Hi Everyone,
I have sort of obsessing over taking a gap year for a while and it's been driving me insane. I have asked my pre-med dean for advice and such but haven't gotten a straight answer.
Basically, my question is should I take a gap year because I do not have enough clinical volunteering? What is not enough?
Here is my information:
GPA Science 3.956 ( top tier institution) Other: 4.0 . Have made dean's list with distinction etc etc. Doesn't count for much I'm guessing.
MCAT taking in may ( lets assume I do well--I know this is a big if)
Activities:
REGULAR
Hindu Students Association- President
Organize religious events etc, interfaith events, workshops, religious text study. Hired the first female Hindu Chaplain. Basically do a lot for this. Been heavily involved with this since my freshmen year.
Indian Classical Dance Team- choreographer/dancer
We go to competitions every year and we won second place at last year's competition so we are hosting it this year. Also do a bunch of on campus performances. Also a pretty rigorous commitment.
Independent Project in a Lab
Have been working in a lab since spring freshmen year and currently have my own mini project involving cell culture work where I'm trying to narrow down a phosphorylation site. Will be presenting at lab meeting in the spring. Probably won't be published any time soon but still a lot to say about my research
ON AND OFF
General Volunteering
- I worked with Bhutanese refugees for a semester spring of my sophomore year and was pretty involved. I did a lot of tutoring and made really close relationships with the kids. I couldn't continue however this semester because I had a class conflict but I am beginning again this coming semester
CLINICAL
Hospital Volunteering
- Did pet therapy spring of my sophomore year but fall junior yr. I wanted to switch to something with more patient contact and the training stuff took all semester as they are packed but I went in several times to learnt he ropes. I'm going to continue this in the spring.
Shadowing
Have various shadowing experiences but the one that has been the most meaningful for me is being allowed to take patient histories in a neuro-oncology clinic on my own for about a semester. I learned a lot from it. I'm going to continue shadowing in a pediatric neuro oncology clinic next semester but will no longer be doing patient histories.
SUMMERS
Freshmen Summer: research at NIH
Sophomore summer: 2 semesters of physics
Junior summer: either working in India in a health outreach program or teaching a classroom of middle school students. Haven't decided yet.
I think that pretty much sums up my application...let me know if more info is needed but it would be really helpful to know the perspectives on whether my app needs a gap yr or not? Mainly in my opinion just to have volunteering through my senior year. I don't have very many things going on but I have a lot to say about them so I hope that counts for something.
RECS
my PI
creative writing prof
upper level science class prof
Dean of religious life
MIsc: I love to write and have taken a couple creative writing classes and will probably do an independent study at some point.
I have sort of obsessing over taking a gap year for a while and it's been driving me insane. I have asked my pre-med dean for advice and such but haven't gotten a straight answer.
Basically, my question is should I take a gap year because I do not have enough clinical volunteering? What is not enough?
Here is my information:
GPA Science 3.956 ( top tier institution) Other: 4.0 . Have made dean's list with distinction etc etc. Doesn't count for much I'm guessing.
MCAT taking in may ( lets assume I do well--I know this is a big if)
Activities:
REGULAR
Hindu Students Association- President
Organize religious events etc, interfaith events, workshops, religious text study. Hired the first female Hindu Chaplain. Basically do a lot for this. Been heavily involved with this since my freshmen year.
Indian Classical Dance Team- choreographer/dancer
We go to competitions every year and we won second place at last year's competition so we are hosting it this year. Also do a bunch of on campus performances. Also a pretty rigorous commitment.
Independent Project in a Lab
Have been working in a lab since spring freshmen year and currently have my own mini project involving cell culture work where I'm trying to narrow down a phosphorylation site. Will be presenting at lab meeting in the spring. Probably won't be published any time soon but still a lot to say about my research
ON AND OFF
General Volunteering
- I worked with Bhutanese refugees for a semester spring of my sophomore year and was pretty involved. I did a lot of tutoring and made really close relationships with the kids. I couldn't continue however this semester because I had a class conflict but I am beginning again this coming semester
CLINICAL
Hospital Volunteering
- Did pet therapy spring of my sophomore year but fall junior yr. I wanted to switch to something with more patient contact and the training stuff took all semester as they are packed but I went in several times to learnt he ropes. I'm going to continue this in the spring.
Shadowing
Have various shadowing experiences but the one that has been the most meaningful for me is being allowed to take patient histories in a neuro-oncology clinic on my own for about a semester. I learned a lot from it. I'm going to continue shadowing in a pediatric neuro oncology clinic next semester but will no longer be doing patient histories.
SUMMERS
Freshmen Summer: research at NIH
Sophomore summer: 2 semesters of physics
Junior summer: either working in India in a health outreach program or teaching a classroom of middle school students. Haven't decided yet.
I think that pretty much sums up my application...let me know if more info is needed but it would be really helpful to know the perspectives on whether my app needs a gap yr or not? Mainly in my opinion just to have volunteering through my senior year. I don't have very many things going on but I have a lot to say about them so I hope that counts for something.
RECS
my PI
creative writing prof
upper level science class prof
Dean of religious life
MIsc: I love to write and have taken a couple creative writing classes and will probably do an independent study at some point.
