Help me choose how to spend my gap year

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I personally would go for option 1 because it seems freakin sweet. However, getting published is pretty sweet too and admissions love seeing it, so I've heard.

As for option 1, you could work and volunteer at a clinic few hours a week to get patient contact. For option 2, publications take a very long time to get out there. I just got published from my work as an undergrad 3 years ago...

Also, will you for sure not get any credit in option 1? Maybe after getting in with the people that run the show you can persuade them to write your name on something. Worth a try...

I think option 1 is better, personally. Even without the publication...

anyways, goodluck with your decision
 
You have two great options and I'm struggling to find one 👎
 
I would choose based on your personal interest in either cardiology or internal medicine and EHR/EMR.

And the offer you turn down should be given to MisterVeil. 😀
 
I'd go with option 2 if you're interested in doing research as a doctor. This experience will give you a greater feel for what it's like, much more responsibility, and probably has a potential to develop your skills at designing experiments better.

Option 1 is good if you intend to do only private practice or if your application is really weak since you can probably get some great LOR's or some other networking contacts.

However, if you haven't applied yet, you must be taking two years off during the gap because you will have to have already sent in your applications by or at the start of your research positions if you intend to matriculate the next year. If that is the case, you probably won't have that much done to write about (you certainly won't have been published yet) to include in your application so a lot of this won't even matter.
 
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