Gap year: full-time & no ECs?

[wowsers]

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I'll be working in a time-intensive field this coming cycle while I'm applying (think consulting, law, finance, campaigning, etc.). Average ±70-hour workweeks. I want to devote myself to the job as much as I can before I cart off to medicine. My focus will be on work, applying, and maintaining a competitive hobby.

Thus, I won't have time to do much volunteering/service, either clinical or non-clinical. My ECs from college are stellar (take my word for it lol), so is this plan okay? Do I need to try harder to do more things this upcoming year? Gunning for the top schools.

 

[Hospitalized]

Uniqueness is never a bad thing. You are showing that you have a great deal of commitment, medical schools love that. They want someone who is going to go through with the whole process.

 

[Ace Khalifa]

I'll be working in a time-intensive field this coming cycle while I'm applying (think consulting, law, finance, campaigning, etc.). Average ±70-hour workweeks. I want to devote myself to the job as much as I can before I cart off to medicine. My focus will be on work, applying, and maintaining a competitive hobby.

Thus, I won't have time to do much volunteering/service, either clinical or non-clinical. My ECs from college are stellar (take my word for it lol), so is this plan okay? Do I need to try harder to do more things this upcoming year? Gunning for the top schools.

I think you have a chance if you can tie in how your gap year job relates to medicine (or if it doesn't, have a really good explanation for why you're not spending the gap year doing something that would show a continued commitment to medicine).

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Perhaps it'll be better if you sell yourself as a prospective dual degree student?
Are you interested in an MD/MBA or MD/MPP?

 

[ridethecliche]

I think you should have a few hours of volunteer work or medically related work, even if it's volunteering at a hospital for 4 hrs once every week or two.

You'll likely be okay either way. Adcomms hopefully understand that some jobs are very different than others. It's just harder to show commitment when the job isn't medically related. I have a feeling that you're interested in a JD/policy stuff with your MD so if it's related to that it's not a bad thing.

TLDR: Having some volunteer work or medically related stuff will help you if you can manage for even a couple of hrs a week.

 

[wowsers]

Definitely interested in a dual degree of some sort. Could any adcoms shed some insight?
@mimelim @LizzyM @gyngyn @Catalystik @hushcom