More overseas experience?

[Kentobari]

I'm a low GPA case finishing up Peace Corps Service and looking into working for Global Brigades' Medical Brigades for a year. That's working for, organizing and leading trips and developing sites. Not volunteering.

Having 2 years of PC service under my belt, will this help with my med school app? Or should I just get back home and start studying for org chem already? Truth be told, I don't really feel like I want to go back stateside yet.

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[johnnyscans]

I'm a low GPA case finishing up Peace Corps Service and looking into working for Global Brigades' Medical Brigades for a year. That's working for, organizing and leading trips and developing sites. Not volunteering.

Having 2 years of PC service under my belt, will this help with my med school app? Or should I just get back home and start studying for org chem already? Truth be told, I don't really feel like I want to go back stateside yet.

Organic chemistry can wait a year. You have the opportunity to make a real difference with an organization you obviously love working for.

Everyone applying to medical school has completed Orgo. Peace Corps? Not so much.

I think you know the right decision. Follow your passions and do what makes you happy.

 

[DrMidlife]

I'm totally in favor of you taking advantage of your Peace Corps experience to do more work with Global Brigades.

Peace Corps service is set up to be entry level: it's structured and supported and organized. You'll be expected to be more independent and to have more responsibility in Global Brigades. So that makes it a bona fide global health career.

It'll be hard to do just one year of Global Brigades logistics. Which is fine - med school's not going anywhere. Come back and pick up your academic pursuits when that's what you want more than intl service.

Best of luck to you.

 

[beethousand]

Sounds like an amazing opportunity, I say do it!

 

[deleted248403]

Having 2 years of PC service under my belt, will this help with my med school app? Or should I just get back home and start studying for org chem already? Truth be told, I don't really feel like I want to go back stateside yet.

I am going to disagree with Midlife and Johnny's logic on this one.

Will it help your app in a low GPA situation more so than you already have with peace corps? probably not

That being said, it is not going to hurt, sounds like an awesome opportunity and at the end of the day, med school will still be here.

Do it if thats what you want, just don't think the qualitative improvement on your app is there above what you've already done.

Personally i'd do it, and am kinda jealous

 

[DrMidlife]

Will it help your app in a low GPA situation more so than you already have with peace corps? probably not

Totally agree with this. Doing more overseas work is useless for fixing GPA. I'm saying you don't have to be in a hurry to address that problem in lieu of doing more overseas work.

 

[Kentobari]

Totally agree with this. Doing more overseas work is useless for fixing GPA. I'm saying you don't have to be in a hurry to address that problem in lieu of doing more overseas work.

Thanks for the advice all. This answers my question perfectly. It is a good opportunity, because I can use my knowledge of the region, language(s), and ethnic groups served (which is one of my main qualifications), to get my foot in the door of some real global health work to put on my resume.

I can also spend some time studying chem to prepare for my glorious return to postbacc studies.

Thanks again.