Thinking about taking a gap year... Looking for opinions.

Hello. I am a Physics major at Texas A&M-Commerce and planned to apply to medical schools next summer. However, I feel that I have weaknesses that would prevent from getting accepted, mainly extracurricular stuff.

I participated in a summer research program (chemistry) at TAMUC last summer, and I have been a part of 2 clubs for roughly about year at this point. The issue though is that, while I did participate often, it wasn’t really in the form of a leadership role. I may do some other volunteering stuff.

I feel like I am doing “okay” as far as shadowing/clinical experience goes… about 100 hours of shadowing a family physician, and about 100 hours of going to nursing homes with this same physician (I’ve known him for awhile). I can always add more.

My GPA is as good as it could be (4.0), but I haven’t taken the MCAT yet.

I’ve talked to the pre-med counselor at my school about this. He said that I should be fine, but I’m not sure, so I’m looking for more opinions. And I’m at the point where I’ll be taking a ton of high-level physics/math courses next semester, so it would be quite a bit to study for MCAT during all of that as well.

Basically, I’m wondering if you all think it is necessary for me to take an extra year (or more) to strengthen my application or prepare. My priority schools are state (Texas) schools, with an eye out for Baylor or UT Galveston.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

I’d say you will be fine if you get a good Mcat score. Research is not absolutely necessary if you are not applying for MD/PHD program and you do not need to be in a leadership role for ECs in applying for med school. Unless you have an Mcat score, we cannot comment your chances of admission. But, you are good on your GPA.

Your GPA looks great. but you are on the light side for ECs.

Baylor is research intensive school, and one summer of research experience may not be enough to impress them. Consider applying for some REUs for this upcoming summer. Start looking now because applications are open and application deadlines are typically around Feb 1. And it’s probably not too late to find a long term research position on your home campus for the spring thru the end of your senior year. (FWIW, D1 was a physics major who went to med school. Based upon her experience, research doesn’t have to be in a biomedical field. She spent 3 years in a medium energy particle physics research lab doing stuff that had zip to do with medicine/biology.)

You don’t mention any community service. Do you have any? If not start volunteering once or twice a month immediately with a program that provides help/service to the less fortunate. Med schools are looking for evidence of altruism and service to others in their future doctors. Continue your community service until you have an acceptance in hand. Adcomms strongly prefer long term service with one program to a scattershot of lots of short term involvement.

You have sufficient shadowing hours, but it appears they are all with the same physician. Consider shadowing with a few other physicians who practice in different specialties and sites than the one you’ve been working with. You need to exposure to a broader variety of fields, especially primary care fields. The shadowing doesn’t need to be long term, a day or two with each one will suffice

Continue your clinical volunteering until you have an acceptance in hand. Consider broadening your clinical exposure to other practice modalities beside nursing homes so you get a truer picture of medical practice.

RE: Gap year? It depends on what you do with your time in the months before you apply. And what your MCAT looks like.

Adding community service should #1 on your “to do” list.