This discussion was created from comments split from: Need help regarding completion of pre-reqs.
Hi I’m new here! Would graduating undergrad in 2 years look bad for med school? I can finish fairly easily (no summer classes, 12 credit hours a semester), but I don’t know if I should. If I took a gap year, what would I do? Thanks!
It wouldn’t “look bad”, but will graduating in 2 years from college allow you enough time to develop a strong med school application?
Admission to medical school is more than just having the pre-reqs completed. You also need a full suite of pre-med ECs**, strong LORs from your science and non-science professors, leadership roles in your activities, etc. There’s a saying about med school admissions, your stats get you to the door, but it’s everything else that gets you invited inside for an interview.
The application process for medical school takes a full year. Students apply in June to begin medical school the following summer. If you intend to enter med school directly from undergrad, you will be applying at the end of your first year in college. Your application will be directly compared with students who have had 3, 4, 5 or even more years to develop their ECs.
Younger-than-typical med school applicants also face skepticism from adcomms who will questions whether they have the necessary social & emotional maturity and life experience to handle the many delicate interpersonal issues that arise in patient care. The burden of proving that a younger-than-typical applicant has those skills falls squarely on the applicant’s shoulders.
These two issues are just 2 reasons why there are very, very few 19- 20 years olds matriculating into medical school. (Less than 1%!)
** Pre-med ECs: physician shadowing, clinical experiences (paid or volunteer), community service with disadvantaged, clinical or lab-based research, leadership roles in your activities, and some schools want applicants to have teaching/tutoring/coaching experience.
Also be aware that if you are planning to use AP or IB classes for your pre-reqs--a number of medical schools simply do not accept AP or IB credits. The med schools that do accept AP/IB credits expect applicants to supplement all AP/IB credits with an equal number of upper level elective credits in the same department. I remember few schools explicitly stated student must have attended at least 3 years of UG. If I locate my notes, will post again with that school name. Very few students have gone thru medical school in 3 years.
Find job and work full time. Popular jobs for pre-meds include: medical assistant, patient care technician, medical scribe, EMT, CNA, home healthcare worker, research lab assistant/lab manager/program manager, clinical research associate/program manager. The first 6 offer valuable patient contact experience; the latter two offer research experience.
But any real life, full time work experience is a plus.
A gap year is an excellent time to get involved with theses organizations: Teach For American (2 year commitment), Peace Corp (2 year commitment), Americorp (minimum 1 year commitment; some positions require a 2 year contract).
And no matter what you do with your gap year, continue with your clinical and non-clinical volunteering,