Hey guys, I’m currently in the process of planning what I’m going to do for a gap year or two. I’m kind of looking at three general options: Working as an EMT, working in a Clinical Research lab setting, or working as a Teacher. Right now I’m struggling to figure out what would be most beneficial for me. For some background, I have not had a lot of exposure to research, but also want to increase my clinical hours, and definitely feel like I’m a little behind the curve on prep for medical school. However, I also want an experience that could possibly make me stand out, and want to avoid expiring prerequisites which is it’s own issue. I have a 3.77 GPA, and have yet to take the MCAT. Any advice would be great, especially if you have personal experience in these sorts of gap year opportunities.
There is nothing stopping someone from doing research and doing EMT (I see this is a specific time commitment unless it is a real paid job). Teaching and research are equivalent time commitments. The things that can stand out are medicorps or teach for america if not doing research.
Have you completed premed prerequisites? If so, what is the sgpa?
Peace Corps? But apply ASAP if you want to do this when you graduate.
The only gap year activities that will make you “stand out” are Peace Corp volunteer or active duty military service. And both those activities require a multi-year commitment. Some adcomms have a soft spot in their hearts for Teach For America–but again this is a multiyear commitment. (TFA requires you to sign a binding contract for 2 years service or they won’t even consider you.)
Unless you are gunning for research intensive med schools, you don’t need extensive research experience–a summer or a couple of semesters are enough to expose you the how the research process works.
Do what interests you most. If you have the credential to get a research assistant job–fine. If you can get teaching gig–fine. If you want to work full time as EMT–fine. Any of those jobs are fine–just don’t stop volunteering because you’re working. You need to continue with your clinical and non-clinical volunteering (community service).
quote to avoid expiring prerequisites
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Pre-reqs do not expire, though a handful of med schools require your last pre-req to have been taken not more than 5 year prior to applying. At most schools, pre-reqs never expire, though if you have been out of college for a long time (>10 years) adcomms will want to see some more recent coursework to demonstrate you can still perform at a high level academically.
If you aren’t committed to teaching for many years I suggest you steer clear of TFA. I don’t understand why ad coms like TFA service because TFA hurts students like voluntourism hurts poor third world communities. Those in the program aren’t committed to the field for the long-term, don’t invest the extra time for university coursework, are not trained properly, and leave the classroom when their time is up which leaves a space for another untrained teacher to come in. The kids in the poor urban schools that staff their schools with TFA recruits can go years without having a properly trained teacher. That’s discussion for a different thread though, I suppose.
I know of someone who took a gap year to work at Disney World as a character cast member. It was something she had always wanted to do since she was a child. Then there are others who just work waiting tables to save money for their applications. OP, find something you are interested in doing. If you’re interested in research, do that. But whatever you decide to do, just make sure to also continue with EC’s / volunteering.
You should at least take three months, full time, to prepare for the Mcat. It is the most important test for premed.
Other than Mcat, look at your premed requisites, if you have a B- or lower, take a higher level class to repair the sgpa.
In the mean time, you should shadowing or clinic volunteering to enhance your credentials.