Which extracurriculars to pursue within 2 gap years

[Parquat]

I am a recent UCSD graduate with a BS in Human Biology (shocking I know). I currently plan on taking the MCAT in January of 2016, provding an inconvenient 6 month gap until that date. I plan on spending 2 months of this time shadowing physicians. My current extracurriculars include the following:

1. 150 hours volunteer clinical experience in a hospital setting (great deal of patient interaction)

2. 650 hours of research experience under a post doc
I have nothing to show for this experience other than the knowledge of the work that I did. My role was similar to that of a lab tech in running wide array of experiments, extracting tissues from mice, immunofluorescence microscopy, and maintaining cells. The experiments I ran contributed to the post doc's research but it was a fairly disappointing experience in terms of an aloof PI and harsh post doc

3. 2.5 years tutoring/mentoring as a volunteer to underpriveledged highschool students through a non- profit that helps them get into college

4. Work experience as a bussboy in a restaurant followed by Starbucks during my first 2 years of college

5. 14 hours spent shadowing a physician in a primary care clinic

Im struggling to determine which areas are deserving of the most attention (other than shadowing), and would greatly appreciate thoughts and opinions (Scribe, lab tech, additional volunteer work in community?)

Thank you for your time!

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[AlteredScale]

I am a recent UCSD graduate with a BS in Human Biology (shocking I know). I currently plan on taking the MCAT in January of 2016, provding an inconvenient 6 month gap until that date. I plan on spending 2 months of this time shadowing physicians. My current extracurriculars include the following:

1. 150 hours volunteer clinical experience in a hospital setting (great deal of patient interaction)

2. 650 hours of research experience under a post doc
I have nothing to show for this experience other than the knowledge of the work that I did. My role was similar to that of a lab tech in running wide array of experiments, extracting tissues from mice, immunofluorescence microscopy, and maintaining cells. The experiments I ran contributed to the post doc's research but it was a fairly disappointing experience in terms of an aloof PI and harsh post doc

3. 2.5 years tutoring/mentoring as a volunteer to underpriveledged highschool students through a non- profit that helps them get into college

4. Work experience as a bussboy in a restaurant followed by Starbucks during my first 2 years of college

5. 14 hours spent shadowing a physician in a primary care clinic

Im struggling to determine which areas are deserving of the most attention (other than shadowing), and would greatly appreciate thoughts and opinions (Scribe, lab tech, additional volunteer work in community?)

Thank you for your time!

Whoah, we're similar. Same school, same degree as you (graduate 2015) Also worked at starbucks like you!

1) Up the shadowing time, spend some time in other specialties outside of PCP. I did FM, Endo outpatient clinic, GI, EM, and Neurosurgery for a total of around 60 hours.

2) Leadership: find something that you are passionate about and start volunteering in that group and maintain a leadership role.

If you have any more Q's feel free to message me with them and I can help you through the process. I'm going to KCU-COM this year.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Moving to Pre-Med forum. Users are free to respond there.

 

[GrapesofRath]

If the research experience was disappointing why not try with a different lab? Especially if you are talking about a 2 year commitment which is what labs are usually looking for in students.

Beef up the clinical exposure and the leadership advice above is good. But these aren't things you can do full time in all likelihood. If you're done with trying research maybe try to get a job in a hospital(depending on region you may need a license to be seriously considered such as a CNA or EMT) part time and do the volunteering and potential leadership the other 15-20 hours. Scribe is a job that doesn't require taking a class like an EMT one either which is also a possibility.

 

[Akech]

If your GPA is already fine and you're definitely planning on taking two years before you apply, try and get a paid research job in a different lab and work towards a project that has a good chance of getting you published. If you continue volunteering (something like one 4 hour shift a week), and find some more doctors to shadow (which you already know), you should have a fine app by the time your gap years are up.

 

[Parquat]

Whoah, we're similar. Same school, same degree as you (graduate 2015) Also worked at starbucks like you!

1) Up the shadowing time, spend some time in other specialties outside of PCP. I did FM, Endo outpatient clinic, GI, EM, and Neurosurgery for a total of around 60 hours.

2) Leadership: find something that you are passionate about and start volunteering in that group and maintain a leadership role.

If you have any more Q's feel free to message me with them and I can help you through the process. I'm going to KCU-COM this year.

Thank you for the quick reply, congrats on your success! I still shiver when I think about frappuccino hour... How concerning is the research? I was planning seek more responsibility in managing the students progress attendance and improving tutoring strategies, would this fall under the nebulous title of leadership? This is an organization and cause that I am quite passionate about.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Thank you for the quick reply, congrats on your success! I still shiver when I think about frappuccino hour... How concerning is the research? I was planning seek more responsibility in managing the students progress attendance and improving tutoring strategies, would this fall under the nebulous title of leadership? This is an organization and cause that I am quite passionate about.

I mean if you aren't going to make research a big focus of your app it's not a really much of an issue. Getting a PI letter if you can would help. But you are going to want to build up more things in the next year that you can focus on for your app.

Also 2 months dedicated to shadowing is pointless. SDN in general way over-hypes the importance of shadowing for med school admission. You have 14 hours now. 30 more is more than sufficient.

 

[Parquat]

If your GPA is already fine and you're definitely planning on taking two years before you apply, try and get a paid research job in a different lab and work towards a project that has a good chance of getting you published. If you continue volunteering (something like one 4 hour shift a week), and find some more doctors to shadow (which you already know), you should have a fine app by the time your gap years are up.

My sGPA/cGPA is at 3.78/3.8
I don't believe that I'll have nearly enough time between January and June to both find a position and become published unfortunately. Are you referring to clinical or tutoring volunteer work?

 

[Akech]

My sGPA/cGPA is at 3.78/3.8
I don't believe that I'll have nearly enough time between January and June to both find a position and become published unfortunately. Are you referring to clinical or tutoring volunteer work?

For some reason it didn't connect in my mind that by two gap years you meant that you were taking this year to study for the MCAT and applying during the 2016 cycle. You do still have the option of updating schools with an email if you managed to get published after you complete their application (I think that's one of the few things significant enough to actually warrant an update letter), so don't feel as if you're constrained to finding a project to hop on and push through between only January and June. If you don't choose to do research, scribing is definitely a great alternative that lets you get paid while getting some more of that delicious clinical experience. I agree with GrapesofRath on the shadowing point too, your MCAT is top priority and it'll decide what types of schools you'll be able to apply to. Don't dedicate two whole months to shadowing, 50hrs+ total will be fine.

 

[AlteredScale]

Thank you for the quick reply, congrats on your success! I still shiver when I think about frappuccino hour... How concerning is the research? I was planning seek more responsibility in managing the students progress attendance and improving tutoring strategies, would this fall under the nebulous title of leadership? This is an organization and cause that I am quite passionate about.

Ugh frap hour was the worst. I was at the drive thru and I was on bar. And sbux LOVES to cut hours so that time where we lost the extra person was a time where I almost cried. My wrists still hurt.

The research is fine IMO as long as you word it well. You read some papers, performed some experiments based on a well though hypothesis, you understand the general implications of wet lab work and their affects within translational medicine.

I think those orgs would work for leadership. Good luck!

 

[LizzyM]

You are a college graduate who hopes to start medical school in 2017? For heavens sake, get a job. Postpone your MCAT to April if you have to but look for work. There is really no excuse for not being employed during a 2 year gap. Get paid to tutor, be a substitute teacher, find a job in a research lab or a clinical services lab (I interviewed someone with credentials like yours who did PCR on specimens delivered by overnight courier to a facility that did DNA testing in pregnancies) or a quality control lab (testing samples for pathogens and/or purity.)

 

[Parquat]

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[Parquat]

Ugh frap hour was the worst. I was at the drive thru and I was on bar. And sbux LOVES to cut hours so that time where we lost the extra person was a time where I almost cried. My wrists still hurt.

The research is fine IMO as long as you word it well. You read some papers, performed some experiments based on a well though hypothesis, you understand the general implications of wet lab work and their affects within translational medicine.

I think those orgs would work for leadership. Good luck!

Thank you for your help and best of luck in your studies!

 

[Parquat]

For some reason it didn't connect in my mind that by two gap years you meant that you were taking this year to study for the MCAT and applying during the 2016 cycle. You do still have the option of updating schools with an email if you managed to get published after you complete their application (I think that's one of the few things significant enough to actually warrant an update letter), so don't feel as if you're constrained to finding a project to hop on and push through between only January and June. If you don't choose to do research, scribing is definitely a great alternative that lets you get paid while getting some more of that delicious clinical experience. I agree with GrapesofRath on the shadowing point too, your MCAT is top priority and it'll decide what types of schools you'll be able to apply to. Don't dedicate two whole months to shadowing, 50hrs+ total will be fine.

Great points, I'll be sure to cut back on the shadowing sa well

 

[Parquat]

You are a college graduate who hopes to start medical school in 2017? For heavens sake, get a job. Postpone your MCAT to April if you have to but look for work. There is really no excuse for not being employed during a 2 year gap. Get paid to tutor, be a substitute teacher, find a job in a research lab or a clinical services lab (I interviewed someone with credentials like yours who did PCR on specimens delivered by overnight courier to a facility that did DNA testing in pregnancies) or a quality control lab (testing samples for pathogens and/or purity.)

LizzyM, I 100% agree on getting a job. During this upcoming 6 months, I have secured an opportunity for a scrubbed in surgery observation, a bi-weekly commitment to shadow a close physician, and a volunteer position for clinical experience in a wound clinic. I will be doing these things in addition to MCAT studies and volunteer work for under-represented high school students. Given these opportunitites, would it be prefferable to pursue a job after the January MCAT date or does your opinion still hold. Thank you for your time, I trully appreciate the feedback.

 

[LizzyM]

LizzyM, I 100% agree on getting a job. During this upcoming 6 months, I have secured an opportunity for a scrubbed in surgery observation, a bi-weekly commitment to shadow a close physician, and a volunteer position for clinical experience in a wound clinic. I will be doing these things in addition to MCAT studies and volunteer work for under-represented high school students. Given these opportunitites, would it be prefferable to pursue a job after the January MCAT date or does your opinion still hold. Thank you for your time, I trully appreciate the feedback.

It may take months to find a job. Start now. If you get something sooner than later, drop the other activities. Also, if you are among the 50%+ who aren't accepted on the first try, you will have more work experience which is far more valuable than any shadowing or volunteer position in getting your next job.