Take ANOTHER year off?

[hellur]

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Hi everyone! I'm really on the fence about applying to MD schools this cycle, or waiting yet another year. I would really appreciate some advice. With the application cycle approaching, I'm really confused on what to do.

I took one year off after graduation to build up my clinical experiences & study for the MCAT (never taken before). Was supposed to take my test this month, but I'm not prepared and turns out I need to take the test later in the summer in order to get a decent score (33+) to make up for my gpa of 3.54. The problem is I don't want to be a late applicant. I don't have a problem with taking another year off, but my question is.. How do med schools look at applicants who take 2 years off, considering I'm not enrolled in any classes? Should I just apply as a late applicant, or take another year off? Of course in the meantime, I would increase my clinical exposure, and also research (I have an internship at Stanford starting this summer for half a year).

Thank you in advance for reading 🙂

 

[hellur]

Anyone?? If it helps, here's a little more about me

Graduated from a mid-tier UC, cGPA 3.54
Research experience:
- 1 summer of cancer research at Stanford University
- 1 year cancer research at UC
- Research internship at Stanford (this summer for 6 months)
Clincial Experience:
- Medical Brigade to Honduras - 1 week
- Medical center volunteer (no patient interaction) - 20-30 hrs
- Shadowing physician - 20 hrs
- Currently volunteering at Hospital (cancer/surgical patient care area)
Non-Medical community service: (both ongoing)
- Habitat for Humanity - 100 hrs
- soup kitchen - 50 hrs

 

[Maxwell7301]

I was in a similar situation last summer after graduating, somewhat on the fence about applying, but ended up submitting my primary in late August, with late September / Early October completions at most schools.

Applying late definitely hurt my chances of being interviewed, and I was only invited to interview at 2 schools. After being waitlisted at my top choice school in November, I was eventually accepted in March, so I'm really happy I went through with the application process. After all the waiting I went through this year, there is no way I could have prolonged it for another.

So it's definitely possible, provided you do well on the MCAT. Good luck!

 

[FIREitUP]

I have to agree that Max was very fortunate to be accepted, but I think he was shortchanged on the number of interviews he got, since I did the same thing my first application cycle and received 7 interviews but had to end up reapplying. I think that you definitely have a shot if you get a 33+, but you'll be risking not getting in. Your GPA is below average and if you could take some upper level sciences next year while volunteering and studying for your MCAT and destroying it. Medical schools will look at you, see that you were headstrong in achieving your goals and did something productive over the two years, and won't think twice about interviewing you if you improve your GPA and get a solid MCAT score. I think you should definitely sit this cycle out, especially if you're not prepared for the MCAT.

 

[DocDanny]

I got a 29 on my MCAT and graduated with a 3.65 GPA. No volunteering, only research x2.

I got into medical school, and I am an M3.

If I told you my scores without my results, would you have thought I would have gotten in? Probably not.

You might not get into Harvard, but you'll get in. And there are always DO schools.