Doing "Something" during glide year???

[amakhosidlo]

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I just had a conversation with a member of a local school's adcom, and the advice she gave was a little...nebulous.

Me: I'm applying this cycle and was wondering what I should be doing while I wait to get word back...
Her: Something
Me: I'm...sorry?
Her: You asked what I thought you should do. You should do something.
Me: Oh. You mean like achieve something? Like making a contribution in research?
Her: No, I could care less what it is you do, just do something.
Me: Nothing...in particular?
Her: Nope.
Me: Something. Hmm. So, I could do anything, really, and it would be looked upon favorably?
Her: No, if you do something it will be looked upon favorably.
Me: ....K...I think I understand 🙂confused🙂. Thanks.

I swear, sometimes I think this process has been made into the biggest mindf__k ever, deliberately...

Anyway. I have no idea what to do while I apply.

I live in an area with the highest density of college degrees (incl. science) in the country. My B.S qualifies me to wash glass, and there are so many healthcare-associated "specialists", that even the free clinics have a volunteer wait-list a mile long, or turn them away outright.

I'm looking at Americorps as an option, but I honestly don't see how I could live on $10,xxx a year. Rent + Food for me is 9,500, easy...

I think I'd really like Peacecorps, but there's the whole year-long application + 2 yrs service, so my MCAT will = expired by the time that's through...

Or...I could go back to Cali, move back in with the 'rents, and lounge by my pool + volunteer at a free clinic in L.A (there are way more, and they're way more open to volunteers it seems, then any organization here)

Any other ideas as to what the best "Something" would be?

 

[Mattabet]

I lectured at a university. It's surprisingly easy to get a position at a lecturer, especially if you know someone who works there (keep you appraised of job openings and what-have-you).

Edit: I've also got a friend on a Fulbright (though I think it's too late to apply for that for this year), and a couple in Korea teaching English (non-Fulbright). You might want to look into those programs too.

 

[Stratego]

Do not sit at home in your parent's basement playing computer games.

Ideally, you'll do something that would make future update letters interesting. You could take a course or two, learn a language, get a medically-related entry level job transporting patients or working as a dietary aide in a nursing home, part-time being fine. Do some type of community service work/need not be clinically-related. Get a paid research assistant job (usually at minimum wage). Or wait tables to make money. Or travel. But still there should be something in the mix that enhances your application, in case, heaven forbid, you end up reapplying next year.

 

[Mattabet]

Do not sit at home in your parent's basement playing computer games.

To be fair, during office hours when I wasn't lesson planning, I played a fair amount of 'Desktop Tower Defense'. Highly recommend 👍

You can't use it on your resume or CV unless you get the top score though.

 

[Stratego]

To be fair, during office hours when I wasn't lesson planning, I played a fair amount of 'Desktop Tower Defense'. Highly recommend 👍

You can't use it on your resume or CV unless you get the top score though.

 

[NeuroChaos]

I just had a conversation with a member of

I live in an area with the highest density of college degrees (incl. science) in the country. My B.S qualifies me to wash glass, and there are so many healthcare-associated "specialists", that even the free clinics have a volunteer wait-list a mile long, or turn them away outright.

What was your BS in?
Really, you are telling me that you can't get a single decent paying job (¬35k/year) after 4 years of college education. I will echo the adcoms and say Do Something. Do not volunteer full time. Yes it is helpful and shows your love for community, but you really should be putting ur education to use.

 

[Khazmo]

Move back to LA and live with (mooch off) your parents. Get the highest paying job possible and spend as little money as possible. Go on interviews. Get an acceptance, God willing. If funds permit, do something fun the summer before med school (e.g. go to Europe).

 

[ChairmanMao]

I just had a conversation with a member of a local school's adcom, and the advice she gave was a little...nebulous.

Me: I'm applying this cycle and was wondering what I should be doing while I wait to get word back...
Her: Something
Me: I'm...sorry?
Her: You asked what I thought you should do. You should do something.
Me: Oh. You mean like achieve something? Like making a contribution in research?
Her: No, I could care less what it is you do, just do something.
Me: Nothing...in particular?
Her: Nope.
Me: Something. Hmm. So, I could do anything, really, and it would be looked upon favorably?
Her: No, if you do something it will be looked upon favorably.
Me: ....K...I think I understand 🙂confused🙂. Thanks.

I swear, sometimes I think this process has been made into the biggest mindf__k ever, deliberately...

Anyway. I have no idea what to do while I apply.

I live in an area with the highest density of college degrees (incl. science) in the country. My B.S qualifies me to wash glass, and there are so many healthcare-associated "specialists", that even the free clinics have a volunteer wait-list a mile long, or turn them away outright.

I'm looking at Americorps as an option, but I honestly don't see how I could live on $10,xxx a year. Rent + Food for me is 9,500, easy...

I think I'd really like Peacecorps, but there's the whole year-long application + 2 yrs service, so my MCAT will = expired by the time that's through...

Or...I could go back to Cali, move back in with the 'rents, and lounge by my pool + volunteer at a free clinic in L.A (there are way more, and they're way more open to volunteers it seems, then any organization here)

Any other ideas as to what the best "Something" would be?

Or do what these guys did and build an F-1 car out of scrap metal. I'd do it if I had time, money, and the determination to actually carry out my projects

http://jalopnik.com/5203610/chinese-brothers-build-working-f1-car-out-of-metal-scraps

 

[amakhosidlo]

Microbiology.
Normally, it would. But like I said, in my area 4 yr degrees are a dime/dozen, and with the number of recent biotech layoffs here (amgen, etc), the market's flooded by experienced candidates, and experience > education any day of the week. Obama's stimulus money's supposed to be funding a bunch of new research & and research positions, but none of that's going to hit until Sept. At the earliest.

I'm going about cold calling rural FM offices in my state to see if anyone wants to hire a freshly graduated pre-med as an uncertified MA/front office person, so here's hoping one of them bites...

 

[Jolt21]

besides my full time job which is just 8-5, i'm taking up coaching a bball team in my town, DJing at least twice a month, and hopefully traveling. just do SOMETHING

 

[buccsmf1]

I'm in the same boat. just graduated and i'm wondering what to do next year while the apps are processing. right now i'm signed up for 2 classes, immunology and neurobiology, which are tuesday-thursday classes. not sure if i will sign up for more classes or just volunteer MWF. my ECs are weak right now so continuing with the clinical volunteering and such might be the right route for me

 

[tdittyx2x3]

SOMETHING......
1. you actually would enjoy doing
2. you can be confident and comfortable talking about in an interview

You do NOT have to do something medically related or even at all application related. A lot of people out in the real world have jobs and important things to do like feeding children. They'll understand. Do what you want with this precious year. I built a house with Habitat. Feeling pretty manly just thinking about it.

 

[amakhosidlo]

I built a house with Habitat. Feeling pretty manly just thinking about it.

That was another one of the ideas I was tossing around.
How did you go about signing on with them? Is it a full-time deal, or something you do on the weekends?

 

[tdittyx2x3]

I was in a very unique situation because I organized the project, so it was full-time with a stipend from the sponsor for that build. Habitat is always looking for volunteers. Just doing it once a week would be an enormous contribution, plus its really fun, you get to work with your hands and be outside, and you learn a ton.

I realized in my above post that I didn't emphasize how much FUN this year should be for everybody. It's an entire year with little to no responsibility. Read tons of books. Workout like a maniac. Pick up a hobby you always wanted to try. Visit your friends. You all have a passion outside of medicine. Do that A LOT. And these things aren't just for you.. they are great interview topics too. They'll turn an interrogation into a conversation.

 

[iheartsnow]

You're right that getting a research job right out of college with minimal research experience is tough. It can be done though. Have you thought about moving to a new location? That could be really fun (depends on the type of person you are). Other areas of the country ARE hiring for research (if that's what you really want to do). Look into the northeast, Boston in particular. I've also heard that there's lots of research jobs in the Pacific Northwest (I can't vouch for it though, I've just heard people talking about it).

It might be a little late for this, but if you're interested in teaching, you could look into being a science teacher at a private school.

Also, I don't know what was wrong with what your advisor told you. Obviously he/she can't tell you exactly what to do (and neither can anyone here). And don't underestimate the value of just having a job and making a living. That's a lot more than many pre-meds have done.

 

[iheartsnow]

It isn't really the lack of experience, it's the fact that people who do get these jobs don't leave them and for the last eight years the NIH budget was slashed.....lead to fewer and fewer research opportunities.

For a research tech? At least in New York, they have a very high turnover rate. In basically every lab I know, the techs are there for two years, then go on to med or grad school. There are a few "career" lab techs, but that's pretty rare.

 

[savant]

If possible, you might want to ask your professors if they know of colleagues or collaborators looking for a person for short-term research projects. That is how I got my current position.

 

[aznb0y129]

For a research tech? At least in New York, they have a very high turnover rate. In basically every lab I know, the techs are there for two years, then go on to med or grad school. There are a few "career" lab techs, but that's pretty rare.

Agreed, many don't even last two years.

 

[SuperSaiyan3]

well this is kinda completely unrelated but..

my friend who spent her entire life studying and volunteering, pretty much no fun ever and worked 24/7 365 including the .25 days of the year, got into med school. in Germany. Then got hit by a truck while cycling to school and died.

... true story. Shocks me everytime I tell it. Moral of the story? LIVE YOUR LIFE. Go out and binge drink if you haven't done it in more than a year. Just chill out and have some fun while juggling responsibilities. Sometimes your life can shatter as soon as you think you have it made.. then when your life flashes by your eyes in your last remaining seconds on this earth, you'll wish you spent more time on other things rather than med school.

 

[Mellymel09]

Wow... touching yet shocking story altogether. But I strongly believe in the moral to that story. Please everyone here, DO live your life. It's what distinguishes you from a robot and makes you a human being. Life is not all about school. Though a strong portion of it will be focused on school for us pre-meds but it doesn't mean that we need to sacrifice all of our lives. Hold on to the dream, follow the dream but do not get consummed by the dream. Plus med schools want well-rounded people. They don't want nerds who spent their whole young adult lives locked up in a room studying. Yes, studying is important but at the same time, get a life too! It'll make you a better person and a better doctor in the end 🙄

Now as to answer to the comment of this thread about the year off thing... Man LIVE YOUR LIFE! Do things you never got the chance/time to do and always wanted to. Remember you may not have much time once you get into med school. At the same time, do "something" good, like enroll in a humanitarian trip/program for instance. Lots of my friends are doing it and many have done it before and loved it! I would loveeee to do it but sadly do not have the time. Also, like everyone else in these posts have mentioned before, try everything and anything that might interest you (research, working in hospitals... etc...) even if it's not science related. I think anything that you do out of integrity will score you points on your application & interviews!

G-luck!🙂

 

[amakhosidlo]

Yeah, right now I'm pretty sure it's either Americorps somewhere out in the WWAMI or go hang out in Thailand for a while teaching English. Still have to figure out how to swing the whole taking-off-for-interviews thing though...

Hmm.

 

[tdittyx2x3]

All this talk about research is pretty meaningless if you arent interested in research. It's just not necessary.