GAP YEAR ideas, in light of changing admission requirements

[buttahz]

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I'm in a weird position. I'm a junior, planning to apply the summer after my senior year. I don't think I can take more than a year off because of the changing med school requirements for the entering classes of 2015 (correct me if I'm wrong, but if I took two gap years, I would have to take the new MCAT plus sociology, no?).

So! Considering this, most full time, paid clinical research jobs are off consideration because those places want a time commitment of 2+ years. However, is there a way to get started senior year as a part time, or perhaps switch to part time once matriculating into med school? Does anyone have any experience with this?

I don't want to spend too much money. I'm interested in applying for a fulbright to study or conduct research abroad, but this is super competitive and obviously I'm not going to bank my gap year plans on this. I'm also interested in joining a volunteer program like cityyear or americorps, so if anyone has any experience with this, I would love to hear about it as a reply or PM.

I could also continue volunteering in the ER or as an EMT, or catch up on shadowing... but I'd also like to do something exciting and different to take advantage of the fact that I'm not taking classes.

I'm planning on taking the MCAT this august, giving me this semester + the summer months to study. Anyone have better ideas?

If you've read this far, thank you 🙂

 

[MedPR]

There is no reason to believe that schools will not take the "old" MCAT as long as it is less than 3 years old. There's also no reason to believe they will add "new MCAT classes" to their pre-reqs.

 

[buttahz]

Thanks. Guess my advisor was misleading.

 

[CrimsonKing]

Thanks. Guess my advisor was misleading.

Pre-med advisors were quite literally the most ignorant and useless people I met in my undergraduate career. Don't trust a word they say.

Talk to medical school admissions offices if you have questions about the process. SDN is also a good place to ask questions, but there are many here who really don't know the facts, so take everything with a grain of salt.

 

[ANATOMYgirl22]

There is no reason to believe that schools will not take the "old" MCAT as long as it is less than 3 years old. There's also no reason to believe they will add "new MCAT classes" to their pre-reqs.

MedPR is right as far as I know. Also, I decided to do the 2 gap year thing and got a job working as a lab tech and it has been a really great experience for me. However, we have an intern who is doing part time research in our lab right now (during his senior year) and we will most likely offer him a tech position for his gap year assuming he learns some useful techniques and is able to be a contributing member of our team.

Since you're a junior this year have you thought about finding a lab to intern in this summer? Then maybe working part time in that lab your senior year? If you could do that it would really help you get your foot in the door for a short-term tech job after you graduate.

 

[galaxyx]

Some schools have already changed their pre-reqs and are phasing them in currently. For example, Dartmouth now requires 1 sem Ochem and 1 Sem Biochem, but you can substitute the 2nd Sem Ochem until 2014.

 

[MedPR]

Some schools have already changed their pre-reqs and are phasing them in currently. For example, Dartmouth now requires 1 sem Ochem and 1 Sem Biochem, but you can substitute the 2nd Sem Ochem until 2014.

I dont think this is due to the MCAT though.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[CrimsonKing]

I dont think this is due to the MCAT though.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

You are correct! It is due to the fact that, thanks to the advances in biology and biochemistry over the last ten years, Biochemistry is more important (and challenging) than ever in medical school, and schools want you to be exposed to it early on.

 

[buttahz]

Since you're a junior this year have you thought about finding a lab to intern in this summer? Then maybe working part time in that lab your senior year? If you could do that it would really help you get your foot in the door for a short-term tech job after you graduate.

Well I'm doing bench research with a professor in the bio department at my school, which started beginning of last summer. I'm taking a break this semester, and will probably continue this summer to do a senior thesis. I kind of want to stick to this project longer term and see what happens, but I don't think I could work there after I graduate, but we'll see.

 

[Textbookversion]

You are correct! It is due to the fact that, thanks to the advances in biology and biochemistry over the last ten years, Biochemistry is more important (and challenging) than ever in medical school, and schools want you to be exposed to it early on.

Oh god you sound just like a future administrator.

The reality is ochem 2 was a complete waste of time both for the MCAT and for the rest of my life and it's a huge joke it was ever required. Biochem is actually related to medicine, although I've heard the undergrad class isn't much help. I'm glad the "serious people" in charge have finally decided to make some changes on the worthless classes front.

 

[blub1212]

Oh god you sound just like a future administrator.

The reality is ochem 2 was a complete waste of time both for the MCAT and for the rest of my life and it's a huge joke it was ever required. Biochem is actually related to medicine, although I've heard the undergrad class isn't much help. I'm glad the "serious people" in charge have finally decided to make some changes on the worthless classes front.

Ochem provides a foundation to help you better understand certain things in med school. I have also heard people say that undergrad classes did nothing to prepare them for med school classes and frankly, I just think that means they had piss poor teachers. My biochem, histo, anatomy and physiology, immunology, etc teachers did a very good job teaching me information that has given me a step up in those med school classes. To really get biology (the foundation of medicine), you have to understand chemistry. So, these classes you speak of are absolutely necessary.

 

[HughMyron]

Don't take any gap years if you can manage it. Remember, med school COA goes up every year, and it gets harder to get in. Also, every year you take a gap is one less year that you're making money as an attending.

The people I know taking gap years are people who either failed to get in, had some poor grades, or put off their prereqs/MCAT for too long. They'll be starting med school in their mid 20s. On the other hand, someone who didn't take any gap years will be an MD at 26 or younger.

Whose position would you rather be in?

 

[MedPR]

Don't take any gap years if you can manage it. Remember, med school COA goes up every year, and it gets harder to get in. Also, every year you take a gap is one less year that you're making money as an attending.

The people I know taking gap years are people who either failed to get in, had some poor grades, or put off their prereqs/MCAT for too long. They'll be starting med school in their mid 20s. On the other hand, someone who didn't take any gap years will be an MD at 26 or younger.

Whose position would you rather be in?

Pretty sure the vast majority of med students would say take a gap year to enjoy life before starting med school. Not everything is about money.

Edit: I personally took gap years out of necessity (stats suck), but I have gained a lot of perspective (life in the real world is very different than college life) and learned a lot about myself. If I could go back in time, I would work harder in UG for sure, but I would still take a gap year even as a competitive applicant out of college.

 

[CrimsonKing]

Taking a gap year was one of the best decisions I ever made. It was nice having a little bit of life without school, even for just that little bit of time. Completely worth it.

 

[SaintJude]

Taking a gap year was one of the best decisions I ever made. It was nice having a little bit of life without school, even for just that little bit of time. Completely worth it.

+1 Agreed.

Took a gap year reluctantly at first. But now that I've done it-best time---& education--- in my life.

I learned how live in the present, chill, love my friends & family. Stuff like that is fodder for your soul (& for interview talk when you're talking to overworked doctors)

Best advice I got is not to calculate your life in terms of strategic decisions. I've decided I'm gonna learn how to surf if I can, just because I can and the water is awesome. No real reasoning... If you happen to be a crazy artist, make some street art or teach art therapy. Just do what you LOVE. While you do that, part-time work as Kaplan prep tutor or teacher or WWOFing can take you around the world.

 

[gbc2013]

If research interests you, I'd still take a shot at some of those programs. There are some 1 year programs out there, and in a case of n=1 I have a friends who was able to get the 2 year commitment down to 1 because she was a very sought after candidate. I also think the NIH offers 1 year programs if I'm not mistaken. I did a summer program there and it was incredible! It's at least worth checking out!

 

[CrimsonKing]

IMO Research is a terrible gap year idea. Do something that doesn't have you sitting at a lab bench for 40 hours a week. Adcoms don't give a crap if you do tons of research after you've graduated just to inflate your resume.

Live a little, experience things that you won't get to in the coming 10 years while you are stuck in med school and residency.

 

[Tots]

Don't take any gap years if you can manage it. Remember, med school COA goes up every year, and it gets harder to get in. Also, every year you take a gap is one less year that you're making money as an attending.

The people I know taking gap years are people who either failed to get in, had some poor grades, or put off their prereqs/MCAT for too long. They'll be starting med school in their mid 20s. On the other hand, someone who didn't take any gap years will be an MD at 26 or younger.

Whose position would you rather be in?

Completely disagree. A gap year was one of the best decisions I made in undergrad. You may be missing out on future money as an attending but you will only be young with relatively few obligations once. If you want to go directly from undergrad, then go directly, but if you need time to do something you have always wanted to do or ensure that medicine is what you want to spend the rest of your life doing, then I encourage you to take that time.

 

[skais595]

IMO Research is a terrible gap year idea. Do something that doesn't have you sitting at a lab bench for 40 hours a week. Adcoms don't give a crap if you do tons of research after you've graduated just to inflate your resume.

Live a little, experience things that you won't get to in the coming 10 years while you are stuck in med school and residency.

Agree with others...taking a gap year has allowed me to learn soo much about being a doctor and has given me a way better answer to the question "why medicine". I first pursued research but was told that by the time I'd accomplish anything meaningful, I'd already be done with the application process. Aka it takes 7, 9, 11 months in the lab before you aren't just a tech. I hobbled together a gap year of shadowing, volunteering, and working. Not just med stuff... Use this time to pursue your interests (without forgetting med school). I coached a sport!! So fun. Don't forget that come spring you might be in somewhere, and will want to take time to relax/travel/whatever, so I'd be wary of year long contracts. That said, I would have liked to look into scribing. Start senior year so you can end plenty before med school would start.

I doubt I would have gotten in anywhere without the experiences from my gap year!

Sent from my iPhone... Sorry!

 

[PennDippody]

IMO Research is a terrible gap year idea. Do something that doesn't have you sitting at a lab bench for 40 hours a week. Adcoms don't give a crap if you do tons of research after you've graduated just to inflate your resume.

Live a little, experience things that you won't get to in the coming 10 years while you are stuck in med school and residency.

+1

I am in my "gap year" doing research right now and have all but checked out of the lab after the acceptances started coming in. I did a lot of heavy research in UG and thought it would be a good way to stay stimulated while continuing to build on my CV. I am now contemplating doing something else. I'm pretty burned out at this point and would probably leave if not for the money; While I strongly considered it for sometime, I doubt I'll base my career on research after all.

As for Adcoms, there is nothing you can really do in your gap year that would make a ton of difference. The year itself is more to allow for the previous year's credentials to be included on your application. I supose if you took > 1 year off it might be more meaningful.

 

[PennDippody]

Completely disagree. A gap year was one of the best decisions I made in undergrad. You may be missing out on future money as an attending but you will only be young with relatively few obligations once. If you want to go directly from undergrad, then go directly, but if you need time to do something you have always wanted to do or ensure that medicine is what you want to spend the rest of your life doing, then I encourage you to take that time.

+1 here also

I would recommend a gap year even if your application doesn't "need" it, per se. It has been nice to come home and have absolutely NO further obligations for a change - no pending exams, club activities, or application anxiety (no longer needed). It has been really refreshing to take a breather from things. I feel more informed on current events, have been spending more meaningful time with friends & family, and make plans for the weekends all the time. I guess I was relatively out of touch with a lot of things in UG as I was always stuck in lab or off in some corner of the library. What's more, I'm feeling super pumped and recharged for the upcoming year. I was always excited about med school but am now feeling better prepared, physically and mentally. My one remaining goal is to do some big time traveling before Fall- like a straight-up month or two abroad. This gap year will certainly facilitate such an endevour.

 

[darkjedi]

Taking a gap year was one of the best decisions I ever made. It was nice having a little bit of life without school, even for just that little bit of time. Completely worth it.

100% agree, gap year wound up being one the best experiences of my life. There really is an irrational fear about taking a gap year, but something I can totally understand as I had those exact same fears. That said, I am enormously glad I did it and wouldn't trade it ever to have matriculated into medical school a year early.

You may not need to use your gap year for bench research, but I did clinical research and found it to be pretty laid back. I also agree that you should take this time to just be able to explore life, as it is one of the last times you will have as few commitments.

 

[harkcomr]

I ended up with a gap year after an unsuccessful application cycle in 2010-2011, and I decided to join AmeriCorps. I was placed at a Federally Qualified Health Center in a rural area, and it was a really great experience. If you are going to go this route my advice would be to check into the Community Health Corps programs as most of the positions available are in a clinical setting. The experience you will have depends entirely on the program and on your placement, but the feedback I've heard is overwhelmingly positive. I personally felt like the work was meaningful, and I learned a ton from the docs at my clinic (great way to do some shadowing).

Adcoms at certain schools seem to really like seeing AmeriCorps on applications. 4 out of the 15 people in my AmeriCorps program were applying to med school and all of us received acceptances. It's a 1700 hour time commitment (which is counted as volunteer/community service). The only issue is that most of the programs start in late summer/early fall. This makes it pretty hard to talk about the specifics on your application. I ended up postponing applying for another year so that I would be able to talk about my experience more, but a few of the people in my program applied before starting.

Feel free to PM me if you want any more info.

 

[buttahz]

Don't take any gap years if you can manage it. Remember, med school COA goes up every year, and it gets harder to get in. Also, every year you take a gap is one less year that you're making money as an attending.

The people I know taking gap years are people who either failed to get in, had some poor grades, or put off their prereqs/MCAT for too long. They'll be starting med school in their mid 20s. On the other hand, someone who didn't take any gap years will be an MD at 26 or younger.

Whose position would you rather be in?

Wow, controversial post it looks like. By a yearly increase in COA, how much on average are you talking about? Anyway, I've been set on the gap year since the end of my freshman year. I'd like for all of my credentials and grades from senior year to be counted as well, and getting an MD one or two years later than originally planned is not a big deal to me. It's like a drop in the bucket compared to a decades long career. I have another 30+ years to make money. I'm on track to be decently competitive for allo schools, am finishing my prereqs this year, and am using this summer to study for the MCAT.

Best advice I got is not to calculate your life in terms of strategic decisions. I've decided I'm gonna learn how to surf if I can, just because I can and the water is awesome. No real reasoning... If you happen to be a crazy artist, make some street art or teach art therapy. Just do what you LOVE. While you do that, part-time work as Kaplan prep tutor or teacher or WWOFing can take you around the world.

Indeed... I tried to stratergize my life for the first two years of college, and I'd tell anyone that's a great way to burn out. It happens I AM a crazy artist, and school has led me to forget that I actually have hobbies 😛

I've never heard of WWOF before you mentioned it. You've done it, or you know people who have? At the risk of sounding obnoxious... how does it look on a med school app? JW.

If research interests you, I'd still take a shot at some of those programs. There are some 1 year programs out there, and in a case of n=1 I have a friends who was able to get the 2 year commitment down to 1 because she was a very sought after candidate. I also think the NIH offers 1 year programs if I'm not mistaken. I did a summer program there and it was incredible! It's at least worth checking out!

https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/postbac_irta
^ This is what you're talking about? What's the benefit of doing research with the NIH, specifically, as opposed to at any other medical center? Or is the NIH one of the rare places that offers a one-year deal?

If there's any research I'll be doing, I was hoping it would be in clinical/translational research, just because I've heard from the experiences of alumni from my school that it's offered an opportunity to shadow and interact a lot with patients, while earning some money. I definitely don't think I'd spend an entire year doing bench research.

 

[buttahz]

I googled for scribing positions in NYC, but I came up with nothing. Is it not a thing here, or did I just fail at searching? In terms of clinical activities, I have a new EMT-B certification, but haven't gotten a chance to really apply it yet.

Also, is there anything I can possibly start doing NOW that would possibly increase my chances of getting a clinical research gig after I graduate?

 

[Sassafrass23]

I loved my gap years. I grew up much more than I did in undergrad and feel confident about going to medical school as an older student.
Something you may want to consider as employment + experience: I took a job as a research coordinator. True, it mostly sucks but at the end of the day I got a ton of experience and had the opportunity to work with physicians that enjoy teaching and having people shadow (you'll find this in most physicians that are interested in research).
I do work in all subspecialities of cardiology and while there is a ton of crappy parts (the pay is number 1, lots of paperwork, being pretty unqualified for what they expect you to know) you are required to attend investigational procedures and operations, be present during follow up visits, have a BUNCH of patient interaction, and attend lectures/meetings all over the country.
Some institutions want their coordinators to be nurses or MAs but some, like mine, are willing to teach hopeful pre-meds with no medical background. The best part is that it gave me a lot to talk about in my interview. I only got 1 but I chalk that up to my scores. In fact, I think it's the experience that got me the interview.

 

[CRCprofessional]

I googled for scribing positions in NYC, but I came up with nothing. Is it not a thing here, or did I just fail at searching? In terms of clinical activities, I have a new EMT-B certification, but haven't gotten a chance to really apply it yet.

Also, is there anything I can possibly start doing NOW that would possibly increase my chances of getting a clinical research gig after I graduate?

In regards to clinical research....

I took some time off after college because I was burnt out. I applied for research positions at a university, and it took me about 6 or 7 months, but I landed a paid clinical research job. Yes, they 'require' a 2 year commitment, but, for me, it wasn't like I was signing a contract. It was a great experience and I had so many incredible stories to tell at my interviews (I worked with Alzheimer's patients, so it was more diverse than working with healthy volunteers). If you look long and hard enough, you can definitely find a paid clinical research job. I also had some volunteering experience and my EMT certification, which helped, but I know plenty of people who don't have that kind-of a background and are working in clinical research. Look for jobs as study coordinators or research assistants.

PM if you have more questions about it! Good luck - my gap years have definitely made me much more diverse of a candidate, and I wouldn't trade it for the world!

 

[phunky]

For what it's worth, I spoke to someone who is an adcom at a top 10 school in the north east, and he really emphasized research as the best use of time during a gap year or two in terms of medical school admission. Granted, top 10 schools are much more research oriented that a lot of others.

 

[lalalaaaaaa]

I did research as a research assistant for 1.5 years while I applied after graduation and I HATED being in the lab 50 hrs a week without being a student. I also didn't get into med school during this time which made slaving away in the lab even worse.

Now I'm doing AmeriCorps and I LOVE it. You get to serve the community, don't need to be doing a bunch of other volunteering outside of it, and you have a lot of unique options from location to what population you want to serve. I would go the service route if that is the reason you are going into medicine.

 

[darkjedi]

Over 60% of my class has taken at least a year in between college and med school. There is definitely a preferential bias in the adcom to those who have intelligently utilized a gap period after college.

 

[Frazier]

+1 for the group advocating the worth of taking gap year/s.

 

[gbc2013]

https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/postbac_irta
^ This is what you're talking about? What's the benefit of doing research with the NIH, specifically, as opposed to at any other medical center? Or is the NIH one of the rare places that offers a one-year deal?

If there's any research I'll be doing, I was hoping it would be in clinical/translational research, just because I've heard from the experiences of alumni from my school that it's offered an opportunity to shadow and interact a lot with patients, while earning some money. I definitely don't think I'd spend an entire year doing bench research.

I would say the main benefit of at least checking out the NIH programs is that, because the NIH is comprised of 27 separate institutions, you have a unique opportunity to pick and choose what type of research you'd like to do. One of the other interns I met while I was at the NIH worked directly with patients in a gene therapy group. On the other hand, I was doing more traditional bench research. The NIH offers basically every type of research position in between those two examples and then some. The clinical research hospital only accepts patients that are enrolled in clinical trials, and those lab groups tend to be pretty large.

Another obvious benefit is prestige. I was choosing between a research position at Case Western and the NIH, and although I really liked the idea of getting a foot in the door at a great school like Case, everyone knows the NIH so you really can't go wrong if you end up there. I think you could definitely find what you're looking for at the NIH, and yes, I believe that they are also one of the few institutions that will do a 1 year commitment vs. the 2 years.

 

[faw20]

Premeds:
Take the gap year!!

As someone who went straight through, my biggest regret is not taking a gap year. I would have loved to have some time in my early 20s to spend living with minimal responsibilities doing something interesting. In retrospect, I would have loved to have spent 1-2 years being a struggling violinist in NYC. Instead I spent my 20s with my nose in a book studying medicine. I'm in too much debt now to take time off to live a little. And I'm not even close to the violinist I used to be. Sure I'll be done with residency by the time I'm 30. But that doesn't make up for the missed life experiences. Note: I love being a family doctor, and would absolutely choose this path again.

My advice:
There's no prize for getting through medical school at the youngest age. Move far away to a different part of the country. Live paycheck to paycheck. Take the time to discover yourself... and perhaps not with beakers. Unless that's really your thing. And be a little irresponsible. You'll never have the same opportunity again!

(Plus it'll be nice to have the memories of when you had fun while your slaving away in medical school/residency.)

 

[redear]

Agree with others...taking a gap year has allowed me to learn soo much about being a doctor and has given me a way better answer to the question "why medicine". I first pursued research but was told that by the time I'd accomplish anything meaningful, I'd already be done with the application process. Aka it takes 7, 9, 11 months in the lab before you aren't just a tech. I hobbled together a gap year of shadowing, volunteering, and working. Not just med stuff... Use this time to pursue your interests (without forgetting med school). I coached a sport!! So fun. Don't forget that come spring you might be in somewhere, and will want to take time to relax/travel/whatever, so I'd be wary of year long contracts. That said, I would have liked to look into scribing. Start senior year so you can end plenty before med school would start.

I doubt I would have gotten in anywhere without the experiences from my gap year!

Sent from my iPhone... Sorry!

I'm planning on doing something similar--i've got a research assistant job lined up for just the summer--but for the rest of the year off sept-onwards (i'm only taking a year off) I was hoping to volunteer a bit at my local hospital, work a potentially non-medically related job (Waitressing or the like to make some more money) and travel--i was worried about the fact that I won't have a significant medically-related experience to put on my resume though for during the year except for the summer research thing I have...did this hurt your application at all?? When you interviewed did they ask you about what you were doing and did they seem negative about the fact that you weren't doing a lengthy reserach gig or anything?