Gap year after residency

[Alldkxijd]

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Hello everyone,

Lately I've been wandering, are there negatives to taking a 2 year gap in between finishing residency and starting a job?
My primary reason for doing so would be to attain a mfa illustration degree within those 2 years as art has always been a passion of mine. I eventually want to be a practicing md while professionally pursuing art to some degree. Also financial situation would permit me to do this so it's more a question of whether or not this 2 year would hurt my job search.

 

[ProfMD]

Licensing boards and hospital credentialing committees may wonder about this plan. Generally, you have to explain any gaps and satisfy these groups that it was legit.

Also, I would worry about having 2 years between training and job from a practical standpoint. Being rusty when starting your first job is not how you want to be.

 

[Raryn]

Depending on the field, you could just work part time during those years. You'll have some money, there won't be any gaps in your CV, and your clinical skills won't completely atrophy.

Otherwise, why not just do the degree part time?

 

[Alldkxijd]

Depending on the field, you could just work part time during those years. You'll have some money, there won't be any gaps in your CV, and your clinical skills won't completely atrophy.

Otherwise, why not just do the degree part time?

My questions to your suggestions are:
1)Could someone work part time for orthopedics?
2)if I wanted to pursue an mfa "part-time" I would have to choose a low residency mfa program. However, the low residency mfa program requires a student to be on a campus for 2-3 summers for a period of 6 weeks. Would it be possible to leave work for 6 weeks during those times at all?

 

[ACSurgeon]

My questions to your suggestions are:
1)Could someone work part time for orthopedics?
2)if I wanted to pursue an mfa "part-time" I would have to choose a low residency mfa program. However, the low residency mfa program requires a student to be on a campus for 2-3 summers for a period of 6 weeks. Would it be possible to leave work for 6 weeks during those times at all?

Surgical fields are especially bad to start your first job late or start part time.

Transitioning from trainee to attending is significantly more challenging for surgical fields than non-surgical fields. You need your first 5-10 years as an attending to become really good at what you do. You can't afford to start part time or even worse, start 2 years after graduation.

For other fields, you could do locums jobs where you work as much or as little as you want. In that setting, you could be off for 6 weeks at a time.

 

[Alldkxijd]

Surgical fields are especially bad to start your first job late or start part time.

Transitioning from trainee to attending is significantly more challenging for surgical fields than non-surgical fields. You need your first 5-10 years as an attending to become really good at what you do. You can't afford to start part time or even worse, start 2 years after graduation.

For other fields, you could do locums jobs where you work as much or as little as you want. In that setting, you could be off for 6 weeks at a time.

How about taking 2 years of gap year during residency to pursue and mfa and conduct research?

 

[ProfMD]

How about taking 2 years of gap year during residency to pursue and mfa and conduct research?

That would be up to your program. My guess is that the answer may be yes to the research, but almost certainly a no to the MFA.

I can only speak from my own experience as a surgeon, but taking time off between completion of training and starting my job would have been disastrous. You need to be fresh with your skills.

Also, I suppose you can explore part-time gigs, but outside of locums work, I don't see anyone hiring you to be a part time orthopedic surgeon. Besides the fact that most places will not be looking for a part-time surgeon, you need that time to fine tune your skills and build a practice.

In my opinion, your dreams of doing an MFA at this point are dashed. Your best bet would be to take time off later or do it in retirement.

 

[Alldkxijd]

That would be up to your program. My guess is that the answer may be yes to the research, but almost certainly a no to the MFA.

I can only speak from my own experience as a surgeon, but taking time off between completion of training and starting my job would have been disastrous. You need to be fresh with your skills.

Also, I suppose you can explore part-time gigs, but outside of locums work, I don't see anyone hiring you to be a part time orthopedic surgeon. Besides the fact that most places will not be looking for a part-time surgeon, you need that time to fine tune your skills and build a practice.

In my opinion, your dreams of doing an MFA at this point are dashed. Your best bet would be to take time off later or do it in retirement.

I think there was a misunderstanding. I meant pursuing an mfa and doing research at the same time during those 2 years. If the program was OK with me taking time off to do research during those years, I don't understand why they would not understand if I pursued both in those two years?

 

[ProfMD]

I think there was a misunderstanding. I meant pursuing an mfa and doing research at the same time during those 2 years. If the program was OK with me taking time off to do research during those years, I don't understand why they would not understand if I pursued both in those two years?

I actually understood you completely. The reason they would not be ok with it is that if they give you 2 years off to do research, they expect you to be productive. Being productive means doing research full-time, leaving no time for your MFA.

If you told them this was your plan, I can almost guarantee that they would say no. You could try and take 2 years off for research and do the MFA on the sly, but if the program found out, it could be trouble.

And, I said that they "may" let you take time off for research. Unless it is already built into the curriculum of the program or unless the program has a history of allowing this sort of thing, even getting time off for research can be iffy.

 

[masaraksh]

Please tell us more about your plans to do Ortho and get an MFA

 

[racerwad]

What stage in training are you now?

I'm going to guess "not yet started."