What to do during 5th year?

[Guest Guide me]

Hi everyone!

 

I am curious about a situation that, unfortunately, probably isn't that uncommon. I am in my 4th year of undergraduate studies, and will have finished my 4-year Hon. B.Sc. degree this spring. After early rejections from a couple of med schools, I have realized that I must make plans for this upcoming year. I did apply to graduate school, but to be honest, I am not exactly getting goosegumps in anticipation for that. What are some of my other options? What else can pre-meds do -- aside from re-applying of course -- after they complete their 4-year degrees and still find themselves on the outside looking in? Work? Travel?

 

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!!!!

[Guest Liana]

If you were rejected due to marks, you probably want to take an extra year to boost your marks. Taking those classes that really interested you, for which you have never had time, is generally a better way to get good marks than taking "bird courses". You would be surprised how many people do poorly in supposedly simple classes, because they're just not interested.

 

Although you may not be interested in doing grad work, I've heard of several instances where students have been unsuccessful in applying to med school after undergrad, and got in immediately after doing the Masters. A lot of schools have lower undergrad GPA requirements for students who have completed graduate work, and the 2 or so years gives you time to seriously think about your future. Depending on whether you have the money, you could always look into applying to do a grad degree in somewhere like the UK (I think some schools would still consider applications even now), where the MSc program is different from that here in Canada. Since it's more common for students to go straight into a PhD program in the UK, the Master's degree is designed more for people who want to do some grad work, but not necessarily continue striaght to the PhD. Their MSc's are much more course-work based, generally with only a 3 month period of doing lab work, and the degree only takes 1 year to complete. However, it will probably cost you $30,000 for that year, when you factor in living expenses, and Canada doesn't give away a lot of money to students who want to leave the country.

 

If your marks are okay, you may want to consider working or volunteering. There are many organizations that send volunteers to developing countries; you won't make any money but most of these organizations won't cost you any money in living expenses either. You can also look into teaching English in Japan or Korea, or just taking a regular job back here in Canada. The more unusual your job/activity, or the more interested you are in it, the better this will work for your application. You can always take a few courses by distance education to boost your GPA, but only a few schools will factor these into your total GPA.

 

Hope that gives you a few things to consider.

[Guest Guide me]

Thanks for the great advice! Good luck to you!

[Guest Stressed]

Hello everyone!

I am in the same boat as Guide Me. I am finishing my undergrad degree from this spring and unfortunately I am ot going to med school next year, then again I only applied to Mac. I keep thinking of what I can do next year and I always end up with research as the answer. I like working in research as I have for the past three years (mainly summers) but I don't know if I should try to stay in the same lab, or get into a different one, or if it would better to try to diversify my application by doing something totally different. Would it look boring if I stayed in the same lab? It's a great lab with awsome people and I wouldn't really have any reasons to leave.

Would it be possible for some of the people out there who took a year off to share some of the things they did (especially paid jobs?)

 

Thanks in advance

Stressed