re-app pause year

[team_healer]

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Hey everyone!
I applied this cycle and quickly realized I am woefully underprepared and do not have the hours I should have haha. I was originally thinking MD/PhD or maybe PhD two years ago, so I dove into heavy research experience and did not gain the clinical or volunteering hours necessary to apply MD only. The shadowing and clinical experiences I have gained really pulled me to MD only.

I understand my mistakes now and will be working on gaining better experiences. I have committed to my current research job until at least the spring of 2026, though, so I won’t be able to get a lot of clinical hours between now and then. I will be working on getting food bank volunteer hours between now and May 2026, but again, with my current schedule, I have my doubts that I will be able to gain a solid number of hours between now and May.

My question is, does it look bad to wait another year before applying again? This is my second gap year in my research position. Are too many gap years frowned upon? At that point, it would be 4 years between then and when I graduated from undergrad. I would likely get a scribe job to gain clinical hours and continue my other volunteering experiences for this extra year.

Is it for any reason a red flag to have applied this cycle and then take another year off before applying in May 2027? Instead of applying concurrent years? Will that affect me negatively in any way? Just to be clear, I’m not upset by the prospect of taking another year! I just want to make sure I am not shooting myself in the foot by doing this.



Thank you for any input.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

It's hard to give specific advice without a WAMC profile. It is important to explain why you pivoted.

 

[team_healer]

It's hard to give specific advice without a WAMC profile. It is important to explain why you pivoted.

1. cGPA 3.68 and sGPA 3.57 (with a strong upwards trend if that helps)
2. 510 MCAT (taken 2024)
3. MN resident
4. white
5. public undergraduate uni
6. 60hrs of clinical volunteering
7. 2300hrs of research (current job)
   1 publication
   1 poster presentation
   100hrs of research undergrad lab
8. 50hrs of Shadowing (multiple specilities, ~30hrs shadowing surgery)
9. 20hrs of non-clinical volunteering
10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
    TA / Tutor hours ~200hrs
    Other employment (non-clinical) 2300hrs
    Other employment 2 (non-clinical) 4000hrs

I gained a strong interest in medicine during my junior year of undergrad. which is already late, but shortly after that, I went through a lot of difficult life events. So, I ended up shoving all ECs to the side, worked non-clinical jobs for money and did some tutoring and research on the side. I ended up really loving my research and wanted to pursue that more. took the summer after graduating easy, only working my other job. had some calm in my life again and started revisiting the idea of medicine.
Got a research assistant position. considered md/phd because I enjoyed the idea of being at the forefront of solving medical issues. shadowed and talked to physician scientists and also at that point had spent a lot of time in the lab. I have acknowledged that research is simply something I can’t enjoy on the day to day.
I know my clinical volunteering hours are low, but it’s been a consistent weekly commitment for the last year or so. It’s really helped me see medicine in a new light and helped me realize how much I enjoy interacting with and helping patients.
On why MD in particular, instead of some other health care position. I have been shadowing physicians and would love to be in their role. They take on the whole picture of the patient more readily than others and are instrumental in treatment decisions. I am especially interested in surgery right now.

i hope that is what you are looking for! if not i am happy to provide more information.

 

[Dral]

Think of it this way, which is better?:

1. Extra gap year but apply with a strong app with enough hours in everything.
2. Apply this year with either not enough hours or barely enough.

I would see if you could continue in your lab but just cut down on hours. You can spin it that you wanted to continue your research interests but also worked on some volunteering and other opportunities.

I feel that if you do the hours now and apply next cycle, it will possibly come off as 'slapped on at the last minute'. I think that impression is worse than just taking another year.

 

[team_healer]

Think of it this way, which is better?:

1. Extra gap year but apply with a strong app with enough hours in everything.
2. Apply this year with either not enough hours or barely enough.

I would see if you could continue in your lab but just cut down on hours. You can spin it that you wanted to continue your research interests but also worked on some volunteering and other opportunities.

I feel that if you do the hours now and apply next cycle, it will possibly come off as 'slapped on at the last minute'. I think that impression is worse than just taking another year.

Makes sense, thanks for your input!
I don't think cutting down lab hours for volunteering is possible; I can't afford to be paid less right now. But I'll continue to keep a lookout for options that work with my current schedule.