Gap Year 2 & 3 Activities

[getAsordietrying]

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Hi All,

So I am about done with gap year 1, I did some non-clinical work, some volunteering and a lot of MCAT prep in hopes of getting a 99th % score. I'll be taking the MCAT in gap year 2 before applying in 2020.

I am pretty well-rounded overall, have a ~3.7 cgpa, ~mid 3.6 science, hundreds of hours of volunteering in multiple fields, good leadership, some shadowing, and less than a year of research in a clinical lab, where I was more of a lab assistant.

I am planning on applying to work as a med. assistant/scribe in my hometown in gap year 2 while I finish my app. However, I was considering to do research at a CC or nearby university instead so I can get a publication out of it? My plan is to get into a top 20 to 50 program, possibly as a MD/MBA, and ideally trying to stay in California.

Thanks for your help.

**Please don't quote**

 

[lumya]

I work in clinical research so you might want to consider that as a way to get some publications out of it while you work. It's a little bit more removed from clinical care compared to scribing/being an MA but I collect samples and the doctors I work with are very generous with adding me to papers for projects I've assisted them with.

 

[AllBleedingStops]

Hi All,

So I am about done with gap year 1, I did some non-clinical work, some volunteering and a lot of MCAT prep in hopes of getting a 99th % score. I'll be taking the MCAT in gap year 2 before applying in 2020.

I am pretty well-rounded overall, have a ~3.7 cgpa, ~mid 3.6 science, hundreds of hours of volunteering in multiple fields, good leadership, some shadowing, and less than a year of research in a clinical lab, where I was more of a lab assistant.

I am planning on applying to work as a med. assistant/scribe in my hometown in gap year 2 while I finish my app. However, I was considering to do research at a CC or nearby university instead so I can get a publication out of it? My plan is to get into a top 20 to 50 program, possibly as a MD/MBA, and ideally trying to stay in California.

Thanks for your help.

**Please don't quote**

Why so many gap years? Not that gap years are a problem per se but what were you doing during your first one vs your plans for second and third? In any case, I would not try to do basic science research if your goal is to get your name on a publication in the next year to year and a half.

 

[getAsordietrying]

Why so many gap years? Not that gap years are a problem per se but what were you doing during your first one vs your plans for second and third? In any case, I would not try to do basic science research if your goal is to get your name on a publication in the next year to year and a half.

Hi there, I did a lot of science classes to bring up my gpa after sophomore year, so I didn't start studying for the mcat until after the summer of my senior year until now, where I have been working part time and volunteering a bit. I was intending on applying this cycle but I realized I needed much more time to get a ~99% MCAT. I will be applying in June of 2020 so my reason for clinical/basic research was to beef up my apps so I can apply to better schools as I may want to do a MD/MBA program. Thanks for the help.

 

[AllBleedingStops]

Why are you aiming for a 99% MCAT? This seems unreasonable.

 

[AnMDtoB]

Why are you aiming for a 99% MCAT? This seems unreasonable.

Not even unreasonable, just unnecessary - plenty of people get into T10 schools with MCAT scores lower than that, delaying med school to shoot for perfection doesn't make a lot of sense imho

 

[getAsordietrying]

Why are you aiming for a 99% MCAT? This seems unreasonable.

Not even unreasonable, just unnecessary - plenty of people get into T10 schools with MCAT scores lower than that, delaying med school to shoot for perfection doesn't make a lot of sense imho

Well my GPA is not competitive for most T20-50 schools according to the MSAR and I'm trying to keep my options open, especially if I decide to go for a MD/MBA, so in this sense a high MCAT is the only thing that can give me a much better chance at these schools.

I don't mind the wait, have a family business I want to expand in the meantime, and will be learning some skills that will aid my future healthcare entrepreneurship endeavors.

 

[907914]

Well my GPA is not competitive for most T20-50 schools according to the MSAR and I'm trying to keep my options open, especially if I decide to go for a MD/MBA, so in this sense a high MCAT is the only thing that can give me a much better chance at these schools.

I don't mind the wait, have a family business I want to expand in the meantime, and will be learning some skills that will aid my future healthcare entrepreneurship endeavors.

I got a 99th% with about 6 months of 3 hours a day every other day...

If you have literally nothing but time on your hands, spending a full year and a half to study for the MCAT seems ridiculously excessive and you are more likely to hurt your score from burnout than improve it.

You are kind of late for taking the MCAT this cycle but you could totally take it Mid July and be GTG with a >515. If you got a 515, you would be set for a T50 - T20. Anything greater than a 515 is really only needed for T20 schools and greater than a 518 for T10. But if you are just shooting for the upper mid tier, perfection is your enemy.

 

[getAsordietrying]

I got a 99th% with about 6 months of 3 hours a day every other day...

If you have literally nothing but time on your hands, spending a full year and a half to study for the MCAT seems ridiculously excessive and you are more likely to hurt your score from burnout than improve it.

You are kind of late for taking the MCAT this cycle but you could totally take it Mid July and be GTG with a >515. If you got a 515, you would be set for a T50 - T20. Anything greater than a 515 is really only needed for T20 schools and greater than a 518 for T10. But if you are just shooting for the upper mid tier, perfection is your enemy.

Thanks for the response, I actually ready your MCAT study post and found it very helpful, along with the many others I have read over the years. I already went though MCAT burnout for 2.5 months early this year as I studied the wrong way for the test with too much passive content review. Though it seems uncommon here, I went to a T40 school and most people that I know did not achieve a >90% percentile score after one full summer of studying, I even know of a few who have spent >1000 hours on the test but are still <90%.

TBH, I was the type of undergrad where I had to really outwork my competition to get A's, so it doesn't surprise me that I need much more time than most. I would love to stay in California and go to a P/F school, and most people I know who go into the better California med schools took at least two gap years.

 

[Peter Pan.]

Well hope it works out but I still feel like its unnecessary. Plus MCAT day is never a sure thing. You could do well on practice test and have a bad day or be given a test that covers your weaknesses. You're gonna sacrifice how many years of physician salary? And getting 99% on the MCAT with a 3.6 sgpa doesn't even guarantee you a spot in California. There are so many applicants with a similar MCAT but better GPA. And there are only so many hours you can study for the MCAT. At some point you've reached your peak and any more studying isn't that helpful. Taking multiple gap years in hopes for a 99% MCAT just doesn't make sense and for most people isn't even possible. Good luck.

 

[getAsordietrying]

Well hope it works out but I still feel like its unnecessary. Plus MCAT day is never a sure thing. You could do well on practice test and have a bad day or be given a test that covers your weaknesses. You're gonna sacrifice how many years of physician salary? And getting 99% on the MCAT with a 3.6 sgpa doesn't even guarantee you a spot in California. There are so many applicants with a similar MCAT but better GPA. And there are only so many hours you can study for the MCAT. At some point you've reached your peak and any more studying isn't that helpful. Taking multiple gap years in hopes for a 99% MCAT just doesn't make sense and for most people isn't even possible. Good luck.

Thanks for the constructive criticism, my scores have been improving due to better strategies and I comprehend much more content as a result of this. A few years off doesn't really matter as I plan on going into medical entrepreneurship at some point and I well aware about my low chances at my ideal schools. If I do bad on the MCAT I'll just take it again.

TBH I've went through life as an underdog, sacrificed a ton to get this far, and the only thing I am losing is time. I refuse to settle for less than what I think is possible, and becoming a doctor is the first step of the professional career that I have envisioned for myself.

 

[Phoebus Apollo]

First of all, gap years are great. Assuming you don’t do absolutely nothing with your time, med schools like them. Slow and steady preparation works well for many applicants.

To answer your actual question: scribing and research are both good choices, although as others have said you’re unlikely to get a paper in this time frame, especially if it’s basic research. I’d also make sure you’re at a well funded institution (not your CC). Better funded institutions will probably have more active faculty and more aggressive/current research.

Second, lots of people talking about your MCAT strategy. To weigh in: study for the MCAT as much as it takes for you to get the practice test scores you want. Within reason, of course.

For example, if your test scores stagnate and you keep getting X score (assuming you're using the same practice company), then you’ve probably hit your upper limit. The people you know who have studied 1000+ hours were either inefficient with their time or they hit their upper limit. Not everyone gets 99% scores because it’s not just time and money that’s required to prepare, it’s also the quality of your undergraduate education and a lifetime of academic grooming (or lack thereof)... not to mention all the more nebulous factors that go into a human’s brain and body.

Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with building in time or adding another gap year to prepare well for the MCAT. Just don’t actually spend a year preparing for it—be efficient and focused.

And enjoy your gap before medical school!

 

[Peter Pan.]

Thanks for the constructive criticism, my scores have been improving due to better strategies and I comprehend much more content as a result of this. A few years off doesn't really matter as I plan on going into medical entrepreneurship at some point and I well aware about my low chances at my ideal schools. If I do bad on the MCAT I'll just take it again.

TBH I've went through life as an underdog, sacrificed a ton to get this far, and the only thing I am losing is time. I refuse to settle for less than what I think is possible, and becoming a doctor is the first step of the professional career that I have envisioned for myself.

Medical entrepreneurship and a 99% MCAT. Keep dreaming big man. Never wake up.

 

[Peter Pan.]

First of all, gap years are great. Assuming you don’t do absolutely nothing with your time, med schools like them. Slow and steady preparation works well for many applicants.

To answer your actual question: scribing and research are both good choices, although as others have said you’re unlikely to get a paper in this time frame, especially if it’s basic research. I’d also make sure you’re at a well funded institution (not your CC). Better funded institutions will probably have more active faculty and more aggressive/current research.

Second, lots of people talking about your MCAT strategy. To weigh in: study for the MCAT as much as it takes for you to get the practice test scores you want. Within reason, of course.

For example, if your test scores stagnate and you keep getting X score (assuming you're using the same practice company), then you’ve probably hit your upper limit. The people you know who have studied 1000+ hours were either inefficient with their time or they hit their upper limit. Not everyone gets 99% scores because it’s not just time and money that’s required to prepare, it’s also the quality of your undergraduate education and a lifetime of academic grooming (or lack thereof)... not to mention all the more nebulous factors that go into a human’s brain and body.

Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with building in time or adding another gap year to prepare well for the MCAT. Just don’t actually spend a year preparing for it—be efficient and focused.

And enjoy your gap before medical school!

Yeah but this is 3 gap years.

 

[907914]

Yeah but this is 3 gap years.

I was born for medicine, I just chose to take 24 gap years in between to build up my app.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

Year and a half to study for the MCAT? Geez I couldn't stand more than 4 months.

 

[Phoebus Apollo]

Yeah but this is 3 gap years.

I don’t see anything wrong with 3 gap years, personally. Granted— only a small fraction of that should be spent on the MCAT. But it’s not like life stops if you aren’t in school. It’s a good time to learn things you don’t learn in a classroom.

Anyway, the time taken is not concerning to me and I’d be surprised if it concerned an adcom, as long as it was spent productively.

 

[Peter Pan.]

I don’t see anything wrong with 3 gap years, personally. Granted— only a small fraction of that should be spent on the MCAT. But it’s not like life stops if you aren’t in school. It’s a good time to learn things you don’t learn in a classroom.

Anyway, the time taken is not concerning to me and I’d be surprised if it concerned an adcom, as long as it was spent productively.

I don’t think it would concern an adcom either. Just saying this isn’t your typical case of taking a gap year. I took a gap year myself and I believe 60% of matriculants take a gap year. Just not 3. Certainly not for the MCAT. I just don’t get how it’s time well spent if it’s primarily for overkill on the MCAT.