Specific Gap Year Question

[MaxHeptacity]

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It's starting to look like I may have to take a gap year, and I've been trying to get some ideas about what I can do to improve my chances during the next go around. I have an excellent MCAT score and GPA as well as lots of extracurriculars, volunteer hours, and shadowing. Also, I do biomedical research, but I do not currently have a publication. Another point of information, I have a underage drinking ticket that I am sure has affected my application.

My question:

While going through the application and interview process next year, do you all think it would be more beneficial to be working in a clinical position with some volunteering (probably not clinical) or a research position trying to get a publication with clinical volunteering?

 

[bucks2010]

how much time do you have in research and clinical activities so far?

if one category is way behind the other (i.e. if you only have a couple months of clinical volunteering for a few hours a week), I would focus on building that up during your gap year (with a paid job). if they are both even, research would probably be more beneficial.

 

[MaxHeptacity]

I have been working in my lab for about two years. I work either for credit or on my own time during the school year (about 10 hours per week). I was employed full time in the lab during the previous two summers.

I have about 150 hours volunteering as an EMT, but I ended that about two years ago. I have been shadowing docs about 40 hours a year, and I am starting to volunteer in the local hospital for the time being.

 

[bluecabinet]

What are your gpa and mcat? What year are u now? If underage drinking happened years ago I can't imagine it impacting it too much... How did you carry yourself during the interview? did you apply broadly? What state r u from?

 

[alerk323]

yea, why do you think your underage drinking ticket matters (and what does that mean, were you convicted of a misdemeanor?)

Either way, in my experience what you do during your gap year doesn't actually matter that much unfortunately if you're applying that cycle (gap year starting in June 2012, applying to matriculate in fall of 2013). At that point, the only time you can talk about what you're doing is in an interview or in update letters. It matters much more, again, in my experience, what you put in your primary app. So if you don't get in the first cycle, it will definitely matter but in the moment, not so much.

 

[cafaro]

i had average mcat , above average gpa and vol/shadowing/res (no publication) and took a gap year. during last semester of college and in to gap year (which is right now) i worked as an Emergency Department Scribe. I think my application was strong minus the average MCAT but I am pretty sure this is what put me over the top because of the medical knoweldge you learn and if the ED your in is an urban area your exposed to the pts dont have insurance and fall through the cracks of the system so you learn firsthand some problems w/ HC. depending on the attending your with, they may even let you do some things. i was allowed to do CPR (not certified) on a pt in cardiac arrest, a co-worker helped intubate a pt.

tl; dr - highly recommend ED SCRIBE... it is amazing.

 

[IlDestriero]

What's your degree in and what jobs are you qualified to do other than research?

 

[MaxHeptacity]

To answer some questions:

I graduate this year with a BS in Chemistry and Math/Physics, I have a 3.98 GPA and a 38O on my MCAT. I believe the drinking ticket is affecting my application because it is a misdemeanor and happened less than two years ago. I was very upfront and honest about this issue in my interviews.

I have an EMT-basic certification that is about to lapse. I could probably get the continuing education in to renew that, but I don't have any other specific clinical training. I believe some scribe positions may be opening soon in my area, so I could apply to those positions.