Should I wait ANOTHER year before applying to medical school? (Upcoming surgery, full time job)

[MiddleEMed]

Hi everyone,

Hope you're all having a lovely week!

A bit of background/stats: I graduated undergrad (US) in 2020 - 3.77 cGPA, 3.7sGPA, top 5 private university/ivy.

I am an international student from the Middle East, which already puts me at a disadvantage I guess, and aiming for schools that accept internationals (which are very top/reach heavy).

I worked in a research lab until early 2022 as I initially believed I wanted to do a PhD, but decided that MD was for me. I now work in clinical research as a study coordinator where I get to interact, albeit digitally, with patients (so 1000s of hours of research experience in total, no pubs but presentations and posters). Around 200+ hours of clinical volunteering, 100 non-clinical, 0 shadowing (yet).

A big issue is... I've only started studying for the MCAT. I work full time (45-50 hours a week). I currently have a May date selected, but considering pushing to June, so that would already make me apply late. I haven't taken pre-reqs in a long time, and would need a lot of diligent study time to do well on MCAT (515+, needed being international). I also, of course need to write the application itself.

Bigger problem in all this... I'm getting double jaw surgery in July of this year. This is a fairly big procedure that will have me out of action for a few weeks, and maybe only able to really talk in a professional manner by September - assuming everything goes well. Therefore finishing up applications could be challenging.

So what do you think? Should I wait another year to be able to perfect everything (my employment is stable) or should I suck it up and try and get my application in by this summer?

Thanks so much for any advice at all.

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[candbgirl]

You really aren’t ready to apply. Your ECs need a little buffing up . Don’t apply without shadowing-you need around 50 hours and some should be with a primary care doc. What does your nonclinical volunteering consist of? Depending on what you are doing in that vein , you really need at least 100 more hours serving the unserved/underserved in your community. What is your clinical experience?

Then there is the MCAT. From your own description, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. You really only want to take the MCAT once , so don’t take it until you are consistently scoring at or above your target goal on a series of FL practice tests. So don’t take theMCAT until you are very ready.

Completing the application takes lots of time and then proofing it and having others proof/read it etc takes more time. And you only want to apply once with the best application possible. Tie that in with major surgery and a rough recovery , well just slow down. Take care of yourself, build a competitive application, study for the MCAT etc.. Apply when you can present an application that shows you in the best light possible. You want your application to scream PICK ME FOR AN INTERVIEW. So do it right the first time.

Good luck with everything happening in your life.

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

I would take the gap year. You are very research heavy at present. Just doing the applications and secondaries alone is a full-time job. Stress could make you quit altogether.

Med school isn't going anywhere.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I would continue on research or getting a master's until your citizenship status comes through to help you in applying to medical school. As pointed out, you need an impressive application with as few barriers as possible. Get the most significant one (citizenship) taken care of, and your chances are much better.

 

[MiddleEMed]

You really aren’t ready to apply. Your ECs need a little buffing up . Don’t apply without shadowing-you need around 50 hours and some should be with a primary care doc. What does your nonclinical volunteering consist of? Depending on what you are doing in that vein , you really need at least 100 more hours serving the unserved/underserved in your community. What is your clinical experience?

Then there is the MCAT. From your own description, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. You really only want to take the MCAT once , so don’t take it until you are consistently scoring at or above your target goal on a series of FL practice tests. So don’t take theMCAT until you are very ready.

Completing the application takes lots of time and then proofing it and having others proof/read it etc takes more time. And you only want to apply once with the best application possible. Tie that in with major surgery and a rough recovery , well just slow down. Take care of yourself, build a competitive application, study for the MCAT etc.. Apply when you can present an application that shows you in the best light possible. You want your application to scream PICK ME FOR AN INTERVIEW. So do it right the first time.

Good luck with everything happening in your life.

Thank you very much for the input, and for the well-wishes. It is much appreciated, genuinely.

My non-clinical volunteering consists of working (ad hoc) at an LGBT+ center and working in crisis text line. Clinical volunteering is ER volunteering in a big inner-city hospital. Would I also be able to count my job as a clinical research coordinator as clinical experience? Still doing both... my non-clinical volunteering commitment currently is very sparse though. Would be interested in finding another opportunity, but not exactly sure what to do.

A big concern I have is being so far removed from undergrad and taking many "gap years". I don't feel like I'd be 'behind' or have a need to rush into medical school ASAP, I'm more concerned simply that this could come across as a red flag.

 

[MiddleEMed]

I would continue on research or getting a master's until your citizenship status comes through to help you in applying to medical school. As pointed out, you need an impressive application with as few barriers as possible. Get the most significant one (citizenship) taken care of, and your chances are much better.

Apologies if I gave off the wrong idea in my initial post, but as of right now I am not on track for gaining US permanent residence in the near future. I'm on a work/H1B visa, and my institution does not sponsor green cards for non-faculty, and even if it did it could take 18 months-several years.

Regardless of when I'll apply, I'll be an international student I believe. So my uphill climb is steep (but not insurmountable... I wish to believe any way)

 

[LindaAccepted]

Hi everyone,

Hope you're all having a lovely week!

A bit of background/stats: I graduated undergrad (US) in 2020 - 3.77 cGPA, 3.7sGPA, top 5 private university/ivy.

I am an international student from the Middle East, which already puts me at a disadvantage I guess, and aiming for schools that accept internationals (which are very top/reach heavy).

I worked in a research lab until early 2022 as I initially believed I wanted to do a PhD, but decided that MD was for me. I now work in clinical research as a study coordinator where I get to interact, albeit digitally, with patients (so 1000s of hours of research experience in total, no pubs but presentations and posters). Around 200+ hours of clinical volunteering, 100 non-clinical, 0 shadowing (yet).

A big issue is... I've only started studying for the MCAT. I work full time (45-50 hours a week). I currently have a May date selected, but considering pushing to June, so that would already make me apply late. I haven't taken pre-reqs in a long time, and would need a lot of diligent study time to do well on MCAT (515+, needed being international). I also, of course need to write the application itself.

Bigger problem in all this... I'm getting double jaw surgery in July of this year. This is a fairly big procedure that will have me out of action for a few weeks, and maybe only able to really talk in a professional manner by September - assuming everything goes well. Therefore finishing up applications could be challenging.

So what do you think? Should I wait another year to be able to perfect everything (my employment is stable) or should I suck it up and try and get my application in by this summer?

Thanks so much for any advice at all.

Take the extra time so that you can recover from your surgery without worrying about applications, acquire more clinical exposure, and have the time to do a great job on your applications knowing that the MCAT is behind you.

As someone else said, medical school is not going anywhere. It will still be here, and you will be a better, healthier candidate a year later.