Expected GAP year activities

[Bored_Conscious]

I am currently a senior and will be applying for my first time spring 2021 (which is also when I graduate). This means that I will have a lot of time do what I want as I go through the application cycle from 2021 until 2022.

During my gap year, I would like to have some free-time and travel around a bit but also make decent money as my family is not the most well off. I could either work full-time 5 days a week as a CRC or work full-time 3 days a week as a PCT (which is a job I have already been working for 2 years now).

I would like to know whether or not adcoms would view me negatively if I do not continue volunteering and rather spend my time working, developing my own hobbies (guitar and body building), and traveling once in awhile. This is crucial for my decision making since if I have to continue volunteering activities I will stick to being a PCT. It pays decent, I have 4 days off which gives me sufficient time to volunteer and pursue some of my own interests. If not, then I could try dipping my toes into some new experiences as a CRC and have sufficient time to chase my own hobbies.

Essentially, I want to know if it would be bad for me to not continue my volunteering and just work and pursue my hobbies during my application cycle?

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[LunaOri]

Personally, I would be suspicious that you only volunteered to check the box on your application, if you stopped now.

 

[candbgirl]

And remember, until you actually have that acceptance in hand, consider yourself rejected. If you have to reapply. ADCOMS will expect significant improvement on your application! So make your choices wisely on how you spend your first gap year!

 

[Bored_Conscious]

And remember, until you actually have that acceptance in hand, consider yourself rejected. If you have to reapply. ADCOMS will expect significant improvement on your application! So make your choices wisely on how you spend your first gap year!

What would significant improvements in my application look like? I have over 1,000 clinical hours, 300+ hours in research (was productive), 300+ hours in non-clinical volunteering, and 50+ hours of shadowing (will get more before application cycle). They were all long-term activities and are all activities that I am passionate about. The main thing I could improve upon would be my MCAT in my opinion.

Also, frustrating that medical schools would look poorly at my application just because I decided to pursue some hobbies while I had some downtime while working a clinical job and/or a clinical research job.

 

[Bored_Conscious]

Personally, I would be suspicious that you only volunteered to check the box on your application, if you stopped now.

I guess that is a sad reality of the fact.

 

[candbgirl]

Wait a minute-you asked the question! People answered! I didn’t tell you not to pursue your hobbies. I didn’t say ADCOMS would look poorly at you pursuing hobbies. I told you what is well known and what is expected on an application of a reapplicant. I have no idea how you would improve your application. I only told you what is again well known about the reapplication process! Sorry you didn’t like the answer! But it’s not my fault! You asked, we answered now you make the decisions on how to spend your gap year!

 

[Bored_Conscious]

Wait a minute-you asked the question! People answered! I didn’t tell you not to pursue your hobbies. I didn’t say ADCOMS would look poorly at you pursuing hobbies. I told you what is well known and what is expected on an application of a reapplicant. I have no idea how you would improve your application. I only told you what is again well known about the reapplication process! Sorry you didn’t like the answer! But it’s not my fault! You asked, we answered now you make the decisions on how to spend your gap year!

Yeah Yeah. Didn't mean for it to come off like an ass. Just sucks that it would be seen as boxing checking if I didn't continue volunteering after I graduated.

 

[LunaOri]

After you have done your interviews, you will have a few months to do whatever pleases you.

 

[ndcpjf]

Is it not possible to do both? Even working full time as a CRC, that should leave weekends for volunteering and you should be able to work-out/play guitar in your free time as well.