Will being away from school for 2 years kill my application?

[chinamazing]

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I graduated in the spring of 2007 and applied this last cycle for the entering class of 2008. I was ultimately rejected to all MD schools I applied to due to my unbalanced MCAT of VR-10 PS-7 BS-14 WR (31O). I got hung up on a question and did not end up finishing the PS section (about 5 questions left blank) and thus my crappy score. I avg. about 34-36 and am considering applying again this year with a MCAT re-take.

If I apply for the 2009 entering class and improve that PS section and overall score, will the adcoms be mad/concerned that I haven't been enrolled in classes since 2007? I have a 3.81 gpa and my science gpa is a bit higher so I don't need to take extra post-bac classes.

 

[fireflygirl]

I graduated in the spring of 2007 and applied this last cycle for the entering class of 2008. I was ultimately rejected to all MD schools I applied to due to my unbalanced MCAT of VR-10 PS-7 BS-14 WR (31O). I got hung up on a question and did not end up finishing the PS section (about 5 questions left blank) and thus my crappy score. I avg. about 34-36 and am considering applying again this year with a MCAT re-take.

If I apply for the 2009 entering class and improve that PS section and overall score, will the adcoms be mad/concerned that I haven't been enrolled in classes since 2007? I have a 3.81 gpa and my science gpa is a bit higher so I don't need to take extra post-bac classes.

I don't think they would be upset that you haven't enrolled in class as long as what you have been doing since then is adding to your application in valuable ways. For example, working in clinical research or working a non-medical job but voluteering in a medically related field on the side...etc. I think they care about how you are adding to your application in the time you aren't in school than they do about exactly what you are doing.

 

[chinamazing]

I am working a couple of medically-related jobs and still do some volunteer work/shadowing but if I want to do significant research I would probably have to quit my job and work full-time at a research lab. Worth it? (I'm not the biggest fan of research)

 

[fireflygirl]

I am working a couple of medically-related jobs and still do some volunteer work/shadowing but if I want to do significant research I would probably have to quit my job and work full-time at a research lab. Worth it? (I'm not the biggest fan of research)

I don't think it's worth it to quit your job to do something you aren't even excited to do. It sounds like you still have your foot in the medical field with some of this other stuff you're doing. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[RxnMan]

...If I apply for the 2009 entering class and improve that PS section and overall score, will the adcoms be mad/concerned that I haven't been enrolled in classes since 2007?

No.

 

[Kernal83]

Agreed. I didn't take classes for about two years. Just do something productive or something you feel passionate about and you'll do just fine

 

[SamusLives]

Certainly, there is nothing wrong with being away from school for a while. There are several folks in my class who are in their 30's and 40's, so I'm gonna take a wild guess and say they had a different career before starting med school. I know one guy was a lawyer, one guy was in the military. Not sure about the others. I think it will give you something to talk about during interviews.

 

[Blade28]

Doesn't really matter since you're working to improve your app and don't have a choice but to apply for the 2009 entering class anyway, right?

Just do your best in your MCAT retake.