How many of you...

[DreamyKid]

are taking 1 or more years off?

please vote!

I really would like to get an idea if MOST people take a year off

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[Chemist0157]

Nope. I don't want to/need to stretch this education time out.

 

[airplanes]

alot of people on SDN seem to go straight through so your poll results might be a bit skewed.

 

[Loon]

I've taken 11 years off.

 

[premedrod]

i took three years at a CC and then two at a uni...now i'm taking one year off before i apply...so hopefully theres just two years before i start med school. it might have to be three which would be sad since i would be very old by the time im done with school.

 

[cbrons]

I guess we'll find out in May if I'm taking a yr off or not..........

 

[JeanLuc]

You should have added more categories. E.g. 0-6 months; 6-12 months; 1 year; 2 years; more

I hope to have 8 months of break

 

[Jonnymed]

Taking time off is one of the best things I have done. I am floored by the overall difference in maturity of the applicants that elect to take time off, and those that "go straight through", regardless of each person's age. (Obviously there are a horde of exceptions). Taking time off not only gives you time to have some great experiences, but it also gives you time to step outside of the pre-med sphere and into the real world.

 

[Snake Doctor]

I'm seriously considering taking a year off... but I don't want to be idle either. Plus I really do not want to go back and live with my parents. Unless a 1 yr grad program is in sight.... it looks like off to finding a job (but I hate lab work and I major in the life sciences )

 

[DrYoda]

Nope, wanted to get college+medschool done in 8 years.

 

[chad5871]

Taking a year off right now, and having the best time ever. It's one of the best decisions I've made (my parents heavily resisted my decision and encouraged me to try to go to med school directly after undergrad).

 

[NiteOwl]

I will have a year-2 years off. It wasn't intentional though. I both like the idea and dislike it. There are some pros and cons for it. I like the fact that it gives me a little time to get over the burnout I was feeling towards the end of college. But it also would have been nice to already have started med school. For me, I think it will outcome will be good that I had the time off. Each person is different though.

 

[phospho]

Taking time off is one of the best things I have done. I am floored by the overall difference in maturity of the applicants that elect to take time off, and those that "go straight through", regardless of each person's age. (Obviously there are a horde of exceptions). Taking time off not only gives you time to have some great experiences, but it also gives you time to step outside of the pre-med sphere and into the real world.

well said!

 

[stixx]

Nope. I want to just get through and be done with school as soon as possible...a year is a long time.

 

[linguini]

In my interview experiences, I've found that half or more than half have taken time off (usually 1 year). I'm taking 1 year off and it's awesome. It's really not that long in the scheme of things...

 

[LossForWords]

Planned on it only being one year, but I had to reapply so now it's 2 years. I don't mind though, since I've been working and making some money for a change. While it's been fun being out in the world and getting some research experience/$$$, I'm looking more forward to starting school in August than I ever was before.

 

[armybound]

I took involuntary time off when I didn't get accepted.. not sure if it counts or not.

 

[biophysicianai]

I'm still a junior right now.

I'd like to do Teach for America, a two year commitment, because my heart hemorrhages.

 

[kac714]

i took 2 years off, was only supposed to be one but i bombed the mcat last cycle so didn't apply. it's been great having time away from school but now i want to go back!

 

[iheartmpls]

In my interview experiences, I've found that half or more than half have taken time off (usually 1 year). I'm taking 1 year off and it's awesome. It's really not that long in the scheme of things...

I agree completely, at interviews it seems like a good number of people are taking at least one year. I'm in my year off right now and I don't really like either of my two jobs so I can't wait to go back to school! I think I would have felt a little burnt out if I started right after undergrad.

 

[skiqueen]

5 years off, baby!

 

[biophysicianai]

out of curiosity, what kinds of jobs have you managed to find? Would it look bad to just be waiting tables or pipetting?

My Teach for America dream is not a sure-shot by any means, given that the program only accepts roughly 15% of of its applicants.

Another question - do the jobs that you've found offer health insurance? I'm a type 1 diabetic, and my medical costs are HIGH, and I'm uninsurable unless I'm a part of a student or employer package....

 

[cici1]

out of curiosity, what kinds of jobs have you managed to find? Would it look bad to just be waiting tables or pipetting?

My Teach for America dream is not a sure-shot by any means, given that the program only accepts roughly 15% of of its applicants.

Another question - do the jobs that you've found offer health insurance? I'm a type 1 diabetic, and my medical costs are HIGH, and I'm uninsurable unless I'm a part of a student or employer package....

I took a few years off. And let me tell you that right now, it's near impossible to find a job! I used temp staffing agencies, monster.com, careerbuilder.com, and the resources of my university's career center. I had so many different resumes and cover letters, it was getting hard to keep track of them all. I would "work" about 6-8 hours a day, considering job-hunting as work. I'd surf the web applying to jobs, checking the newspaper, and just going to places and asking if they were hiring. I was thinking about getting certified in something, but I didn't have any money for the classes, and I didn't want to ask my parents for it since it wasn't a sure shot. And other days, I'd go shadow doctors so I could get some clinical exposure.

It took me 10 months before I could even get a job! And that's only cause I knew people that knew people. And I applied for research jobs, but no one wanted me because I didn't have 5+ years of experience in research, nor did I have a Master's. Thank God I had parents I could live with rent-free.

And a buddy of mine is doing TFA. She says it's truly one of the hardest things ever and it's hard to keep morale up at times.

And some jobs I applied to had health insurance but not all. And I don't think that any job would look bad on a application! So best of luck to you!

 

[dally1025]

The first year was involuntary but it turned out to be such a good thing that I deferred another year... I was devastated after I my rejection but it turned out to be the best decision I never made. I've had the opportunity to be financially independent, buy decent furniture, travel, and pursue interests outside of medicine and science. After college I was burned out with school but now I’m looking forward to a new challenge. Many of my friends went straight from undergrad and most of them have told me that they wish they had taken some time off.

out of curiosity, what kinds of jobs have you managed to find? Would it look bad to just be waiting tables or pipetting?

Another question - do the jobs that you've found offer health insurance? I'm a type 1 diabetic, and my medical costs are HIGH, and I'm uninsurable unless I'm a part of a student or employer package....

I work in research and they do have health insurance. I was advised to work in whatever field pays the bills as long as you're improving your app if you have to reapply (continue volunteering, taking classes, etc). Several doctors told me to do something outside of medicine since it will soon consume our lives... Serving tables pays well but most places don't offer health insurance while most full-time positions such as research should offer coverage. My Type 1 diabetic ex-roommate works in research at a different institution and she only pays $45/month for insurance (that's 1/2 as much as I pay).

 

[pianola]

Depends on what you mean by 'taking years off'. I'm very much in school right now (grad program).

 

[dally1025]

I
It took me 10 months before I could even get a job! And that's only cause I knew people that knew people. And I applied for research jobs, but no one wanted me because I didn't have 5+ years of experience in research, nor did I have a Master's.

I was in the same situation and got my job only because one of my professors talked to some people... If you're about to graduate start looking now and ask your professors, doctors, whomever you can if they are looking to hire or know anyone that is!

 

[durty]

I'm not taking a year off if I can help it. But I've heard lots of good things about taking a year off.

Que será, será.
-durty

 

[stixx]

It took me 10 months before I could even get a job! And that's only cause I knew people that knew people. And I applied for research jobs, but no one wanted me because I didn't have 5+ years of experience in research, nor did I have a Master's. Thank God I had parents I could live with rent-free.

This is why I'm (hopefully) not going to take a year off. And if it was bad then, imagine how hard it would be for us graduating into today's job climate *shudders* Doesn't help that I'm not a bio major with research experience. And I can't even work connections, because everyone else will have been working that friend's girlfriend's dad who heads HR at X bank for months already.

 

[linguini]

This is why I'm (hopefully) not going to take a year off. And if it was bad then, imagine how hard it would be for us graduating into today's job climate *shudders* Doesn't help that I'm not a bio major with research experience. And I can't even work connections, because everyone else will have been working that friend's girlfriend's dad who heads HR at X bank for months already.

That's definitely a reasonable consideration. I was lucky in that the department I had worked for the summer between junior and senior year (as a clinical research assistant) offered me a job 10 months before I graduated, but that is not the norm. Today's entry level job market blows big time - I'm watching many of my peers who excelled in undergrad struggle to find work now.

As for insurance, my job offers it...but I also live in Massachusetts where having health insurance in mandated. I believe that many salaried positions today do offer subsidized health insurance through the company, but I do not have experience in other states.

 

[Depakote]

I wound up taking 2 years off... more due to the fact that it took me a few years to get in than a planned absence from school.

Still, it was valuable time outside the academic setting.

There are a good number of non-trads in my class that came back to school after a planned prolonged absence.

 

[MedYEP]

I'm taking a year off right now...and hopefully I get into medical school this cycle so that I don't have to take another year off. I was very burned out by the end of undergrad and needed a break. Taking a year off was not completely intentional for me (couldn't take Physics until my senior year and wanted to take it before I took the MCAT), but I am very, very glad that I am getting a break from school before I go to medical school. Finding a job was not an issue for me because I worked at a health care company throughout college and am still working there now. It is nice to be making money and it allows me to pay for my interview trips and to save up for a big vacation before I go back to school.

 

[A Long Story]

Taking time off is one of the best things I have done. I am floored by the overall difference in maturity of the applicants that elect to take time off, and those that "go straight through", regardless of each person's age. (Obviously there are a horde of exceptions). Taking time off not only gives you time to have some great experiences, but it also gives you time to step outside of the pre-med sphere and into the real world.

I feel the same way! You see things differently during your time off and you grow up alot.

 

[savant]

I'd be more interested to know what people are doing in their year off and why they like it so much.

I'm doing research in my time off and it's great.

 

[cici1]

This is why I'm (hopefully) not going to take a year off. And if it was bad then, imagine how hard it would be for us graduating into today's job climate *shudders* Doesn't help that I'm not a bio major with research experience. And I can't even work connections, because everyone else will have been working that friend's girlfriend's dad who heads HR at X bank for months already.

That is true. Plus, it's also difficult when I'd tell some interviewers that I was applying for grad schools and medical schools, then they'd hesitate to train me, especially if I left early. And I never wanted to tell them I was going to stay on, because I have a feeling it'd bite me in the butt.

And other places I wasn't hired at because of being "overqualified". AKA: They didn't want to hire me, train me, and have me leave after a year.

 

[Chemist0157]

I'm kind of surprised by the poll's results. I figured most people go right into med school after undergrad.

 

[GoldShadow]

Taking a year off right now, and having the best time ever. It's one of the best decisions I've made (my parents heavily resisted my decision and encouraged me to try to go to med school directly after undergrad).

I'm probably going to take a year off too, but have yet to break it to my parents (they've also been very resistant to the idea when the topic was brought up). But it's something that I want to do and I'm going to do it.

 

[suizyme09]

4 years of undergrad and I got an acceptance. I am not waiting any longer!!!!

 

[JeetKuneDo]

Yes, I'll be taking a year off.