gap year options

[lizlemon123]

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I will be taking a gap year or two (became pre-med relatively late in the game) and am wondering what part of my application needs the most work and what I should do in these years to best boost my application.

-Academically solid, currently 3.9ish GPA at at a top 20 school (it's not Harvard but not Podunk U either). No MCAT yet.
-Have time-consuming extracurriculars I pursued all throughout college, but they were entirely hobby-based (artistic and athletic), and have little to offer "leadership" wise.
-Worked as a peer tutor for 2 years
- ~80 hours volunteer work tutoring inner city kids, done over my freshman year of college
-2 summers of research on 2 different topics. No publications.
-40 hours of hospital volunteering

I think the EC/volunteering section of my app is weak (both clinical and non clinical) and plan to continue volunteering in my hospital. Aside from that, what should I do, and what sort of employment should I seek, to strengthen my application in my gap year? Research assistant jobs? Teaching? Am I a competitive applicant now or should I take an extra year?

 

[red doctober]

I will be taking a gap year or two (became pre-med relatively late in the game) and am wondering what part of my application needs the most work and what I should do in these years to best boost my application.

-Academically solid, currently 3.9ish GPA at at a top 20 school (it's not Harvard but not Podunk U either). No MCAT yet.
-Have time-consuming extracurriculars I pursued all throughout college, but they were entirely hobby-based (artistic and athletic), and have little to offer "leadership" wise.
-Worked as a peer tutor for 2 years
- ~80 hours volunteer work tutoring inner city kids, done over my freshman year of college
-2 summers of research on 2 different topics. No publications.
-40 hours of hospital volunteering

I think the EC/volunteering section of my app is weak (both clinical and non clinical) and plan to continue volunteering in my hospital. Aside from that, what should I do, and what sort of employment should I seek, to strengthen my application in my gap year? Research assistant jobs? Teaching? Am I a competitive applicant now or should I take an extra year?

It's hard to advise if you should apply this next cycle or not because I think a lot of it depends on your upcoming MCAT. If you can score in the upper echelon, your stats may make up for you lackluster ECs. If not, then you may be looking at a dim cycle. Are you really hoping to do something that pays?

 

[lizlemon123]

Thanks for the quick reply!
So I guess it sounds like I should take 2 years and work on the ECs.
I prefer something that pays (otherwise I would have no money for rent and would have to keep living at home) that would also strengthen my app, and plan to volunteer alongside with it. However, I would take an unpaid job that would strengthen my app over a paid job in, say, retail.
I was thinking a research assistant because it would give me a chance to get more research experience (and maybe publications?) while also leaving me weekends free to volunteer?

 

[lizlemon123]

do my college extracurriculars count for anything/ worth mentioning or are they worth nothing because I did not have a leadership position?

 

[LizzyM]

do my college extracurriculars count for anything/ worth mentioning or are they worth nothing because I did not have a leadership position?

They show that you were a social person that was involved in your college community and not a loner who was studying all the time with no "life" outside of the library. Don't be shy about listing that stuff.

 

[PreMedJock]

Travel. Even if it's just to cities in your state. It'll give you a new perspective on things, might even learn new things about yourself.

Just my $0.02

 

[plumhill]

There's always AmeriCorps, PeaceCorps, Teach for America, etc. I've had a few friends do those programs and they got a lot out of it. Plus you get a (tiny) bit of money while doing something useful for the community.

 

[lizlemon123]

thank you!

 

[ClemsonFirst]

Adding in some purely shadowing experience would help strengthen your application. You have lots of public service experience, but I would like to have more shadowing hours to feel comfortable with that application. If you can do well on your MCAT as in 32+, you should have a pretty good chance of getting into schools depending on which ones you want to apply to and your region.

So my suggestion: study and do well on the MCAT and add shadowing hours to your application.

 

[NotAsking4Much]

Adding in some purely shadowing experience would help strengthen your application. You have lots of public service experience, but I would like to have more shadowing hours to feel comfortable with that application. If you can do well on your MCAT as in 32+, you should have a pretty good chance of getting into schools depending on which ones you want to apply to and your region.

So my suggestion: study and do well on the MCAT and add shadowing hours to your application.

I would politely disagree. I think shadowing is a bit overrated. As long as you have some meaningful clinical experience that shows you know what medicine really is, that's all you need. Could be shadowing, in a hospital (like you have already), clinic somewhere,etc. Would not make that the focus of your app though.

 

[lizlemon123]

that's all I need as in that's all I'm missing for a sucesful cycle?
Anyone have an idea of how much is my application weakened by lack of research and leadership positions?

thank you all for the tips!

 

[NotAsking4Much]

that's all I need as in that's all I'm missing for a sucesful cycle?
Anyone have an idea of how much is my application weakened by lack of research and leadership positions?

thank you all for the tips!

Assuming your MCAT is good, a lot rests on what caliber of schools you want to go to.

 

[lizlemon123]

I'm focusing at the mid/ upper tier schools. I'll have "safeties" of course, but either Columbia or U Chicago would be my dream school.

 

[EarthtoneJon]

OP,

Tough to advise without an MCAT. For me, getting a satisfactory score took 8 months of studying (4 months, tried and failed, another 4 months, did well.) The score you get may drastically reshape the way you approach your gap year.

Employment? If you are looking for medicine-related employment to be a key feature of your application, do an accelerated CNA certification program. It will take < 2 months. In my experience, admissions people dig it. You already have some hospital volunteering. I'm not sure what that entails, but if your application is lacking some down and dirty health care work, be a CNA for 8 months. You will love it and hate it, but one thing is for sure: it will demonstrate that you're serious about medicine.

 

[lizlemon123]

I hadn't considered that. Thanks!