Medical Doing Research for gap year or volunteering?

[Catalystik]

I will be graduating college in 1 week and plan to apply for Spring 2020.

I have not taken the MCAT yet and was wondering how best to plan out a gap year? I have 2 years research but I am not going for MD/PhD but more for only MD and I feel that compared to research, my community involvement is low and my medical involvement is even lower.

I live in the same city of my undergrad institution but I feel like I could better spend the time preparing for the MCAT and volunteering. I applied to scribe jobs too but I haven't heard back. I would really like advice on stopping research after I graduate and focusing on other activities but more importantly, the MCAT.

You already have twice as much research as the average MD applicant, so there's no need to continue with it if you aren't a candidate for highly-selective, research-oriented med schools. Weak volunteering will hurt you far more than added research will help. Weak clinical experience will sink you.

A scribe job would cover clinical experience, but you could gain it just as well with any job (service jobs needing people skills are ideal) plus 4 hours per week of clinical volunteering. Then add 3 hours per week of non-medical community service. Plan on two months of dedicated full-time MCAT study or 4+ months if you work.

---

Members don't see this ad.