Gap Year Position - Need Advice/Opinion

[zatanna]

So I just got offered a position as a full-time Public Health Data Coordinator through AmeriCorpsVISTA for my upcoming gap year. I'm wondering whether or not I should take this volunteer/job position because its very data analytics/business skills heavy and NOT really connected to medicine. Do you think its worth doing this or do you think I should pursue a more medically related position? I do plan on volunteering at a hospital during my weekends in my gap year to stay connected to medicine somewhat. Here's a description they gave me:

Objective of the Assignment:
Within the Public Health Department, the VISTA will build sustainability of the newly established departmental structure for organizing open data work.
Member Activity: Educate and train APH staff that are designated Data Coordinator and Data Stewards, on how to prepare datasets for publication and how to publish to the data portal.
Member Activity: Cultivate an appreciation for open data's value within the department and externally by demonstrating how visualization and business intelligence tools can lead to actionable insights and understanding.
Member Activity: Identify metrics and implement a process to assess the progress of divisions within the department on publishing datasets.
Member Activity: Utilizing framework for APH open data training, create channels for sharing health research and data with external partners.
Member Activity: Engage with newly emerging departmental and city level initiatives aimed at establishing open data governance, data quality standards, and other efforts which will facilitate greater internal-external data sharing.

I am currently wait-listed at 2 medical schools and both of these schools are the only ones I interviewed at. I'm pretty sure the reason I didn't get that many interviews was because I was super lazy about turning in my secondaries and would turn them in weeks after I got them.

Here are my stats:
Texas Resident (re-applicant), but applying both in and out of state
MCAT: 508; 127/125/127/129
Science GPA: 3.87
Overall GPA: 3.92
140 hours of shadowing: ophthalmologist, allergist, pediatrician, and oncologist
2.5 years of General Chemistry I/II Tutoring at college
2 years of volunteering at Children's Health
1 year as ER Medical Scribe
2 years as Founder and president of student organization dedicated to raising money to help low-income families at Children's Health
Hobbies: Tennis & Baking
4 years of research in Cortical Plasticity Lab w/ a poster presentation- 1500 hours
Currently doing a summer research internship studying liver failure: will result in a poster and PI promised if project looks good, will get publication and 2nd author but may take up to 2 years before publication

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP AND OPINION ABOUT THIS!!! THANK YOU!!!

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[PsshaawHolmes]

Caveat I am not an ADCOM, listen to ADCOMS:

As with everything in life, experiences such as this come with costs and benefits. Off the top of my head:

Costs:
1. Time - How much of a commitment will this take. Will you be able to handle it alongside applying? Will you have developed this experience enough to be able to speak about it intelligently when you are interviewing?
2. Money - This seems like a volunteer position or at least low paid. Will you be able to do this and have the finances to apply?
3. Mental Energy - I have not been a part of Americorps but from reviews online it can be hit or miss with how well the office is organized. If its tough, will you be able to do applications and grind it out?

Benefits:
1. Americorps is a well known service organization (I don't think there is a difference between Americorps and Americorp Vista). I had several applications last cycle that asked me if I was affiliated with them (I am not so I couldn't check it). This could be a way to differentiate yourself.
2. Data management and Public Health are huge topics in the medical field. So the fact that this may not be "hands on" or "medical related" doesn't seem to me to be a huge deal. You already have medical experience as an ER scribe and Children's Health. Being able to talk about data management in the service of the underrepresented sounds like a sweet EC (which the under-served is what Americorp focuses on right?) How would these skills serve you as a physician?
3. This position seems to have a lot of teaching involved. Schools love people who teach.

Weigh some of these pros/cons and see if its worth it. With what you have posted, you would most likely be an excellent candidate for DO schools without this. And you did receive MD interviews so your app is good there except for MCAT is a bit on the lower side. But to me sounds like an awesome gig that could be unique and interesting for ADCOMS. I am not sure what comparable medically related gig you could go for (EMT, CNA? while nice sound blase compared to Public Health Data Coordinator for Americorps.)