Third world country vs SMP. Thoughts?

[MedSchool28]

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Hello, everyone. I wasn't exactly sure where I should post this question so I ended up posting it twice. I am currently an undergraduate student and I still have two years left before I graduate. I am, however, going to need to take a gap year and I am trying to figure out what would be the best move for me to make during that time. I have not had the best undergraduate track record so I am considering doing an SMP. However, originally I had planned on spending a year in Haiti taking classes at the local medical school and working with the medical students throughout the community (benevolence work). I figured this would be the best of both worlds because I could do community volunteer work in a third world country along with taking medical school courses (albeit in Haiti, it still has to count for something). I know in my mind what I want to do, but still, I'd like to know what you think would look most impressive for med school adcoms. After all, medical school is my goal at the end of the day and I will do whatever is necessary to get there. Thanks in advance for your responses.

PS: I have a deep affinity for Haiti and have volunteered there already so my idea of going there is more about my love for the country than wanting to impress anyone. I think it's important that everyone knows this.

 

[October88]

The answer to your question depends so much on how bad your track record is.

What is your GPA now?
Best case scenerio what ie the best GPA you could have upon graduation?


If the best case scenerio your GPA is at least a 3.5 I would work your butt off academically these last two years and go to hiati.

 

[MedGrl@2022]

Hello, everyone. I wasn't exactly sure where I should post this question so I ended up posting it twice. I am currently an undergraduate student and I still have two years left before I graduate. I am, however, going to need to take a gap year and I am trying to figure out what would be the best move for me to make during that time. I have not had the best undergraduate track record so I am considering doing an SMP. However, originally I had planned on spending a year in Haiti taking classes at the local medical school and working with the medical students throughout the community (benevolence work). I figured this would be the best of both worlds because I could do community volunteer work in a third world country along with taking medical school courses (albeit in Haiti, it still has to count for something). I know in my mind what I want to do, but still, I'd like to know what you think would look most impressive for med school adcoms. After all, medical school is my goal at the end of the day and I will do whatever is necessary to get there. Thanks in advance for your responses.

PS: I have a deep affinity for Haiti and have volunteered there already so my idea of going there is more about my love for the country than wanting to impress anyone. I think it's important that everyone knows this.

Sounds like an awesome experience! 🙂 How did you learn about it? Is this through a special program?

 

[MedSchool28]

The answer to your question depends so much on how bad your track record is.

What is your GPA now?
Best case scenerio what ie the best GPA you could have upon graduation?


If the best case scenerio your GPA is at least a 3.5 I would work your butt off academically these last two years and go to hiati.

Thanks for your response. My track record is pretty awful. So far for my premedical courses I have only taken bio 1 and 2 and chem 1. My overall GPA is 3.0 and I need to retake chem 1. I guess the good news is that I still have chem 2, orgo 1 and 2, physics 1 and 2, and biochem left to take so I have a chance to redeem myself. I still have quite a few classes left to take so best case scenario, I could probably graduate with a 3.5 at the most. I overloaded myself and severely underestimated how much work these classes would be and ended up not doing nearly as well as I'd hoped. I feel like I sabotaged myself because bio and chem should be the easiest pre-med courses, right? I should have gotten A's

 

[circulus vitios]

You're seriously going to live in a third world hellhole for a year to impress adcom members?

 

[MedSchool28]

Sounds like an awesome experience! 🙂 How did you learn about it? Is this through a special program?

Thanks for your response. I have a lot of ties in Haiti. I'm not going through a special program. The med school in haiti is affiliated with different volunteer organizations. If I go, I will just enroll in the school and get involved with the volunteer organizations they are affiliated with. One that I am particularly interested in is FHHH.

 

[MedSchool28]

You're seriously going to live in a third world hellhole for a year to impress adcom members?

Haiti is not a hellhole. Also, as I stated before, I am not going just to impress adcoms. I care about this place and I want to find something meaningful to do during my gap year, but I also want to give myself the best shot at med school. I have spent a significant amount of time in Haiti and have had a great time there. Please don't believe everything you see on TV. That is a very sad and ignorant way to live your life.

 

[Seeker99]

Don't let him get to you. The best experiences I've had in life are the ones often perceived as uncouth. Good on ya for trying something new.

 

[October88]

I think it is too early to make this decision and you just need to reevaluate it in a few years and just focus now on improving your grades and doing better🙂

 

[alexrgross]

My opinion is to spend a year in Haiti, after which applying, meanwhile the application year should be spent in SMP.

 

[MedSchool28]

My opinion is to spend a year in Haiti, after which applying, meanwhile the application year should be spent in SMP.

Interesting idea. I never thought of that. Thanks for your input.

 

[MedSchool28]

I think it is too early to make this decision and you just need to reevaluate it in a few years and just focus now on improving your grades and doing better🙂

You might be right. Maybe I am jumping the gun. Thanks

 

[MedSchool28]

Don't let him get to you. The best experiences I've had in life are the ones often perceived as uncouth. Good on ya for trying something new.

Thank you. With the way these beautiful places are portrayed in the media, I can't be mad at his ignorance. Some people just don't know better and sadly they don't care to.

 

[MedGrl@2022]

My opinion is to spend a year in Haiti, after which applying, meanwhile the application year should be spent in SMP.

what is SMP?

 

[ClinPathDO]

what is SMP?

special masters program- some schools offer a one years masters similar or exactly like the first year of medical school. If you excel it can prove to schools you can handle the academic rigors of med school; some have direct linkage into the medical school if you meet certain requirement. SMP is usually recommended for GPA repair.

 

[wholeheartedly]

Alternatively, you could do the opposite. Do your SMP, then apply in June and then go to Haiti. The problem with this is that you have to travel to your interviews from Haiti.

However if you need a GPA boost and go to Haiti first then apply while in you're doing your SMP, you aren't going to have improved grades on your application so it isn't really going to benefit you much. I just don't see an adcom. heavily weighting performance from a school there. If you do the SMP first, get solid grades, submit your app, then go to interviews and talk about what you're currently doing in Haiti, it might work better.

But agree with October88, rock the rest of your classes, then worry about what you're going to do. A lot can happen between now and then.

 

[survivordo]

Check back in at the end of next year. You will either have made or definitive improvement in your GPA or you will have not... If you haven't then you need to seriously consider doing a SMP to prove to med schools that you can hack it. Unfortunately, I don't know how much credence they would give to med school classes in Haiti so it would likely be better for this to be in the US.

Survivor DO

 

[MedSchool28]

All wonderful responses, everyone. Thanks so much. I will definitely check back in next year.

 

[owlegrad]

One thread per topic, please: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=1015462