Should I inform a school about a change in gap year plans? Or wait until the interview?

[Dr Danny Dinglehart]

I just received an II for a highly competitive program that puts an enormous emphasis on research. I planned on doing research abroad during my gap year and put this in my secondaries, but changed my mind after getting my first MD acceptance. Instead I'm now training for a thru hike (across multiple states) as this might be my only chance to do so before med school. Should I update the school about my change in plans or just wait until the interview? This is my number 1 school, and I'm worried that a perceived lack of commitment to research might reflect poorly on me. The research abroad position also sounded rad on paper so I'm concerned it might have played a big role in why they extended the II in the first place. The thru hike wouldn't start until Spring and I plan on volunteering/ working for my old undergrad lab until then.

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[readmypostsMD]

Just update the school before the interview and explain that you’re pursuing a research position closer to home/school. This should be fine as long as you didn’t convey in your secondaries that you are 100% doing this position, as opposed to saying that you “plan” to take this position