So my gap year research job just got cancelled.

[Navier_Stokes]

Hope you guys are all safe and healthy.

This cycle did not go well for me, and I am going to be a re-applicant. I was planning on applying this coming up 2020-2021 cycle, but I might push it by a year (I don't want to rush it and get poor results again.) For my gap year, I was planning on getting some pubs during the research job because this lab is a paper-producing machine lab; but, as a lot of people would've faced this, I lost the position due to COVID-19.

Now I am thinking about doing grad school, maybe in genetics or bio-related to get some pubs. I might continue clinical volunteering if they open up soon (I don't think that's really likely but...) What are your thoughts on this one? I am focusing on research a lot because I am interested in research-focusing schools, but I don't have any pubs other than a poster.

Everything else for my app looks great -- I got it confirmed on here before, but for your reference...

CA ORM
505-> 518 (I’ve provided an update but it was too late for this cycle)
3.85 Gpa, 3.7 sGPA
1800 h research, 1 poster

EDIT: 300 h clinical volunteering, 50 h shadowing, and 400 h non-clinical

Much appreciated!

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[AnonymousDoctorGuyPerson]

What was your school list this cycle?

My two cents off the bat, research/pubs was certainly not your weakness this cycle even if you're interested in research-focused schools. It'd most likely be the low volunteer hours and probably having that improved MCAT score coming in late. What kind of ECs do you have? Anything interesting that makes your application stand out, or were you just checking boxes?


EDIT: I just checked your post history, it seems you've already received fantastic advice on this issue and it was pretty much agreed upon that research was not the weakness in your app, so having your gap year research job be canceled shouldn't really affect you. The consensus was you should reapply and get those volunteer hours up. I also noticed your hours haven't changed since you last posted, what have you been doing during this application cycle (before the COVID-19 times at least)?

 

[Navier_Stokes]

What was your school list this cycle?

My two cents off the bat, research/pubs was certainly not your weakness this cycle even if you're interested in research-focused schools. It'd most likely be the low volunteer hours and probably having that improved MCAT score coming in late. What kind of ECs do you have? Anything interesting that makes your application stand out, or were you just checking boxes?


EDIT: I just checked your post history, it seems you've already received fantastic advice on this issue and it was pretty much agreed upon that research was not the weakness in your app, so having your gap year research job be canceled shouldn't really affect you. The consensus was you should reapply and get those volunteer hours up. I also noticed your hours haven't changed since you last posted, what have you been doing during this application cycle (before the COVID-19 times at least)?

Oops! I just copied the original post without thinking too much. The hours have definitely changed! (I just edited the post). I am hoping that I can even bump those hours up to ~600-700 hrs.

Yes! I definitely did get fantastic advice from many respected members of this community, and honestly I have been stopping myself from posting another similar one. But, I wasn't sure what I can do during my gap year during the times of COVID. I hope you understand my situation. I guess I started questioning myself.

When I looked at my application, I honestly couldn't find anything that sticks out. People told me there are a few interesting things, but honestly I think they are just being nice -- in terms of activities, I think I am a typical premed applicant. This has been one of my concerns, too.

 

[Goro]

Hope you guys are all safe and healthy.

This cycle did not go well for me, and I am going to be a re-applicant. I was planning on applying this coming up 2020-2021 cycle, but I might push it by a year (I don't want to rush it and get poor results again.) For my gap year, I was planning on getting some pubs during the research job because this lab is a paper-producing machine lab; but, as a lot of people would've faced this, I lost the position due to COVID-19.

Now I am thinking about doing grad school, maybe in genetics or bio-related to get some pubs. I might continue clinical volunteering if they open up soon (I don't think that's really likely but...) What are your thoughts on this one? I am focusing on research a lot because I am interested in research-focusing schools, but I don't have any pubs other than a poster.

Everything else for my app looks great -- I got it confirmed on here before, but for your reference...

CA ORM
505-> 518 (I’ve provided an update but it was too late for this cycle)
3.85 Gpa, 3.7 sGPA
1800 h research, 1 poster

EDIT: 300 h clinical volunteering, 50 h shadowing, and 400 h non-clinical

Much appreciated!

You're fine for any DO school right now.

 

[efle]

Your issue was just your good MCAT arriving late in the cycle.

I'd reapply immediately to a long and humble list. 3.85/518 will get interviews.

Spending a year off building up even more volunteerism or even more research hours will not do much. Just do something to pay the bills while reapplying with that score

 

[Navier_Stokes]

Your issue was just your good MCAT arriving late in the cycle.

I'd reapply immediately to a long and humble list. 3.85/518 will get interviews.

Spending a year off building up even more volunteerism or even more research hours will not do much. Just do something to pay the bills while reapplying with that score

Ok Thank you everyone! I guess I got scared of facing a lot of rejections again. I will certainly apply this cycle!!!

 

[FutureSurgical]

Have the hours been increasing during the cycle? I ask this because if you put that you’ll have at-most 700 hours volunteering on the current cycle, then it isn’t seen as much of an improvement and can even be detrimental.

Where did you apply? Is that list going to change the next cycle?

 

[Navier_Stokes]

Have the hours been increasing during the cycle? I ask this because if you put that you’ll have at-most 700 hours volunteering on the current cycle, then it isn’t seen as much of an improvement and can even be detrimental.

Where did you apply? Is that list going to change the next cycle?

So yes. The hours increased during the cycle.

For this cycle, I applied to

Quinnipiac
New York Medical College
Seton Hall
Drexel
Temple
George Washington
Oakland Beaumont
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
Creighton
California University
Vermont
Medical College Wisconsin
Loyola
NOVA MD
Drexel
Temple
UC Irvine
UC Riverside

For the upcoming cycle, I might apply to (created by Goro):

ALL UCs
Northwestern
The NYC Titans
U VA
Mayo (maybe)
U MI (maybe)
Case
U VM
U IA
U Toledo
USF Morsani
OH State
U Cincy
Miami
St. Louis
Albany
Albert Einstein
Rochester
Rush
Rosy Franklin
NYMC
EVMS
Wake Forest
Jefferson
Temple
Drexel
Creighton
Tulane
USC/Keck
Dartmouth
Seton Hall
MCW
Loyola
Emory
BU
Duke
Pitt
Hofstra
Tufts
Oakland-B
Western MI
Nova MD
CUSM
Kaiser
A few DO programs.