Pros/cons of taking a year off due to sick parent

[freshmarketgal]

I am in my M2 year and my dad has stage iv cancer (diagnosed a couple months ago) and has a poor prognosis.
I am signed up to take Step 1 in June.
What are the pros/cons of taking a year off?

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[spottedpothos]

Take the time off to be with your dad. That is more than an acceptable reason for a LOA.

 

[ortnakas]

In your situation there are no cons; be with family.

 

[Browns99]

There are no cons at all, be with your dad and family. The LOA will be explained and no problem whatsoever when residency selection occurs.

May God watch over your father.

 

[ACSurgeon]

OP I’m really sorry about your father.

LOA Pros - you avoid doing poorly in your course work and step exam. You also have time to be with your family.

Cons: you might go stir crazy with a ton of time off and depending on your family dynamics this LOA could be healthy or unhealthy for you emotionally. I would at least take up a research gig so you have a reason to leave the house and have other things on your mind than death and your dying parent.

 

[Mass Effect]

Take the year. Be with family. Work through this with them. Not being there will likely result in regret later. Residency programs will understand.

 

[calivianya]

Agree with everyone else that there are no cons to taking a year off.

I wasn't there much for my dad in his last couple of months... he had a bunch of chronic illnesses but his actual death was unexpected. If I could have just known, or had some warning about it, I would have known to be there... but I didn't, and I wasn't, and that excuse doesn't hold water when I can't sleep in the middle of the night anyway. I wouldn't wish the guilt of missing your last few chances to spend time with a parent before he dies on anyone.

 

[EducatedGuesser]

Walk through these days with your father. Medicine will be there when you are ready.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

I was in your situation, but as a pre-med doing their post-bacc to get ready to apply to medschool. I was doing a DIY post-bacc which entailed starting over as a freshman (unfortunately). Two years in, my father was hospitalized. Because I was the only child living in the same city, I took a LOA to be at this ICU bedside for close to a year until he passed. Because my father worked 12-15 hour days in the service industry as I was growing up, I rarely saw him and we were not close. However, we got closer as I was doing my PB and would have lunch on his 1 day off per week prior to his hospitalization. The final years I spent with him are memories that I will cherish forever.

Family comes first OP and when you are ready to apply and if a residency program holds a LOA against you because of your circumstances, then it's a program with a culture that you have to think long and hard about joining. Peace be with you, your father, and fam...

 

[GoSpursGo]

I agree with everyone else. There are some things you can't quantify. You will not be judged negatively for taking time off for this reason.

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

Take the time off. No residency program will filter you out or look negatively on you for this. If you don't take the time off you may regret this decision for the rest of your life wishing you had spent more time with him. I am very sorry to hear this, truly. I hope you and your family find strength during these tough times.

 

[DarkHorizon]

There are no cons here. Take the time off to be with family in this difficult time. I’m sorry you have to go through this. Family always first, there will always be patients to see and work to do.

 

[Phloston]

Take the time off to be with your dad. That is more than an acceptable reason for a LOA.

Agree with this

 

[Ganon]

If I was applying to residency and they saw I took time off to be with a dying father and decided it was a negative thing, I wouldn't want to be at that residency. Sounds like a good litmus test

Sorry you're going through this. Sick family is heartbreaking.

 

[Banco]

Take the LOA - no one will think of it negatively. And if they do, F that program.

And I'm really sorry you have to go through this.

 

[freshmarketgal]

*update, thank you all for your responses-I decided to go home about a week after writing this, and I got to spend a lot of time with my dad before he passed away. I miss him endlessly, and it was a time that I will cherish forever.

 

[Goro]

So sorry to hear this!!! But he is at peace now. And rest assured, he was proud of you!!!

 

[Proudfather94]

*update, thank you all for your responses-I decided to go home about a week after writing this, and I got to spend a lot of time with my dad before he passed away. I miss him endlessly, and it was a time that I will cherish forever.

I'm so sorry. I'm glad you got to spend that time with him.

 

[Banco]

*update, thank you all for your responses-I decided to go home about a week after writing this, and I got to spend a lot of time with my dad before he passed away. I miss him endlessly, and it was a time that I will cherish forever.

You did the right thing by spending time with him. Hang in there.

 

[Acapedia]

Take the year off. I did not and my mom recently passed away. If I had taken a year off, I would have been able to spend a lot more time with her. My heart goes out to you, I know how hard this is.

 

[deleted1100659]

*update, thank you all for your responses-I decided to go home about a week after writing this, and I got to spend a lot of time with my dad before he passed away. I miss him endlessly, and it was a time that I will cherish forever.

Good luck to you, this sounds like a very difficult time for you, and I can only imagine your loss, but this only further validates your ability to endure tough times.