Research vs. City Year Gap Year

[runningkoyote]

Hello everyone!

I am currently a 4th year looking to apply this cycle, so I am taking one gap year. I was accepted to a City Year AmeriCorps program near my home in which we tutor underserved K-12 students in schools. My PI also offered a research assistant position if I was interested in continuing in his lab for the gap year (have been in it for 4 years). I know I cannot do both because both are full-time positions that need at least 40 hrs/week.

I think I have ample experience in both teaching and research, and I enjoy both. I think a relative lack of non-clinical volunteering is a weakness in my app (~100 hours), but I am also confident that I can get a lot out of this lab if I continue with it, so I am really on the fence about what to do.

I was wondering what everyone's input on this is.

Thank you!

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[Rachapkis]

I would go with your heart. Which opportunity do you think you would enjoy the most? Which do you think would do the most good? Good luck!

 

[PotatoBug]

Would you be able to get nonclinical experience while working as a research assistant? That way you can boost both of those parts in your app. If not, Americorps doesn't sound bad since you already have 4 years of research.

 

[Phoebus Apollo]

I agree with above posters— they’re asking good follow up Qs and I’m curious about your answers! It’s entirely possible to volunteer while working in the lab, so you’ll be able to give that a boost if you want to stay.

Another good follow up Q for you is: what type of school are you interested in? If it’s a mega research institution then continuing in this lab might be your best bet, especially if you like the lab/PI and you think you’d be productive. If you’re applying more across the board and potentially to schools that *really* prize volunteering/have major service missions (Rush, UWSOM, Michigan) then doing City Year may be the key you need to unlock those options as well.

TL;DR: You can prob do research + volunteering, but it’s unlikely that you can do City Year + research... so, what type of schools do you see yourself applying to?

 

[Osminog]

When I was a teaching fellow at an urban elementary school, I talked to several of the City Year corps members assigned to the school. They performed roughly half the work that I performed... but for only one-sixth of the pay; I was making a teacher’s salary, while they were often working 50 hours a week and making a measly $5/hour. As a non-profit, Americorps can dodge labor laws by calling the salary a “stipend.” Most of the CY corps members were living on food stamps.

On school vacation days, I usually got to stay home and take a relaxing break, while the CY folks had to go to all-day events for training and group bonding exercises. Some of the more lazy and dull teachers at the school piled work onto their assigned CY corps members, taking advantage of the school’s new source of cheap labor. The CY managers would be extremely reluctant to stand up to these teachers, because the school administrators evaluated CY’s performance and thereby indirectly influence its funding (and whether the managers would keep their jobs).

I actually loved being a teaching fellow (minus the super-SJW training at the beginning), but I think I would’ve absolutely hated being in City Year. I honestly just hate the hypocrisy of an organization that advocates for “social justice” while neglecting the financial well-being of the debt-burdened college graduates who work in its lowest ranks.

 

[smukke]

This might come across as very calculating but what are the chances at extra publucations in the lab for that extra year? "Experience matters, do what you love, etc" and all that but remember that looking at the long term it's more likely that you'll keep listing on your CV a pub than a job you held during your gap year so many years ago.

 

[puahate]

As someone in a similar situation this is how i see it.

If you have decent research experience that includes oral and poster presentation the next thing to improve is a publication. If you know you won't get that, do the CY thing.

 

[runningkoyote]

Thanks everyone for your input! Here are my answers for some of the questions:

I would go with your heart. Which opportunity do you think you would enjoy the most? Which do you think would do the most good? Good luck!

I honestly think that the City Year position will be a more meaningful/valuable experience, but after hearing mixed reviews of the position as well as the 50 hr/week commitment, I don't know if I can visualize myself enjoying it in the middle of February.

Would you be able to get nonclinical experience while working as a research assistant? That way you can boost both of those parts in your app. If not, Americorps doesn't sound bad since you already have 4 years of research.

I have thought about this. I would probably be able to find some volunteering at homeless shelters (4-6 hrs/wk, nothing that would stand out)

Another good follow up Q for you is: what type of school are you interested in?

I am looking to apply as broadly as possible, but looking through my school list currently, I think I have more research-heavy schools listed.

This might come across as very calculating but what are the chances at extra publucations in the lab for that extra year?

We are currently in the process of submitting one right now, I am hoping that it gets published around the middle of the cycle so I can send update letters. I would say the chances of getting more publications are reasonably high, but they probably would not be formally published by the time decisions roll around.

Thank you again!

 

[LizzyM]

If you don't get admitted on the first go-round, which gap year option would better prepare you for what you could see yourself doing for a second gap year (or even longer)? If medical school doesn't happen for you would you prefer a career in teaching or in the lab?

 

[CAFFEINE!]

If you choose research, you can still do some non-clinical volunteering on the side. Conversely, you can't do research as a side-gig if you choose City Year.

 

[bball0718]

I am doing CY this year and have had a successful cycle. I've enjoyed my time but have a lot of mixed feelings about the organization-I agree with the above poster about the somewhat arbitrary insanity of our workload compared to the stipend...feel free to PM me if you have more specific questions

 

[dgray]

Hello everyone!

I am currently a 4th year looking to apply this cycle, so I am taking one gap year. I was accepted to a City Year AmeriCorps program near my home in which we tutor underserved K-12 students in schools. My PI also offered a research assistant position if I was interested in continuing in his lab for the gap year (have been in it for 4 years). I know I cannot do both because both are full-time positions that need at least 40 hrs/week.

I think I have ample experience in both teaching and research, and I enjoy both. I think a relative lack of non-clinical volunteering is a weakness in my app (~100 hours), but I am also confident that I can get a lot out of this lab if I continue with it, so I am really on the fence about what to do.

I was wondering what everyone's input on this is.

Thank you!

I did a research gap year AND a CY gap year before starting medical school this year. If you will be applying before you start these positions, then neither will be present on your application, so do the one that matters more to you!

During interviews people will ask you a lot about what you are currently doing, and I think city year would be a bit more interesting to talk about, especially if you think that's a weak point in your application. If you think your research setting will get you some posters/pubs, then it could give you good opportunities/excuses for sending update letters to schools. City Year tends to be pretty stingy with days off, so also think about how flexible your research setting would be with you missing work for interview days.

Gap years are also useful for more than just the medical school application process: if you think by continuing your research you could get some publications in, that could be useful if you see yourself going into a competitive field after residency. That being said, I had a friend who talked about city year during her residency interviews, so I don't think you can make a "wrong" choice.

Just make sure you go into city year knowing that you are dedicating yourself to a year of community service. It's not a job, and the hours and pay really reflect that - not everyone can live the stipend lifestyle! If you're looking for a chill lowkey gap year experience it might not be the best fit. Look up "city year power greeting" on youtube, and see if that is the sort of thing you can tolerate doing. I am incredibly glad that I did city year, not just because it's a really nice thing to talk about, but because it helped me develop relationships in underserved communities, and has fueled my desire to work in these communities as a doctor later in life. The kids are amazing, and I learned and grew a lot more in my year at CY than doing research. But doing research definitely gives you more "off" time (depending on the PI of course!)

Hope that helps!

 

[smukke]

Look up "city year power greeting" on youtube, and see if that is the sort of thing you can tolerate doing.

That alone would be enough to convince me not to do it.

 

[dgray]

That alone would be enough to convince me not to do it.

I will say that I never would've thought that I would be the type of person who would do power greeting, but when it comes down to it you end up drinking the idealist kool aid a bit. My school only did power greeting on special occasions, but some did it almost every morning: those schools usually had metal detectors that the kids have to go through every day, and the power greeting made walking through the front door at school something fun and positive for the kids, rather than feeling like a prison inmate as a 12 year old.

 

[puahate]

Wow that puts everything in perspective. At first i thought it was corny but you are right though.

I will say that I never would've thought that I would be the type of person who would do power greeting, but when it comes down to it you end up drinking the idealist kool aid a bit. My school only did power greeting on special occasions, but some did it almost every morning: those schools usually had metal detectors that the kids have to go through every day, and the power greeting made walking through the front door at school something fun and positive for the kids, rather than feeling like a prison inmate as a 12 year old.