Gap Year Ideas!

[theroof]

I'm a senior graduating this May and applying for Fall 2015 acceptance.

I'm not sure what I'll do during the gap year. Here are the options I have thought about so far:

1) hospital volunteering/ service activities - i have done 100 hours at ER so far so doing more volunteering at clinical setting might be good way to boost my EC. I have also worked at AIDS clinic before so I might start volunteering there again, if I stay in town.
2) shadowing physicians - i have little to no physician shadowing experience so far, so definitely this.
3) summer programs? - I have thought about public health summer program, research program, hospital rotation program, NIH IRTA, etc. The reason is because I have no prior research experience, so I'm considering getting my feet wet on the research department, boost my EC, have something to talk about during the interview.
4) travel - this is a big one. I definitely want to travel abroad. But will I have a time (say month or two) to travel? I'm planning to submit AMCAS on early June and I know I'll receive secondary during the summer then maybe potentially have an interview anytime between Fall 2014 till Spring 2015, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to leave the US.

Any ideas? And especially for option 3 and 4. I'd appreciate all opinions, thoughts, advices. Thanks!

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[ES2]

Get a job.

 

[Pacna]

Dem yobs.

Edit: You should apply for a job that starts with ER and rhymes with ER scribe.

 

[aspiring20]

do whatever you want as long as it is productive.

 

[justAstudent]

Get a job.

Having a small source of income is nice.

 

[Aerus]

I'm a senior graduating this May and applying for Fall 2015 acceptance.

I'm not sure what I'll do during the gap year. Here are the options I have thought about so far:

1) hospital volunteering/ service activities - i have done 100 hours at ER so far so doing more volunteering at clinical setting might be good way to boost my EC. I have also worked at AIDS clinic before so I might start volunteering there again, if I stay in town.
2) shadowing physicians - i have little to no physician shadowing experience so far, so definitely this.
3) summer programs? - I have thought about public health summer program, research program, hospital rotation program, NIH IRTA, etc. The reason is because I have no prior research experience, so I'm considering getting my feet wet on the research department, boost my EC, have something to talk about during the interview.
4) travel - this is a big one. I definitely want to travel abroad. But will I have a time (say month or two) to travel? I'm planning to submit AMCAS on early June and I know I'll receive secondary during the summer then maybe potentially have an interview anytime between Fall 2014 till Spring 2015, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to leave the US.

Any ideas? And especially for option 3 and 4. I'd appreciate all opinions, thoughts, advices. Thanks!

My friend killed two birds with one stone and got a paid job as a researcher after he graduated.

 

[theroof]

do whatever you want as long as it is productive.

hear hear. Honestly I would love to wind down a little bit after crazy 4 years of undergrad. Do traveling, exercise, eat good food, catch up with family members who live abroad, etc. I'm just not sure if I'd have time to travel abroad for an extended period of time.

 

[theroof]

My friend killed two birds with one stone and got a paid job as a researcher after he graduated.

I'd love to do that, but I have no prior research experience so not sure how competitive applicant I'll be. I guess I can apply, there's nothing to lose…

 

[Aerus]

I'd love to do that, but I have no prior research experience so not sure how competitive applicant I'll be. I guess I can apply, there's nothing to lose…

An even better idea to try lab work! A year of experience wouldn't hurt.

 

[quicheduty]

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