How productive am I being in my gap year?

[woltej1]

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So I applied 2 cycles before and got waitlisted and have spent the past year app building. What I've done so far: improved MCAT from a 27 to a 33, full time clinical scribe position and will be revising one of the company's handbooks, so technically I will get a publication. I'm trying to get back into volunteering with the special olympics, but currently a short week of work for me is 40hours, so I'm a bit tight on free time.

Would you guys say I'm doing, and I guess have done since there's only a couple months left, with my gap year? I feel like anything I try start to start from scratch at this point will just be trying to check boxes.

 

[Boolean]

So I applied 2 cycles before and got waitlisted and have spent the past year app building. What I've done so far: improved MCAT from a 27 to a 33, full time clinical scribe position and will be revising one of the company's handbooks, so technically I will get a publication. I'm trying to get back into volunteering with the special olympics, but currently a short week of work for me is 40hours, so I'm a bit tight on free time.

Would you guys say I'm doing, and I guess have done since there's only a couple months left, with my gap year? I feel like anything I try start to start from scratch at this point will just be trying to check boxes.

You've improved your MCAT score (this is a good thing). You have somewhat of a publication (that'll be iffy for many to consider).

You haven't volunteered (even if you plan to do so, you haven't yet)

I see no shadowing mentioned.

You tell me.

 

[woltej1]

I have it on my app, this is just stuff I'm adding purely in my gap year. I have 200+ hours shadowing. I have a 2 years of volunteering with special olympics, multiple student body involvement when I was in school which some of the projects were volunteer, 1 year of research, 5 years of CNA work.

Again, everything I listed above is just what happened since last May.

 

[Keladry]

You've improved your MCAT score (this is a good thing). You have somewhat of a publication (that'll be iffy for many to consider).

You haven't volunteered (even if you plan to do so, you haven't yet)

I see no shadowing mentioned.

You tell me.

No shadowing, but scribing is pretty much full-time clinical experience, so I'd think that would definitely count for something.

Some volunteering might be good, though, if you could manage it.

 

[woltej1]

and in all honesty, when compared to scribing, shadowing gives you hardly any experience.

 

[woltej1]

and in all honesty, when compared to scribing, shadowing gives you hardly any experience.

 

[Boolean]

and in all honesty, when compared to scribing, shadowing gives you hardly any experience.

The shadowing isn't about the experience. You're learning bedside manner. That's the important bit. Try to get some shadowing, if you can. You don't want to seem like you just dropped off the face of the earth. And, as @Keladry mentioned, volunteer.

This said, bedside manner in and of itself is an experience. You may be referring at experience in a purely clinical standpoint, I believe.

 

[Pacna]

The shadowing isn't about the experience. You're learning the bedside manner. That's the important bit. Try to get some shadowing, if you can. You don't want to seem like you just dropped off the face of the earth. And, as @Keladry mentioned, volunteer.

Are you kidding me, dude? Scribing for 40 hours a week, literally at the bedside with the doc, isn't going to teach you bedside manner?

Scribing >>>>>>> shadowing in every single way

 

[Boolean]

Are you kidding me, dude? Scribing for 40 hours a week, literally at the bedside with the doc, isn't going to teach you bedside manner?

Scribing >>>>>>> shadowing in every single way

Some schools prefer clinical volunteer experience over paid clinical work. Just my $0.02

 

[Pacna]

Some schools prefer clinical volunteer experience over paid clinical work. Just my $0.02

Sure, but that's not what you were arguing in your previous post. This is a completely different point.

 

[Boolean]

Sure, but that's not what you were arguing in your previous post. This is a completely different point.

I concede.

Irregardless, there is a value to shadowing over scribing. I'm not saying do not scribe, I'm merely saying shadow a bit on top of that. There are 168 hours in a week. Even on a terribly packed work week, there is always some time to squeeze in.

 

[Pacna]

I concede.

Irregardless, there is a value to shadowing over scribing. I'm not saying do not scribe, I'm merely saying shadow a bit on top of that. There are 168 hours in a week. Even on a terribly packed work week, there is always some time to squeeze in.

You can choose irrespective or regardless, not both. 😉

Oh, definitely shadow specialties you know little about, to be sure. Scribing only exposes you to one or two specialties. Shadowing is definitely required at some point to fill in gaps.

 

[Boolean]

You can choose irrespective or regardless, not both. 😉

Oh, definitely shadow specialties you know little about, to be sure. Scribing only exposes you to one or two specialties. Shadowing is definitely required at some point to fill in gaps.

Pretty sure irregardless is an informal modernized form of regardless (may be totally wrong, either way, I did mean regardless, my mistake!)

And agreed!

 

[mehc012]

So I applied 2 cycles before and got waitlisted and have spent the past year app building. What I've done so far: improved MCAT from a 27 to a 33, full time clinical scribe position and will be revising one of the company's handbooks, so technically I will get a publication. I'm trying to get back into volunteering with the special olympics, but currently a short week of work for me is 40hours, so I'm a bit tight on free time.

Would you guys say I'm doing, and I guess have done since there's only a couple months left, with my gap year? I feel like anything I try start to start from scratch at this point will just be trying to check boxes.

Scribing is actually a great job for scheduling other activities (volunteering, classes, another job) around because it tends to be a few long days/wk and often on weekends instead of 9-5 every workday.

 

[mehc012]

I concede.

Irregardless, there is a value to shadowing over scribing. I'm not saying do not scribe, I'm merely saying shadow a bit on top of that. There are 168 hours in a week. Even on a terribly packed work week, there is always some time to squeeze in.

It's also a great opportunity to meet people TO shadow!

 

[Nicco]

I've never shadowed. I spent my year off working as a scribe. Many schools were impressed with this experience.

 

[woltej1]

I concede.

Irregardless, there is a value to shadowing over scribing. I'm not saying do not scribe, I'm merely saying shadow a bit on top of that. There are 168 hours in a week. Even on a terribly packed work week, there is always some time to squeeze in.

There is also time needed to sleep and enjoy life. If anyone expects every waking moment to be devoted to building a med school app then they can shove it.

 

[mehc012]

There is also time needed to sleep and enjoy life. If anyone expects every waking moment to be devoted to building a med school app then they can shove it.

Woe is you, you work 40-50hrs/wk :O

For the record, your gap year sounds pretty good...but you asked for advice on your productivity, and you got some good feedback - that pursuing the volunteering which YOU already mentioned would be a good addition. If you just want us to pat you on the back, this is a waste of time. You're not going to get any sympathy over the fact that a fulltime job is work...it's supposed to be. Do you need to do more? No. Can you? Absolutely. Did you ask if you could be doing something better? Yup. And now you're complaining about the answer?

 

[IncognitoGuy]

Looks good. Stay the course and keep it up. Maybe squeeze in some more volunteering if you want to manage it, but your gap year sounds plenty productive. Improved MCAT, possible pub, oodles of clinical exposure from scribing. What's not to love?

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

I've never shadowed. I spent my year off working as a scribe. Many schools were impressed with this experience.

To be honest Nicco, med schools are impressed that you have a 37 MCAT plus 3.8 gpa plus URM. That's a golden combination.

 

[woltej1]

Woe is you, you work 40-50hrs/wk :O

For the record, your gap year sounds pretty good...but you asked for advice on your productivity, and you got some good feedback - that pursuing the volunteering which YOU already mentioned would be a good addition. If you just want us to pat you on the back, this is a waste of time. You're not going to get any sympathy over the fact that a fulltime job is work...it's supposed to be. Do you need to do more? No. Can you? Absolutely. Did you ask if you could be doing something better? Yup. And now you're complaining about the answer?

More so spent my time straightening out after the first response assumed I had no EC to begin with. No need to be an ass and give me attitude. Mostly I was wondering if volunteer work would be expected and I got an answer towards that.

 

[mehc012]

More so spent my time straightening out after the first response assumed I had no EC to begin with. No need to be an ass and give me attitude. Mostly I was wondering if volunteer work would be expected and I got an answer towards that.

The attitude started with your post telling people to shove it because you don't feel like doing anything more than fulltime work, despite asking whether you should be doing more.

 

[woltej1]

Really? that's what I said? that I'm incapable of doing more outside of work? mind reading my statement again?

This forum can be helpful, but for every 1 helpful comment there's 20 self indulgent people out making pointless comments.

 

[woltej1]

Looks good. Stay the course and keep it up. Maybe squeeze in some more volunteering if you want to manage it, but your gap year sounds plenty productive. Improved MCAT, possible pub, oodles of clinical exposure from scribing. What's not to love?

For example, this is a good constructive way of giving advice, still told me volunteering would be a good addition, but overall I've spent my year well.

For the record, your gap year sounds pretty good...but you asked for advice on your productivity, and you got some good feedback - that pursuing the volunteering which YOU already mentioned would be a good addition. If you just want us to pat you on the back, this is a waste of time. You're not going to get any sympathy over the fact that a fulltime job is work...it's supposed to be. Do you need to do more? No. Can you? Absolutely. Did you ask if you could be doing something better? Yup. And now you're complaining about the answer?

AND then this is how you say the same thing.

 

[mehc012]

Really? that's what I said? that I'm incapable of doing more outside of work? mind reading my statement again?

This forum can be helpful, but for every 1 helpful comment there's 20 self indulgent people out making pointless comments.

I didn't say incapable. I said unwilling.
You said, in response to the idea that scribing would allow you to take on anything extra due to the way it's scheduled, that that time was for sleep and to enjoy life, and anyone who thought you should dedicate more could go shove it.

Honestly, I found that rude, not to mention super annoying given that you ASKED whether you should do more.
If your response to anyone saying 'yes' to that question is 'shove it', then this thread was pointless and exists solely for you to justify the decision you've already made.

 

[mehc012]

For example, this is a good constructive way of giving advice, still told me volunteering would be a good addition, but overall I've spent my year well.

For the record, your gap year sounds pretty good...but you asked for advice on your productivity, and you got some good feedback - that pursuing the volunteering which YOU already mentioned would be a good addition. If you just want us to pat you on the back, this is a waste of time. You're not going to get any sympathy over the fact that a fulltime job is work...it's supposed to be. Do you need to do more? No. Can you? Absolutely. Did you ask if you could be doing something better? Yup. And now you're complaining about the answer?

AND then this is how you say the same thing.

No, my advice was "Scribing is actually a great job for scheduling other activities (volunteering, classes, another job) around because it tends to be a few long days/wk and often on weekends instead of 9-5 every workday."
...as it sounded like the overall advice was tending towards 'you should do that volunteering thing!'

The one you posted was my response to your 'shove it' post, which pissed me off by being unnecessarily rude when I was trying to be helpful. I only added in the "your year looks fine' bit because I didn't want to change my advice to you just because I thought you were being a bit of a tool.

 

[woltej1]

I didn't quote you for a reason, wasn't meant for you.

 

[mehc012]

I didn't quote you for a reason, wasn't meant for you.

Yeah, eventually SDN refreshed all of the posts between everything...for a while it had them collapsed under a 'more posts were made' button even though there were new ones after that...

 

[woltej1]

chalk it up to miscommunication, i still stand by that boolean is an ass.

 

[mehc012]

chalk it up to miscommunication, i still stand by that boolean is an ass.

I think he recovered somewhat over the course of this thread, but yeah, that 1st response was just...how do you not even mention a new fulltime scribe job when giving your response? 😵
I've been at it for 6mo now f/t in an ED, and I'm starting to pick up some shifts at an ortho clinic, but tbh, I don't plan on picking up much shadowing beyond what gets thrown my way at work. I've seen the hospital environment, some surgeries, some cards, private practice, and, of course, being in the ED I get to see the sorts of cases that many of the specialists pick up (and see them in action.) There's a cool shadowing internship program I might try, but only because it's more exposure to the areas that I have already enjoyed. I've seen enough to have a hint of the diversity in both practice setup, hospital vs private, patient demographics, case composition, and monotonicity of care that can be had as an MD, and that's all I really see the need for. I could list many specialties which, while I would be willing to do, I would not choose intentionally, and a few which I think are pretty damn cool and which I hope to explore more. Anything more detailed can wait until 3rd year...I might explore some things on my own in the meantime, but I won't really be able to improve my understanding until I'm in the game myself, so to speak.

 

[Nicco]

To be honest Nicco, med schools are impressed that you have a 37 MCAT plus 3.8 gpa plus URM. That's a golden combination.

I know you don't say this with malice but I take this as a backhanded compliment. I'm not saying those factors don't matter, but you know nothing about me as a person or the rest of my application.

To clarify, my work as a scribe was brought up often by my interviewers. They were impressed by my ability to communicate the role teamwork played in the emergency department along with my experience in writing HPIs and learning symptomology. Extremely valuable imo.

 

[Ace-Co-A]

I know you don't say this with malice but I take this as a backhanded compliment. I'm not saying those factors don't matter, but you know nothing about me as a person or the rest of my application.

I agree, @Nicco . Nobody would ever say "med schools are impressed that you have a 37 MCAT plus 3.8 gpa plus you're black" in person, so why say it on the internet? Pressure should be placed on the sort of beliefs that crop up when anonymity is ensured. This sort of language has become the norm on SDN. You can just use 'URM' as a euphemism for black/Latino/etc. and say whatever you want on these forums about people having success in the application cycle - things that would never be tolerated in public discussion. It is disgraceful.

@ThisCouldBeYou thoughts?

Not trying to start a flame war here, but these comments about URMs seem really out of place to me - and this is a tame comment in comparison to others I've seen on this website.

 

[safgafy]

To be honest Nicco, med schools are impressed that you have a 37 MCAT plus 3.8 gpa plus URM. That's a golden combination.

The envy in this could not be more palpable.

I agree, @Nicco . Nobody would ever say "med schools are impressed that you have a 37 MCAT plus 3.8 gpa plus you're black" in person, so why say it on the internet? Pressure should be placed on the sort of beliefs that crop up when anonymity is ensured. This sort of language has become the norm on SDN. You can just use 'URM' as a euphemism for black/Latino/etc. and say whatever you want on these forums about people having success in the application cycle - things that would never be tolerated in public discussion. It is disgraceful.

@ThisCouldBeYou thoughts?

Not trying to start a flame war here, but these comments about URMs seem really out of place to me - and this is a tame comment in comparison to others I've seen on this website.

@Ace-Co-A I could not have said it better than you did.

I know you don't say this with malice but I take this as a backhanded compliment. I'm not saying those factors don't matter, but you know nothing about me as a person or the rest of my application.

To clarify, my work as a scribe was brought up often by my interviewers. They were impressed by my ability to communicate the role teamwork played in the emergency department along with my experience in writing HPIs and learning symptomology. Extremely valuable imo.

Great post Nicco! Go dazzle them in Med School!

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

my work as a scribe was brought up often by my interviewers. They were impressed by my ability to communicate the role teamwork played in the emergency department along with my experience in writing HPIs and learning symptomology. Extremely valuable imo.

@Nicco - The OP is also a scribe and has already applied twice and with the comment that "… a short week of work is 40 hours…. " I'm happy to know scribing has been a good experience for you. And no, I didn't mean to flame anything; I'm just trying to figure out what makes the difference in this crazy process between someone who gets 9 top med school acceptances and someone who is gearing up for a third cycle. You're right: it's not just one factor (or two or three factors) just as each person isn't just a statistic.

 

[mehc012]

@Nicco - The OP is also a scribe and has already applied twice and with the comment that "… a short week of work is 40 hours…. " I'm happy to know scribing has been a good experience for you. And no, I didn't mean to flame anything; I'm just trying to figure out what makes the difference in this crazy process between someone who gets 9 top med school acceptances and someone who is gearing up for a third cycle. You're right: it's not just one factor (or two or three factors) just as each person isn't just a statistic.

The OP has become a f/t scribe in this gap year, meaning it was not relevant to their prior rejections.

 

[Boolean]

chalk it up to miscommunication, i still stand by that boolean is an ass.

I think he recovered somewhat over the course of this thread, but yeah, that 1st response was just...how do you not even mention a new fulltime scribe job when giving your response? 😵
I've been at it for 6mo now f/t in an ED, and I'm starting to pick up some shifts at an ortho clinic, but tbh, I don't plan on picking up much shadowing beyond what gets thrown my way at work. I've seen the hospital environment, some surgeries, some cards, private practice, and, of course, being in the ED I get to see the sorts of cases that many of the specialists pick up (and see them in action.) There's a cool shadowing internship program I might try, but only because it's more exposure to the areas that I have already enjoyed. I've seen enough to have a hint of the diversity in both practice setup, hospital vs private, patient demographics, case composition, and monotonicity of care that can be had as an MD, and that's all I really see the need for. I could list many specialties which, while I would be willing to do, I would not choose intentionally, and a few which I think are pretty damn cool and which I hope to explore more. Anything more detailed can wait until 3rd year...I might explore some things on my own in the meantime, but I won't really be able to improve my understanding until I'm in the game myself, so to speak.

Alright, my screw up on that one. I definitely could have phrased what I said a lot better, there is no doubt about that.

Still, a few points do remain:

1. Yes, you are working, and you are working a lot. That said, you can fit in some time with volunteering, as others have mentioned.
2. How is your publication being used? You've said you are revising the handbook, what sort of handbook? Is it clinical? Or is it purely company policy? You may want to check in with individual medical schools on this one.
3. Research? I know you have one year (any pubs?), but perhaps there is an ongoing research study at the place where you scribe that you could possibly get involved with. Even if you're getting a latter author on this, it'd certainly help a ton.

My apologies for coming off as an ass. Certainly wasn't my intention, but I can blindingly see how it seems like that in hindsight.

Sorry.

 

[mehc012]

Alright, my screw up on that one. I definitely could have phrased what I said a lot better, there is no doubt about that.

Still, a few points do remain:

1. Yes, you are working, and you are working a lot. That said, you can fit in some time with volunteering, as others have mentioned.
2. How is your publication being used? You've said you are revising the handbook, what sort of handbook? Is it clinical? Or is it purely company policy? You may want to check in with individual medical schools on this one.
3. Research? I know you have one year (any pubs?), but perhaps there is an ongoing research study at the place where you scribe that you could possibly get involved with. Even if you're getting a latter author on this, it'd certainly help a ton.

My apologies for coming off as an ass. Certainly wasn't my intention, but I can blindingly see how it seems like that in hindsight.

Sorry.

If it's anything like my scribe company's handbooks, it's basically a primer on medical terminology, the pathophysiology of the standard cases you will see, the labs and how to interpret them, and the basics of charting/billing/coding.

 

[woltej1]

Alright, my screw up on that one. I definitely could have phrased what I said a lot better, there is no doubt about that.

Still, a few points do remain:

1. Yes, you are working, and you are working a lot. That said, you can fit in some time with volunteering, as others have mentioned.
2. How is your publication being used? You've said you are revising the handbook, what sort of handbook? Is it clinical? Or is it purely company policy? You may want to check in with individual medical schools on this one.
3. Research? I know you have one year (any pubs?), but perhaps there is an ongoing research study at the place where you scribe that you could possibly get involved with. Even if you're getting a latter author on this, it'd certainly help a ton.

My apologies for coming off as an ass. Certainly wasn't my intention, but I can blindingly see how it seems like that in hindsight.

Sorry.

If it's anything like my scribe company's handbooks, it's basically a primer on medical terminology, the pathophysiology of the standard cases you will see, the labs and how to interpret them, and the basics of charting/billing/coding.

The book is available for purchase on amazon, so it is not just a company book. The company I work for is nationwide and has a lot of online resources that docs subscribe to use such as ready to go clinical decision making templates. For the book I plan on reformatting the last half of the book from a long anatomy and disease list and try to correlate it more of clinical presentation of common problems.

 

[woltej1]

The book is available for purchase on amazon, so it is not just a company book. The company I work for is nationwide and has a lot of online resources that docs subscribe to use such as ready to go clinical decision making templates. For the book I plan on reformatting the last half of the book from a long anatomy and disease list and try to correlate it more of clinical presentation of common problems.

And also to clarify, I've only been rejected 1 time, I meant that I applied 2 cycles ago, with this last cycle being my gap year.

 

[medic86]

The shadowing isn't about the experience. You're learning bedside manner. That's the important bit. Try to get some shadowing, if you can. You don't want to seem like you just dropped off the face of the earth. And, as @Keladry mentioned, volunteer.

This said, bedside manner in and of itself is an experience. You may be referring at experience in a purely clinical standpoint, I believe.

Haha. I'd be annoyed too if someone told me I needed to shadow given my previous clinical experience.

I've placed a Foley in a patient with a bladder so distended (he had a clot blocking his urethra) that urine sprayed everywhere. I don't need to shadow.