Gap Year Length

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FantasticMrButtons

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Currently looking into a gap year research position. The PI says she's looking for at least a 1-1.5 year commitment, but I really only wanted to take a single gap year and thus would only be able to work for maybe 1.2 years. On one hand, I want to be competitive for this position so I want to be able to work more, but on the other hand I don't want to spend more and more time from medical school matriculation. I'm not sure what I should say. Anyone have any experience? Should I instead go with 2 gap years off?

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Isn't 1.2 years in her expected range?

Whether or not you want to take the extra year off depends on your application and what you'd stand to gain from it. Like, do you have ample research experience already?

From my perspective, I don't know what I'd do with 2 gap years. I'm currently taking one. I was somewhat burnt out after finishing undergrad but by December I've felt much more excited about med school.
 
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Isn't 1.2 years in her expected range?

Whether or not you want to take the extra year off depends on your application and what you'd stand to gain from it. Like, do you have ample research experience already?

From my perspective, I don't know what I'd do with 2 gap years. I'm currently taking one. I was somewhat burnt out after finishing undergrad but by December I've felt much more excited about med school.

It is, but I'm afraid she'll just go with someone who is willing to work for longer.
 
It is, but I'm afraid she'll just go with someone who is willing to work for longer.
Why do you want to work in this lab, is being a physician quicker more important than research in this lab? This should answer your dilemma
 
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I realize that, but realistically there aren't that many other gap year jobs that I am qualified for (especially since my major is not a bio-related major), and so I don't want to pass up this opportunity.
 
I realize that, but realistically there aren't that many other gap year jobs that I am qualified for (especially since my major is not a bio-related major), and so I don't want to pass up this opportunity.
I worked at a grocery store for 11$ an hour you don’t have to do research and there are a lot of jobs out there. Unless they’re paying you 70k+ a year and it’ll help you graduate med school debt free. Do what you want, do you want to delay school 2 years to do research? You will be theoretically giving up a year of physician salary (200k$) but I also did 2 gap years so do what makes u happiest
 
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Nobody can answer this for you. The answer to this question depends on your own personal goals and how much you value the two sides of the trade-off. You're basically trading one year of future salary (say an average of $200k discounted at a rate of 3% for 10 years) for whatever they're paying you now (probably around $30-40k) plus the non-tangible benefits. Those non-tangible benefits are what's going to make or break it - and they include the personal satisfaction of doing the research, the publications you might get out of it, having an extra year off to live life and have fun before school until God knows when.

The reason PIs don't like research assistants who are only there for a year is because you're basically applying to med school before you even start with the job and you'll be traveling to many interviews in the fall and winter when your job will be in full swing and when they'll want you to focus on the job. Many schools don't even interview on the weekend so you'll be taking time off to travel to/from interviews too. So many, if not most, PIs will take the person with a 2-year commitment over the person with a 1 year commitment when given the choice. Unless you can convince them that you will be incredibly productive in that one year.
 
I took one gap year and personally thought it was the perfect amount of time off before medical school. At the same time, taking two years off would have been perfectly fine as well. If you think you would get something significant from the research I would say go for it.
 
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