Advice?

[docbull]

Hey everyone! So I was wondering if I could get some advice about what to do after graduation. I plan to graduate in the spring and I was wondering what would be better to do on my year "off". Should I:

1. Do a 1 year masters program in medical sciences. This would help me get my GPA high, I could do research, and it'd help me get a great MCAT score. However, I would be putting myself in more student loan debt earlier, and it'd end like a week or 2 before med school starts (assuming I got in) so I might be a little burnt out.

2. Spend a year in Spain teaching kids to speak English. This would let me see the world, it'd be a lot of fun, I'd learn Spanish which is a great language to know. But, it wouldn't really give me any medical experience, and it wouldn't really make me all that much of a better applicant.

Thanks for the help!!

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[MusicDOc124]

1) If you do the 1 year program, intending to use that to help with your MCAT, you'd be adding an application year as well it seems, so you'd still have the another gap year. If you're taking the MCAT at the beginning and applying, then its not helping you with the MCAT, is it? Also, a grad GPA will be a separate calculation from undergrad GPA - this could help or hurt, but it won't change what is already done.

2) I lived abroad 3 times (not study abroad, but actually moved for a temporary period like what you're speaking of). I loved every second of my trips, and have 2 more upcoming. After these, I'll have been to almost 30 countries. I've learn so much about life and myself that I would not have gotten as a traditional student.

I'm biased and would choose option 2, but that is just me. Do what is best for you, of course.

 

[Cytarabine]

Hey everyone! So I was wondering if I could get some advice about what to do after graduation. I plan to graduate in the spring and I was wondering what would be better to do on my year "off". Should I:

1. Do a 1 year masters program in medical sciences. This would help me get my GPA high, I could do research, and it'd help me get a great MCAT score. However, I would be putting myself in more student loan debt earlier, and it'd end like a week or 2 before med school starts (assuming I got in) so I might be a little burnt out.

2. Spend a year in Spain teaching kids to speak English. This would let me see the world, it'd be a lot of fun, I'd learn Spanish which is a great language to know. But, it wouldn't really give me any medical experience, and it wouldn't really make me all that much of a better applicant.

Thanks for the help!!

1) If you do the 1 year program, intending to use that to help with your MCAT, you'd be adding an application year as well it seems, so you'd still have the another gap year. If you're taking the MCAT at the beginning and applying, then its not helping you with the MCAT, is it? Also, a grad GPA will be a separate calculation from undergrad GPA - this could help or hurt, but it won't change what is already done.

2) I lived abroad 3 times (not study abroad, but actually moved for a temporary period like what you're speaking of). I loved every second of my trips, and have 2 more upcoming. After these, I'll have been to almost 30 countries. I've learn so much about life and myself that I would not have gotten as a traditional student.

I'm biased and would choose option 2, but that is just me. Do what is best for you, of course.

As a traditional student without said life experiences, I would also advocate going for the 2nd choice if that's something that you're passionate about. If you do go into medicine, you will not get that type of opportunity again for a long, long time.

 

[skinofteeth]

Hey everyone! So I was wondering if I could get some advice about what to do after graduation. I plan to graduate in the spring and I was wondering what would be better to do on my year "off". Should I:

1. Do a 1 year masters program in medical sciences. This would help me get my GPA high, I could do research, and it'd help me get a great MCAT score. However, I would be putting myself in more student loan debt earlier, and it'd end like a week or 2 before med school starts (assuming I got in) so I might be a little burnt out.

2. Spend a year in Spain teaching kids to speak English. This would let me see the world, it'd be a lot of fun, I'd learn Spanish which is a great language to know. But, it wouldn't really give me any medical experience, and it wouldn't really make me all that much of a better applicant.

Thanks for the help!!

I was totally considering your option #2 too! That gets my vote.

 

[697952]

The only danger in option 2 is that you would be applying to medical school while in Spain. There's a lot you can do before you go (get your LORs in order, send transcripts, etc.), but there's also things that would have to be done while you were there. Interviews, for example, would be particularly painful and expensive.

 

[Catalystik]

Hey everyone! So I was wondering if I could get some advice about what to do after graduation. I plan to graduate in the spring and I was wondering what would be better to do on my year "off". Should I:

1. Do a 1 year masters program in medical sciences. This would help me get my GPA high, I could do research, and it'd help me get a great MCAT score. However, I would be putting myself in more student loan debt earlier, and it'd end like a week or 2 before med school starts (assuming I got in) so I might be a little burnt out.

2. Spend a year in Spain teaching kids to speak English. This would let me see the world, it'd be a lot of fun, I'd learn Spanish which is a great language to know. But, it wouldn't really give me any medical experience, and it wouldn't really make me all that much of a better applicant.

Thanks for the help!!

What are your cGPA and BCPM GPA projected to be at the time of your graduation? Whether the time and expense for option (1) are warranted or essential depends on that. Whether you plan to apply to allopathic +/- osteopathic programs makes a difference too.

 

[candbgirl]

In addition to what was asked above how are your ECs? I highly encourage #2 but let's be realistic and see what you have all set for your application. And would you be applying while in Spain or the next year? It's hard to tell from your post.