one or two gap years??

[positive8]

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currently a senior, accepted to a clinical research fellowship that can either be 1 or 2 years long. I need to decide before May/June so I can submit applications this cycle if I decide to.
(3.8+ cGPA/science GPA, 35-38 MCAT, 2 previous years research experience but no publications, strong clinical volunteering/ extracurriculars, weaker clinical shadowing, female non-URM)

here are my thoughts:
one year: get to medical school faster, but probably won't get a publication in time to help my application. Will have less time to devote to the research project with applications and interviews, but will have time to spend an extra year researching in med school if I want to.

two years: will get strong recommendation letter, publications, many hours of clinical experience to help my application. Will get settled into the project before having to start applications/ interviews. But, people say if you want to do research it is better to spend a year during medical school doing it than before, and that one year now doesn't seem like a big deal but I will regret it later.

What should I do?

 

[positive8]

.

 

[Hospitalized]

I think you are a strong enough applicant to just do one year. There's not a significant benefit to taking an extra gap year with what you have under your belt already. The only scenario where I would take two years is if you really want to do MD/PhD.

 

[NeuResurgens]

I don't think you need to do more than one year. As @Hospitalized said, you are a strong applicant, so one or two pubs probably wouldn't make an enormous difference at this point. During your gap year, I'd work on strengthening your clinical shadowing experience and do some other activities that interest you.

 

[sovereign0]

Your stats and EC's seem pretty good as they are. I'd go for one year, and focus on shadowing as well during that year to strengthen the one percieved weakness. Publications are helpful but from what I have heard, long term and consistent research experience still fits the bill.

 

[youmed]

Questions:
1) How "strong" are your extracurriculars?
2) Are you aiming high?

 

[cactus8910]

Do you have any sense of how long your training will take? Is there someone who was in your position before you who you could talk to? I'm finishing up a 2 year research fellowship, and I didn't feel 100% confident about the techniques I was using and the rational behind them until about a year in. I've definitely gotten a lot more out of the experience in my second year, so I think you should take that into consideration. On the other hand, if your work will be pretty basic and it'll only take you a month or two to get the hang of it, a year should be fine.
Are you aiming to apply to research-focused med schools? If you have your heart set on somewhere like Stanford or Hopkins, a year of full-time research and a publication would be very helpful. If you're okay going elsewhere, your application is very strong as it is, so I wouldn't worry about having the research on your app.

 

[ridethecliche]

My personal belief is that if your house is in order, one gap year helps to do your cycle outside of college and hopefully earn some money.

2+ gap years are a good idea if you need to work on strengthening your app

 

[positive8]

Yes, aiming high. Ideally a top 20 research school.

I'll be speaking to someone who has been doing similar research next week, so I will be sure to ask how much time training takes/ how rigorous the techniques are.

Thanks for the input