Medical school timeline and down time

[engineetor]

I wanted to know whats the best way to deal with "down time" between a graduate degree and medical school admissions. My only missing prereq is the MCAT and since I just missed the deadline for applying next year, I'll have theoretically a year to start preparing for the exam. However, my MS program I am enrolled in will be completed by next fall (2009)-what are my options between Spring/Summer 2010?

I doubt Medical schools will allow matriculation in Spring semester...

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[Mobius1985]

(Offered tentatively in a small voice.)

1) Get a job and make money?
2) Travel?
3) Hire on or volunteer as a research assistant?
4) Chill?

 

[177983]

I doubt Medical schools will allow matriculation in Spring semester...

I don't think they do. Do you have any other areas of weakness? What is your clinical experience like? I'm applying post-bac, so I'll have a lag year as well. I'm hoping to either be a nursing assistant or phlebotomist. Not glamourous, certainly, but it should give my resume a bit more shine. A classmate has his EMT-B cert, and he got a job as an anesthesia tech. Can you do research with your degree? That would help, too.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

Agree with weldon if there are any major weaknesses i.e. less than a few hundred hours clinical volunteer work, limited or no non-clinical volunteer work, limited time shadowing a doc etc.

If those requirements have been met, my pre-med advisor recommended that I get a job in my area of expertise @ several times the pay of an entry level healthcare worker. Healthcare would be better exposure, but if you have the chance to sock away 10K prior to med school starting, that'll likely decrease stress due to limited funds while studying all those hours. The answer likely depends on what you're qualified to do professionally.