Lost my gap-year job - not sure about what to do now...[currently applying]

[Gilbird]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I need advice. I'm applying for this cycle. So far, I've been on 5 interviews, and I should probably be hearing yay/nay from those by next month. I have 3 future interviews lined up as of now.

I graduated this past May and was planning to be an MCAT teacher and do some medical volunteering on the side for the year. Unfortunately, I was pretty much "hired and fired" (technically I quit, but it was amidst a class mutiny over my god-awful teaching skills) between July and a couple weeks ago. Technically, I still hold a tutoring position with the company, but right now I have no students. I'm also still volunteering, but its pretty boring patient transport work.

Basically... I dont know what to do now. One part of me wants to hold out a couple weeks and see if I get any acceptances in the next month. Another part of me is screaming in fear that if I dont get an acceptance this cycle, I'll be f****** in the butt so i better not waste any more precious time.

What's the best use of my time right now? What kind of jobs should I look for?
- CNA?
- retail/service industry?
- just have fun with my year and take spanish lessons and art classes and travel?
- Research (would NOT want bench research - did that and hated it. but i have no experience w/ clinical research)
- other suggestions please?

note: parents are paying my expenses so i'm not looking for $$$, but something that will contribute positively to my CV in case of a failed application cycle.

I'm so nervous you guys, pls halp. sorry in advance for being so spastic and stereotypically pre-medish.

 

[JoeM]

Just to be safe, take a look at your application and try to fill in any areas you may be lacking. So if you haven't done much research yet, you might want to pursue that this year. Similarly, if you haven't had much clinical exposure, you might want to go for the CNA.

Based on the number of interviews you have so far, you probably aren't going to need to reapply next cycle. However, you just never know what might happen, and you want to be prepared for the worst. Don't just "hang out" because until you have an acceptance, there is always the possibility you will have to explain to an adcom in the future what you've been doing with this time.