Medical Should I take a gap year? High stat applicant with minimal clinical experience

[Goro]

Hello, and thank you in advance for taking the time to give your input on my question.

About me: 3rd year student at T20 undergrad, ORM, Midwest residency. MCAT: 520+ and current GPA: 4.0

I am confident about my stats, but I have no shadowing and minimal clinical experience otherwise. My goal is to gain admission to T20 medical schools and, ideally, be competitive for merit scholarships. I am worried that my lack of clinical experience will hold me back, but I assume they will have to have to be more lax with their expectations because COVID really screwed me over (and everyone else who hasn't gotten much clinical experience yet). Will it be advantageous in terms of admission to top schools and for scholarship consideration to take a gap year to make up for the clinical hours I lack?

I have strong research experience with a few posters and a pub under review and a few hundred hours of non-clinical volunteering, as well as a few meaningful leadership experiences, so I think I at least get a pass on the other important admission "criteria." Is it idiotic to be worried about this one weakness or is my concern about clinical experience legitimate enough to consider a gap year?

Here's a the harsh truth: your health, and that of your family and society, is more important than your medical career plans. You won't get cut some slack for lacking clinical experience. The last thing a med school wants is for someone to flake out once they realize that they've actually gotten into.

You will simply be outcompeted by applicants with better applications.

So take the gap year.
And also, while one should aim high, your goal is to get into A medical school, not merely the Really Top Schools. If U VM is your only accept, would you turn it down? Tufts? Jefferson?

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[GoSpursGo]

Is that 520+ MCAT an "anticipated" score? It would be highly atypical for a junior to already have completed their MCAT by the fall

The short answer is that yes, it absolutely would be advantageous for you to take a gap year. Frankly, with how competitive the application process has gotten, I generally think applicants benefit by taking 1-2 years after college to round out their application rather than rushing straight into med school. With your CV, you should be highly competitive for a number of clinical programs which would undoubtedly elevate your application further.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Take the gap. You need to always put your best application forward when applying to get into "A" medical school. You may be disappointed if you are trying to only shoot for T20 schools.