need advice--deferring residency match

[calot's 3angle]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to defer match for a research opportunity. I am currently in between my 3rd and 4th years working at an HIV research project in Zambia. I am getting experience in managing a medical team, seeing how an NGO works, and learning how to analyze my choice of many years worth of data, as well as get exposure to medical rounds and cases in the internal medicine, general surgery, and ob/gyn departments at the teaching hospital here.

The opportunity has come up for me to spend another year (the year after 4th year) at one of our sister sites in a francophone African country with more responsibility and possibly deeper involvement in some international clinical trials. It would give me the opportunity to become proficient in French and I would again gain invaluable experience in research and clinical medicine in the developing world. Since I will technically be an M.D. then, I may also be able to get privileges at the local hospital. I am currently planning on becoming an ob/gyn (though the thought of general surgery still lingers in my mind).

If anyone has any thoughts on whether I should take this 2nd year off after 4th year, I would love to hear them. I'm having a hard time deciding because I've done a search on the forum and it seems like the general concensus is that a year off after 4th year is a bad idea (because programs think that you've lost too many of your clinical skills, etc.) But on the other hand, if I want to become proficient in another language and gain experience in international health and clinical trials, a sacrifice must be made, right? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[OldPsychDoc]

It sounds like you will GAINING skills, not losing them.

(Also--anyone who thinks that most recent med school graduates/rookie interns have any real skills should probably be setting up an appointment with me soon. Axis I: 297.1)

Seriously--programs should be fighting over someone with the kind of experience you're talking about.

Good luck.

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to defer match for a research opportunity. I am currently in between my 3rd and 4th years working at an HIV research project in Zambia. I am getting experience in managing a medical team, seeing how an NGO works, and learning how to analyze my choice of many years worth of data, as well as get exposure to medical rounds and cases in the internal medicine, general surgery, and ob/gyn departments at the teaching hospital here.

The opportunity has come up for me to spend another year (the year after 4th year) at one of our sister sites in a francophone African country with more responsibility and possibly deeper involvement in some international clinical trials. It would give me the opportunity to become proficient in French and I would again gain invaluable experience in research and clinical medicine in the developing world. Since I will technically be an M.D. then, I may also be able to get privileges at the local hospital. I am currently planning on becoming an ob/gyn (though the thought of general surgery still lingers in my mind).

If anyone has any thoughts on whether I should take this 2nd year off after 4th year, I would love to hear them. I'm having a hard time deciding because I've done a search on the forum and it seems like the general concensus is that a year off after 4th year is a bad idea (because programs think that you've lost too many of your clinical skills, etc.) But on the other hand, if I want to become proficient in another language and gain experience in international health and clinical trials, a sacrifice must be made, right? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[calot's 3angle]

thanks for the reply. yeah, i'm definitely leaning toward taking the year off but still have some reservations. anyone else have any thoughts? or anyone who has experience with taking a year off between 4th year and residency have any advice? thanks!

 

[APACHE3]

You may not be able to do this again..do it! Au'voir!