I need advice regarding Gap Year.

[Seaznam]

Hello all,
I am very down right now. I have studied my butt off for almost 4 years, but now I find that I haven't done enough to get into a medical school.

I am a senior, with my final semester remaining. My current GPA is 3.87. I have not taken the MCAT because I felt unprepared during the summer after my junior year (summer 2014). I will be taking the new MCAT in the summer of 2015.

What does the rest of my application look like? Very bad. I shadowed a physician for 100+ hours in the summer of 2013. I tutored college students for a semester (Fall 2013). I was a member of a pre-medical club for 2 years. That is EVERYTHING I have done. I regret not having done anything more. No research, no leadership positions in clubs, no volunteer work. There are so many applicants to medical schools that even if I got a 40+ MCAT score, I would not be considered for them. I NEED these other components in my application. Since I am already in the last semester of college, my situation becomes that much harder.

I am taking an average-heavy courseload next semester - 16 credits. I can add some extracurricular to that, if I get the opportunity. Now, the question is, how much extracurricular do I need? I see typical applicants having 2-3 years of research experience, numerous leadership positions, and many other extracurriculars. It is overwhelming to see that I am competing with these people. But, the truth is, they are my competitors, and I need to get on their level. So, how many gap years should I take? Will taking the 2015 summer to 2016 summer year off be enough for me to get these experiences? Or, should I take 2 years off - from 2015 summer to 2017 summer, and make my application richer? I need to take gap years, and I am asking you guys the question, how many should I take? And, what specific things would you advise me to do during these years?

Sorry for the long text. I am just very down, but I want to be a doctor. I need your help and advice. Thank you!

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[Hospitalized]

Please don't fall into the trap of this site making you believe you aren't a qualified applicant. Many medical school applicants have no leadership experience, no research, minimal volunteering, etc. Everyone has a unique set of EC's that developed them into an applicant. Cookie cutter medical school applicants are what you described. I personally know someone who had <200 volunteer hours, had no research, was in no clubs, had no leadership experience, and a 28 MCAT/3.8 GPA who got into an in-state MD school. This was an applicant who took one gap year to gain some clinical experience.

I think gap years are invaluable because they give you a year to gain life experience. In my opinion, you should take one for a few reasons. One is to gain clinical experience, and another is to take some time off from school while you still can. Do what you like in this time. Without a class schedule and only a job to work around, things are much more open. Believe it or not but traveling to another country is a valuable EC; I was reading a medical schools class profile and they had a specific section saying "AND the students from this class collectively bring experiences from the following countries: (list of countries, about 20+)" Regardless of what you do in that other country, the social experience can make you a more well-rounded person. I can almost guarantee that of the people in that class, not many of them were volunteering their time. I bet some were, but definitely not all.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/what-are-you-doing-with-your-gap-year.1109006/

Hope that page helps. I started it a month ago and have gotten incredible feedback since.

 

[poopsicle]

I took two gap years. Make a little money. Pay for your application fees, travel expenses, a little bit of loan payments. Gain some real life experience. Get some new letters. Travel a bit too maybe. I agree that this process can be pretty depressing sometimes, but once you get in - no regrets. Medicine is a marathon and you're on the right track. Keep at it.

 

[FalconSlice]

I am very down right now. I have studied my butt off for almost 4 years, but now I find that I haven't done enough to get into a medical school.
My current GPA is 3.87.
What does the rest of my application look like? Very bad. I shadowed a physician for 100+ hours in the summer of 2013. I tutored college students for a semester (Fall 2013). I was a member of a pre-medical club for 2 years.

This site has a fatal side-effect of making qualified applicants think they are not qualified. Don't let the overachievers make you think your achievements are any less significant.

 

[ridethecliche]

The issue for the OP is that they don't have any continuity for any activities, unless that pre med club thing is still going. Continuity is good as it shows dedication. It's not the quantity of extra curricular activities, it's the quality.

did you work or anything through school?

 

[ace12345]

Hello all,
I am very down right now. I have studied my butt off for almost 4 years, but now I find that I haven't done enough to get into a medical school.

I am a senior, with my final semester remaining. My current GPA is 3.87. I have not taken the MCAT because I felt unprepared during the summer after my junior year (summer 2014). I will be taking the new MCAT in the summer of 2015.

What does the rest of my application look like? Very bad. I shadowed a physician for 100+ hours in the summer of 2013. I tutored college students for a semester (Fall 2013). I was a member of a pre-medical club for 2 years. That is EVERYTHING I have done. I regret not having done anything more. No research, no leadership positions in clubs, no volunteer work. There are so many applicants to medical schools that even if I got a 40+ MCAT score, I would not be considered for them. I NEED these other components in my application. Since I am already in the last semester of college, my situation becomes that much harder.

I am taking an average-heavy courseload next semester - 16 credits. I can add some extracurricular to that, if I get the opportunity. Now, the question is, how much extracurricular do I need? I see typical applicants having 2-3 years of research experience, numerous leadership positions, and many other extracurriculars. It is overwhelming to see that I am competing with these people. But, the truth is, they are my competitors, and I need to get on their level. So, how many gap years should I take? Will taking the 2015 summer to 2016 summer year off be enough for me to get these experiences? Or, should I take 2 years off - from 2015 summer to 2017 summer, and make my application richer? I need to take gap years, and I am asking you guys the question, how many should I take? And, what specific things would you advise me to do during these years?

Sorry for the long text. I am just very down, but I want to be a doctor. I need your help and advice. Thank you!

If you do well on the MCAT, you will be very well-situated to get in to medical school. Yes the resume aside from the GPA is a bit bland, but that can all be fixed during a gap year. A lot of people I know had very similar stats to yours, took a year to do research, got a couple publications, and are now attending very good schools. Some of these people continued to do research with there previous mentors from that year during M1/M1 summer and had/have a pretty big leg up on everyone else. Certainly there are other things you can do with time off that would be your application look fantastic (Americorps, TFA, etc.), but I think just being productive in your time off will be enough.

You're in a good stop, don't feel down! You're going to be just fine.

 

[ace12345]

[QUOTE="ridethecliche, post: 16024520, member: 375627"]The issue for the OP is that they don't have any continuity for any activities, unless that pre med club thing is still going. Continuity is good as it shows dedication. It's not the quantity of extra curricular activities, it's the quality.

did you work or anything through school?[/QUOTE]

Not to call you out, but saying things like this as if this he/she is not a very good applicant only further perpetuates the SDN stereotype discussed above. The OP is a hop and a step from being competitive at any school in the country. The gpa is already stellar. A good MCAT, a strong year off with productive work, and they're going to be a very competitive applicant.

Again I don't mean to call you out, but there is a tone here toward a fantastic student that is a bit disrespectful of the OPs immense accomplishments.

 

[Dr Van Helsing]

You are being way too neurotic.
Let me play Devil's Advocate for you..
You have an awesome GPA, great shadowing hours, and you have been patient to not take the MCAT unprepared..
You can now take time to study hard for the MCAT, volunteer clinical, and do other things to help yourself.
I'm feeling lazy so that's all I have, but you are fine.

 

[Seaznam]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/what-are-you-doing-with-your-gap-year.1109006/

Hope that page helps. I started it a month ago and have gotten incredible feedback since.

The page was very helpful. I got lots of ideas about what to do during the gap year. Thanks!

 

[Seaznam]

The issue for the OP is that they don't have any continuity for any activities, unless that pre med club thing is still going. Continuity is good as it shows dedication. It's not the quantity of extra curricular activities, it's the quality.

did you work or anything through school?

I completely agree. None of those activities are still going on. I stopped the club thing because it served its purpose after I attended for 2 years - I heard some speeches from doctors, medical school students, and participated in fundraising activities, volunteered...etc. I stopped tutoring because the system I tutored through didn't have any space open for tutors the next semesters.

Those are excuses. Honestly, I just got lazy and didn't do anything except what I did. I am more motivated and want to change that now. I will be continuously doing something from now till I get into medical school.

 

[Seaznam]

If you do well on the MCAT, you will be very well-situated to get in to medical school. Yes the resume aside from the GPA is a bit bland, but that can all be fixed during a gap year. A lot of people I know had very similar stats to yours, took a year to do research, got a couple publications, and are now attending very good schools. Some of these people continued to do research with there previous mentors from that year during M1/M1 summer and had/have a pretty big leg up on everyone else. Certainly there are other things you can do with time off that would be your application look fantastic (Americorps, TFA, etc.), but I think just being productive in your time off will be enough.

You're in a good stop, don't feel down! You're going to be just fine.

I see a lot of posts mentioning Americorps.. how does it concern a pre-medical student? Also, TFA. What is it? How would it concern me? I will do google searches myself, but I am also asking here to get some personal view about them.
Thank you for your encouraging words!

 

[ridethecliche]

[QUOTE="ridethecliche, post: 16024520, member: 375627"]The issue for the OP is that they don't have any continuity for any activities, unless that pre med club thing is still going. Continuity is good as it shows dedication. It's not the quantity of extra curricular activities, it's the quality.

did you work or anything through school?

Not to call you out, but saying things like this as if this he/she is not a very good applicant only further perpetuates the SDN stereotype discussed above. The OP is a hop and a step from being competitive at any school in the country. The gpa is already stellar. A good MCAT, a strong year off with productive work, and they're going to be a very competitive applicant.

Again I don't mean to call you out, but there is a tone here toward a fantastic student that is a bit disrespectful of the OPs immense accomplishments.[/QUOTE]

Lol ok.

Have fun with that. Let me know how that turns out for you when interviewers ask you wtf you did in college other than study.

 

[ace12345]

Not to call you out, but saying things like this as if this he/she is not a very good applicant only further perpetuates the SDN stereotype discussed above. The OP is a hop and a step from being competitive at any school in the country. The gpa is already stellar. A good MCAT, a strong year off with productive work, and they're going to be a very competitive applicant.

Again I don't mean to call you out, but there is a tone here toward a fantastic student that is a bit disrespectful of the OPs immense accomplishments.

Lol ok.

Have fun with that. Let me know how that turns out for you when interviewers ask you wtf you did in college other than study.

You're missing the point and highlighting your lack of understanding as an only recently admitted applicant in doing so. If the OP is productive with their time afterward, no one is going to care what they did in college (As in what the OP has done in college is already enough. Obviously you should do productive things in college). Focusing to get a great GPA, presiding over a couple clubs, and shadowing 100+ hours in undergrad is a great accomplishment, and there is nothing wrong with those things. Some good work after undergrad, and the OP should be set

 

[ace12345]

I see a lot of posts mentioning Americorps.. how does it concern a pre-medical student? Also, TFA. What is it? How would it concern me? I will do google searches myself, but I am also asking here to get some personal view about them.
Thank you for your encouraging words!

Americorps and TFA (Teach for America) are volunteer programs (Though you do make some money). Though not specifically related to medicine, they generally express a commitment to helping others, and show an ability to work hard that I believe admins respect. These are major time commitments though, so if interested make sure you do your homework.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

The page was very helpful. I got lots of ideas about what to do during the gap year. Thanks!

Glad to help. Pm me if you want any more specific help!

 

[FutureOncologist]

I see a lot of posts mentioning Americorps.. how does it concern a pre-medical student? Also, TFA. What is it? How would it concern me? I will do google searches myself, but I am also asking here to get some personal view about them.
Thank you for your encouraging words!

TFA = Teach For America. Puts college kids in places (especially premeds with science degrees, depending on the state) in a school to help teach kids classes that the school desperately needs.

 

[ridethecliche]

You're missing the point and highlighting your lack of understanding as an only recently admitted applicant in doing so. If the OP is productive with their time afterward, no one is going to care what they did in college (As in what the OP has done in college is already enough. Obviously you should do productive things in college). Focusing to get a great GPA, presiding over a couple clubs, and shadowing 100+ hours in undergrad is a great accomplishment, and there is nothing wrong with those things. Some good work after undergrad, and the OP should be set

You have no idea what I've done with my time in college and since then.

While I don't know about you either, I know what interviewers have talked to me about at interviews. Even having personal experiences that you can bring up during mmis is helpful.

No one cares about your grades and MCAT scores during an interview. It comes up rarely from others I've talked to.

If the op is taking a gap year, it'd be a good
Idea to do something service oriented like americorps which will give the op something to talk about at interviews that isn't grades or a stupid pre med club.

 

[ace12345]

You have no idea what I've done with my time in college and since then.

While I don't know about you either, I know what interviewers have talked to me about at interviews. Even having personal experiences that you can bring up during mmis is helpful.

No one cares about your grades and MCAT scores during an interview. It comes up rarely from others I've talked to.

If the op is taking a gap year, it'd be a good
Idea to do something service oriented like americorps which will give the op something to talk about at interviews that isn't grades or a stupid pre med club.

Completely agree, thus why I highlighted the OP's time off as important and more than enough to overcome any undergraduate EC deficit. Certainly didn't mean to disrespect your own time off or accomplishments, I was simply highlighting that perhaps we should give the OP a bit more credit for his deservedly good scores. Congrats on your acceptance(s), wish you the best.

 

[Seaznam]

Not to call you out, but saying things like this as if this he/she is not a very good applicant only further perpetuates the SDN stereotype discussed above. The OP is a hop and a step from being competitive at any school in the country. The gpa is already stellar. A good MCAT, a strong year off with productive work, and they're going to be a very competitive applicant.

Again I don't mean to call you out, but there is a tone here toward a fantastic student that is a bit disrespectful of the OPs immense accomplishments.

Lol ok.

Have fun with that. Let me know how that turns out for you when interviewers ask you wtf you did in college other than study.[/QUOTE]

I want to ask you a question. So, I will do all that I can from now till my application time to increase my experience/extracurriculars. During the interviews, if they ask me wtf I did in college? Would the right way to answer it for me be to just be honest and tell them... I didn't do much because I was just lazy and not too active during college? I would definitely have to follow up with "but I realized it took much more than what I had done do be what I wanted to be, so I went out and did more during the gap years".. Would that be the right way to go about answering that question?