Gap Year Advice

[Lampy]

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I will be taking a gap year (applying next cycle), what should I start next semester (I only have 3 credits left, which can be done online)? I could apply to enter a 1 yr masters program in Arts in Medicine because I am very interested in the intersection of Humanities and Medicine (I taught a class and co-presented at a National conference on this topic, listed below) or I could work as an MA or scribe, these are my top two choices so far. My question is where are my weak points I should boost up? I think my MCAT and sGPA aren't the greatest but also not low enough to warrant retaking or doing a post bacc, thank you so much!

MCAT 514 (128/129/126/131)
3.84 GPA (very unlikely to change by more than .02 either way as I will have already done 125 credit hours)
3.62-3.75 sGPA (depending what classes will count in AMCAS and how I do this semester)

I am a white female FL resident at Public University, bio/anthro double major with minor in Health Disparities and a medical anthro certificate

Clinical Volunteering
252 hours at an Internship in a hospital (gave three poster presentations on quality improvement projects with this)
200 more from this year doing HIV testing and counseling for undeserved populations (homeless, low SES, LGBTQ+)
Research
600 hours in an anthropology/ genetics lab dedicated to researching undeserved populations (two poster presentations), I also received a University level award with some
money to continue researching in the lab
300 hours in a Herpetology lab as a researcher (on the tech side, lots of 3D modeling and reconstruction) then curatorial assistant (I had a team of volunteers under me) with
some public outreach components (one poster presentation)
Shadowing
50 hours with a neurosurgeon (planning to find a PCP to shadow for ~20 hours if I don't work as a scribe)
Non-clinical Volunteering
350 hours in a community service fraternity, various community outreach stuff (mostly working with disadvantaged kids and in a memory ward), I also had two leadership
positions, not exec board though
Non-Clinical Employment
Been an RA for 3.5 years (about 2000 hours, another 200 hours working on a committee to represent RAs on campus), I was also promoted to a specialist position, so I have
to plan events for 600+ people
IT Operator for 200 hours (on campus job, learned about interaction and how to simply explain somewhat complicated stuff)
Teaching/ TA
Taught an undergrad class about medical humanities (as a co-instructor) and gave a poster presentation about that, we also made an art exhibit that tied into it, 200 h
I was also a TA for microbio lab, 100 h
Hobby
I'm also in the medical humanities book club, which is actually really awesome (some docs/med students there talking about their experiences and how that informs their
views of the book's subject matter)

 

[TheBoranIdentity]

If you have the money to pay for a post-bac and you REALLY feel passionate about it, I’d say go for it. However, you have a solid GPA already and I personally am using my gap year to make money rather than spend money. I think working in a clinical setting as an MA or Scribe could really add to your already good application. You would earn money, interact with patients, and make sure that medicine is really what you want to do by having strong first-hand clinical experiences.

 

[Engrailed]

I will be taking a gap year (applying next cycle), what should I start next semester (I only have 3 credits left, which can be done online)? I could apply to enter a 1 yr masters program in Arts in Medicine because I am very interested in the intersection of Humanities and Medicine (I taught a class and co-presented at a National conference on this topic, listed below) or I could work as an MA or scribe, these are my top two choices so far. My question is where are my weak points I should boost up? I think my MCAT and sGPA aren't the greatest but also not low enough to warrant retaking or doing a post bacc, thank you so much!

MCAT 514 (128/129/126/131)
3.84 GPA (very unlikely to change by more than .02 either way as I will have already done 125 credit hours)
3.62-3.75 sGPA (depending what classes will count in AMCAS and how I do this semester)

I am a white female FL resident at Public University, bio/anthro double major with minor in Health Disparities and a medical anthro certificate

Clinical Volunteering
252 hours at an Internship in a hospital (gave three poster presentations on quality improvement projects with this)
200 more from this year doing HIV testing and counseling for undeserved populations (homeless, low SES, LGBTQ+)
Research
600 hours in an anthropology/ genetics lab dedicated to researching undeserved populations (two poster presentations), I also received a University level award with some
money to continue researching in the lab
300 hours in a Herpetology lab as a researcher (on the tech side, lots of 3D modeling and reconstruction) then curatorial assistant (I had a team of volunteers under me) with
some public outreach components (one poster presentation)
Shadowing
50 hours with a neurosurgeon (planning to find a PCP to shadow for ~20 hours if I don't work as a scribe)
Non-clinical Volunteering
350 hours in a community service fraternity, various community outreach stuff (mostly working with disadvantaged kids and in a memory ward), I also had two leadership
positions, not exec board though
Non-Clinical Employment
Been an RA for 3.5 years (about 2000 hours, another 200 hours working on a committee to represent RAs on campus), I was also promoted to a specialist position, so I have
to plan events for 600+ people
IT Operator for 200 hours (on campus job, learned about interaction and how to simply explain somewhat complicated stuff)
Teaching/ TA
Taught an undergrad class about medical humanities (as a co-instructor) and gave a poster presentation about that, we also made an art exhibit that tied into it, 200 h
I was also a TA for microbio lab, 100 h
Hobby
I'm also in the medical humanities book club, which is actually really awesome (some docs/med students there talking about their experiences and how that informs their
views of the book's subject matter)

Do your best to maintain the best GPA during your classes. Not worth a postbacc. In addition to $$$$, opportunity costs associated with time spent on courses that could be used for volunteering etc. are significant. Plus, no guarantee you would superbly ace those classes.

MCAT? You could retake or could not retake. Depends on what your priorities are. 514 is solid as is for a good number of med schools. Top tier will be a reach and others here would also say that best bet would be with state schools. You could retake if you are truly gunning for the T20 etc. The choice is yours!🙂

 

[Lampy]

Thank you both very much for your advice! I agree that I need to focus on my classes, which is what I am doing next semester. I also just don't think I have it in me to take the MCAT again, especially since I am not gunning for T20s.

I am still not sure if I will scribe, I think I would rather scribe than be an MA as I want more experience seeing what a physician does because I have only shadowed one doc so far. I would love more advice what what gap years can look like because I really don't know much (read: anything) about them. Thanks again 🙂

 

[TheBoranIdentity]

Thank you both very much for your advice! I agree that I need to focus on my classes, which is what I am doing next semester. I also just don't think I have it in me to take the MCAT again, especially since I am not gunning for T20s.

I am still not sure if I will scribe, I think I would rather scribe than be an MA as I want more experience seeing what a physician does because I have only shadowed one doc so far. I would love more advice what what gap years can look like because I really don't know much (read: anything) about them. Thanks again 🙂

I'm a medical scribe right now and it's a pretty cool job. I know there are positions that allow you to do both MA/scribe work in clinics. If I could go back, I would try to find something like that because as a scribe for the company I work for, I cannot touch patients.

 

[Lampy]

I know there are positions that allow you to do both MA/scribe work in clinics.

I didn't realize that there are places where you could do both; I will look into that in my area! Thank you!