which gap year option to choose?

[qawsed22]

I'm currently a senior looking to take a gap year. I have several options and I'm wondering what you all think would be the best choice.

I've been involved with research with two PIs during my undergraduate years and both offered me a paid job next year. The first job is a clinical research coordinator job. The responsibilities would involve assisting with a large scale project (would involve data entry/analysis, talking with residents) and taking care of administrative stuff (IRB, emailing papers to journals).

Second job would just be to continue the epidemiological research I've been involved with/am doing my thesis on. Very cool project in global health. There's a potential to get a 1st author publication(s) in both research jobs.

Third job would be a clinical assistant at a dermatology practice. I would take patient histories, assist with small surgeries, and help in educating/explaining things to patients.

Last option is I can apply to be a scribe in my hometown.

I could also mix and match them. For the 2 research jobs I can work part time. I could do clinical assistant full time + research job part time, or both research jobs part time. However, if I scribe I would just do that (as it would be in another town). Regardless of what I do, I will be volunteering at the hospital and shadowing.

Upside to research is that my hours would be extremely flexible. Upside to the other two jobs is that it would give me more clinical experience (though I would supplement research with shadowing/volunteering).

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

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[CeeEstee0]

Those are some sweet options! I would go clinical reasearch coordinator and global health thingy. I think it is important you do what you want though, because you will be the one talking about it in your interviews.

 

[raltima07]

Publication

 

[Catalystik]

Flexible is important if you might be attending interviews over the next year.

Living at home would save enough money to make the hometown job the most appealing, if you want to save up to travel or pay off debt. Being able to spend a lot of time with friends and family is a consideration, too.

If a publication might be relevant to your future intended specialty, that research could be of additional benefit during the residency application process.

If you have a perceived weakness in your application, making a choice that covers that could be a good idea.

Taking a break from stress and recharging your academic batteries may be another consideration.

You are lucky to have so many options, all of which look good.

 

[KLycos]

I'm a CRC and I got into med school.

 

[qawsed22]

Thanks so much for the input, everyone!

Catalystik: I guess the root of my uncertainty comes from the fact that I'm not sure if my clinical experience is weak or if I'm just being overly cautious. I think I was leaning towards the research jobs from the start because I would be able to continue what I have been working on in undergrad, but I wasn't sure if I needed to to strengthen my clinical experience...

So far, I have ~75 hours of shadowing across several specialties and ~100 hours of hospital volunteering. I will be volunteering at the children's hospital, hospice, and shadowing more starting this summer and through the application process. I personally feel that I have a pretty good idea of what the life of a physician is like, but you hear about these applicants with hundreds of hours of shadowing + years of working at a clinical job and I just don't know if I need more clinical experience or if I'm fine.

 

[Catalystik]

Catalystik: I guess the root of my uncertainty comes from the fact that I'm not sure if my clinical experience is weak or if I'm just being overly cautious. I think I was leaning towards the research jobs from the start because I would be able to continue what I have been working on in undergrad, but I wasn't sure if I needed to to strengthen my clinical experience...

So far, I have ~75 hours of shadowing across several specialties and ~100 hours of hospital volunteering. I will be volunteering at the children's hospital, hospice, and shadowing more starting this summer and through the application process.

The shadowing looks very good already and you're likely fine with what you have for all but one med school (to my knowledge). How many hours of hospital volunteering will you have by the time you submit? If you can get closer to the ~150 hour average (generally acquired over 1.5 years), you might be fine. Even if you won't be adding more before then, continuing clinical volunteering 3-4 hours per week through the application year and doing a research job (if this is your preference), would likely put you in good stead.

How many years of research do you already have?

 

[premed1990]

fs

 

[qawsed22]

The shadowing looks very good already and you're likely fine with what you have for all but one med school (to my knowledge). How many hours of hospital volunteering will you have by the time you submit? If you can get closer to the ~150 hour average (generally acquired over 1.5 years), you might be fine. Even if you won't be adding more before then, continuing clinical volunteering 3-4 hours per week through the application year and doing a research job (if this is your preference), would likely put you in good stead.

How many years of research do you already have?

I have 1.5 years of lab research and then 1.5 years of epidemiological research with the same PI (2 different projects, 3 years total working with him). For the other PI, I've worked with him for 2 years.

I'm not currently volunteering at a hospital this semester and was going to start volunteering again this summer (late May at earliest), so I would likely just have that 100 by June. I guess if I wait to submit in mid-June/early July it's likely I'll be much closer to that 150 hour point, but I'm not sure if it would be worth waiting to submit my application because of that?

And just out of curiosity, what is the "minimum" number of shadowing hours that that particular school likes to see?

 

[alexrgross]

Oops, sorry about that previous post; I'm accidentally posted using my friend's account. Anyway...

And just out of curiosity, what is the "minimum" number of shadowing hours that that particular school likes to see?

I do not know for all the schools for sure, and somewhere around 100 hrs is normal...usually the shadowing is important to include a family doctor or PCP and another specialist. Someschools say 6 months, or 100 hours...I did talk to oakland and they said 6 months or 175 hours...it varies and also can depend on the strength of your other clinical ECs

 

[Catalystik]

1) I have 1.5 years of lab research and then 1.5 years of epidemiological research with the same PI (2 different projects, 3 years total working with him). For the other PI, I've worked with him for 2 years.

2) I'm not currently volunteering at a hospital this semester and was going to start volunteering again this summer (late May at earliest), so I would likely just have that 100 by June. I guess if I wait to submit in mid-June/early July it's likely I'll be much closer to that 150 hour point, but I'm not sure if it would be worth waiting to submit my application because of that?

3) And just out of curiosity, what is the "minimum" number of shadowing hours that that particular school likes to see?

Might I suggest that you delete the first line of your post above as this is a no no.

1) You already have particularly strong research. Unless you plan to target the Top Twenty, I wouldn't feel that more is essential.

2) Submitting in med June would not put your application to disadvantage. Alternatively, could you get in more hours over spring break?

3) The minimum I've seen required that is posted on a school's website is 40 hours. Every school differs in its expectations though. Alex has mentioned the maximum outlier I was referrring to.

 

[romanjetfighter]

i heard shadowing doesnt matter. it's for your own sake, to see if you want to become a doctor or not.

 

[qawsed22]

I'll be traveling over break, so not likely I can get more hours in then. I might just end up submitting around mid-June and try to get more hours in before then. Thanks for the help, I appreciate it!