Advantages to taking a year off between 2nd and 3rd yr

[bollywoodlover]

I know some women take a year off between 2nd and 3rd year to have a kid. I'm not sure if any others take a year off between for various reasons. If you didn't care about being late graduating could this be advantageous by getting some full time research in if your gunning for a competitive specialty. I know someone who did a year off to do derm work at the NIH after 4th yr and also have a kid during time. She was able to match into derm. Since it was a last minute decision to go for derm she needed the research also even though she was aoa and did well on the boards.

Anyways if say someone wants to have a kid, has the grades and board score, but is weak in research would taking a year off between 2nd and 3rd yr make them more competitive if they did say did NIH research during that time?

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[bollywoodlover]

Bump

 

[CDI]

If you have the grades and board scores, aren't you already competitive enough?

Doesn't research make everyone competitive regardless?

I mean in what way do you see something like this hurting your chances. You still graduate and go into the match as an Allopathic senior and NOT as an Independent applicant because you are doing this prior to graduation and not afterwards.

 

[J ROD]

I think there are more risks than benefits. I would only do it if I had to. Not because I wanted to.

 

[evilbooyaa]

There are no risks to this besides delaying graduation (which is guaranteed). If you're going for a competitive specialty and want to either 1) Improve your shot at getting in or 2) Improve your chances at the more prestigious locations in that specialty, then go for it. However, make sure you're picking a specialty that actually cares about research (Rad Onc, Derm, possibly Ortho/NSG?). Don't take a year off to do EM research if you're gonna apply to EM.

 

[survivordo]

Seems like if you were going to do this after 4th year then you would be better off doing it as a backup of sorts like a lot of people do... apply to your chosen field, if you match great, if you don't then go do research for a year to improve your app...

Survivor DO

 

[WaylonS]

I know some women take a year off between 2nd and 3rd year to have a kid. I'm not sure if any others take a year off between for various reasons. If you didn't care about being late graduating could this be advantageous by getting some full time research in if your gunning for a competitive specialty. I know someone who did a year off to do derm work at the NIH after 4th yr and also have a kid during time. She was able to match into derm. Since it was a last minute decision to go for derm she needed the research also even though she was aoa and did well on the boards.

Anyways if say someone wants to have a kid, has the grades and board score, but is weak in research would taking a year off between 2nd and 3rd yr make them more competitive if they did say did NIH research during that time?

The NIH program prefers students after their third year. Excluding Penn/Duke students, when I interviewed for the MRSP, I'd say about 90% of the people interviewing were third years, of the people who were accepted, I think maybe one or two were second years

 

[tco]

The NIH program prefers students after their third year. Excluding Penn/Duke students, when I interviewed for the MRSP, I'd say about 90% of the people interviewing were third years, of the people who were accepted, I think maybe one or two were second years

I did a path fellowship between second and third year. In retrospect, it would have been much better to do between third and fourth year, and take Step 2 CK and CS during that year.

It's hard to just be starting to learn the clinical skills necessary to be a third year, be swept out of third year, and come back and re-learn all of those skills again.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Seems like if you were going to do this after 4th year then you would be better off doing it as a backup of sorts like a lot of people do... apply to your chosen field, if you match great, if you don't then go do research for a year to improve your app...

Survivor DO

If you do research after failing to match, in the opinion of one PD I know, it looks significantly worse than doing it prior to 4th year.

 

[KTD]

If you take a year off between 2nd and 3rd year, you end up doing 3rd year with all strangers, which I think could be rough.

 

[jerseytrash]

If you take a year off between 2nd and 3rd year, you end up doing 3rd year with all strangers, which I think could be rough.

That's probably the last thing you should be concerned about if you're applying to a competitive specialty. Also it's really not that bad - I know MD/PhDs who rejoined the third year classes after 3-4 years in the lab and they got along with everyone just fine and made plenty of friends.

 

[tco]

That's probably the last thing you should be concerned about if you're applying to a competitive specialty. Also it's really not that bad - I know MD/PhDs who rejoined the third year classes after 3-4 years in the lab and they got along with everyone just fine and made plenty of friends.

Indeed. The very first day of the first rotation is a little awkward, but unless your class is just chalk full of ***holes, there won't be any issue with integrating back into the system. I've made a lot of friends in this class relatively quickly. It's not the same magnitude, but fighting through third year is similar in comradery to the military after basic training or something.

 

[Kaustikos]

I've only heard of people taking a year off/deferring for extenuating circumstances. It doesn't seem like this is something that would fly over well with your admins. People who have kids/need an honest break/etc are the ones who defer. Not people who want to do research to up their chances to get into a competitive specialty.

Like others have said - do it if you have to, not if you want to.....

 

[tco]

I've only heard of people taking a year off/deferring for extenuating circumstances. It doesn't seem like this is something that would fly over well with your admins. People who have kids/need an honest break/etc are the ones who defer. Not people who want to do research to up their chances to get into a competitive specialty.

Like others have said - do it if you have to, not if you want to.....

Just because you've only heard of people taking a year off because of extenuating circumstances doesn't mean that it's the only reason people take a year off. You shouldn't project what you think you know to someone else if you really don't know.

Before leaving my class, I was in good standing, top quartile, and just scored a 255 on step 1, so it's not like I was forced into stepping out. My reasons for doing the pathology fellowship - it was interesting, it provided me with a broadened educational experience, it allowed me to see real-life translational research, and it provided me with a research experience to follow a project from start to finish. I'll be applying radiology in the fall with intent to become an interventionalist.

Everyone has different reasons for doing different things...

 

[Kaustikos]

Just because you've only heard of people taking a year off because of extenuating circumstances doesn't mean that it's the only reason people take a year off. You shouldn't project what you think you know to someone else if you really don't know.

Before leaving my class, I was in good standing, top quartile, and just scored a 255 on step 1, so it's not like I was forced into stepping out. My reasons for doing the pathology fellowship - it was interesting, it provided me with a broadened educational experience, it allowed me to see real-life translational research, and it provided me with a research experience to follow a project from start to finish. I'll be applying radiology in the fall with intent to become an interventionalist.

Everyone has different reasons for doing different things...

There's a difference between doing something because it interests you and doing something because you're gunning for top residencies/want to suck cock to get ahead. One is perfectly fine and the other is just not really something that merits a deferral.

But you're right, what do I know. I'm just offering advice from my own perspective... which is generally what this site is about.

 

[tco]

There's a difference between doing something because it interests you and doing something because you're gunning for top residencies/want to suck cock to get ahead. One is perfectly fine and the other is just not really something that merits a deferral.

But you're right, what do I know. I'm just offering advice from my own perspective... which is generally what this site is about.

I didn't mean major offense. It was just the way you wrote the post as a general sweeping conclusion that "only those that *need it* should take it," is the only way to go. To be fair, you did preface it with, "I've only heard of..." but that doesn't mean it's the only reason for doing so.

I know a few people who did the same fellowship I did to get a leg up on the competition for derm residency, and it worked brilliantly. Like I said, there's different motivating factors for the same action at times, so you can't make broad strokes when it comes to stuff like this.

 

[evilbooyaa]

I've only heard of people taking a year off/deferring for extenuating circumstances. It doesn't seem like this is something that would fly over well with your admins. People who have kids/need an honest break/etc are the ones who defer. Not people who want to do research to up their chances to get into a competitive specialty.

Like others have said - do it if you have to, not if you want to.....

I'll be honest, I'm going for a competitive residency that is exceptionally research heavy, and my scores to date are not on par with general match standings. Most people that defer a year from my experience either do it to 1) get a masters or 2) do research to increase their chances of getting into a competitive specialty. I've met very few people who take a full year off for extenuating circumstances or to have a kid.

 

[Kaustikos]

I didn't mean major offense. It was just the way you wrote the post as a general sweeping conclusion that "only those that *need it* should take it," is the only way to go. To be fair, you did preface it with, "I've only heard of..." but that doesn't mean it's the only reason for doing so.

I know a few people who did the same fellowship I did to get a leg up on the competition for derm residency, and it worked brilliantly. Like I said, there's different motivating factors for the same action at times, so you can't make broad strokes when it comes to stuff like this.

Well, yeah. I know what you mean. I guess my comment about "my experiences" implied that's the only circumstance to do this, which I didn't really mean.

I'll be honest, I'm going for a competitive residency that is exceptionally research heavy, and my scores to date are not on par with general match standings. Most people that defer a year from my experience either do it to 1) get a masters or 2) do research to increase their chances of getting into a competitive specialty. I've met very few people who take a full year off for extenuating circumstances or to have a kid.

Well, then go ahead and try. I'm not saying 100% that you shouldn't do it. I just don't know if schools are open to that or allow it. Like I said, I've only experienced what I've talked about, which doesn't mean it's the only reason.

 

[pachewisc]

How about taking a year off for an additional degree? I want to get a masters to go along with my MD, but my current school doesn't offer that program. Would you think taking the year off and getting the masters at another institution would be a good call?

 

[evilbooyaa]

Well, yeah. I know what you mean. I guess my comment about "my experiences" implied that's the only circumstance to do this, which I didn't really mean.



Well, then go ahead and try. I'm not saying 100% that you shouldn't do it. I just don't know if schools are open to that or allow it. Like I said, I've only experienced what I've talked about, which doesn't mean it's the only reason.

Most schools I know students from (~5-10) are OK with them taking a year off for research. I'd be surprised if it was a significant issue as long as you proved you weren't just relaxing for the whole year.

 

[tco]

How about taking a year off for an additional degree? I want to get a masters to go along with my MD, but my current school doesn't offer that program. Would you think taking the year off and getting the masters at another institution would be a good call?

Masters in what? For what purpose? It makes a difference. If you're taking a year to get a masters in fine art so that you can more effectively play the guitar, it might be different than if you're getting an MBA to better run your future medical practice.

 

[pachewisc]

Masters in what? For what purpose? It makes a difference. If you're taking a year to get a masters in fine art so that you can more effectively play the guitar, it might be different than if you're getting an MBA to better run your future medical practice.

Haha you hit the nail on the head. An MBA to work on healthcare and fiscal policies at the hospital level, amongst other things. I've found a handful of 1-year programs I'll be looking to apply to, but have yet to decide if I'd want to do it between M2-M3 or M3-M4.