Reapply or take a gap year?

[plumdad_mdphd]

Not sure if this warrants a new thread, but didn't see many threads on reapp advice so here I go:

I'm a '22-'23 applicant considering reapplying next cycle. I'm currently on one WL that I doubt I'll get off of. I received two II and was on one alternate II list this cycle. This tells me that there is some level of interest in my application, but I definitely didn't apply broadly enough with my school list. My main concern is that my application would essentially be identical to my previous one, just with more hours. Is this just a matter of refining my writing to better frame my experiences/goals and applying more broadly?

If I took another gap year, I would focus on finding a new research position (I spent the last year at a biotech startup, but I felt that this experience was less highly regarded by programs compared to my undergrad research) and shoring up my clinical/shadowing hours. One caveat is that I took my MCAT in July of 2021 and I believe most schools require scores within 3 years of matriculation, so postponing my app would most likely entail a retake.

Let me know if more context is needed, and maybe other applicants in a similar situation can chime in with their plans for the future. Thanks!

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[BritainKittenMittens]

I guess my questions would be why didn't you apply broadly, and would you prefer to go to a school outside of your list over taking another year and retaking the MCAT. I think MSTP programs are such a crapshoot too that they'll be less suspicious of reapplicants. I'd do whatever you would do as a gap year and apply again this year at least to schools outside your list that you'd prefer to go to overtaking another gap year + MCAT--if my memory is correct of the process, those schools won't see that you're a reapplicant (though they might be suspicious since MCAT was a while ago).