Entering M2 but may need to take the year off. Help needed!

[surfguy84]

So school is starting soon, and as luck would have it, I've got a terrible case of pneumonia that is not really improving. More tests are being done, but it's getting to the point where school is about to start and I'm in no way, shape, or form, ready for the grind in my current state.

If I started, I'd be putting myself in a huge hole with arguably our toughest semester ahead. (This is assuming the school allows me to miss mandatory labs).

I'd hate to miss an entire year because I wasn't ready for the start, but what other options do I have?

How bad will this hurt me when it comes time to apply to residency?

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[Goro]

Far better to take a LOA than try to bull your way through when you're not at your best, and risk dismissal.

So school is starting soon, and as luck would have it, I've got a terrible case of pneumonia that is not really improving. More tests are being done, but it's getting to the point where school is about to start and I'm in no way, shape, or form, ready for the grind in my current state.

If I started, I'd be putting myself in a huge hole with arguably our toughest semester ahead. (This is assuming the school allows me to miss mandatory labs).

I'd hate to miss an entire year because I wasn't ready for the start, but what other options do I have?

How bad will this hurt me when it comes time to apply to residency?

 

[surfguy84]

Far better to take a LOA than try to bull your way through when you're not at your best, and risk dismissal.

Will there be any big consequence to this, aside from starting my career 1 year later?

 

[Goro]

Nope.

Will there be any big consequence to this, aside from starting my career 1 year later?

 

[hallowmann]

How bad exactly is this case of PNA? Do you not see yourself becoming healthy again within a month? Have you been hospitalized?

If you anticipate 1 month, I'd look into a short medical leave. You can usually adjust things and work it out with the school to make up a month or less. If you think it'll be more like multiple months, then yeah, I'd take off the year.

Keep in mind that even if you take off the year, you're going to need to do 4 things:

1) Get yourself healthy and stable so you can kill it when you get back

2) When you are healthy, I'd look into research or something else to pump up your resume so its clear the entire year off wasn't just because you didn't want to start school while sick. In other words, make it look like a great opportunity to stay involved in medicine.

3) Study up on everything from MS1 so you aren't too far behind when you do start.

4) Keep in touch with your school/advisors, be sure you're up to date with everthing so your return will be seamless.

Also, I'd look into your school policies if you haven't already. You may be able to start off with a shorter leave and extend it if things look like they won't improve in time.