Semi Unique Situation

[peters14]

Hey all,

Here's my situation. I am about to be a senior in college and plan on going to medical school. Problem is I just decided this is what i want to do with my life this past year in my jr year (switched majors and everything, it wasn't making me happy). So I guess what i need is some advice in how to go about this. I plan on taking a gap year after graduating because timing was obviously not right. What can i do to gain more experience in the field and show medical schools that i am serious about this career without it just looking like i'm trying to resume boost. I have some, but very little, experience. This includes: ~70 hours of student volunteering at a hospital in a clinical setting with some patient interaction (this will continue for the next year as well so i should rack up quite a few more hours). Also, i have job shadowed a physician but only one time. My work/outside volunteering in college is pretty slim, just some volunteering with adopt a highway and relay for life through my fraternity, to which i will be a four year member (with a couple of leadership positions). My biggest concern is: what do i do in my gap year to help make me a more competitive candidate? Medical related job such as EMT-B? Just take the time to do something with my life that I want to do seeing as it's my last free time for the rest of my life? All real help and suggestions will be GREATLY appreciated.

P.S. I hope to join the military as an officer (physician) pending acceptance into medical school, is this something medical schools take into consideration or look favorably/unfavorably upon?

P.P.S. Taking the MCAT in a day, wish me luck =)

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[Teppil]

-shadow a primary care doctor multiple times
-get As in your prereqs and science classes
-kill the mcat

if you do that, with what you've listed, you should be good to go. do some research over the next year and you might be able to land a nice research position during your gap year which will make you very competitive. what's your gpa? if its >3.6 you're in good shape and aren't behind the curve at all.

 

[trypanosomiasis]

for the MCAT!

Secure your science pre-reqs and make sure your GPA is good. It might benefit you in the gap year to take courses if GPA is of concern.

Otherwise, research/meaningful employment, compounded with a sustained commitment to some clinical experiences (volunteering and multi-field shadowing), and some non-clinical volunteer work won't hurt at all either.

One thing you may want to ask yourself, especially as you construct your personal statement and ask for LORs, is why you had the sudden change to drop whatever you were doing to go to medical school. That's not to say that it can't/wouldn't happen; rather, with limited clinical experience and making a huge change in career plans, you will want to be able to justify your decision here. Like you said, this is a decision that affects the rest of your life - and adcoms are looking for folks who are passionate and willing to make a HUGE dedication to education, practice, and compassion. With continued clinical involvement, I'm sure you'll have more than enough fodder to justify your newly found love to admission committees.

USUHS is a school you'll want to look into, if you want to do armed services and medicine. I doubt any school would look unfavorably upon a plan to serve your country.