I transferred school once. Should I take a gap year?

[Shahin Sh]

Hi all,

I am a junior thinking whether I should take a gap year or not. I spent two years at a state school far from any hospital interesting research labs. Then I decided to transfer to Johns Hopkins University for the stellar medical opportunities it offers. Although I lost a lot of the positions I already had at my previous institution, I kept my 4.0 GPA (2 A+s and 3 As so far). I am majoring in Biophysics and Public health (might not finish PH), and have a physics minor.

I've had a lot of research experience and one publication. My premed adviser, however, keeps telling me that a gap year will enhance my application by adding leadership and clinical experience. I would much rather take a gap year between the second and third year of med school. What do you guys think? Would this gap year make a huge difference at getting accepted into schools such as Harvard, Hopkins, UCSF, or Mayo?

Thank you for your valuable time!

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[xffan624]

Hi all,

I am a junior thinking whether I should take a gap year or not. I spent two years at a state school far from any hospital interesting research labs. Then I decided to transfer to Johns Hopkins University for the stellar medical opportunities it offers. Although I lost a lot of the positions I already had at my previous institution, I kept my 4.0 GPA (2 A+s and 3 As so far). I am majoring in Biophysics and Public health (might not finish PH), and have a physics minor.

I've had a lot of research experience and one publication. My premed adviser, however, keeps telling me that a gap year will enhance my application by adding leadership and clinical experience. I would much rather take a gap year between the second and third year of med school. What do you guys think? Would this gap year make a huge difference at getting accepted into schools such as Harvard, Hopkins, UCSF, or Mayo?

Thank you for your valuable time!

Don't plan on this. Take it before medical school if you want to take one. As far as getting into those schools, you need an MCAT score to match your GPA before you can start to narrow down a school list.

 

[Shahin Sh]

Don't plan on this. Take it before medical school if you want to take one. As far as getting into those schools, you need an MCAT score to match your GPA before you can start to narrow down a school list.

Thank you for your reply. Do you think gap year will help out on getting into top schools in my case?

 

[ciestar]

Thank you for your reply. Do you think gap year will help out on getting into top schools in my case?

Have you taken the MCAT? What clinical/nonclinical experience do you currently have?

 

[Scrizzy]

I would still take the MCAT and apply if I were you. If you still want to take a gap year after everything is said and done on May/June, some med schools allow students to defer their attendance for a year or 2. Also, if you don't get into any of the top schools of your choice, you can always withdraw and take that gap year. But if you do get in, no need for a gap year right?

 

[JPSmyth]

Crush the MCAT and you will be competitive for top tier schools! That's most important for you right now in my opinion. Keep the GPA up, try to get involved in ECs that you like/will build your resume, but the MCAT is the limiting factor for competitiveness at top schools.

 

[darkjedi]

Most med students take an extra "fourth" year as opposed to a gap year in between their pre-clinical and clinical curriculum. Plenty of med students do it, particularly if they are applying into something competitive.

As far as an pre-medical school gap year, as long as you are doing something particularly meaningful, it can help. It's not required, but a lot of the top medical school schools have more and more people who have taken at least a year out from college.

 

[prehealthadvisor55]

You don't "have" to take a gap year. If you take the MCAT & apply after junior year, and get in - great. If not, you'll have a gap year where you can do those other things.

Don't count on a gap year as an option between years 3 & 4 in med school. I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, but I don't think that's a thing. I've never heard of it. 97% of the time once you're in, you're in.