Help! Need advice for what to do with my Gap Year.

[Gaucho1]

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Hi guys, first post ever!

I was wondering if I could get advice on what I have planned to do with my gap year. I have applied to enter medical school in 2012 but I am thinking that I should take major steps to prepare to be a re-applicant since I am borderline competitive. Here are my credentials to give you an idea:

 

[Gaucho1]

Bump! 😉

 

[Eric01]

Hi guys, first post ever!

I was wondering if I could get advice on what I have planned to do with my gap year. I have applied to enter medical school in 2012 but I am thinking that I should take major steps to prepare to be a re-applicant since I am borderline competitive. Here are my credentials to give you an idea:

I just graduated from UCSB with a BS in biological sciences and a distinction in the major.

MCAT 30Q (8V 10P 12B) Definitely can improve since i took it with 2 hours of sleep.

Overall GPA 3.45
Science GPA 3.32
UD Major GPA 3.76

Decent Upward Trend:
FR 3.1 (50% science courses)
SO 3.0 (60% science courses)
JR 3.6 (100% science courses)
SR 3.92 (70% science courses)

Extracurriculars (all during my last 2 years at UCSB):
500 hours of research
100 hours of volunteering in a clinic
60 hours of volunteering in a hospital
40 hours of shadowing Dr.s

Also, I am an URM.

So to better prepare myself just in case i become a reapplicant I have come up with the following game plan that:

-10 hours of health related volunteer work a week
-Volunteer as a Big brother
-Taking psychology at the community college this fall semester
-Take UD biology courses (cell biology, microbiology, virology, etc) at UCI fall and winter quarter through their extension program.
-Take the MCAT in the middle of May and only study for the MCAT after the winter quarter and not take any courses.

So what I am trying to get out of taking those UD courses is mimic what a post-bacc tries to do which is show I can handle a fat load of science courses in medical school. So to effectively do this how many UD course do you all think I should enroll per quarter? Consider my upward trend and UD major GPA.

Also, how do you guys see my application for this current application period?

Thanks in advance! 😀

If you're black, hispanic, or native American URM, then according to this chart: http://i55.tinypic.com/do3wq0.jpg
you have about a 78% chance of being accepted. That's reasonably high assuming you don't just apply to top tier universities. My recommendation for you first and foremost is to look up the schools you get interview invites to, look at the questions, and prepare for each and everyone of them.

I'd say just continue your volunteering services and at ~80% acceptance, you should be alright.

 

[bucks2010]

good news: AAMC stats suggest you have roughly at 80% chance of acceptance, so no need to fret much.

As for this year, I vote get a job and volunteer on the side.

if you don't need a job, then your plan sounds good.

 

[alexandertg6]

youre set, but my two cents would be to not discontinue medical related activities. Keep volunteering, shadowing, etc. and prepare for med school. Good luck.

 

[Morsetlis]

Take summer classes to raise your GPA.

Continue with EC's.

Do research if possible.

 

[Gaucho1]

Awesome, thanks!

 

[doctorshateher]

From my experience, which granted is not the exact same as yours but seems to be somewhat relevant, you should look into one year positions such as research and/or AmeriCorps.

Research is cool because it pays ok and looks good on an app. AmeriCorps looks different for every person in it, but it always looks pretty stellar. But the pay is bad. That's why you're called a volunteer, haha.

Looks like your first focus should be MCAT. After that, maybe take a few UG classes to up your GPA if possible. After that, it's really about filling in your app in areas it is somewhat weak, whether that be clinical experience, community service, research, etc. It's also important that you get something that would be flexible about interviews.

It seems that you are in pretty good shape overall though 👍

 

[doctorshateher]

Nevermind my earlier post. I thought you were applying NEXT year. my critical reading skills = poor.

Anyway, I agree with the above posters. Keep up current volunteer/clinical activities, see if you can raise that GPA even a little and make sure that when the interviews come around you have something meaningful to say when they ask what have you been doing since graduation.

 

[WorldChanger36]

You could take extra undergrad classes or do a short one year masters program. Your stats are a bit under the wire but not so much that they would prohibit you for getting in( not only that URM helps out too). Do some thing you would enjoy and continue in ECs but try to do something that will add to your app.

 

[Gaucho1]

Awesome, thanks for the advice guys! 👍

 

[aSagacious]

Moving to 'what are my chances' forum.