tiktokuser
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2021
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 0
Deleted
Last edited:
Deleted
- Thread starter tiktokuser
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2010
- Messages
- 5,052
- Reaction score
- 6,083
I’m sorry you’re going through this OP. Based on what you have provided us, this will not affect your residency application in any fields assuming this is a necessary surgery for a medical issue like you’ve stated. I understand your desire to get the ball rolling and not waste time and see why you want to enroll now given the uncertainty of the surgery.
I personally have not heard of specific research fellowships meant to last a year. If you think about it, even for those doing the M3/4 gap year thing, their research plans seem to be more organically formulated with academic faculty mentor in their specialty of interest as opposed to a 1 year research fellowship with an assigned mentor and a stipend (something more typical of a summer program). I don’t have firsthand experience with a gap year in medical school so someone correct me if I’m wrong.
You can also see if the school offers a tuition free MPH, etc. and do that if the research year doesn’t pan out to show you had some productivity. Doesn’t seem like you’re interested in that but perhaps it could be a fallback. Regardless, I think programs would give you leeway during your recovery phase and not expect you to be productive with research so don't feel obligated to show productiveness during this period because you think top programs are going to judge.
Since you seem self-driven, I would recommend settling on a field and identify research mentors during M1. Express your situation to them, and ask if they would be willing to keep you busy for a year with project(s) while you recover. You're likely going to have to get your feet wet with projects in order to establish any continuity when you leave on your LOA. In terms of $ to support yourself, you may be looking at taking out more loans unfortunately. Consider applying to need-based scholarships available that would cover more tuition to allow you to not have to borrow as much long term. You can speak to the FinAid department about that now without giving them the full story.
Hopefully some others are able to speak in more detail about your situation. I also agree that forgetting information is also going to be a problem so you may need to incorporate significant review periods into your recovery time with board prep resources so you're not rusty for M2 which can carry over to the boards. This will be a lot easier if your school goes with an organ system based curriculum as there's no ideal Step 1 review resources ideal for use if you haven't covered the normal and abnormal parts of one organ system fully because Step 1 integrates normal and abnormal human function with a very low number of questions simply giving you a cardiac action potential and asking you to answer a question about it for example. (I know Step 1 will be P/F for you, but it still is the foundational knowledge for Step 2).
I personally have not heard of specific research fellowships meant to last a year. If you think about it, even for those doing the M3/4 gap year thing, their research plans seem to be more organically formulated with academic faculty mentor in their specialty of interest as opposed to a 1 year research fellowship with an assigned mentor and a stipend (something more typical of a summer program). I don’t have firsthand experience with a gap year in medical school so someone correct me if I’m wrong.
You can also see if the school offers a tuition free MPH, etc. and do that if the research year doesn’t pan out to show you had some productivity. Doesn’t seem like you’re interested in that but perhaps it could be a fallback. Regardless, I think programs would give you leeway during your recovery phase and not expect you to be productive with research so don't feel obligated to show productiveness during this period because you think top programs are going to judge.
Since you seem self-driven, I would recommend settling on a field and identify research mentors during M1. Express your situation to them, and ask if they would be willing to keep you busy for a year with project(s) while you recover. You're likely going to have to get your feet wet with projects in order to establish any continuity when you leave on your LOA. In terms of $ to support yourself, you may be looking at taking out more loans unfortunately. Consider applying to need-based scholarships available that would cover more tuition to allow you to not have to borrow as much long term. You can speak to the FinAid department about that now without giving them the full story.
Hopefully some others are able to speak in more detail about your situation. I also agree that forgetting information is also going to be a problem so you may need to incorporate significant review periods into your recovery time with board prep resources so you're not rusty for M2 which can carry over to the boards. This will be a lot easier if your school goes with an organ system based curriculum as there's no ideal Step 1 review resources ideal for use if you haven't covered the normal and abnormal parts of one organ system fully because Step 1 integrates normal and abnormal human function with a very low number of questions simply giving you a cardiac action potential and asking you to answer a question about it for example. (I know Step 1 will be P/F for you, but it still is the foundational knowledge for Step 2).
Last edited:
- Joined
- May 28, 2014
- Messages
- 2,730
- Reaction score
- 4,181
It shouldn’t affect your residency app. You get to explain any extensions or leaves on ERAS. Your health comes first - med school second.
If you feel a year is too long and feel recovered, you can always do research or something to fill in the time, and that never hurts. And it doesn’t need to be some official fellowship.
But seriously, if you need an operation - that should be priority 1, 2, and 3. Don’t forget that. Residency PDs understand this too.
If you feel a year is too long and feel recovered, you can always do research or something to fill in the time, and that never hurts. And it doesn’t need to be some official fellowship.
But seriously, if you need an operation - that should be priority 1, 2, and 3. Don’t forget that. Residency PDs understand this too.
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2008
- Messages
- 41,485
- Reaction score
- 25,732
I agree with what has been said, this will not harm your residency application. Taking care of a legitimate medical problem is a good reason for taking an LOA.
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2014
- Messages
- 1,982
- Reaction score
- 5,649
I would also add that you shouldn't worry about losing knowledge between M1 and M2 during your LOA. This is probably the best time to take a year off in terms of that. Almost all of my pre-clinical knowledge came from flash cards generated by random people on Reddit, Wikipedia, and UWorld. If anything, I would see this extra year as an advantage in terms of scoring well on Step 1 and your pre-clinical knowledge base (although Step 1 will likely be pass/fail for you).
Just put yourself on a regimen of some number of daily flash cards and practice questions, and you'll be able to grow or at least maintain your knowledge during the LOA.
Just put yourself on a regimen of some number of daily flash cards and practice questions, and you'll be able to grow or at least maintain your knowledge during the LOA.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2010
- Messages
- 5,052
- Reaction score
- 6,083
Agreed, The key for OP will be the design of that regimen. OP I recommend you get acquainted with ANKI already if you haven't (most Top X US MDs are already). Make cards throughout your classes and review them. The alternative is to use premade decks. Lots of users on Reddit/SDN can advise you on which ones. I'm not one of them. Unfortunately ANKI and I have had a rocky relationship and I guess I have commitment issues.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2010
- Messages
- 75,017
- Reaction score
- 120,407
