Is having surgery an acceptable reason to take a year off?

[Bruinsfinalfour]

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I was wondering if I should mention the fact that I am having elbow surgery in my "what are you doing in your year off essay question"?

I hurt both my elbows weight lifting a few years ago and never got the chance to have surgery because of school. I decided to take a year off so I can do the surgeries so I'll be good to go for med school. I have already done one arm and doing the other one in a month. Its about 3 months rehab per arm.

Should I even mention this in my med school application? The reason I'm concerned is that I wont be able to do much else besides physical therapy for the next 4-5 months and I know medical schools want you to either go to grad school full time or work full time for the year you have off....I don't want them to think I'm just sitting at home. I'm currently shadowing a doctor and plan to volunteer full time once I'm at full strength. But if I mention the latter without saying I had surgery...won't they think that I'm super taking it easy this year...oh what to do...any suggestions will help.

 

[lstone13]

Hmmm... I feel like this is a pretty legitimate reason to a year off from school, and you would definitely need to mention it if you aren't able to do anything for the next 4-5 months but physical therapy.

 

[Bruinsfinalfour]

I guess I'm just worried they'll view this negatively and think I won't be well prepared for medical school next year..

 

[dw2158]

I guess I'm just worried they'll view this negatively and think I won't be well prepared for medical school next year..

don't worry. this is medically necessary and will, in all likelihood, make you healthier and therefore better prepared for med school next year.

 

[MaryLennox]

i took a semester off when i got mono during the first week of class. i definitely don't regret that or think it looks bad. but once i was better (~1-2 months) i got a job until it was time for the next semester.

i would just say you are setting aside the time to get the surgery and get back to normal before med school starts, and once you feel recovered enough then you will decide about returning to volunteering/work/whatever you do if you have time.

. . . and also that you will work/volunteer/ whatever UNTIL the surg but at the moment you are leaving your schedule open enough to accomodate

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

I guess I'm just worried they'll view this negatively and think I won't be well prepared for medical school next year..

The question you may have to face is why you felt you needed a full year to rehab from surgery? I've known several students who had comparably major ortho surgery (ACL tear, achilles tear, broken arm, knee microfracture surgery, and more) and successfully balanced full-time school responsibilities with with their rehab.

I'm not saying it's wrong of you to take time off; just that you need to be prepared for some interviewers who will think you should have been able to "do it all" without a gap year.

 

[yankeebeckham]

I wouldn't worry too much. At least I hope you don't have to as I'm in a similar situation. Since I started college, I've had five orthopedic surgery including one on my elbow (Tommy John). They haven't caused me to take a year off, but they have virtually filled all of my vacation time so I haven't been able to use my summers very effectively. Taking a year off seems reasonable; that would have been the other option for me. If you're looking at six months of rehab taking a year is probably the only thing that makes sense. When you're feeling better, you can look for a job or volunteer, but in the meantime, they should understand how difficult that is to do when you may not be able to do basic things like drive.

 

[Bruinsfinalfour]

The question you may have to face is why you felt you needed a full year to rehab from surgery? I've known several students who had comparably major ortho surgery (ACL tear, achilles tear, broken arm, knee microfracture surgery, and more) and successfully balanced full-time school responsibilities with with their rehab.

I'm not saying it's wrong of you to take time off; just that you need to be prepared for some interviewers who will think you should have been able to "do it all" without a gap year.

I hear you...the reason I chose not to have surgery during the year was because the type of surgery I had (nerve decompression....think Chris Carpenter if you follow baseball) makes it impossible to write/type for 3 weeks. And as a bioengineer at UCLA (ridiculous curriculum) and having to do 25-30 hours of research throughout the year and summer, I actually never did have a chance to have it done. I would have loved nothing more than to have both done last summer but didnt want to risk taking the MCAT with only one viable arm.

 

[ChemEngSoonMD]

I hurt both my elbows weight lifting a few years ago

Too much frat curls and bench?

 

[Bruinsfinalfour]

Too much frat curls and bench?

No, from lifting one of your mom's arms up..

 

[ChemEngSoonMD]

No, from lifting one of your mom's arms up..

You should included that in the response to the question when it comes up during the interview.

 

[Bruinsfinalfour]

I wouldn't worry too much. At least I hope you don't have to as I'm in a similar situation. Since I started college, I've had five orthopedic surgery including one on my elbow (Tommy John). They haven't caused me to take a year off, but they have virtually filled all of my vacation time so I haven't been able to use my summers very effectively. Taking a year off seems reasonable; that would have been the other option for me. If you're looking at six months of rehab taking a year is probably the only thing that makes sense. When you're feeling better, you can look for a job or volunteer, but in the meantime, they should understand how difficult that is to do when you may not be able to do basic things like drive.

Jesus 5 surgeries and you didnt even take time off?....thanks for making me look like s*** haha

 

[Jolt21]

i would actually say apply now and defer if you get in. especially if you feel like your stats now are good. idk for sure, but i think they'll expect you to do SOMETHING during that year, since rehab will only be 4-5 months.

 

[chicubsfan]

I wouldn't worry about it... just do something productive once you've recovered.

 

[PremedIowa]

You have to think about your own health before you can think of others. Medical school, even the nonclinical years (at least at my school), requires a lot of physical activity and it would be very difficult to juggle that and rehab. Take your time, do something medically related in your year off, and apply when you are ready.

(Adcoms work in the world of medicine-->they definitely understand a medical leave of absence)

 

[Bruinsfinalfour]

i would actually say apply now and defer if you get in. especially if you feel like your stats now are good. idk for sure, but i think they'll expect you to do SOMETHING during that year, since rehab will only be 4-5 months.

You have to think about your own health before you can think of others. Medical school, even the nonclinical years (at least at my school), requires a lot of physical activity and it would be very difficult to juggle that and rehab. Take your time, do something medically related in your year off, and apply when you are ready.

(Adcoms work in the world of medicine-->they definitely understand a medical leave of absence)

I actually am applying this year (I graduated in June)...i sent in my AMCAS application a week ago and I'm in the process of filling out secondaries...but 1 out of every 2 of these schools is asking "if you have already graduated please tell us what you plan on doing in the following year....and if you're not working full time dont even bother submitting your application cause YOU IZ REJECTED" .....ok i made up that last part

In all this is what I have been doing/have done since my graduation: had surgery in june, physican shadowing since july, rehab, taking more spanish classes to try to become fluent
This is what I plan on doing till I matriculate next year: applications stuff, other surgery in late septemeber, more rehab, work part time as a physical therapy aide at a rehab clinique, volunteer at local hospital, continue shadowing.

I hope this to be acceptable than