Had to take time off

[x10694]

Hey guys, help me out here...
A week after i started my medicine rotation, i had a death in family and had to leave the states. I am now three months (length of medicine rotation) behind my colleagues and I will not finish in time to enter the match at 2013, the original date of graduation. So I am gonna be three months late with graduation but a year late with the match. I will have free time, about 8 to 9 months actually. I need advice on how to spend these times. I have basically two choices: do research or go to China (do some medically related mission). I am interested in Hem/Onc so research is a must, but I have also been learning Chinese and going there would really solidifies my progress. I guess my question basically is doing which is best for matching into Hem/Onc since both options are medically related. Any take?

PS. Also would taking time off under my circumstances affect my match results to IM in anyway?

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[shadowfox87]

I think you answered your own question, research is a must and I think a better choice than going to China, unless you can find a research position in China which in that case you'd be killing 2 birds with 1 stone. Taking time off is not going to affect your results since you have a very good reason which you can explain in your personal statement or MSPE somewhere.