Gap Year Advice

[IslandersDoc]

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[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

What about community service? Have you secured letters from your professors? Did you meet your prehealth advisors before you graduated? I don't think your cGPA is a problem; what's your BCPM GPA?

 

[IslandersDoc]

What’s up guys. I am just making this post as a follow up to one of my other recent posts. I am preparing to apply next cycle. I recently graduated from college with a 3.68 cGPA and around the same sGPA. Went to one of the top public schools in my state (state school in NY). I had a strong upward trend as my last 2 years averaged around 3.8-3.9 (Junior 3.8 Senior 3.9). I was concerned about my GPA and was contemplating doing a post bacc but was advised not to by many people on this thread.

My current ECs and components outside of my GPA
-3 semesters of research on mitochondrial DNA as well as 2 semesters of research on protein recrystallization
-Around 80 hours of volunteer EMT at an agency by my school
-40 hours of hospital volunteering in Gen Surg Unit
-Organic Chem Teaching Assistant
-Gen Chem Teaching Assistant
-Upper Level Psych Teaching assistant
-15 hours of shadowing at my school (was minimal)

What I am currently doing

-Beginning work as a medical scribe/ma at urgent care (start in 2 weeks). By the time I apply I will have 1000+ hours as it is full time gig.
-volunteering as an EMT at my local firehouse (will have around 250 hours by the time I apply).
-Studying for MCAT (shooting for a 515+) and am taking in January tentatively.

I am curious to see if my plan is good and am open to criticism or advice regarding what I should add to my list before I apply next year. Any help would be awesome. Cheers.

 

[chilly_md]

I have merged threads to consolidate discussion.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

OP: you didn't answer my questions.

 

[IslandersDoc]

OP: you didn't answer my questions.

Was planning on applying this cycle but decided to post pone. I have 4 letters on my college portal which I plan on using when I apply. I also am planning on getting a letter from a physician due to me now working as a scribe. I did meet with my advisor before I graduated. My cGPA and BCPM are similar if not the same (3.68).

 

[chilly_md]

Add volunteering in the community at a place like a homeless shelter, food bank etc for 200 hours over the next year. Tutoring or some volunteering involved with students in an educational setting (college or K-12) should generally not be counted, but is something you can do additionally if it is important to you.

 

[IslandersDoc]

Add volunteering in the community at a place like a homeless shelter, food bank etc for 200 hours over the next year. Tutoring or some volunteering involved with students in an educational setting (college or K-12) should generally not be counted, but is something you can do additionally if it is important to you.

Is 200 non clinical volunteering the minimum amount for many schools? I will begin volunteering at a food bank next week and continue doing so until I apply.

 

[chilly_md]

Is 200 non clinical volunteering the minimum amount for many schools? I will begin volunteering at a food bank next week and continue doing so until I apply.

Yes, some service heavy school typically expect even more but 200 would be appropriate for many of them.

 

[IslandersDoc]

Yes, some service heavy school typically expect even more but 200 would be appropriate for many of them.

Awesome thank you very much. I appreciate it.