Gap year: How much does it matter?

[xylophone]

I'm applying this year, but I'm also graduating this June. So I'll have a lag year before medical school... Does what you do this coming year matter? How much does it matter?

Here's my dilemma. I'm considering three jobs for this coming year:
(1) non-clinical research:
- pros - pays well ($20/hr) with flexible hours.
- cons - no patient contact.
(2) clinical research:
- pros - some patient contact, opportunities to shadow.
- cons - pays $13/hr and boring data entry most of the time.
(3) hospital assistant:
- pros - lots of patient contact, very medically relevant.
- cons - pays $10-15/hr and involves some bitch work (filing papers, etc.)

If I weren't worried about what med schools think, I'd take the non-clinical research job and volunteer in my spare time. Since I AM worried... I'm leaning towards the jobs with more clinical involvment. But will it really matter?

Any advice would be appreciated!!!

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[DocInProgress]

I would go with option 2. It involves both research and clinical experience. It does matter, well, at least for the top tier schools (research is a big thing!)

 

[ryandote]

I'm applying this year, but I'm also graduating

...

Any advice would be appreciated!!!
[/COLOR]

Are you lacking on your app in any of those areas? When I was applying, it was very comforting to tell interviewers that I was still actively doing the research I wrote about, still working in a clinical setting, and that I had started teaching at a local high school, too. I can't imagine they want to see somebody who graduates, applies, and drops all the things they pretended were important.

Also, I am the kind of guy that sent numerous updates, reminders, letters of interest, etc. It is nice to be able to write the same kind of stuff in there.

 

[xylophone]

Are you lacking on your app in any of those areas? When I was applying, it was very comforting to tell interviewers that I was still actively doing the research I wrote about, still working in a clinical setting, and that I had started teaching at a local high school, too. I can't imagine they want to see somebody who graduates, applies, and drops all the things they pretended were important.

I have pretty solid research experience, but I'm weak on the clinical side, which is why I'm leaning towards options 2 and 3...

I've said research is important to me in my apps, so I feel funny about just dropping it like you said. And I'd be happy and comfortable sticking with my non-clinical research next year.

 

[mmcnam]

I am in exactly the same situation, except that I'm having a hard time getting a job to begin with. What can I do that doesn't involve total bitch work? Keep in mind that I was an English major and barely finished my req's/bio minor in time to graduate. I have no qualifications for a job in clinical care/research except for a brimming desire to do something health-related. Any advice?

 

[ryandote]

I have pretty solid research experience, but I'm weak on the clinical side, which is why I'm leaning towards options 2 and 3...

I've said research is important to me in my apps, so I feel funny about just dropping it like you said. And I'd be happy and comfortable sticking with my non-clinical research next year.

$20/hr with flexible hours seems like it would afford you plenty of time to volunteer and shadow. To be honest, the things that schools will probably consider most are the things that are already permanently in your app. It would give me a red flag, though, it somebody had spent so much time in undergrad fitting in research, volunteering, clinical work, and generally making their life hell... and suddenly quit as soon as they graduated. It would lead me to question motivation for doing that stuff in the first place.

Just a few thoughts...

 

[ryandote]

I am in exactly the same situation, except that I'm having a hard time getting a job to begin with. What can I do that doesn't involve total bitch work? Keep in mind that I was an English major and barely finished my req's/bio minor in time to graduate. I have no qualifications for a job in clinical care/research except for a brimming desire to do something health-related. Any advice?

Sounds a bit like having a double-major in Economics and Biology - basically useless unless you want to know why the Fed is finally going to push the discount back up

I worked for a long time during undergrad (until just recently) as an "inpatient physical therapy aide." I worked with PT's and PT Assistants with acute hospital patients who were post-op or currently ill. We would go to their rooms and help devise and execute therapy plans after knee/hip/back/neck surgeries. We spent time on the cardiac floor helping heart patients regain their strength and endurance. We did passive and active range of motion exercises and a little be of walking and getting out of bed in the ICU, CCU, IMC. We did a little bit of walking therapy in the PICU and the Peds wing. We did excercise therapy in the Psych ward, on the Med/Surg floor, in the transitional care unit, and just about everywhere you could think of.

It was awesome because I got to know every kind of Doc and nurse on every single floor and see many, many different conditions and treatments, etc. (My ultimate boss had a stranglehold on the local hospitals and the docs ordered PT way more than they had to, probably).

On the job training, but only 6$/ hr.

 

[Phoenix.]

I agree. If you have an obvious lack in your application of a particular thing, I'd do that without question. Personally, I think that if you're happier doing the non-clinical research, do that (it's a whole year), and do clinical volunteering on the weekends or evenings. Also, the non-clinical pays better. If you're continuing your research and clinical work/volunteering, I think you've got your bases covered for the gap year.

I'm going to be working in my old career (non-medically related and not research related) for this gap year, and do clinical volunteering on the weekends (or evenings where possible). I'd prefer to do the clinical volunteering full-time, but that doesn't pay the bills. I think that adcomms understand that we all have lives and obligations before entering med school. As long as you can still talk about your research/clinical/medical work with passion at interviews, and show an on-going interest in it, I don't think they'll care if it's what you're doing 40 hours a week over the next year, or 4 hours a week. But that's just my gut feeling. And I'm a non-trad, so my perspective may be a bit different. Good luck. Sounds like you've got some good choices to choose from.

 

[Xotica]

$20/hr with flexible hours seems like it would afford you plenty of time to volunteer and shadow. To be honest, the things that schools will probably consider most are the things that are already permanently in your app. It would give me a red flag, though, it somebody had spent so much time in undergrad fitting in research, volunteering, clinical work, and generally making their life hell... and suddenly quit as soon as they graduated. It would lead me to question motivation for doing that stuff in the first place.

Just a few thoughts...

While your current activities will be discussed only briefly, I think that it is important to do something related to medicine in your time.

Also, I just wanted to mention that 3 of my interviewers of maybe 8?, asked me why I chose to do non-clinical rather than clinical research in college (even though I worked on a biomacromolecule...) If you choose option 1 make sure you have a good reason .

 

[xylophone]

I am in exactly the same situation, except that I'm having a hard time getting a job to begin with. What can I do that doesn't involve total bitch work? Keep in mind that I was an English major and barely finished my req's/bio minor in time to graduate. I have no qualifications for a job in clinical care/research except for a brimming desire to do something health-related. Any advice?

try looking at job listings on university websites. i've seen some listings for medical writers, which sounds like something you could do. basically you'd be helping doctors/researchers prepare manuscripts. i dunno if that sounds like bitch work, but you'd at least be doing something health-related.

thanks for the advice, everyone! SO helpful. keep it coming, especially if you've ever been in this situation.

 

[nick_carraway]

The OP's in a better boat than me. For my gap year I get to do clinical research at a private practice (which is looking more like data mining) for free and on Fridays, I get to work with patients for human trials for a new laser--also for free.

And foolish ol' me thought "free" was my favorite word.