Medical Should I take an extra gap year for more volunteering?

[Mr.Smile12]

Hi all!

I'm currently a graduating senior and am going to be taking at least one gap year (primarily because at my undergraduate institution recommends it for all premed students who choose to study abroad, but also because I knew I wanted to work on my application a bit more). I currently have a cGPA of 3.72, sGPA of 3.66 and 519 on the MCAT. I have around 1000 hours of undergraduate research in a virology lab with a focus on HIV and have worked as a scribe for a primary care physician for the last 2 summers (around 900 hours). The only other clinical experience I've had is shadowing a cardiologist for 25 hours, but I plan to scribe during the week this coming semester.

However, admittedly I have barely any volunteer experience so far - clinical or otherwise. I've made blankets for the local homeless shelter for around 12 hours total, and volunteered at an LGBT center fundraiser for around 10 hours. I could make a million excuses for it, but in all honesty I just had a rough first 2 years of college and wasn't thinking about it, especially since I didn't have a car, and really haven't taken advantage of any of the opportunities that have been presented to me where transportation was provided. By the time I realized how big of a mistake this was, I was a senior and had consistent schedule conflicts with volunteering centers that only operate during the week. Now that the time to apply is so close I realize how much of a red flag this is. Luckily, my schedule is light for my final semester and I'm going to attempt to volunteer both at an HIV test center during the week and at a homeless shelter on Saturdays this coming semester, although that will only leave me with around 100 hours at each if I'm able to attend every week (which may not be realistic, but I will try my best).

I'm also going to be working as a scribe next semester in an outpatient facility on Fridays, and plan to spend my gap year either as a scribe or a research assistant while volunteering at the same HIV test center whenever possible and a hospice center on the weekends. Thus, my main questions are: is this going to be enough volunteering to apply in the 2020 cycle, or should I wait for another year and apply in 2021 after getting more volunteering experience over the year, or will that hurt me/look desperate? Should I lessen the amount of scribing/research I'm doing and focus more on volunteering? And, I guess I'm a bit confused about how a gap year works in regards to applications since applications need to be completed right after the school year ends - can I mention in applications/interviews that I plan on volunteering for X number of hours during my gap year, or is it something I would only be able to mention if I applied in 2021?

Thank you so much, and sorry if any of this was unclear!

Can I ask you what activities you were involved with outside of research and scribing? Most undergrads have some student club involvement, so what clubs or societies were you part of?

Sent from my SM-N960U using SDN mobile

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Goro]

STOP research.

Yes, 100 hrs each of volunteering and clinical exposure is weak. Very cookie cutter, and this small amount, compared to other people, will indeed look like box checking.

So yes, take a gap year, and especially engage in service to others less fortunate than yourself.

Note, I find your explanation for not getting in clinical exposure (in bolded above) to be weak. You certainly had no problem getting in research. Best to NOT explain the lack of ECs in the way you did above.

Do NOT go abroad for clinical exposure! We consider that "medical tourism".

 

[MusicDOc124]

Pick something you enjoy, and be consistent. This is also meant to reiterate what Goro said. Don't do medical tourism. If you like helping the homeless, help out locally. If you like animals, volunteer at the local animal shelter(s). Do these things consistently throughout the year. Go often to make up for the deficit. Start sooner than later, even if it's still limited by your schedule at the moment, then pick up when you have more time open up.

 

[Goro]

Rather than looking for a job for my gap year, would going into a year-long service program be more beneficial? I go to a religious institution that offers many one-to-two year service opportunities, and the only reasons I have yet to apply to any are that they are all (obviously) faith-based and I am not religious, and that I've heard that it's a good idea to try and save some money during a gap year. But I really do want to get more volunteering hours, both for applications and because I do want to help others, so if a volunteering program would be better than scribing I'd be more than happy to do it.

Would I still be able to apply this June, or should I just hold off for another year? Thank you again!

Get a job a work...are finished with scribing? That's a job AND clinical exposure. I personally like people with a work history.

while you'reworking you can engage in volunteering.

And yes, I suggest the gap year.

 

[MusicDOc124]

Thank you so much! I've always wanted to volunteer at local animal shelters, but I guess I had the assumption that if it didn't deal with humans it wasn't going "to count" for medical schools. I will definitely try to step up my game this coming semester

Volunteering is volunteering. Only interacting with people through medical-based volunteering suggests you have no outside interests or are a gunner in it's own way. Having none suggests you may not know what you're getting into. Well-rounded candidates are who are sought after.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thank you so much! I've always wanted to volunteer at local animal shelters, but I guess I had the assumption that if it didn't deal with humans it wasn't going "to count" for medical schools. I will definitely try to step up my game this coming semester

For my opinion, volunteering is important, and everywhere there is a need that we need to help out with. I just want to ask what you think you would get out of your experience volunteering at animal shelters?

The major areas regarding the human condition that are intricately related deal with socioeconomic determinants of health, including access to food/water, access to safe shelter/housing, access to quality education, and access to health resources. To me individuals who are aware of these relationships will have a solid foundation in understanding their impact and their limitations as health care providers.