Will this decrease or increase my chances?!

[bluepeach9]

Hey everyone! I was hoping you could clarify on the following question I had regarding a gap year (I don't think I'm understanding the concept very well). Advice from adcoms @Goro @LizzyM @gyngyn @hushcom would be greatly appreciated as well!

Can a gap year taken to improve extra-curricular activities/research OR to explore passions through study abroad be detrimental in any way when applying to medical schools? Would med schools see this as a year wasted by not studying or can it make me unique?

Also, does taking a gap year usually IMPROVE your chances for med school (assuming I did one of the above and not just sitting at home or mindlessly working)???

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[Pacna]

Gap years generally make you more competitive. They allow for a whole year of independent study/work/etc which shows more about you than 4 years of structured learning (imo). These experiences make you more competitive (I spent mine being an ER scribe, for instance, and this has made me masterful at writing charts).

Then again, you'll apply maybe 2 months into your gap year, so you'd better have a good idea of what you're doing so you can put something on your app.

If you do nothing with your gap year, that would look bad.

 

[bluepeach9]

Gap years generally make you more competitive. They allow for a whole year of independent study/work/etc which shows more about you than 4 years of structured learning (imo). These experiences make you more competitive (I spent mine being an ER scribe, for instance, and this has made me masterful at writing charts).

Then again, you'll apply maybe 2 months into your gap year, so you'd better have a good idea of what you're doing so you can put something on your app.

If you do nothing with your gap year, that would look bad.

Yes, I am only planning to take one gap year, and I will know what exactly I want to do before my application time but what will I say on my app? I can't write about an experience I haven't had yet

Did you take only one gap year of being a scribe? If so, how did you convey your experiences to the schools you applied to/interviewed at to make yourself more competitive?

 

[Catalystik]

Are you still planning to graduate in three years? If so, and you take a gap year, that means that the activities from your third year of college would be included on your application, which would put you on par with the majority of med school applicants. You'd certainly have a stronger application than you would at the end of sophomore year. Gap year plans, if begun could be included on the application. If not yet started, many Secondaries give one the opportunity to discuss future expectations. Update letters, where permitted, are another venue for communicating not-yet-started or in-progress gigs.

 

[Goro]

100% concur. They also allow you fill in deficits that you accrued during UG, like, say, not enough clincial exposure.

Gap years generally make you more competitive. They allow for a whole year of independent study/work/etc which shows more about you than 4 years of structured learning (imo). These experiences make you more competitive (I spent mine being an ER scribe, for instance, and this has made me masterful at writing charts).

Then again, you'll apply maybe 2 months into your gap year, so you'd better have a good idea of what you're doing so you can put something on your app.

If you do nothing with your gap year, that would look bad.

 

[LizzyM]

A single gap year is usually the result of not having one's ducks in a row as a rising senior and therefore applying de novo as a new grad, or having struck out in a first cycle and having a gap year from school while trying again.

The problem with a gap year is that there isn't much to say about it in June when you are making your initial application. If you have a job, then that can be listed, and now AMCAS does allow you to list things that will happen in the future but you have to have it lined up and not just "I hope to...".

The goal should be to get an interview based on your 4 years of college and then seal the deal with the interview which will be an opportunity to "up-date your file" and tell what you have been doing for the past x months.

 

[bakedbeans18]

Yes, I am only planning to take one gap year, and I will know what exactly I want to do before my application time but what will I say on my app? I can't write about an experience I haven't had yet

Did you take only one gap year of being a scribe? If so, how did you convey your experiences to the schools you applied to/interviewed at to make yourself more competitive?

The thing about taking time off after college, is that anything you want to include on your app needs to be done already. If you only take one gap year (applying at the end of senior year) you can only report activities up until that point. If you are taking time off after college to enrich your application, you're probably better off making it two years and applying at the end of gap year 1. This doesn't mean you can't apply as you go into the gap year, but keep in mind little attention is given to speculative/future activities which you have not yet engaged.

 

[bluepeach9]

Gap years generally make you more competitive. They allow for a whole year of independent study/work/etc which shows more about you than 4 years of structured learning (imo). These experiences make you more competitive (I spent mine being an ER scribe, for instance, and this has made me masterful at writing charts).

Then again, you'll apply maybe 2 months into your gap year, so you'd better have a good idea of what you're doing so you can put something on your app.

If you do nothing with your gap year, that would look bad.

Unfortunately, I wouldn't be applying 2 months into my gap year because I would officially graduate in summer 2015 in order to matriculate in Fall 2016 (I still need to take summer classes after the spring semester in order to finish up on my gen. eds...I may even study aboard that summer). I do have ideas about what I want to accomplish with the extra time though and I'm sure I'll finalize my plan by next year.

 

[bluepeach9]

Are you still planning to graduate in three years? If so, and you take a gap year, that means that the activities from your third year of college would be included on your application, which would put you on par with the majority of med school applicants. You'd certainly have a stronger application than you would at the end of sophomore year. Gap year plans, if begun could be included on the application. If not yet started, many Secondaries give one the opportunity to discuss future expectations. Update letters, where permitted, are another venue for communicating not-yet-started or in-progress gigs.

Yes, I am planning to graduate in three years (plus a summer after of taking classes). When do medical schools usually give out secondaries (assuming I apply as early as a I possibly can on June 1st)? Are these greatly valued compared to the contents of the primary AMCAS application and PS?

I know Texas has a different application system, but is this the same thing to do for Texas Medical Schools (submitting secondaries explaining your gap year plans, so they are aware)?

And interviews come after secondaries right? So I assume that I would be asked about my experiences during my interviews and that will give me a good chance to talk about it.

 

[bluepeach9]

A single gap year is usually the result of not having one's ducks in a row as a rising senior and therefore applying de novo as a new grad, or having struck out in a first cycle and having a gap year from school while trying again.

The problem with a gap year is that there isn't much to say about it in June when you are making your initial application. If you have a job, then that can be listed, and now AMCAS does allow you to list things that will happen in the future but you have to have it lined up and not just "I hope to...".

The goal should be to get an interview based on your 4 years of college and then seal the deal with the interview which will be an opportunity to "up-date your file" and tell what you have been doing for the past x months.

I see...but even for applicants that don't take any gap years, their goal would still be to get an interview based on only 3 years of college right? Since adcoms wouldn't see any of their senior year accomplishments or classes until later either during an interview or after acceptances are released?

 

[bluepeach9]

The thing about taking time off after college, is that anything you want to include on your app needs to be done already. If you only take one gap year (applying at the end of senior year) you can only report activities up until that point. If you are taking time off after college to enrich your application, you're probably better off making it two years and applying at the end of gap year 1. This doesn't mean you can't apply as you go into the gap year, but keep in mind little attention is given to speculative/future activities which you have not yet engaged.

So even if I were absolutely certain that I would be pursuing an activity after graduation (during the gap year), I shouldn't include it on my AMCAS application? Would that be considered false information?

 

[LizzyM]

I see...but even for applicants that don't take any gap years, their goal would still be to get an interview based on only 3 years of college right? Since adcoms wouldn't see any of their senior year accomplishments or classes until later either during an interview or after acceptances are released?

That is true. HOWEVER, the AMCAS changed last year and now allows you to list experiences that will happen in the future (e.g a leadership position you will assume in the fall or a job you'll start in the new academic year) rather than not permitting start dates in the future. AMCAS has always had the option of listing courses you plan to take in the coming year.

The point I was making is that if you are taking a gap year because you don't yet have a record is sufficient (e.g. need a gap year due to taking o-chem and physics in senior year and MCAT at college graduation) you are in a different boat that the applicant taking a gap year due to striking out the first time at bat.

 

[Narmerguy]

To me one of the best benefits of a gap year has always been to get your full 4 years of college into your application. Especially for people with upward trends, an extra year of grades (showing you can excel in high-level courses) can help strengthen your application over what you had after the first 3 years. Also more robust research accomplishments (i.e. potential publications, posters, etc), or awards that you received your senior year can all be included if you take the gap.

Of course the true benefit is the perspective and experience gained from not going straight through from undergrad to medical school (srs)

 

[Mad Jack]

Hey everyone! I was hoping you could clarify on the following question I had regarding a gap year (I don't think I'm understanding the concept very well). Advice from adcoms @Goro @LizzyM @gyngyn @hushcom would be greatly appreciated as well!

Can a gap year taken to improve extra-curricular activities/research OR to explore passions through study abroad be detrimental in any way when applying to medical schools? Would med schools see this as a year wasted by not studying or can it make me unique?

Also, does taking a gap year usually IMPROVE your chances for med school (assuming I did one of the above and not just sitting at home or mindlessly working)???

Unless you get yourself convicted of something or do absolutely nothing with your life, a gap year will probably be beneficial. "Mindlessly working" is not a bad thing- there is not a single job I've worked in my life that has not given me some degree of perspective and life experience. Travel abroad, volunteering, and other non-academic activities are far more helpful than you realize in setting people apart come admission time. Such experiences give you things to talk about that aren't related to school, and show that you aren't an academics obsessed automaton.

While you won't be able to include many of the activities on your initial application, the experiences might very well prove invaluable in your interview, and any significant ones can be addressed in an update letter. Most of the topics discussed in my interviews were non-academic, and I really felt that having a wider base of experiences to draw from than many traditional applicants greatly benefited me in this regard.

So take that gap year and enjoy the hell out of it. Also remember that there is no such thing as wasted time. The good times you have are always valuable, and the bad ones bring you lessons and resilience. All that matters is that you do something.

 

[bakedbeans18]

So even if I were absolutely certain that I would be pursuing an activity after graduation (during the gap year), I shouldn't include it on my AMCAS application? Would that be considered false information?

No, it wouldn't be considered false information, but it also wouldn't be considered very seriously either. You can report how you have benefitted, grown, matured through, or learned from an experience until you've actually had the experience. This is what medical school admisions committees are interested in when reading about your work/activities, and since it would be a future/speculative EC, there wont be much merit to it's mention in the context of your application.

 

[caxoo]

A single gap year is usually the result of not having one's ducks in a row as a rising senior and therefore applying de novo as a new grad, or having struck out in a first cycle and having a gap year from school while trying again.

The problem with a gap year is that there isn't much to say about it in June when you are making your initial application. If you have a job, then that can be listed, and now AMCAS does allow you to list things that will happen in the future but you have to have it lined up and not just "I hope to...".

The goal should be to get an interview based on your 4 years of college and then seal the deal with the interview which will be an opportunity to "up-date your file" and tell what you have been doing for the past x months.

One of my life goals is to travel abroad and truly live/immerse myself in a foreign country. I plan to do it after graduation, but being halfway across the world, I fear it would make the interview process difficult, so I was considering applying to med schools one year after graduation. Is there any way this can disadvantage me? I know everyone says it shows different experiences, but I fear that it might show a disinclination towards medicine/being easily distracted. Especially since my current health experiences are average at best, I'd say.

Do you or anyone else have any suggestions/wisdom to share about this? Thanks!

 

[LizzyM]

One of my life goals is to travel abroad and truly live/immerse myself in a foreign country. I plan to do it after graduation, but being halfway across the world, I fear it would make the interview process difficult, so I was considering applying to med schools one year after graduation. Is there any way this can disadvantage me? I know everyone says it shows different experiences, but I fear that it might show a disinclination towards medicine/being easily distracted. Especially since my current health experiences are average at best, I'd say.

Do you or anyone else have any suggestions/wisdom to share about this? Thanks!

Could you do a year abroad while in college and then apply as a senior?
Otherwise, what do you propose to do during a year abroad? If you plan to do research or work, then that goes on your application as what you've done in the year since graduation and that can help boost your application. Adcoms might also be curious to know what you are doing during your application year (back in the States working, volunteering, etc).

Would you consider Peace Corps? That is 27 months but I've seen some excellent applicants who apply after returning from Peace Corps. Fulbright and other grants for study abroad are also a good choice that show a forward motion toward a career in medicine.

 

[caxoo]

Could you do a year abroad while in college and then apply as a senior?
Otherwise, what do you propose to do during a year abroad? If you plan to do research or work, then that goes on your application as what you've done in the year since graduation and that can help boost your application. Adcoms might also be curious to know what you are doing during your application year (back in the States working, volunteering, etc).

Would you consider Peace Corps? That is 27 months but I've seen some excellent applicants who apply after returning from Peace Corps. Fulbright and other grants for study abroad are also a good choice that show a forward motion toward a career in medicine.

I am actually a senior right now. I'm torn as to what to do and I keep changing my mind with new info learned. I would be teaching English during the year abroad, I am already set for that (training, visa stuff, etc.) but then started to reconsider. I initially planned to go abroad and apply during the same year, but realized it wasn't feasible since I'd have to come back during interviews - so this is my new plan. During the application year, my current plan is to work a non-clinical job while doing healthcare related volunteering.

I've considered Peace Corps, but I'm more attracted to my current option (applying for teaching jobs myself). Although, if my plan is truly unfeasible, I will probably have to adjust. I feel like my current plan also allows more control vs Fullbright (as well as better chances, since I might get rejected from Fullbright).

Are there any flaws with my current plan/mindset? And thanks so much for the response!

 

[LizzyM]

I am actually a senior right now. I'm torn as to what to do and I keep changing my mind with new info learned. I would be teaching English during the year abroad, I am already set for that (training, visa stuff, etc.) but then started to reconsider. I initially planned to go abroad and apply during the same year, but realized it wasn't feasible since I'd have to come back during interviews - so this is my new plan. During the application year, my current plan is to work a non-clinical job while doing healthcare related volunteering.

I've considered Peace Corps, but I'm more attracted to my current option (applying for teaching jobs myself). Although, if my plan is truly unfeasible, I will probably have to adjust. I feel like my current plan also allows more control vs Fullbright (as well as better chances, since I might get rejected from Fullbright).

Are there any flaws with my current plan/mindset? And thanks so much for the response!

Adcoms might wonder why someone with the desire to be a physician decided to take a year off to teach English abroad. You'll need to be able to communicate why this "fits" with your career goal. (Rhetorical questions: do you really want to be a physician? is someone directing you to apply? do you have no particular desire but you are smart enough so why not accept the challenge?)

Why take a non-clinical job in your glide year? Do you have a specific skill or a job waiting for you (family business or whatever). Again, you want to show that you have the desire to do science and/or provide clinical services to patients or work in a health care environment. Taking a job at a retail store and volunteering in the pediatric ward would seem like someone who is not making the most of their college degree so do keep that in mind.

 

[caxoo]

Adcoms might wonder why someone with the desire to be a physician decided to take a year off to teach English abroad. You'll need to be able to communicate why this "fits" with your career goal. (Rhetorical questions: do you really want to be a physician? is someone directing you to apply? do you have no particular desire but you are smart enough so why not accept the challenge?)

Why take a non-clinical job in your glide year? Do you have a specific skill or a job waiting for you (family business or whatever). Again, you want to show that you have the desire to do science and/or provide clinical services to patients or work in a health care environment. Taking a job at a retail store and volunteering in the pediatric ward would seem like someone who is not making the most of their college degree so do keep that in mind.

I just feel like living in a foreign country and immersing yourself fully represents an opportunity to expose yourself to new perspectives and experience self-discovery. Like, not just going to Western-geared areas or hanging out with Americans, but putting yourself out there. I also believe teaching can be a potentially enlightening experience, and as well teach you certain critical skills (lesson planning and management, adapting your style and taking account of different conditions, etc.), and can lead to rewarding relationships. But these mental changes would ultimately serve to prepare me for medicine. While teaching seems rewarding, I don't think it has a certain...fulfillment I'm looking for (not at all to disparage on teachers, they have different challenges and I just look to a different direction). Doctors have this intimate and vast knowledge of a complex system, and can apply it to treat people who have no idea otherwise what to do. In some ways it's similar to teaching, but it goes far beyond IMO.

But from your raised concerns, I realize that taking a year off to go abroad might decrease my competitiveness, so I'm probably changing my plans yet again. I may have just wasted hundreds of dollars on my certification course, ah well...

As for the non-clinical job, my reason is probably silly and my plan definitely wasn't set in stone. I've just never had that sort of experience, and wanted to - and I thought if I did heavy clinical related volunteering on the side it would make up for it. But I really haven't given it much thought I'll admit.

Thanks for responses, though! Gave me some more to think about