Gap year suggestions, research or clinical experience?

[lachea7223]

Need to decide what to do after my MCAT in January. Applying in 2024. My current research and clinical experiences are listed below:

Research:
1000 hours in cancer drug development
500 hours in autoimmune disease drug development
(Both are organic synthesis and no pub)

Clinical:
1300 hours as a scribe
1000 hours in health coordination in ICU
600 hours in Crisis Text line

I really want to get into microbiome research, but with no biological research background, it’s been difficult to find research positions locally. I’m concern about moving out of state since I’ll lose my resident status for my top school (first gen immigrant, parents are not in the US). I see myself doing research in the future, and thought I’d be important to learn research techniques and get more experience to aim for a research-heavy school. Are labs in med school willing to train students who don’t have the particular skills required? And is my research experience enough for a research-heavy program? If I’m solid, I will work a scribe (pretty much my only clinical option) and continue to find research position locally as time goes.

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[LizzyM]

Without any information about your state of residence, your MCAT, your GPA and your non-clinical volunteering, we really can't say which gap year job will be most effective in getting you into med school. You can hope for a role in microbiome research in medical school but the med schools with that kind of portfolio tend to sent a high bar for admission meaning that if you are more "average" than exceptional compared with other likely matriculants, you are more likely to get into a school that will value clinical experience over bench experience. On the other hand, if you are walking in with a 3.95/520, you may as well shoot for the stars, stop worrying about state residency, and find yourself a gap year job that will train you at the bench.

What was your undergrad major? Did you learn any techniques in lab classes?

 

[lachea7223]

Without any information about your state of residence, your MCAT, your GPA and your non-clinical volunteering, we really can't say which gap year job will be most effective in getting you into med school. You can hope for a role in microbiome research in medical school but the med schools with that kind of portfolio tend to sent a high bar for admission meaning that if you are more "average" than exceptional compared with other likely matriculants, you are more likely to get into a school that will value clinical experience over bench experience. On the other hand, if you are walking in with a 3.95/520, you may as well shoot for the starts, stop worrying about state residency, and find yourself a gap year job that will train you at the bench.

What was your undergrad major? Did you learn any techniques in lab classes?

Sorry that I didn't include more details. I have a 3.97 and am comfortable with 520+ based on my FL score (though you never know). I majored in Biochemistry and obtained relevant skill sets. I also opened up a probiotic company and have extensive personal experience with microbiome diseases and research. Maybe the job market is not the best right now with the fact that I cannot commit for two years so I haven't had any success. I appreciate the advice to forget about the state residency There is no guarantee to get into the school anyway.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Without an official MCAT score, it's difficult to say. But you haven't listed any non-clinical community service that shows your service orientation.

Why do you want to leave your start-up/company? Why not try to go deeper with a masters degree that leverages your research experience and connections?