Working during Gap Year after Medical School and Before Residency

[FutureDO2016]

What options are there for students that can't match and have to apply the following year assuming they could not scramble...

Should they work in research?

What about working for a pharmaceutical company?

Should they volunteer abroad or in local clinics to keep up with their clinical skills?

Should they work in a doctor's office as an assistant or scribe or not sure what doctor would hire a grad with no residency?

Lastly, in the gap year before residency, should they get a MBA in healthcare or an online MPH? Is getting another degree useful if they already have the MD or DO degree?

Any other options?

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[AMEHigh]

As a DO, if you don't match you should 100% do a TRI. As of now there are pretty much always a few open TRI spots open even after people scramble in to them. That's pretty much the best option as completing an intern year will look more favorable than any of the other options listed, unless you are going to do some super specific research that a mentor told you to do in order to match in to a competitive residency.

 

[FutureDO2016]

As a DO, if you don't match you should 100% do a TRI. As of now there are pretty much always a few open TRI spots open even after people scramble in to them. That's pretty much the best option as completing an intern year will look more favorable than any of the other options listed, unless you are going to do some super specific research that a mentor told you to do in order to match in to a competitive residency.

Yes but if you can't start intern year on July 1st....finishing off-cycle meaning can't start until September or October 1st..then the TRI is not an option.

 

[AMEHigh]

Yes but if you can't start intern year on July 1st....finishing off-cycle meaning can't start until September or October 1st..then the TRI is not an option.

Ok, well the question asked for any other options with no mention of graduating off cycle, so I gave the best option!

 

[asdf123g]

TRI?

 

[IslandStyle808]

TRI?

TRI = traditional rotating internship.

 

[hallowmann]

Yes but if you can't start intern year on July 1st....finishing off-cycle meaning can't start until September or October 1st..then the TRI is not an option.

Its better to find a way to postpone your graduation OR to scramble into a TRI that is willing to take you off-cycle. Depending on how late you're starting, you may be able to fulfill your TRI requirements and finish on-time even with starting late. Provided you don't need the TRI (not going into an advanced position), you might even be able to leave the TRI early and start your categorical residency.

The good thing about doing a TRI is that worst case scenario if you don't find a position you could still get licensed in many states and practice, albeit in a significantly limited capacity. In addition, if you do well in the TRI, the program that you are in may even be willing to take you for a categorical position.

 

[Launcelot]

What options are there for students that can't match and have to apply the following year assuming they could not scramble...

Should they work in research?

What about working for a pharmaceutical company?

Should they volunteer abroad or in local clinics to keep up with their clinical skills?

Should they work in a doctor's office as an assistant or scribe or not sure what doctor would hire a grad with no residency?

Lastly, in the gap year before residency, should they get a MBA in healthcare or an online MPH? Is getting another degree useful if they already have the MD or DO degree?

Any other options?

There are practically no jobs worth going for in research with a D.O. without an established practice because we aren't researchers. There is, however, a very lucrative career path in pharmaceuticals which was outlined in another great SDN thread somewhere in these forums. But if for some reason you made it to graduation but couldn't find a residency spot and couldn't scramble for one, then Missouri has a spot for you! Look up assistant physician, it's a designation for a practicing MD/DO grads without residency.

Also, it is my belief that a MBA or a MPH is only worth it if you plan on doing something really big with it, like some lofty position in health care administration or government.