Is this idea crazy?

[puffylover]

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i'm a senior right now.
i studied for the mcat during the summer and got a 30.
an opportunity for an internship came up (with stipend). the internship involves doing a health community project (of your choice- you plan it) for 12 hours a week.
i was thinking of taking off spring semester and studying for the mcat and doing this internship. i would then apply in the summer and finish up my classes in the fall.

just wondering what you guys think of this. is it crazy? would med schools find this suspicious or can i just explain that i wanted to do this internship and also wanted to retake the mcat.

 

[JJMrK]

Can you finish your classes, graduate, apply this summer, and work at the internship during your gap year?

If not, I don't think it's a bad idea, just be sure you won't have any trouble taking a semester off (and then returning). Basically be sure you can get the classes you need to graduate once you come back.

I'd think long and hard before you retake the MCAT. Were you doing significantly better than that on practice tests?

 

[puffylover]

i'd be doing the internship instead of going to school so that i'd have more time to study for the mcat. i was scoring 34's and 35's on the practice aamcs.

 

[JJMrK]

i'd be doing the internship instead of going to school so that i'd have more time to study for the mcat. i was scoring 34's and 35's on the practice aamcs.

I see. Just realize that retaking is a risk; if you go down or stay around 30 it's not going to look great.

 

[J ROD]

i'm a senior right now.
i studied for the mcat during the summer and got a 30.
an opportunity for an internship came up (with stipend). the internship involves doing a health community project (of your choice- you plan it) for 12 hours a week.
i was thinking of taking off spring semester and studying for the mcat and doing this internship. i would then apply in the summer and finish up my classes in the fall.

just wondering what you guys think of this. is it crazy? would med schools find this suspicious or can i just explain that i wanted to do this internship and also wanted to retake the mcat.

I think you will be fine as long as you get a 33+ MCAT. That will validate your reason....along with the internship. 👍

 

[Catalystik]

If you're not a full-time student, will you still have health insurance coverage. This is an outside consideration, I know, but important to keep in mind.

 

[swamprat]

I wouldn't retake a 30 unless you honestly felt like you screwed up during the exam and your practice scores were significantly higher and/or its extremely unbalanced(I.e. sectional score <8)

 

[LoveMyRam]

I think your MCAT is fine, depending on your state of residence though. But you need to look at your resume and see whats lacking before you do this internship... is your gpa/gpa low? if thats the case you should do a science masters... do you have enough clinical/community volunteering? what about leadership activities- as a senior you can TA for a class or tutor- thats a great thing to add to your app...

Aside from doing the 12 hour/week internship, do you have anything else lined up? You might not need to study for the mcat again if you find other activities that can fill that slot.

Regardless of what you do, if you're gonna take another year off, be prepared to answer the question- how have you matured over the year before matriculation.

For me personally, I had an mcat very close to yours, but my gpa was lacking- so I did a 1 year masters, did some research and clinical volunteering with it, which showed adcoms commitment. So far i've had 3 interviews and I believed it has helped tremendously. GOOD LUCK!

 

[sgtbrushes]

I would not retake a 30, unless your GPA sucks, or you live in California or something. Why don't you apply to med school? If you don't get in, that gives you a year to buff your app up with better MCAT and this health internship. I guess I don't understand why you would just waive the right to matriculate for a year.

 

[JJMrK]

I think your MCAT is fine, depending on your state of residence though. But you need to look at your resume and see whats lacking before you do this internship... is your gpa/gpa low? if thats the case you should do a science masters... do you have enough clinical/community volunteering? what about leadership activities- as a senior you can TA for a class or tutor- thats a great thing to add to your app...

Aside from doing the 12 hour/week internship, do you have anything else lined up? You might not need to study for the mcat again if you find other activities that can fill that slot.

Regardless of what you do, if you're gonna take another year off, be prepared to answer the question- how have you matured over the year before matriculation.

For me personally, I had an mcat very close to yours, but my gpa was lacking- so I did a 1 year masters, did some research and clinical volunteering with it, which showed adcoms commitment. So far i've had 3 interviews and I believed it has helped tremendously. GOOD LUCK!

An SMP might be good for this to show that you can handle medical school coursework, but a normal, 2 year masters program will not be factored into your undergrad GPA.

I would not retake a 30, unless your GPA sucks, or you live in California or something. Why don't you apply to med school? If you don't get in, that gives you a year to buff your app up with better MCAT and this health internship. I guess I don't understand why you would just waive the right to matriculate for a year.

The OP is talking about applying this summer. This is the earliest he can apply.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

you should ask this guy with a similar predicament:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=682892

 

[puffylover]

u guys are awesome! i wasn't expecting this many productive comments.

my gpa's not bad... 3.8
i've completed the unwritten prereq's: clinical experience, basic science research, some clinical research, shadowing, i have a leadership position in a community service organization on campus.

i just thought that i can add this community health project to my resume showing more leadership and care for public health as well as raise my mcat to at least a 34.

but yea.. i'm definitely leaning towards doing it! 🙂

 

[puffylover]

ps i live in california :[

 

[bannie22]

retake it. 30 can definitely be improved. but i am not too sure whether taking a semester off in this manner is in ur best interests