Help with gap year(s) plans :)

[dr. mermaid]

Hi friends,
I am currently an undergrad and will be graduating fall 2016 with a fairly mediocre GPA (~3.3-3.4 science, ~3.5-3.6 cumulative, with overall upward trend). Anticipating a stellar mcat score of around 518 but haven't taken it yet. I am trying to choose between two very different options for my time between graduation and med school: Peace Corp service and getting an MPH.
I'd first like to point out that my primary interest in both these programs is NOT related to resume building and they are both options that I have been researching for a while. I would also like to point out that if I don't choose to do my MPH before med school I still plan to pursue it either during or after. I am genuinely interested in public/global health and think that both experiences would be beneficial to me as a physician- and in helping me choose a specialty, or perhaps decide if I want to be a GP.
As of right now I have equal interest in both, and they would be essentially the same time commitment (~27 months). The only complication with peace corp would be possibly having to fly back and forth for interviews and getting that time approved/$$$$$$ because I would like to apply to med schools in the 2019 app cycle.
My question for you guys, then, is this: would med schools appreciate peace corp volunteer work or grad school work more from someone with a low undergrad GPA?? At this point that is really something I need to factor into my decision, all else being equal.
And if you can offer any other advice that would be useful to my decision I welcome it all with open arms!!!
Sorry for the lengthy post

Other notes:
-I am open to DO programs as well
-I also still need more clinical experience (although I will hopefully be able to get more before I graduate!)
-I am a california resident and ca schools are my first choice
-I am scheduled to take the mcat may 2016, but can postpone. I chose this date taking into account the time required for both an MPH and a peace corp service

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[clippers50fan]

1) don't expect a stellar MCAT score of 518. I don't even know what that means. You get what you get. My AAMC averages were significantly higher than what I received on my exam. I'm not saying you won't get it, but assuming you'll do well is naive.

2) it's ok to focus on "resume" building. The end goal is an MD (or DO) and that requires a lot of time and effort. An MPH won't help you much in this department. I think peace corps looks good. But if you need clinical experience and such, focus on the parts of your applicant that are lacking, especially with a pretty low GPA (and as a CA resident, ouch).

 

[dr. mermaid]

1) don't expect a stellar MCAT score of 518. I don't even know what that means. You get what you get. My AAMC averages were significantly higher than what I received on my exam. I'm not saying you won't get it, but assuming you'll do well is naive.

2) it's ok to focus on "resume" building. The end goal is an MD (or DO) and that requires a lot of time and effort. An MPH won't help you much in this department. I think peace corps looks good. But if you need clinical experience and such, focus on the parts of your applicant that are lacking, especially with a pretty low GPA (and as a CA resident, ouch).

Thank you for the feedback! Helpful, as I have heard from others as well that good grad school grades don't matter as much as anyone wants them to and a very valid point regarding mcat --just trying to provide as much info as possible since I don't have a real score yet.

 

[Lost in Translation]

Grades DO matter. Numbers supplemented by ECs are what get you an interview look.

 

[NotWayneBrady]

If you're a southern CA resident check out the clinical care extender program for getting yourself some more hands-on hospital experience.

 

[NotWayneBrady]

1) don't expect a stellar MCAT score of 518. I don't even know what that means. You get what you get. My AAMC averages were significantly higher than what I received on my exam. I'm not saying you won't get it, but assuming you'll do well is naive.

...(and as a CA resident, ouch).

+1 for the MCAT advice here. You get what you get, it's the wild west right now with people scrambling to figure out the 2015 test.

Also, don't expect a CA school right off the bat. Pretty much all of the schools here are absurdly competitive; I only got one II (effectively ending in a reject) with a 39 MCAT 3.89 cGPA and 500-600 hours of clinical volunteering by next year. Everyone is different, but just saying unrealistic expectations can lead to pretty severe disappointment.

 

[PugsAndHugs]

Anticipating a stellar mcat score of around 518 but haven't taken it yet.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Food for thought that will also answer your question

Peace Corps is a fantastic thing for a medical school application. It's what you'll see ADCOMs on here call a "special" type of EC. It is the type of thing that can have the potential in some cases to save a below average stats applicant(note not a 3.2/24, more like a 3.45/28). Why is it fantastic? Because it requires serious commitment, sacrifice, altruism, dedication, ability to adapt to surroundings, deal with a variety of problems, and be in tons of uncomfortable situations. In other words, it's not something many people are willing to do or even capable of doing. It's not just something you go in planning "Oh I'll just do it for the sole purpose of boosting my med school app".

While the whole "don't do something if you aren't 100% passionate about it" thing can be a little overdone on this site, this is not an instance of this. Really seriously only do this if it is something you absolutely see yourself needing to do in your life for your own happiness and it's something you can't see yourself not doing. Almost like its been a life long or multi year long dream of yours where your almost as hell bent on doing it as being a doctor. If motivation behind something like Peace Corps is to use it as a resume booster and a) you'll never make it through the 2 years and training b) you'll be absolutely miserable in the process and get so much less out of it than you should.

I bring this up because MPH and Peace Corps are two completely different things. When someone is choosing between Peace Corps and something that different, it's fair to ask do they really know what they are getting themselves into with Peace Corps? Do you have significant volunteering experience in the past and have a passion for it? That's what Peace Corps is looking for and what the program is all about.

An MPH itself will do little to boost a med school application. If you want to improve your GPA: do some post-bacc work either informal or DIY style(honestly if you ace this year your GPA really isn't that low though).

 

[whatever5]

Anticipating a stellar mcat score of around 518 but haven't taken it yet.

I'm anticipating an interview at Harvard but haven't applied yet.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Listen to grapes

 

[flapjack3d]

Timing of Peace Corps can make it an unattractive option. You know it's 27 (not 24) months of service right?

 

[flapjack3d]

Also, i wouldn't do MPH. better to save a year's tuition and do it during med school.

 

[Globetrotter92]

Sorry that I'm a bit late to this thread. Just saw it today.
I was almost in the same shoes as you a few years ago. I had a higher GPA (3.98 both), but I was also interested in the Peace Corps and MPH programs.

I encourage you to apply to the Peace Corps if it is something you really want to do. I'm about eight months into my first year of service and it has been an incredible experience. But, like some of the above posters mentioned, it is definitely not easy. My group has lost quite a few people because they simply couldn't handle the demands and challenges of real Peace Corps service. They liked the idea of it, but at the end of the day, they didn't really want to be here. So try to be very self-aware and make sure you aren't one of those people before you make the commitmemt.

I would encourage you to apply to both MPH and Peace Corps because Peace Corps has gotten very competitve in the past two years. It is no longer an "If I stick with it through the application process, I'll get an invite" system.
Also, if you complete your PC service, you'll be eligible for the Coverdell Fellows Program at Tulane. Although Tulane is not as generous with that program as other schools are, all the money you can get will help.

Do not stress flying back and forth for interviews right now. If you apply early enough you can delay interviews and try to get as many of them as you can in the same couple of weeks. As a Volunteer, you'll be guaranteed 48 days of paid vacation which you can use to come back for interviews. Your only issue would be saving money so that you could afford an international flight. But, in my own experience, that is not too hard to do.

I do not know exactly how med schools view PC service, but I am sure it can do nothing but help your application. And if nothing else, it may help you stand out in the crowd. You also have the opportunity to do health work in whatever position you are placed. You do not have to be a Health Extension Volunteer to do that. Your secondary projects can be whatever your community needs, and trust me, all of them could use help in the health area even if it is just getting wheelchairs for disabled people and things like that.

Go for it!