URM Should I take a Gap year?

[alana20193]

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I want to take a gap year because I feel like a need a break after 17 years of school; however, my parents are completely against gap years. If I did take a gap year, I would probably stay near campus and continue working in my research lab for another year, or be a scribe as I don't have much clinical experience. I feel that I could use the gap year, as I could use the extra year to be more involved in campus and gain more clinical, shadowing experience, go abroad, and get better letters of recommendation. I also feel that maybe an additional year would help make me a more competitive applicant.

• If gap year taken I would apply in summer 2019 rather than summer 2018
• cGPA and sGPA: 4.0 for both
• Major: Biology, Chemistry, and Psychology
• MCAT score: Taking in august, may push back to January if I do take a gap year (AAMC FL#1 519)
• State of Residence: IN
• Ethnicity or race: Black
• Undergraduate Institution: Public University in IN
• Clinical Experience:
  • Hospice volunteer: 70 hours by end of junior year
  • 1 week medical brigade: 50 hours in clinic
• Research experience and productivity:
  • Senior thesis in Chemistry department
  • 720 hours by end of junior year
  • 2 poster presentations
• Shadowing experiences
  • Currently have about ~20 hours
  • Already have shadowing lined up in august with primary care physician and anesthesiologist
• Non-clinical volunteering
  • Food bank: ~50
  • Women's shelter: ~100 hours
    • Split between answering crisis hotline and tutoring children
• Other extracurricular activities
  • Departmental Organic Chemistry Tutors: 180 hrs at end of junior year
  • General Chemistry TA: 1 semester
  • Organic Chemistry TA: 2 semesters (junior year)
  • Psychology TA: 1 semester
  • Pre health club (2 years member, 1 year leadership)
  • Christian fellowship (3 years)
  • Black Student Union (2 years)
  • African Student Association (2 years)
  • Medical brigade club (in charge of collecting non-monetary donations)
• Awards: Summer research scholarship from Chem, grants, academic scholarships

 

[Lucca]

No need for gap year with your profile. If you get within two points of your score (517-521) with a 4.0 GPA, you are very competitive for every school in the country.

All checkboxes look filled to me.

Take a gap year if theres something you want to do, but do it for you. If you only wanted to take a year to "become a more competitive applicant" then dont take one and apply right away. Taking the MCAT in either August or January is fine, it looks like you are basically ready already if you are scoring 519 on the practice test.

 

[jcorpsmanMD]

Obviously you don't want a gap year because you need it but because you would like a break from school, correct? I think it's a great idea. If it's what you want to do, go for it. Work, get more experiences, travel.. no need to rush through things. Don't listen to your parents, YOU know what you need. If they get upset, it will be momentarily, I promise you. Good luck!!

 

[Dr. Stalker]

OP,

Its your life. Not your parents. Yes they'll be pissed at you for taking "one year off" but who gives an eff. You've earned it. Travel. Work for fun. Live your life. You will never get this opportunity again.

 

[Professional Student]

From the sound of your application it seems like you should only take a gap year if you want a break, want to make sure medical school is what you want, or think that you might need some extra experiences to discuss on the primary application and secondaries. If none of those are true, I think you are a very competitive applicant and should have no problem applying to top tier schools after your MCAT score comes in.

 

[darmalee]

If you feel like you need a break, take the gap year. I've known a bunch of people who have done this and I don't think I've ever talked to someone who regretted it. Med school is a grind and it is followed by residency which is also a grind.

I know it can be difficult to push back against your parents when they have strong opinions about your future and education. But if you really feel like you would benefit from the time off I think it might be worth the potential arguments. I imagine they'd be a bit less upset at the end of it all once you got into medical school.

I'll also join the others in saying that it doesn't sound like you have a deficit of clinical experience, but do clinical stuff if it makes you happy and keeps you feeling like you're staying connected to medicine during your year off.

 

[AttemptingScholar]

Here are my thoughts, for what little they are worth, on the subject of parental oversight. At 15, not doing something that is generally considered good (like a club you want, not like drinking and driving) because your parents don't want you to is normal. At 30, it isn't. I don't know exactly at what age it switches from one to the other, but it's going to happen eventually. As of right now, you are an adult and have the final say.

SDN metaphors:
Medical education is a marathon, not a sprint.
Medical education is a furnace that can break even smart and mentally stable applicants.

 

[lolpremed22]

You've worked hard for these past 4 years and if you think a gap year is what is best for you, I would take it. I understand where you're coming from with the pressure from parents, but they will get over it. I've never seen anyone that has regretted taking a gap year, but I have seen people who say they have regretted not taking one. You know what's best for you.