Gap year research or clinical experience for top 20 med schools?

[hahabobe]

Hi y’all I humbly need some advice on this.

I’m a graduating senior in biochemistry taking two gap years before med school. I have research experience in 2 organic synthesis/drug development labs over the course 2.5 years, yielding ~1200 hours tho with no publications nor thesis work (I forgot to send in my proposal smh rip). However, I have 0 clinical hours which I know is a must for med school.

I quit my job and am about to start working as a medical assistant for two years at a local clinic. I do have some reservations for my decision tho since it is known that the top 20 schools are VERY research orientated. I now also very likely have a job line up at Columbia University Medicine for pathological research on CRISPRi technology where I can publish, but both jobs are full time and require a 2-year commitment. I can only do one way or the other, which route should I go?

I have a 3.96 at the University of Michigan and a 522 MCAT with great LORs. Set with ~200 hours in volunteering (will do more). My goal is U of M or Mayo Clinic or case western or Northwestern, somewhere Midwest or maybe Boston areas.

Thanks so much 🙂))

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[NotADoctor1]

If you have zero clinical hours you're pretty much DOA for most (if not all) medical schools. Take the clinical job

 

[GoSpursGo]

Did not read beyond the 0 clinical hours. That is your deficiency, address that.

 

[Bwesternn]

I have research experience

However, I have 0 clinical hours

Anddddd roll credits. Strong work on the MCAT and GPA

 

[Moko]

I’m a graduating senior in biochemistry taking two gap years before med school. I have research experience in 2 organic synthesis/drug development labs over the course 2.5 years, yielding ~1200 hours tho with no publications nor thesis work (I forgot to send in my proposal smh rip). However, I have 0 clinical hours which I know is a must for med school. I quit my job and am about to start working as a medical assistant for two years at a local clinic. I do have some reservations for my decision tho since it is known that the top 20 schools are VERY research orientated. I now also very likely have a job line up at Columbia University Medicine for pathological research on CRISPRi technology where I can publish, but both jobs are full time and require a 2-year commitment. I can only do one way or the other, which route should I go? I have a 3.96 at the University of Michigan and a 522 MCAT with great LORs. Set with ~200 hours in volunteering (will do more). My goal is U of M or Mayo Clinic or case western or Northwestern, somewhere Midwest or maybe Boston areas.

Research-heavy medical schools like to see meaningful research experiences, but we are here to train physicians first, not scientists and researchers. You will need clinical experience(s) to be competitive at any medical school. Your current choices to gain clinical experience are to work as a MA, or volunteer in a clinical setting with direct patient interactions while working as a research assistant. Possible volunteering sites include a hospital ward, emergency department, hospice facility, free clinic, EMT, etc. Many applicants have also been volunteering electronically as crisis text counselors, etc. to supplement (but not replace) more traditional clinical experiences. Of course, in-person volunteering opportunities may be tough to come by given the ongoing pandemic, so take that into consideration when deciding on which opportunity to pursue. Just my thoughts and best of luck.

 

[allseasons]

I gotta disagree a little with the others here, assuming you have some flexibility. You have to have clinical experience, but you can do that as a volunteer while you're a research assistant. You said you have two gap years. 4 hours a week and that's 400 hours.

 

[allseasons]

Wouldn’t only starting that during the gap year look like box checking?

he's already a graduating senior. When else can he do it lol.