Taking a year off before applying

[Imrizzle]

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Hey all

I've been having a tough time thinking of things I could do to make me more acceptable to a medical school when I am taking my year off after graduating from undergraduate. I plan on graduating spring 2012 and applying that summer.

Some things I have thought of and read about is doing EMT work, research, volunteering and shadowing.

I was just wondering if there are any other options available to me. Are there typically any internships available for people wanting to do medicine but have graduated from undergraduate? And what kinds of internships are these and what to they involve?

I'd really appreciate any information and help I could get with this.

Just wanted to add that doing research at a medical school for a year might be hard from what I've just been told during my meeting with a researcher over there in that researchers might be reluctant to hire someone if they are to only work for one year.

 

[NickNaylor]

First things that come to mind to me are TFA (Teach for America, though this is a 2 year commitment) and a Fullbright scholarship.

Most people that I met that were out of school seemed to be involved in some kind of research occupation, usually as a lab tech. I think as long as you do SOMETHING (provided your application isn't lacking in anything significant), you'll be fine. If you need clinical, research, volunteer, etc. experience, then you should obviously focus on that in your off time.

 

[Imrizzle]

Thanks for the reply! I just have one question on what exactly is clinical experience?

I have been volunteering at a free make shift medical clinic, which provides free medical screenings and is basically run by med students and few undergrads. The whole clinic serves as part of a research study by the medical school itself on the health of people in rural areas. Would that be considered clinical experience.

Or would shadowing be more of a clinic experience?

 

[kpcrew]

shadowing is pretty much just sitting there and watching, it's just to get a sense of what doctors do

For research, you can do a post-bacc research education program which is a year long structured program where you do research with a professor. you also get different kinds of support including some money. you can also do a one year fellowship with the nih. the deadlines for applying will probably be sometime in the spring so you should get on that. i didn't really think about my gap year until it came along so i was only able to get a volunteering research job after some effort although if you have lab experience, lab tech jobs are available. you can also volunteer at a hospital while you do this.

 

[NickNaylor]

Thanks for the reply! I just have one question on what exactly is clinical experience?

I have been volunteering at a free make shift medical clinic, which provides free medical screenings and is basically run by med students and few undergrads. The whole clinic serves as part of a research study by the medical school itself on the health of people in rural areas. Would that be considered clinical experience.

Or would shadowing be more of a clinic experience?

The medical clinic would definitely be considered clinical experience, even if it's a research type of experience as well.