Gap Year Suggestions

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>Hey all! So, after thinking long and hard, I've decided that it'd be in my best interest to apply next cycle rather than this cycle. (I figured that including my senior year on my transcript will only increase my GPA, having a year to study for the MCAT will only improve my score, and spending another year building relationships with my professors will only strengthen my LORs).</p>

<p>The problem that I have now is that I'm not sure how to go about finding things to do during my gap year. Because I'm using my gap year to strengthen my application, I'd like to do something clinically related or research related. As of right now, my extracurriculars aren't spectacular. By the time I graduate, I will have been a tutor for 2 years, a volunteer at a local hospital for 1.5 years, and a volunteer/intern at another foundation for about 1 year. I'll also have shadowed at least one doctor for about 40 hours. </p>

<p>Ideally, I would like to intern at another hospital during my gap year (and possibly continue my other volunteering experiences as well). I was also considering going into research because I haven't done any. I was even thinking of continuing with my tutoring, but focusing on tutoring high school students rather than my peers in college. I think they're all great ideas (and let me know if you think otherwise), but I don't know where to begin in terms of finding these opportunities. Also, I don't know when to start because I won't be a senior until fall of 2013. I figured I should start now rather than later, but let me know if I'm wrong in thinking so.</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

2

<p>Some medically related job suggestions for your gap year:</p>

<p>medical scribe, EMT, CNA, research lab assistant, clinical study coordinator</p>

<p>Except for research lab asst, these job will give you plenty of clinical experience. Plus you will have time to continue to volunteer and tutor. (D2 has one of the above jobs and she tutors MCAT prep/math/bio/chem in the evenings to pick up extra cash to pay for medical school application expenses.)</p>

<p>You should be aware, however, the some positions (research asst, clinical study coordinator) will insist on a 2 year contract. Medical scribing, CNA and EMT require a certification.</p>

<p>You should probably have a meeting with career services at your college during fall semester to go over your resume and a sample cover letter, plus brush up on your interviewing skills. I’d start sending out job inquiries as early as December.</p>

<p>BTW, one of the best places to look for a job will be at your college. Ask around to see if any of your profs or profs in your major dept are looking for full time lab techs.</p>

3

<p>D1 did 1 year with Americorps and worked in a low income clinic with uninsured patients. She learned about the medical insurance system, got lots of patient contact, and had other opportunities such as shadowing and participating on other medically related projects (eg. public health education).</p>

4

<p>Entomom, what AmeriCorps program did your daughter participate in and where was it at? Thank you in advance!</p>

5

<p>It was one of the State and National programs, in Brooklyn.</p>