Options for summer: advice needed!

[closertofine]

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As if worrying about the upcoming MCAT weren't enough, I'm stressing about what to do this summer. I'm graduating this May and planning to apply to med school this summer/fall. My main problem is that I don't have very much clinical experience at all yet, and I'd like to get as much as I can before I apply.

I've been thinking about three main options, and I was wondering if anyone could give opinions on any of them. Option #1: Stay in my college town and volunteer in the psych ward of the local hospital (I'm supposed to start doing this in a week or so...and I could just keep doing it after I graduate). I would also get a part-time job, likely in a lab, so I could get an apartment.

I would then apply to med school in late June, and then go abroad for a medical-type volunteer program in August.

Option #2: Go abroad early in the summer (before I apply) and then do the volunteering/part-time job thing from June to August. But one question: is the psychiatric unit considered "medical" enough volunteering?

Option #3: Do a full-time, non-paid internship of shadowing doctors all summer. Wouldn't get a chance to go abroad, but I did go on a medical volunteer program last summer.

I'm also not sure what to do in the fall, but that's another story! My plan right now is to do the internship (#3) in the fall.

But my main problem: I want to apply early so I can get the best chance of getting in...but I also feel like I need as much clinical experience as I can get before I apply. So this is my main consideration in what to do this summer...like maybe I should volunteer abroad before I apply so I can put in on the application?

Also, if I plan to do the shadowing-doctors-internship in the fall and I apply in the summer, the schools wouldn't take the internship into account when looking at my clinical experience, right? If I put down that I PLAN to do this internship, would that be "good enough?"

Sorry, this probably seems really complicated...it's just a glimpse into what I'm going through! But my main question: is it better to apply early on with less clinical experience, or slightly later with more experience?

Thanks for reading all of this! Any advice would be great...

 

[Saluki]

Personally, I would go abroad and then volunteer at the psychiatric unit. You're getting medical experience(I'd consider the psychiatric unit medical enough) and getting the experience of study abroad. I think the ad comms are going to understand that you can get the internship experience in the fall, but that the summer study abroad is kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity.

 

[rajneel1]

i think your application will be late if you are waiting to put your summer items on it. definitely do the aboard thing. it's a great experience and adcomms love it!

 

[Sunnygirl]

putting down that you plan to do something in the fall is not a problem at all.... in fact, it's GREAT! if you are taking a year off between undergrad and med school, med schools like to know that you are doing interesting things and taking advantage of this time. in addition to putting down activities that you plan to do in the future in the AMCAS app, a lot of schools include in their secondaries a question like "if you are not in school, what are you doing OR how will you be spending your time OR what have you done since graduation". doing interesting things, no matter what the order is, will also help give you cool things to talk about in your interview! so go for whatever your gut tells you will be the most rewarding and fun.

 

[PrincessCKNY]

Do whatever will make you unique as an applicant and that you will learn a lot from. I think it's OK to put down activities in your primary that you haven't done as long as you've been accepted into the program. The only catch is that AMCAS might not let you put in dates further than the present date. Even so, don't worry about the activities they won't see. You will be able to put them down in your secondaries and letters of interest. If the schools really are interested in you, you will get a secondary...if you didn't get a secondary, they probably weren't worth it anyways.

 

[applegirl]

I would definetely go on that abroad intership this summer. Adcoms will love that because it is different. Right now I would do some shadowing with doctors. i lnow you probably have no time with studying for the MCAT but try calling some doctors. That is how I did my shadowing experiences. Just called a doctor's office in something I was interested in and asked. Some said yes some no. Two or three or more shadowing experiences will look nice on your application.

 

[Arginine]

Originally posted by PrincessCKNY
Do whatever will make you unique as an applicant and that you will learn a lot from. I think it's OK to put down activities in your primary that you haven't done as long as you've been accepted into the program. The only catch is that AMCAS might not let you put in dates further than the present date. Even so, don't worry about the activities they won't see.

For the end date of activities, I was able to put future dates in my AMCAS application without any problem. If I've learned anything during this application cycle, it's the vital importance of getting that AMCAS in as early as possible!!!! Whatever you decide to do with your time, do not delay your AMCAS--the sooner you get your AMCAS in, the sooner you are offered secondaries and interviews.