The Career Doctor™

by Dr. Jacqueline Hornor Plumez

Looking for a first job? Thinking of changing careers? Facing a lay-off? The Career Doctor™ is a Larchmont psychologist specializing in career counseling. If you'd like to ask a question of your own, use our anonymous form, and she might answer you here. Read more about the Career Doctor here. Contact information is here.

WHAT TO DO WITH "GAP" YEARS?

Dear Career Doctor:

I recently graduated college with a degree in biomedical engineering and am working in the medical device field. I am preparing to apply to medical school with a very respectable GPA as well as a large amount of extra curricular and volunteer experience in short term activities. My question for you is not how to get into school, but what is most beneficial to do with my life for the next two years until then. I am worried that my concentration on my engineering degree and lack of concentration on people related activities/volunteering will keep me from being accepted.

It will take one year in order to study for MCATs and one additional year for interviews. That would put me into school at age 26. With these years, is it better to apply for a fellowship with the NIH for example, work with the Red Cross overseas, do something more beneficial to humankind with my years, or stay in my current corporate medical device field and obtain further clinical experience through volunteering long-term with an organization ?

Brian