Medical Shadowing and research canceled due to COVID - should I plan to take a gap year?

[Goro]

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I am beginning to think that I have waited too long to gain experience and exposure to the medical field. Especially since the COVID-19 crisis has basically caused everything to shut down, I can't find anything to do this summer that would make me a more competitive applicant for medical school. I have gained some experience, but it is not enough. I have shadowed a plastic surgeon for around 50 hours and have gained health leadership experience on my college campus. However, I applied to become a hospice volunteer and got accepted but I haven't been able to actually volunteer due to the Coronavirus. I got into a research program abroad this summer and that has now been canceled. I am a rising junior and it seems almost impossible for me to get more shadowing hours and volunteer experience between now and the 2021 application cycle considering the impact of COVID-19. I have a 3.97 cumulative GPA and a current 3.73 BCPM, but I know grades alone are not sufficient for acceptance into med school. I don't know what to do. Does anyone have any thoughts on how med schools will view this? Should I consider a gap year?

Med schools will not cut you slack on things that are supposed to be in your app.

This is a time of sacrifice. Taje the gap year. In the meantime, baby sit for health care professionals and organize blood drives. Check out your local house of worship to see if they need help

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Not everyone approaches their shadowing the same way. So you waited until now to start shadowing and volunteering... not that big of a deal. Some people wait until now to begin research (whether en route to medical school or grad school) but now they can't. You probably wanted to prepare for the MCAT at some point. You shouldn't be afraid to consider a gap year, but you should be as prepared for your application as much as you are able to.

Take the time to connect with current medical students at schools where you really want to go and find out how their leadership is handling this situation as a proxy of whether they are able to support you in your time of need. There are probably a lot of people in the Forums who probably have some time on their hands to tell you all about their curriculum (before things stopped) and student support (in-person and now virtually). I would even continue to stay connected with the people who worked at the hospice to see if there is anything you can do, like get groceries for people living there or something.