Full-time job during gap year

[californiadreaming93]

I'm in a post-bacc program and will be finished with coursework in August 2017. I plan on taking the MCAT in Spring 2018 and won't start prepping until March 2018. With this said, I will have 2 years until I matriculate into medical school.

What should I do during those 2 gap years? I have extensive laboratory research, but to be honest, I don't think I could work in a lab setting for another 2 years. My undergraduate background/professional experience is in healthcare analytics and healthcare consulting, and I would like to work full-time to save money. Should I pursue business analyst position during the time off? Will med schools look down upon it?

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[AlteredScale]

What should I do during those 2 gap years? I have extensive laboratory research, but to be honest, I don't think I could work in a lab setting for another 2 years. My undergraduate background/professional experience is in healthcare analytics and healthcare consulting, and I would like to work full-time to save money. Should I pursue business analyst position during the time off? Will med schools look down upon it?

You can pursue whatever is going to pay the bills and/or something that you love to do. During my application cycle I ended up leaving research and went into administration for a PhD program in biomedical informatics. Luckily, I was able to convert that position from a student to a full staff position and gain full time benefits temporarily.

I have serious doubts choosing a non-science or non-health care related position while in your gap years would be detrimental to you during your app cycle as long as you continue your commitment to your community service/leadership/and clinical exposure longitudinally as best as possible.

 

[Eppur Si Muove]

Go live life; travel, see friends, make some money doing what you love to do. Will make for an interesting story come interview time. I took a gap and worked in healthcare, and really wished I hadn't. I don't feel like it added much and I pretty much wasted half a year doing a redundant job I hated.

 

[aldol16]

Life happens and people tend to understand that. You have to put food in the table and pay the bills for two years and you take what you can get. If research is what floats your boat, do research. If it's not, do what floats your boat. Come application time, think about how your path up to now fits into your narrative before writing your AMCAS application and personal statement. And have a good answer for why medicine and not continuing on your current career path (without trashing your current job or telling people it doesn't contribute to society).