Gap year: more courses vs. ER Tech

[kuzy]

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Hello Everyone,
I'll be graduating next month with a Biochemistry degree, and am trying to decide what to do next year before I apply in 2018. I have an ER tech job lined up at the hospital that I currently volunteer at, but am also considering taking additional upper-level bio courses to improve my low GPA.

Currently, I'm at:
AMCAS: cGPA - 3.2, sGPA - 3.2. AACOMAS: cGPA: 3.2 sGPA - 3.31
(upward trend of 3.76 the last 91 hours since transferring..it was a rough start, I know lol)

If I complete a second degree in Biology, I could improve these to roughly 3.29...Is this slight jump worth another year of school, or should I just hope my upward trend is sufficient and focus on working in a clinical setting and continued volunteering?

Other info:

MCAT: this summer, practice tests have been between 504 and 508

Clinical volunteering: currently 109 hrs
Non-clinical: 80 hrs between soup kitchen, after school tutoring, and student organization volunteering
Shadowing: 25 hrs but will do more

Work: 2 part-time jobs

Research: Poster presentation at an international conference, 1st author publication

 

[carrots28]

I think strong clinical experience would be a more worthwhile investment. It would take a lot of credits to move your GPA enough for the cost and time. Also I believe AACOM stopped taking grade replacement (needs verification). So if you are taking extra classes keep that in mind.

 

[Neuroplasticity]

I would agree with taking the job. Making money vs. spending, you already have an upward trend, your cumulative will not change much, and you don't have a ton of hours in a clinical setting.

 

[BenignBeignet]

Why not just do both? I've been a full time ER tech for a year now while being a full time pre-med student, and will continue to do so through the rest of my education (two more years, I'm a sophomore now). They're 12 hour shifts so you figure you take classes M-Th and work Th-Sa nights. very do-able IMO