Three Gap Years - Disadvantage?

[onana]

Hello! I’m worried about taking 3 gap years instead of the 2 gap years that I planned on. I already finished my first gap year.
I have an ok GPA (3.8), great ECs, great research, poor clinical hours (40 hrs), and I have not taken the MCAT yet.

It’s scheduled for this June, but I will most likely have to delay it. I cannot imagine putting my app together and studying for the MCAT at the same time, and truly, I would enjoy one more year before applying.

That would mean two years of “break” (I’m still working) before applying to medical schools, and one more year (the application year), totaling in three gap years. Will taking three gap years over two gap years put me at a disadvantage in terms of admissions?

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[lumya]

... I was on my 6th gap year planning for a 7th before I got in.

As long as you’re productive with your time, it won’t matter how many gap years you take. Use that extra time to buff up your clinical hours be it with shadowing, work experience, or volunteering.

 

[candbgirl]

Hello! I’m worried about taking 3 gap years instead of the 2 gap years that I planned on. I already finished my first gap year.
I have an ok GPA (3.8), great ECs, great research, poor clinical hours (40 hrs), and I have not taken the MCAT yet.

It’s scheduled for this June, but I will most likely have to delay it. I cannot imagine putting my app together and studying for the MCAT at the same time, and truly, I would enjoy one more year before applying.

That would mean two years of “break” (I’m still working) before applying to medical schools, and one more year (the application year), totaling in three gap years. Will taking three gap years over two gap years put me at a disadvantage in terms of admissions?

You really aren’t ready to apply for the upcoming cycle. You have “poor clinical hours(40 hours”, no mention of shadowing, no MCAT and it sounds like you haven’t started completing your AMCAS primary. Schools don’t care how many gap years you have. Heck lots of applicants change whole careers and nobody thinks about it at all. As long as you are productive and pursuing your goals it’s fine. Take your time and do it right. You only want to apply once.

 

[Banco]

2 vs. 3 is literally no problem at all. Take the year and get more clinical experience and crush the MCAT (this is priority).

 

[Endee]

I took 13 gap years and it didn’t seem to make a difference.

 

[Goro]

Hello! I’m worried about taking 3 gap years instead of the 2 gap years that I planned on. I already finished my first gap year.
I have an ok GPA (3.8), great ECs, great research, poor clinical hours (40 hrs), and I have not taken the MCAT yet.

It’s scheduled for this June, but I will most likely have to delay it. I cannot imagine putting my app together and studying for the MCAT at the same time, and truly, I would enjoy one more year before applying.

That would mean two years of “break” (I’m still working) before applying to medical schools, and one more year (the application year), totaling in three gap years. Will taking three gap years over two gap years put me at a disadvantage in terms of admissions?

You're overthinking this. You apply when you have the best possible app, even if it means skipping app cycles. Note the plural.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Hello! I’m worried about taking 3 gap years instead of the 2 gap years that I planned on. I already finished my first gap year.
I have an ok GPA (3.8), great ECs, great research, poor clinical hours (40 hrs), and I have not taken the MCAT yet.

It’s scheduled for this June, but I will most likely have to delay it. I cannot imagine putting my app together and studying for the MCAT at the same time, and truly, I would enjoy one more year before applying.

That would mean two years of “break” (I’m still working) before applying to medical schools, and one more year (the application year), totaling in three gap years. Will taking three gap years over two gap years put me at a disadvantage in terms of admissions?

Don't worry. As long as you use your gap years productively, do well on the MCAT, and develop an effective application, you'll do fine. In fact you'll do better with a high MCAT and great app and 3 productive gap years than with two productive gap years, an OK MCAT, and a rushed application.

 

[wavykelp555]

2 vs. 3 is literally no problem at all. Take the year and get more clinical experience and crush the MCAT (this is priority).

Hey Banco, I have a similar question and would appreciate your advice. I have FIVE gap years of patient facing clinical research at 2 top academic medical centers. Strong LORs, 15 pubs (no first author) + a bunch of posters.

Why? I was a psych+anth undergrad (3.87 cGPA from top UC) and was interested in neuroscience then clinical psych so gearing up for grad school. (I applied a couple times/declined offers I was not happy with). I LOVE medicine and don't want this to seem like a whim, but only just learned a post bacc is actually accessible to me (financially, geographically) and I am REALLY excited about this path vs reapplying to psych phds.

Now I am considering beginning 2 years of career changer coursework this summer (good 4yr state school, not elite program) + volunteering/shadowing + MCAT prep, full time. I feel good about my undergrad, grades, research, and letters. I will put all my energy into ECs and MCAT. Is there a chance my gap is too long / a red flag? Or is it all just positive experience?

 

[Banco]

Hey Banco, I have a similar question and would appreciate your advice. I have FIVE gap years of patient facing clinical research at 2 top academic medical centers. Strong LORs, 15 pubs (no first author) + a bunch of posters.

Why? I was a psych+anth undergrad (3.87 cGPA from top UC) and was interested in neuroscience then clinical psych so gearing up for grad school. (I applied a couple times/declined offers I was not happy with). I LOVE medicine and don't want this to seem like a whim, but only just learned a post bacc is actually accessible to me (financially, geographically) and I am REALLY excited about this path vs reapplying to psych phds.

Now I am considering beginning 2 years of career changer coursework this summer (good 4yr state school, not elite program) + volunteering/shadowing + MCAT prep, full time. I feel good about my undergrad, grades, research, and letters. I will put all my energy into ECs and MCAT. Is there a chance my gap is too long / a red flag? Or is it all just positive experience?

No, it's not a red flag at all. You just need to explain your motivations and career switch, which should be pretty easy based on your activities/experiences.

 

[Goro]

No, it's not a red flag at all. You just need to explain your motivations and career switch, which should be pretty easy based on your activities/experiences.

I agree with Banco. Not everyone comes to Medicine in an evolutionary way.

To reiterate, med schools don't have stop watches going for the time you finish UG and when you apply