Gap year between MS3 and MS4?

[CrimsonMirage]

Hey everyone,

I am from a school with no home derm dept. I have a low step and no AOA, but a solid research background (almost 10 pubs) and mentors who are willing to write amazing recs and call places on my behalf.

With this in mind, my dean still recommends that I take a gap research year to offset my stats. I don't see how adding research onto my existing research will help.

Also, the most interested gap year projects I am attracted to are at top 20 programs. Do I need to do this gap year at a 'reach' or low-tier derm program (whatever that is), or should I pick the most interesting projects even if it means a year at an Ivy League where they may not take me after a year anyway b/c of my stats?

And what about just trying to go big and match, and THEN do a gap year if I don't match? Any ideas? Phew...sorry, I just asked a ton of questions. Any advice appreciated!!!!!

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[PicasoSchmicaso]

I can't speak from experience but I would assume that doing more research won't help. Are your pubs in Derm? If not, then maybe getting on to a clinical derm project would help, not sure. Can you take Step 2 early and score high? I would think that if you score high on step 2 (>250), do amazing at 3 away rotations, you could have a shot....again not speaking from experience.

I am in similar situation. Low Step One (210-220), no AOA, and my school has a derm program but not very big nor involved with research. Im doing an extra year to get derm pubs and take step 2 early to knock it out and hope to redeem Step one.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[CrimsonMirage]

thanks! 7-8 of my pubs are derm. i guess i will take a shot and see what happens

 

[DesertStrike]

Hey - I just matched this year and I took a gap year. First time in the position to give advice so take it with a grain of salt.

Talking with faculty, residents and students I now realize the gap year serves several functions:
1) more exposure to derm to see if you really love it
2) build your CV by publishing and presenting
3) get to intimately know the faculty at your research institution - you are spending one year there - unless you have some weird personality disorder they should at the end love you given that you work hard, produce and are pleasant
4) get a baller letter of recommendation
5) have interview fodder
6) SHOW COMMITMENT TO THE FIELD

Obviously 1-5 are important but #6 is how your get to the top of rank lists at top-tier programs in my opinion. Its great that you all ready have research under your belt but taking a gap year puts you at another level. If I were a PD, I would think "wow this person did research during medical school and then took additional time to pursue his/her research interests. they are really committed to the field"

my two cents

 

[asmallchild]

Hey - I just matched this year and I took a gap year. First time in the position to give advice so take it with a grain of salt.

Talking with faculty, residents and students I now realize the gap year serves several functions:
1) more exposure to derm to see if you really love it
2) build your CV by publishing and presenting
3) get to intimately know the faculty at your research institution - you are spending one year there - unless you have some weird personality disorder they should at the end love you given that you work hard, produce and are pleasant
4) get a baller letter of recommendation
5) have interview fodder
6) SHOW COMMITMENT TO THE FIELD

Obviously 1-5 are important but #6 is how your get to the top of rank lists at top-tier programs in my opinion. Its great that you all ready have research under your belt but taking a gap year puts you at another level. If I was a PD, I would think "wow this person did research during medical school and then took additional time to pursue his/her research interests. they are really committed to the field"

my two cents

Spot on advice

 

[pandoraone]

thanks! 7-8 of my pubs are derm. i guess i will take a shot and see what happens

Sorry to be off topic, can you talk a little about your derm papers? How did you get so many, are they first authors, and what kind of journals are tehy in?

Thanks!

 

[CrimsonMirage]

@pandoraone..

i started early (first year) with a great mentor, and i worked the summer between first/second year with another great mentor. both of them publish frequently, so i suppose i piggybacked on their success by showing them that i am a hard worker and legitimately interested in the field. i think about 5 are first-authors and the rest are a sprinkling. they are in journals like AJD, Derm Surgery, and there are a few book chapters in a derm text.

(so all my derm papers are clinical...i find derm basic science research fascinating but it wasn't practical with my schedule)

hope that helps!