graduating off-cycle

[pobalt]

I'm a M2 facing a medical issue that will require surgery and likely some time off extending into the beginning of 3rd year. My school has offered me to either A) take 1 month of unscheduled vacation time from 4th year and use it to start my 3rd year a month late - hoping I'll be recovered by that time - or 2) take the entire year off to recover. I think it likely that one month won't be enough (especially when combined with Step 1, which also has to happen at some point this summer), but a full year will probably end up being a waste.

I brought up the possibility of just taking a semester off, and starting my 3rd year in January, but this seemed to be an undesirable option in the eyes of the administration. Apparently, by graduating a semester late, in December, I'll no longer be considered a "sponsored student" for match purposes, but instead a "sponsored graduate." Section 2.2 of the terms and conditions for match participation seem to suggest I'd actually be considered an independent applicant by graduating in December.

So, for those who graduated late or who have any other insight, what's the disadvantage to this? Will being a sponsored graduate or independent hinder me to any large degree? Do residency programs view applicants differently if they are in one category or the other? Would taking a year be preferable to just taking a semester?

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[evilbooyaa]

Being considered NOT a U.S. Senior when applying for the Match is a definite disadvantage. If you feel that a 1 month delay isn't enough for you to recover, I'd strongly recommend taking the full year off for recovery. Consider setting up a research project with a PI (giving him/her the qualifier that you won't be able to work until you recover from your surgery) so you'll still be considered a full-time student, and at the same time won't waste half the year or more just sitting on your butt doing nothing.

 

[pobalt]

Thats certainly something I've considered, although I worry about being out of the game for that long. Do you happen to know what those disadvantages for independent applicants happen to be? The only concrete thing I've found is that independents aren't represented by their school's NRMP representative, meaning certification is more complex, but I wonder how much of a hinderance that would be?

This post from 2008 seems to suggest some advantages to being off-cycle, like having a full semester of 4th year electives completed before the application process begins in the summer.

 

[HLxDrummer]

I would be worried about being off cycle unless you find really good evidence it will be ok. In my experience, doing "non-traditional" things like that leads to a lot of unneeded hassle. In the big scheme of things, what is one extra year (especially when it is called for and you can do research).

 

[evilbooyaa]

Thats certainly something I've considered, although I worry about being out of the game for that long. Do you happen to know what those disadvantages for independent applicants happen to be? The only concrete thing I've found is that independents aren't represented by their school's NRMP representative, meaning certification is more complex, but I wonder how much of a hinderance that would be?

This post from 2008 seems to suggest some advantages to being off-cycle, like having a full semester of 4th year electives completed before the application process begins in the summer.

You are put into a category that is different from US Senior. US Seniors (as defined by the NBME, which includes graduating from an allopathic medical school) have the greatest chance of matching into competitive specialties.

Why that is, I'm not really sure.

If you take the year off you can do some research to beef up your application so you can get into a better residency. If you take just a semester off (and graduate in January), you will likely have 6 months where you will have to start paying your loans back (prior to residency).

 

[Gifted Hands]

Lots of people take a year off to do research. It takes a little while for the information to come back but it's not significant. Take step 1 before the info becomes hazy and you'll be fine. You learn the important stuff in 3rd year anyway. This is a waaaay better option than applying as a grad rather than a 4th year student.

 

[tantacles]

I'm a M2 facing a medical issue that will require surgery and likely some time off extending into the beginning of 3rd year. My school has offered me to either A) take 1 month of unscheduled vacation time from 4th year and use it to start my 3rd year a month late - hoping I'll be recovered by that time - or 2) take the entire year off to recover. I think it likely that one month won't be enough (especially when combined with Step 1, which also has to happen at some point this summer), but a full year will probably end up being a waste.

I brought up the possibility of just taking a semester off, and starting my 3rd year in January, but this seemed to be an undesirable option in the eyes of the administration. Apparently, by graduating a semester late, in December, I'll no longer be considered a "sponsored student" for match purposes, but instead a "sponsored graduate." Section 2.2 of the terms and conditions for match participation seem to suggest I'd actually be considered an independent applicant by graduating in December.

So, for those who graduated late or who have any other insight, what's the disadvantage to this? Will being a sponsored graduate or independent hinder me to any large degree? Do residency programs view applicants differently if they are in one category or the other? Would taking a year be preferable to just taking a semester?

Take the full year. Here's the logical reason:

Regardless of whether you take a full or half year off, you will not be able to match until one year later. So here are the scenarios:

1. Take a full year off, do your third year of rotations, then immediately do your fourth year of rotations, then match as a sponsored student. You graduate a year later and match a year later.

2. Take a half year off, do your third year of rotations, do your fourth year of rotations. YOU STILL HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER HALF YEAR TO MATCH AS A NONSPONSORED APPLICANT. This means that, essentially, you still lose a year of time you could practice, but you're in a much worse condition. If you choose this option, you both match a year later AND potentially make the match harder for yourself; I wouldn't do this.

 

[tantacles]

You are put into a category that is different from US Senior. US Seniors (as defined by the NBME, which includes graduating from an allopathic medical school) have the greatest chance of matching into competitive specialties.

Why that is, I'm not really sure.

If you take the year off you can do some research to beef up your application so you can get into a better residency. If you take just a semester off (and graduate in January), you will likely have 6 months where you will have to start paying your loans back (prior to residency).

A relevant and important point that I forgot to mention in my post.

 

[md4dawin]

Delete.

 

[md4dawin]

Take the full year. Here's the logical reason:

Regardless of whether you take a full or half year off, you will not be able to match until one year later. So here are the scenarios:

1. Take a full year off, do your third year of rotations, then immediately do your fourth year of rotations, then match as a sponsored student. You graduate a year later and match a year later.

2. Take a half year off, do your third year of rotations, do your fourth year of rotations. YOU STILL HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER HALF YEAR TO MATCH AS A NONSPONSORED APPLICANT. This means that, essentially, you still lose a year of time you could practice, but you're in a much worse condition. If you choose this option, you both match a year later AND potentially make the match harder for yourself; I wouldn't do this.

Is that true about being "non-sponsored" if a US-Allo graduates off-cycle in December vs sticking around until May? I thought the status is determined by when ERAS is submitted.

 

[tantacles]

Is that true about being "non-sponsored" if a US-Allo graduates off-cycle in December vs sticking around until May? I thought the status is determined by when ERAS is submitted.

All I can say is that I KNOW that grads who haven't graduated are in a better position. So why, when you have to wait a year to match anyway, would you only take half a year off?

 

[SUCCinylcholine_ON_THIS]

Is that true about being "non-sponsored" if a US-Allo graduates off-cycle in December vs sticking around until May? I thought the status is determined by when ERAS is submitted.

There is a lot of misinformation on this thread. "Sponsored" vs "independent" is determined when you register with NRMP. You literally pick "senior student" or "graduate" when you register. Let's say your graduation date is December 14th, 2016. If you register with NRMP anytime between now and then, you would register as a senior student. When your school verifies you, you officially become a sponsored applicant in the Main Residency Match, aka a "US Senior." You will be treated EXACTLY the same as someone who graduates in May, 2017.

So if you're off-cycle and graduate in December, it doesn't hurt you. If you stick around for another semester unnecessarily, you're either crazy or you wipe your ass with money, or both. Take some time off and take Step 3 before you start PGY-1 in July.

 

[md4dawin]

There is a lot of misinformation on this thread. "Sponsored" vs "independent" is determined when you register with NRMP. You literally pick "senior student" or "graduate" when you register. Let's say your graduation date is December 14th, 2016. If you register with NRMP anytime between now and then, you would register as a senior student. When your school verifies you, you officially become a sponsored applicant in the Main Residency Match, aka a "US Senior." You will be treated EXACTLY the same as someone who graduates in May, 2017.

So if you're off-cycle and graduate in December, it doesn't hurt you. If you stick around for another semester unnecessarily, you're either crazy or you wipe your ass with money, or both. Take some time off and take Step 3 before you start PGY-1 in July.

Thank you for clarifying that! And to think, I was actually considering taking on another semester for a second.

 

[md4dawin]

All I can say is that I KNOW that grads who haven't graduated are in a better position. So why, when you have to wait a year to match anyway, would you only take half a year off?

Many, many reasons to graduate ASAP, esp if there is no tangible benefit to sticking around, as the other poster said. To name a few...getting a job, paying bills, expensive tuition, etc. Do people actually think 6 months away from medicine will purge all medical knowledge and skills from a person's brain? If that were so, how do IMG's who by definition have already graduated, manage to match?

 

[tantacles]

Many, many reasons to graduate ASAP, esp if there is no tangible benefit to sticking around, as the other poster said. To name a few...getting a job, paying bills, expensive tuition, etc. Do people actually think 6 months away from medicine will purge all medical knowledge and skills from a person's brain? If that were so, how do IMG's who by definition have already graduated, manage to match?

You can get a job during that year off if you take it all at once.


Large dogs

 

[IMApplicant18]

I am a US senior that originally planned to graduate in December due to having taken a semester off - and would like to chime in on this thread.

If you can help it - keep your student status until May. This will be reflected on your MSPE graduation date. While you are technically a sponsored "US senior" if you choose to graduate in December, it is looked upon unfavorably by residencies - at least in IM.

My current MSPE states that my graduation date as December 20th, 2017 - and on my interview trail I have been asked multiple times

1) What I plan to do for next 6 months
2) How I will keep my clinical skills sharp having taken 6 months off prior to residency

I feel if I just extend med school training by a semester - all these doubts about this huge gap will go away.

What's more troubling is that since I am no longer an active student, for god's sake if I do not match - then I am SOL without any assistance from the Dean such as extending graduation or help me finding a position in the SOAP.

I have decided to do one more semester of med school and graduate in May. Yes its more money - but the experience I get from doing multiple SubIs without the stress of grades/evaluations will make transitioning to residency easier for me.

Just my 2 cents.