What to do if this year unintentionally becomes a gap year?

[PreMedRookie]

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So I am getting worried that I will end up not getting into med school this year. If that happens, I have not done much of anything that adds to my application. Are you all still adding new ECs and such during your application year just in case you do not get in? I do not want to have to reapply next summer with virtually the same application but don't know what I can do at this point to boost it.

What are you doing during your application year?

 

[Bovary]

Are you doing anything with your time during this year other than applying to med schools? Isn't that a whole lot of singularly focused drudgery?

If you think there's a real chance you won't get in anywhere, then yes, having a "productive" gap year will be an important asset when applying again. Get a job (wouldn't the money be nice anyways?) and/or volunteer somewhere (food banks, hospitals, hospice care, etc).

Do you sit around doodling on paper or on the guitar all day? Make those purposefully hobbies — construct a series of drawings or record a bedroom album. I imagine these are projects that are worthwhile in their own right, but they might have the added benefit of giving you some talking fuel when asked "So what did you do with your unexpected year off".

 

[wiloghby]

I am applying this cycle. I promised myself I would continue to take a full course load at least until I got an acceptance. (I already have a degree.) And I am continuing my ECs until I start med school regardless because they are fun.

So in theory, if I had to reapply next year, my application would be stronger just by keeping on keeping on (higher GPA, more hours, possible publication or award from continued research)

I'm not saying this is for everyone, but for 75% of us applicants, you should plan your application year assuming you will have to reapply the next year. And then hope to GOD that's not the case.

 

[kyamh]

Keep in mind that it's only the beginning of November. Even if you just start a new activity this week, it's still a solid seven months of activity before you apply again. You aren't doomed 🙂

 

[Nena01]

So I am getting worried that I will end up not getting into med school this year. If that happens, I have not done much of anything that adds to my application. Are you all still adding new ECs and such during your application year just in case you do not get in? I do not want to have to reapply next summer with virtually the same application but don't know what I can do at this point to boost it.

What are you doing during your application year?

There's still a chance you could get into school this cycle, like others have said. But to answer your question, there's many things you can do, and nowadays it's not uncommon for people to take gap years. If you live at home (for free) and your parents are okay with it, you could spend this time getting valuable clinical experience volunteering at a hospital or clinic. If you're on your own, you could find a full-time job to support yourself, and still do volunteering on the weekends.

Generally, your gap year should be spent doing things that will strengthen your application. Only you know which areas could use some help.

 

[nedsybedsy]

Everyone is going to have a different response, so I think you should take a good hard look at your application and identify weaknesses. Maybe you're a little low on research or community service, either medical or nonmedical. Maybe you didn't have as much to talk about in secondaries. Maybe take some classes to boost a lower GPA (although it would take a full course load).

Or if you really don't think your application has weaknesses, get a job and pay off student loans. Whatever you do though, make it meaningful and useful for you as a person and/or as an applicant.

 

[PreMedRookie]

Everyone is going to have a different response, so I think you should take a good hard look at your application and identify weaknesses. Maybe you're a little low on research or community service, either medical or nonmedical. Maybe you didn't have as much to talk about in secondaries. Maybe take some classes to boost a lower GPA (although it would take a full course load).

Or if you really don't think your application has weaknesses, get a job and pay off student loans. Whatever you do though, make it meaningful and useful for you as a person and/or as an applicant.

You pointed out my two weak spots, research and volunteering. I work at my school and also have a full time job over school breaks. However, with the application cycle expenses, I have had to waitress over weekends in order to make ends meet. I honestly don't have much free time at all to put towards new ECs. This is what really concerns me the most. I didn't stop any of my ECs this semester, but I haven't been able to add anything new due to my financial situation.

 

[darkmb101]

You pointed out my two weak spots, research and volunteering. I work at my school and also have a full time job over school breaks. However, with the application cycle expenses, I have had to waitress over weekends in order to make ends meet. I honestly don't have much free time at all to put towards new ECs. This is what really concerns me the most. I didn't stop any of my ECs this semester, but I haven't been able to add anything new due to my financial situation.

In your case, I wouldn't bother with research unless you get paid to do it. Instead I would shadow a MD/DO and get a really good LOR. This isnt very time consuming and will greatly help your app if you did have to re-apply. Then I would continue to work and save up money. As long as you have something positive to say about your work experience and how it relates to medicine then you'll be fine (assuming that gpa and MCAT aren't a problem).

 

[QuantumQuark]

In your case, I wouldn't bother with research unless you get paid to do it. Instead I would shadow a MD/DO and get a really good LOR. This isnt very time consuming and will greatly help your app if you did have to re-apply. Then I would continue to work and save up money. As long as you have something positive to say about your work experience and how it relates to medicine then you'll be fine (assuming that gpa and MCAT aren't a problem).

I agree with continued ECs but I have never heard of a letter from a doctor you shadowed being helpful in the app cycle. Even schools that require a specific amount of shadowing don't require or even recommend a letter from a physician you shadowed. As long as you have 20-50 hours of shadowing you can show you learned something from it in an interview. Getting that letter probably won't help but won't hurt either.

If you're not going to do research and it's your weakness then I would carefully research schools that don't put an emphasis on it and apply there. If you didn't get any interviews though I would look hard at your GPA and MCAT and make sure you're as competitive as you think you are. Even with weak ECs I would imagine you would still get an II somewhere with strong academics.

 

[PreMedRookie]

I agree with continued ECs but I have never heard of a letter from a doctor you shadowed being helpful in the app cycle. Even schools that require a specific amount of shadowing don't require or even recommend a letter from a physician you shadowed. As long as you have 20-50 hours of shadowing you can show you learned something from it in an interview. Getting that letter probably won't help but won't hurt either.

If you're not going to do research and it's your weakness then I would carefully research schools that don't put an emphasis on it and apply there. If you didn't get any interviews though I would look hard at your GPA and MCAT and make sure you're as competitive as you think you are. Even with weak ECs I would imagine you would still get an II somewhere with strong academics.

I have a 30ish MCAT and 3.7 GPA. I interviewed at my state school and am still waiting to hear back. I have already shadowed and I believe my current letters are strong. I am concerned because I was complete at all schools in early Aug and so far (aside from my state school) I just have two rejections and the rest are silent. I feel like the ECs I have are strong..good leadership and I have worked for 5 years to pay for tuition and living expenses. I do not know what is going on...maybe I am missing something. Would schools stay away from me due to lack of research?

 

[darkmb101]

I agree with continued ECs but I have never heard of a letter from a doctor you shadowed being helpful in the app cycle. Even schools that require a specific amount of shadowing don't require or even recommend a letter from a physician you shadowed. As long as you have 20-50 hours of shadowing you can show you learned something from it in an interview. Getting that letter probably won't help but won't hurt either.

It's a small world. One of my interviewers new the doctor that wrote my LOR; they had residency together. If you get a quality LOR then its worth the effort. This could be in anything volunteer, research, whatever.

 

[darkmb101]

I have a 33 MCAT and 3.8 GPA. I interviewed at my state school and am still waiting to hear back. I have already shadowed and I believe my current letters are strong. I am concerned because I was complete at all schools in early Aug and so far (aside from my state school) I just have two rejections and the rest are silent. I feel like the ECs I have are strong..good leadership and I have worked for 5 years to pay for tuition and living expenses. I do not know what is going on...maybe I am missing something. Would schools stay away from me due to lack of research?

I also have an IA and am concerned that I am not even being considered at schools yet but I am having trouble getting a good answer about this one.

Patience is a virtue. Adding stress to you life over something you can't control is a waste of energy. If you're not rejected, then you still have a chance.

 

[QuantumQuark]

It's a small world. One of my interviewers new the doctor that wrote my LOR; they had residency together. If you get a quality LOR then its worth the effort. This could be in anything volunteer, research, whatever.

It does help if the interviewer knows the doctor you shadow. I also had an interviewer that knew a doctor that I had shadowed and we talked for a bit about the shadowing experience and what I learned from it. I still don't think it would have helped to have a LOR from him beyond the ones I already had, but if you're hurting for letters it might be an option. I just don't think it will "greatly help your app" like you mentioned in your previous post, the opportunity to talk about it in the interview was good enough, but this school didn't accept letters beyond the required ones either way.

 

[QuantumQuark]

I have a 33 MCAT and 3.8 GPA. I interviewed at my state school and am still waiting to hear back. I have already shadowed and I believe my current letters are strong. I am concerned because I was complete at all schools in early Aug and so far (aside from my state school) I just have two rejections and the rest are silent. I feel like the ECs I have are strong..good leadership and I have worked for 5 years to pay for tuition and living expenses. I do not know what is going on...maybe I am missing something. Would schools stay away from me due to lack of research?

I also have an IA and am concerned that I am not even being considered at schools yet but I am having trouble getting a good answer about this one.

I'm not on an ADCOM obviously but if you applied to a wide range of schools and still don't have any II I would imagine there is a red flag in your app beyond a simple deficiency in research experience. The IA could be a problem, but it really depends on how long ago it was and what it was for. I would try to get some feedback from Goro or LizzyM about it, and if you're not willing to talk publicly about the IA then maybe PM them or something. I would definitely try to figure this out before applying again next cycle if you don't get in this one.

 

[darkmb101]

It does help if the interviewer knows the doctor you shadow. I also had an interviewer that knew a doctor that I had shadowed and we talked for a bit about the shadowing experience and what I learned from it. I still don't think it would have helped to have a LOR from him beyond the ones I already had, but if you're hurting for letters it might be an option. I just don't think it will "greatly help your app" like you mentioned in your previous post, the opportunity to talk about it in the interview was good enough, but this school didn't accept letters beyond the required ones either way.

If you're going to quote me. Then read the entire sentence please. ME: "Instead I would shadow a MD/DO and get a really good LOR. This isnt very time consuming and will greatly help your app if you did have to re-apply." (this is assuming that OP did not shadow, because no specifics were given about ECs).

There are two parts. Shadow AND get a lor. Yes, you could shadow and not get a lor. But why not get a quality lor, if you can? Shadowing ~20 hours is no big deal. Being able to write and talk about your experiences in a meaningful way is what matters most. A quality lor will support your statements. A good lor could help you get the interview if you're a borderline candidate. A bad lor could get you rejected.

 

[QuantumQuark]

Agree to disagree

 

[PreMedRookie]

My IA is for something stupid

 

[TheShaker]

If you think that there is a realistic chance that you won't get in then do more stuff. I understand how it feels to have to do this kind of stuff during your application year but you will thank yourself if you end up as a reapplicant. I didn't get as much new stuff on my reapplication but I did make some drastic changes to it, but I do wish that I did some new and interesting EC's to show schools something new. The schools that I did the same thing for rejected me again promptly.

 

[PreMedRookie]

I could add a new EC by quitting my current job and getting a new one but I don't see that as productive in any way. I guess I will be adding a presentation at an international conference...I wish that was enough to satisfy schools.