What do you do in your year off?

[FattySlug]

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So the thing is I am applying June 2011 and wondering what I should do from now until then. Do medical schools care what you do during your year off?

Right now I am working full time but my job is not related to medicine in anyway and with the job market being the way it is I really do not want to switch job unless I have to. I still volunteer at the clinic every now and then when they need help during the weekends. What else could I do to improve my application for next year?

Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you so much.

 

[IlDestriero]

I was an Ocean Lifeguard. I was ready to go academically, but i had loads of lazy tendencies and hedonistic energy to burn off first. However, someone with the handle "FattySlug" probably couldn't pull that off.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

I am going to learn how to sail in the ocean. Maybe I can become a pirate. Although, I think a speedboat would be more suitable for that. I'm trying to keep it oldschool though. 😎

 

[Barcu]

So the thing is I am applying June 2011 and wondering what I should do from now until then. Do medical schools care what you do during your year off?

Right now I am working full time but my job is not related to medicine in anyway and with the job market being the way it is I really do not want to switch job unless I have to. I still volunteer at the clinic every now and then when they need help during the weekends. What else could I do to improve my application for next year?

Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you so much.

Med schools do care what you do during your year off, and you will be asked about it on every secondary and at every interview.

However, you do not need a medically-related job. So don't switch jobs if you don't want to. Be able to talk about what you are learning from your job and how it can apply to medicine (customer service, working as a team, etc. Again, does not need to be directly medical)

You can keep your job. Make sure to keep up with clinical volunteering. Make sure it's consistent, like once a week for a couple hours (from your first post, it was hard to tell if that's the case). Also, try and add some non-medical volunteering.

After that, you're pretty set. As long as the rest of your app is fine, you will be fine. Most of the decision is made from what you did in the previous years leading up to the year of application.

 

[mitchlucker]

I was actually wondering the same thing as the OP.

I recently graduated (at the end of fall semester) and I want to find a new job because the one I'm at now isn't cutting it for me (low pay, minimal hours) so I'm in the process of finding a new one.

Now that I have a degree, do I really need to find a "degree" job?

I like being able to take vacations whenever I want, like being 21 and single, like being able to do the stuff that I can do without waking up at 7 am everyday.

Plus, I want to re-take my MCAT so I don't want to worry about a 40 hour a week at my bad operating hours.

I am still shadowing and volunteering but I was planning on doing a WWOOF for a month or so somewhere after I save up enough $.

Though, after I re-take my MCAT and apply, I'm not too sure what to do aside from a WWOOF trip.

Would just working and having fun be a legitimate time off?

I know it won't look good, but I think I need it before I devote 7 years of my life to becoming a physician. This is almost the last time in my life I'll have this little responsibility (I want a family sometime in my late 20s, maybe before I finish med school) so I want to enjoy it before it's too late. (Being able to go on vacation whenever, buy a new car, pick up new hobbies, etc)

 

[RookTookIt]

I know it won't look good, but I think I need it before I devote 7 years of my life to becoming a physician. This is almost the last time in my life I'll have this little responsibility (I want a family sometime in my late 20s, maybe before I finish med school) so I want to enjoy it before it's too late. (Being able to go on vacation whenever, buy a new car, pick up new hobbies, etc)

I don't think now is the time to live it up for an entire year. Take a month or so to do whatever you want if you need it. Apply early, get an early acceptance, and then have all the fun you want for more than half a year. In the meantime, I would make sure you have a meaningful year that you can speak about in an interview.

 

[Lindlar]

I'll probably be working to buy a new car. Mine is a POS.
Hope to volunteer coaching tennis, or otherwise play a lot.

From my understanding, doing something medically focused is not all that useful, unless you think there is a strong chance you won't get in and want something for the next application cycle.
The year off will be your last chance to really relax for a long period of time before many years of long hours of studying. You should do something that you enjoy.

 

[unhappytnt]

I am staying at my university to be a 5th year senior and get a third major. Woo.

 

[frescoengano]

I'll probably be working to buy a new car. Mine is a POS.
Hope to volunteer coaching tennis, or otherwise play a lot.

From my understanding, doing something medically focused is not all that useful, unless you think there is a strong chance you won't get in and want something for the next application cycle.
The year off will be your last chance to really relax for a long period of time before many years of long hours of studying. You should do something that you enjoy.

👍

 

[Ansar]

From another thread...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKFjWR7X5dU

 

[CougarMD]

I am going to learn how to sail in the ocean. Maybe I can become a pirate. Although, I think a speedboat would be more suitable for that. I'm trying to keep it oldschool though. 😎

I now feel like I have completely wasted my "year off" 🙁

 

[StudyShy]

I will be obtaining a second master's degree. 😀

 

[juliedi]

So far in my time off, I've been working two part-time jobs (one in healthcare, one not at all), volunteered in a hospital and now in a clinic, shadowed a few physicians, taught kids how to swim, traveled, experimented with cooking some fabulous (and decidedly un-fabulous) meals, learned how to play the bongos, read a bunch of books, and then some. So far, so good.

 

[dragon529]

AmeriCorps have some great programs with 6 months or 1 yr commitments. A bonus is the education award that comes with it when you successfully complete your program. Definitely check out their website. National Service FTW! 😀

 

[Mr Hippopotamus]

Come to Europe! I'm working 3/4 of the time and spending the rest traveling! I'm not saving any money, but I'm not digging myself any deeper either...