essentially, I am doubting whether it would be truly worth staying a fourth year. Instead, I would spend that time either working for the NIH as an IRTA Postbac or doing Americorp for one year, assuming I would be able to earn a spot.

What I would miss out on:
Serving as president of my fraternity
Serving as student body president
An additional year competing in both tennis and ethics bowl
Serving as the school leader for the charter school for at-risk high school students
Possibly 1-3 more papers from my chemistry research or an independent molecular biology research project that I will be starting in the next few weeks with my genetics professor

What I would gain in its place:
Saving money (my younger sister will be beginning college next year, and my family is far from well-off)
Being able to conduct research at a world-class facility or being able to experience something that I wouldn't have the chance to while on campus
Learning how to be fully self-sufficient (the small campus is a bubble that has a habit of sheltering people from the real world, and I want to force myself to "grow up" in a sense)
A fresh start in a different place
Having a bit more flexibility when it comes to med school interviews

What I pose to you, SDN community, is whether you think that graduating early and then doing a one year stint in a different city while applying/interviewing at med school would be a better use of my time and money than doing most of the things that I already do for a final year.

Finally, a number of my professors have encouraged me to apply later this year for the Goldwater Scholarship, and then apply next fall for Rhodes, Marshall, and Gates Scholarships along with med school. Do you think this would be a worthwhile or even feasible pursuit? Doing the research, these awards seem incredible, and I would jump at the chance if awarded one; however, I am simply hesitant to apply for something that I don't have much of a right applying for. One of our alumni won a Rhodes about 12 years ago and he thinks that it can't hurt at all for someone like me, so it may be something that I ought to give it a try.

Thank you for reading all of this, and any input is welcome!

 

[bee17]

If I were you, this would be a no-brainer just from a financial perspective. Paying a year of (unnecessary) tuition vs. earning money from a full-time job? I'd take the money.

In my opinion, none of the things you would be "missing out on" are worth missing out on the opportunities and personal growth that you have planned for your gap year.

 

[philosonista]

It's too late to get into the NIH IRTA. Successful applications start 3 - 9 months before you start. I don't think there are many spots that start after august/September, but you can try. Be prepared to email dozens and dozens of PI's just to find an open spot, let alone someone who wants you, if there are any at all.

If you can find a better opportunity, do it. Unfortunately, you have to keep up on some rigorous treadmill, and school is the fall back one.

Don't neglect the MCAT when choosing which treadmill to get on.

 

[doc05]

depends on what your goals are. you will obviously get into medical school (assuming a good score on the mcat).

small rural colleges tend to be underrepresented at the "top-10" med schools, but being a Rhodes scholar, etc, will of course help you.

 

[Doug Underhill]

Right now, all you are lacking is the MCAT.

 

[698344]

Looks like all you really have left to do is take the MCAT. If you get a 30+ you'll most likely get into a med school. But if you've already got the requirements for your degree, why not just graduate? If anything, you could keep being an EMT or find some job in the health field before applying.