Should I even apply now? I don't feel good about it:(

[Pinkfluffybunny]

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Hi!
I feel as though I went from being super excited to apply to sort of just not being happy with life in general. I graduated with a 3.75cgpa and 3.69 spa (this includes the 1 semester I was assaulted like the day before finals but my university is giving me a letter for that).

I have 2 publications, 2 posters, 1500 research hours
500 clinical hours, 500-600ish nonclinical Community service hours
My PS is done, all my activities are written + my pre med advisors have edited everything and say I'm good. I have all my LORs
Also I'm ORM, not sure if this is a HUGE deal but I'm also not from cali which I heard was way more competitive.

I haven't taken the MCAT yet because I was doing well but then I broke my foot and I was in a lot of pain so I had to push it back but that leads me to where I am right now. I just don't think I have it in me to apply because I now have to resume MCAT prep and it just feels like I have nobody to talk to since none of my friends are pre med. Also it kind of sucks applying without knowing my MCAT score, and honestly I'm more anxious than anything. But on the flip side I'm worried that if I deal with my emotional problems now I won't feel like I'm good enough to be a doctor because how am I supposed to care for others when I can't even deal with myself?

I'm supposed to take the exam June 18th, but I just keep crying when I try to study because I'm so drained from the stress of everything. I have an interest in women's health; my clinical hours come from being a first responder for rape victims + being a volunteer doula for women in underserved communities. I start my gap year job in July as a clinical research coordinator for a radiology lab, but I was going to volunteer as a doula on the side still. I guess radiology doesn't exactly match with the rest of my experiences but honestly I just wanted to make sure I was actually passionate about women's health so I thought dabbling in different experiences would help me because this job would let me meet pulmonologists, cardiologists, AND radiologists.

Would taking an additional gap year be bad? I just want to feel better about my life but I guess everyone around me has been telling me to just deal with it and take the MCAT and apply now. I guess I would like to apply now but I'm just kind of down. I'm also a bit stressed because before I broke my foot I was doing a lot better on practice exams (515+) but I took like 3 weeks off and now I've been closer to 506-508 because I forgot a lot. I'm just anxious and I don't know what to do so should I apply??

Thanks for any advice, and sorry for this huge wall of text, I just don't know many pre-med people to ask.

Edit: also, when would be the latest I can take the MCAT for this cycle? I see a lot of mixed responses

 

[paveldatsyuk]

First of all, I’m so proud of you for the way you’ve handled all the stuff you’ve been through. That being said, it might be a good idea to put off applying until next cycle if you aren’t confident about your MCAT prep. Although, I don’t think you “forgot” everything you learned if you were scoring 515+, it’s most likely that you got out of your test-taking groove since a lot of your score depends on how well you’re able to take a long standardized test. I don’t think that applying next cycle will make a huge difference in the end, so IMO just do what you think will take the least out of you mentally/emotionally

 

[dienekes88]

Don't rush to get everything done. If you cram it all in and get a solid MCAT, you've saved one year, but the downside is potentially doing poorly on it and having a thread next spring about how you crammed for the MCAT and took it with a broken foot and didn't do well. My best advice is to take it easy. Recover from your injury. Get some research done and take the MCAT on your own terms.

 

[LizzyM]

You are going to apply on June 1st.... June 1, 2022. Adjust your timeline accordingly. Do it right and do it once. Putting the cart before the horse and applying without having finished your MCAT prep is a recipe for disaster. Take care of yourself, get back on two feet, plan on 2 gap years with the employment and volunteering you have planned and be ready to pack your bags and start medical school in summer 2023. Good luck!

 

[Pinkfluffybunny]

thank you so much for all your responses🙂 I'm gonna wait for next cycle!!

 

[kbRD2MD84]

i have no advice and i am no expert but i delayed my apps until next cycle bc i don't feel good about my stats either. we'll crush it next year!

 

[LindaAccepted]

Hi!
I feel as though I went from being super excited to apply to sort of just not being happy with life in general. I graduated with a 3.75cgpa and 3.69 spa (this includes the 1 semester I was assaulted like the day before finals but my university is giving me a letter for that).

I have 2 publications, 2 posters, 1500 research hours
500 clinical hours, 500-600ish nonclinical Community service hours
My PS is done, all my activities are written + my pre med advisors have edited everything and say I'm good. I have all my LORs
Also I'm ORM, not sure if this is a HUGE deal but I'm also not from cali which I heard was way more competitive.

I haven't taken the MCAT yet because I was doing well but then I broke my foot and I was in a lot of pain so I had to push it back but that leads me to where I am right now. I just don't think I have it in me to apply because I now have to resume MCAT prep and it just feels like I have nobody to talk to since none of my friends are pre med. Also it kind of sucks applying without knowing my MCAT score, and honestly I'm more anxious than anything. But on the flip side I'm worried that if I deal with my emotional problems now I won't feel like I'm good enough to be a doctor because how am I supposed to care for others when I can't even deal with myself?

I'm supposed to take the exam June 18th, but I just keep crying when I try to study because I'm so drained from the stress of everything. I have an interest in women's health; my clinical hours come from being a first responder for rape victims + being a volunteer doula for women in underserved communities. I start my gap year job in July as a clinical research coordinator for a radiology lab, but I was going to volunteer as a doula on the side still. I guess radiology doesn't exactly match with the rest of my experiences but honestly I just wanted to make sure I was actually passionate about women's health so I thought dabbling in different experiences would help me because this job would let me meet pulmonologists, cardiologists, AND radiologists.

Would taking an additional gap year be bad? I just want to feel better about my life but I guess everyone around me has been telling me to just deal with it and take the MCAT and apply now. I guess I would like to apply now but I'm just kind of down. I'm also a bit stressed because before I broke my foot I was doing a lot better on practice exams (515+) but I took like 3 weeks off and now I've been closer to 506-508 because I forgot a lot. I'm just anxious and I don't know what to do so should I apply??

Thanks for any advice, and sorry for this huge wall of text, I just don't know many pre-med people to ask.

Edit: also, when would be the latest I can take the MCAT for this cycle? I see a lot of mixed responses

Take care of your health (emotional and physical) first. Dr. Barry Rothman, former head of several CSUSF post-bac programs likes to say that frequently the fastest way to medical school is SLOOOOWLY. Take the add'l gap year.

Best,
Linda