Will I be "fit" for applying?

[shostakovich13]

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[Goro]

I think you can do it with a gap year.

Hiya, friends,

Some advice/input needed from all you wise and beautiful SDNers--

I'm entering my senior year, but have only decided to "go" pre-med recently.

I think I have an OK application so far (3.8 s/cGPA, lots o' research in good ol' science--incl. Goldwater scholarship--and art history, leadership in a bunch of orgs., community service, 14-year violinist, and some killer dance moves), but am worried that I don't have any clinical volunteer experience / minimal shadowing (AKA < 5 hours).

Do y'all think that I'll be able to get enough of the clinical stuff senior year to put together a sturdy application and take only 1 gap year? Or, is it wise to take two gap years to get some more experience?

Also--forgive my overwhelming ignorance--, would I take the MCAT in June if I were to take a single gap year?

P.S. 1) I am super white male and 2) (on an unrelated note) would like to apply to "average" schools--nothin' fancy; I just wanna be a doc.

Thanks a million!

 

[SN12357]

You should be able to get enough clinical experience in your senior year. I'd recommend a late May MCAT over a June one for applying that year but June should be fine too.

 

[JingleChips]

Hiya, friends,

Some advice/input needed from all you wise and beautiful SDNers--

I'm entering my senior year, but have only decided to "go" pre-med recently.

I think I have an OK application so far (3.8 s/cGPA, lots o' research in good ol' science--incl. Goldwater scholarship--and art history, leadership in a bunch of orgs., community service, 14-year violinist, and some killer dance moves), but am worried that I don't have any clinical volunteer experience / minimal shadowing (AKA < 5 hours).

Do y'all think that I'll be able to get enough of the clinical stuff senior year to put together a sturdy application and take only 1 gap year? Or, is it wise to take two gap years to get some more experience?

Also--forgive my overwhelming ignorance--, would I take the MCAT in June if I were to take a single gap year?

P.S. 1) I am super white male and 2) (on an unrelated note) would like to apply to "average" schools--nothin' fancy; I just wanna be a doc.

Thanks a million!

I was in a similar situation to you except 1 year further along the road (I decided against a research-dedicated career towards the end of my senior year, had no clinical volunteering or shadowing). I studied for the MCAT the summer after graduating and took it in September. I then enrolled in two night courses that I needed for some schools that didn't accept AP credit, and ended up with 2 clinical volunteering positions, 1 non-clinical volunteering position, a part time clinical job, and another job tutoring. I shadowed whenever I had a day off or could miss a shift from volunteering. I'm applying now (so ~14 months post graduation) and I am very fortunate to have early success thus far. So I took 1 gap year to get all this stuff ready for my application, and now am beginning my 2nd gap year during the application cycle.

My advice to you : If you can fit all you need during your senior year and continue it post graduation, you will probably be fine. If you choose to take an extra gap year like I did, you will most definitely be fine. My only concern would be if you can juggle the course load, studying for your MCAT, and getting substantial clinical experience + shadowing all at the same time. I know I personally would not be able to handle all that and do well on the MCAT. Plus, you may find that you're too busy to see your friends during potentially one of the funnest years of college (and your last!). This past gap year has been one of the funnest times of my life - and if I was offered the chance to redo it all and start college as a premed, I wouldn't change a thing and still would take off a year or two after graduation.

 

[moisne]

You have to take at least 1 gap year. Take MCAT this year (if you want the old MCAT) through May or so of next year. Apply June 2015. Matriculate (if successful) August 2016. So that's one gap year - push it all back a year if you plan on 2 gap years. Get a minimum of 100 hours of clinical. When I invited a dean over, he said 500 hours :/.