Had to take time off

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?