Study Abroad for a year

[Denver89]

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Hi, I'm in my second year at my U and last summer I studied for 6 weeks at the london school of economics and loved it..

I am taking bio I&II and chem I&II this year and I plan on taking OChem and Physics next year to finish the last of my pre-requisites. I am currently deciding between accounting and economics for my major, with a minor in a science of some kind (havn't decided yet). So here's my question...

As I mentioned above, I really enjoyed my experience in london and I would like to go back. The program I am interested in is the London School of Economics. The thing is, if you apply to study during their regular term (as oppose to the summer school I did last year) they require you to study for an entire year. The main drawback I have is that such a long trip would make me unable to use that time to gain clinical experience, research, and all that good stuff. On the other hand, the london school of economics is a world renowned school (and MUCH better than the school I currently attend). This would be a great experience academically, but I wanted to get some of your guys' thoughts.

I guess my main question is, will med schools see this almost as an EC? Obviously not in the typical sense, but being in another county for so long, studying along side student from over 50 countries, it's quite the experience.

 

[Catalystik]

It isn't an Extracurricular if it's on your transcript. It might give you material for some interesting essays, or not. It might also destroy your GPA if you're not very, very sure of their grading system and how competitive they'll be (if the grades transfer back to your home insitution, rather than P/F).

If it's important to you and will help you grow as a person, and you can afford it, and won't hurt your GPA, there's no downside other than delaying yiour application another year while you catch up with the ECs (though surely you could find a volunteer situation while you're there so there's no 'dead zone' in your activities list). I doubt it will be viewed as equal to an amazing EC. It will just be part of your academic transcript. (Opinions may vary.)

Aside: The London School of Economics may be world renown, but if I've never heard of it, then some adcoms won't have either, so be sure to explain it somewhere on your application.

 

[the duck]

there is a possibility that London has an er that you could volunteer in. While the medical education system there is different, I would imagine patient care and the day to day practice of a doctor isn't all that different. I would think as long as you do some clinical work and shadowing state side so that you see how to deal with insurance companies and the like, you could keep up with your ECs while overseas.

 

[mwalker394]

I studied abroad for a year and didn't take any science classes, didn't volunteer, didn't do research. I still got in on my first application cycle. Med schools aren't looking for drones, as much as it may seem that way sometimes. If you're passionate about studying abroad, go for it. You'll have great topics for your essays (at least I did), the interviewers will have something unique and interesting to ask you about and, quite frankly, your life will be immensely better for it. Even if I didn't get in this year, I wouldn't have traded my year in France for ANYTHING.
If you do decide to do it, I would say the most important thing is to stay active. You obviously don't want it to look like you were lazy all year. Travel to other places, get a job (I was a nanny) or join clubs at the school. Just make sure you have as many wonderful experiences as possible. It will benefit you, as well as your application.

Edit:
By the way, all of my interviewers DID ask me about it and they absolutely loved that I did something different. I'm fairly traditional (20 yo, straight out of undergrad to med school, french/biology degrees), so having lived in another country gave me an edge that made me memorable.