Gap year -- corporate or research?

[ghrund102]

Hi there! I am a nontrad thinking about my gap year options (likely 2+ years). Currently deciding between corporate life, which pays better, or an academic position, which does not pay generously, but may be better suited in the long-term for a career in academic medicine, which I am considering.

Mores specifically, I have an offer for a corporate role in the pharmaceutical industry. I am excited about the role, and I'll get to live in a great city. However, I imagine that research opportunities will be harder to schedule in during medical school, and wonder if it would be wiser to get research experience/authorship before attending medical school. I have some lab experience from undergrad (many years ago...) but nothing which is reflective of my more recent interest in medicine.

Let me know your thoughts!

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[LizzyM]

There are research opportunities in medical school if you want them (particularly at the research powerhouses, some of which require a thesis meaning that everyone does some research).

Applicants to medical school who are working in desk jobs in academic medical centers are ubiquitous. They are cheap and eager labor. I've not seen them helped, nor hurt, by such work experience. The problem for the applicant arises when one does not get into medical school and there is no upward path. and a career stalls.

If you think that your likelihood of being admitted to medical school is 85% of higher (in other words you are in the upper echelon of applicants) then go the academic route. If you might be in the group with a 40-60% chance of being admitted to medical school (average or slightly above the average applicant) then it might be wiser to hedge your bets, particularly if the pharmaceutical industry would be a desirable alternative if medical school admission never happens.

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

Are you planning to apply next year? That would still give you two gap years. You want to make sure that your MCAT doesn't run out.

You could always do research now for a year apply and then do the corporate job if you think you can get another

 

[EmperorK]

Do your corporate job, depending on what you're applying you don't need research, and you Americans have your long summer to do research anyways. From a ROI perspective it's not worth doing research if you aren't even in med school, and you'll be glad you have the money.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Do you or your colleagues view consulting differently as compared to someone who worked a desk job in pharma?

Not really differently at all.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Sorry, just a follow up, but are there "tiers" to the way you all view corporate jobs?

Just curious because I saw a post on Reddit ...

Do you see it the same way? I was under the impression that gap years are what you make of them, but does something like Investment Banking score more "points" than a more typical corporate job?

No

 

[Goro]

Hi there! I am a nontrad thinking about my gap year options (likely 2+ years). Currently deciding between corporate life, which pays better, or an academic position, which does not pay generously, but may be better suited in the long-term for a career in academic medicine, which I am considering.

Mores specifically, I have an offer for a corporate role in the pharmaceutical industry. I am excited about the role, and I'll get to live in a great city. However, I imagine that research opportunities will be harder to schedule in during medical school, and wonder if it would be wiser to get research experience/authorship before attending medical school. I have some lab experience from undergrad (many years ago...) but nothing which is reflective of my more recent interest in medicine.

Let me know your thoughts!

How is this going to improve your app/make you a better candidate for med school?

 

[LizzyM]

Having worked in investment banking could be a negative.... just sayin'.

 

[theoceanman]

Hi there! I am a nontrad thinking about my gap year options (likely 2+ years). Currently deciding between corporate life, which pays better, or an academic position, which does not pay generously, but may be better suited in the long-term for a career in academic medicine, which I am considering.

Mores specifically, I have an offer for a corporate role in the pharmaceutical industry. I am excited about the role, and I'll get to live in a great city. However, I imagine that research opportunities will be harder to schedule in during medical school, and wonder if it would be wiser to get research experience/authorship before attending medical school. I have some lab experience from undergrad (many years ago...) but nothing which is reflective of my more recent interest in medicine.

Let me know your thoughts!

I don't think much more needs to be said here, you clearly know that this academic position would be much better in the longer scope of your future career in medicine so I would take that. Sure the pay is less and might not be as lucrative as the pharmaceutical industry which may pay much, much better, but doing research and being in an academic setting may better suit you towards medical school and having something more to show during your gap year, especially as a nontraditional applicant which requires higher emphasis on medicine over other career opportunities. The job of the pharmaceutical industry may result in you being questioned "why medicine, why not pharmacy" in which producing a clear, thought-out response may be difficult, especially after having a job in that specific field prior to medical school; it may show signs that you're in it for the money, rather than the actual purpose behind medicine and the career it entails.

The second sentence I highlighted is showing that indeed this new academic position may reignite your current interest in medicine and allow you to reaffirm your current interests of whether medicine is right for you or not. Take this position and build up more experiences as well as develop a mission-fit towards your purpose behind medicine: which populations do you want to serve and have you showcased this well? Have you benefited your community around you and made a significant impact towards the underserved? These are questions you may have to address or address as a whole in your future application. Best of luck, cheers.

 

[ghrund102]

How is this going to improve your app/make you a better candidate for med school?

The position entails extensive research on the landscape of the medical industry and speaking with top physicians regularly about their clinical and academic interests, as well as advising pharmaceutical companies on the scientific background and commercial opportunity of a variety of disease states/therapeutic areas (overall, more so consulting, I'd say). I think the role would provide greater breadth of understanding of the field of healthcare as a whole as opposed to, say, a CRC position. It also requires a greater degree of 'professionalism,' being client-facing and bearing responsibility for large financial investments.

You bring up a good point, in that, while the benefits are clear to me, I'm unsure how well they translate in the eyes of ADCOMs. Whichever role I take, I plan on continuing clinical volunteering during weekends.

 

[LizzyM]

The position entails extensive research on the landscape of the medical industry and speaking with top physicians regularly about their clinical and academic interests, as well as advising pharmaceutical companies on the scientific background and commercial opportunity of a variety of disease states/therapeutic areas (overall, more so consulting, I'd say). I think the role would provide greater breadth of understanding of the field of healthcare as a whole as opposed to, say, a CRC position. It also requires a greater degree of 'professionalism,' being client-facing and bearing responsibility for large financial investments.

You bring up a good point, in that, while the benefits are clear to me, I'm unsure how well they translate in the eyes of ADCOMs. Whichever role I take, I plan on continuing clinical volunteering during weekends.

My T20 would prefer that over CRC but each school, and sometime individuals on each adcom will see things differently.

CRC are a dime a dozen; this is going to be something novel and that adcom interviewers may find intriguing and want to talk to you about. Once you get past the initial screens, the point is to have an application that makes someone say, "I'd like to meet this one!"

 

[pazzer2]

The position entails extensive research on the landscape of the medical industry and speaking with top physicians regularly about their clinical and academic interests, as well as advising pharmaceutical companies on the scientific background and commercial opportunity of a variety of disease states/therapeutic areas (overall, more so consulting, I'd say).

Will you be working for a CRO or pharma company? It sounds like from the description above that you'd be in competitive intelligence, business development or medical affairs? These types of position usually require more experience than just a bachelors degree, so it sounds like you already have additional experience (masters or PhD)?