taking 1-2 years off in medical school

[Oasis]

hey guys,
I was recently admitted to medical school and will be a MS1 next year. I wanted to know if any of you have (or know someone who has) taken off 1-2 years in medical school-and im not talking about for personal, family, etc.. reasons. I have heard about people taking an extra year to do some kind of research program at NIH or abroad, but I am more interested in taking 2 years off- one year to do some kind of research project and maybe another year for some kind of international health experience. Without going too in detail for my reasons I just want to say that my motivation for this is both for personal and professional development. Ideally I want to be doing both of these years in another country and I think its a great way to experience another culture before im stuck in the 5+ year residency/job path. So I wanted to know if I decided to do something like this how would I plan it- Is it best to break these 2 years up-i.e.my first 2 years,year off, 3rd year, year off, 4th year. Or would it be better to just to do them one after another i.e. 2 years off after 3rd year. Obviously the concern is how to integrate the medical studies so you dont screw yourself for boards, clinical rotations, and what not. id love to hear your experiences about taking a year or two off...thanks for your input.

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[thesauce]

hey guys,
I was recently admitted to medical school and will be a MS1 next year. I wanted to know if any of you have (or know someone who has) taken off 1-2 years in medical school-and im not talking about for personal, family, etc.. reasons. I have heard about people taking an extra year to do some kind of research program at NIH or abroad, but I am more interested in taking 2 years off- one year to do some kind of research project and maybe another year for some kind of international health experience. Without going too in detail for my reasons I just want to say that my motivation for this is both for personal and professional development. Ideally I want to be doing both of these years in another country and I think its a great way to experience another culture before im stuck in the 5+ year residency/job path. So I wanted to know if I decided to do something like this how would I plan it- Is it best to break these 2 years up-i.e.my first 2 years,year off, 3rd year, year off, 4th year. Or would it be better to just to do them one after another i.e. 2 years off after 3rd year. Obviously the concern is how to integrate the medical studies so you dont screw yourself for boards, clinical rotations, and what not. id love to hear your experiences about taking a year or two off...thanks for your input.

The Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship has some international programs that may let you extend it for a second year.

There's a Cambridge/Oxford/NIH PhD or MD/PhD program that allows you to do 2 years abroad.

There's also another international program that med students apply to, but I can't remember the name of it right now. I'll post again if I remember later.

 

[doc20]

if you really wanna experience different culture, get your M.D 1st, then join something like doctors without borders, or do some kind of research that puts you on international map and you get to go all over the world, that way you are actually helping out more and have more fun too

 

[Oasis]

thanks guys, some of these are definately things ive considered. obviously there are some major practical concerns here. med school debt is one of them and breaking up my medical education is another one. Waiting untill I graduate is also an option ive considered but I think it would work out better if I did this in med school. why? mainly becuase I think once you graduate from med school you really have alot more pressure to finish your residency and then get a job, start a family, etc. During medical school theres obviously pressure in terms of getting into residency but not so much in terms of other life choices. Not to mention, your priorities start changing, especially as time gets closer to you making some money from the long investment youve put in. Also another factor is age, when your in your early-mid twenties these kind of experiences have a bigger impact on you than when your in your 30s or 40s. id be interested in hearing anyones perspective who has taken time off for something like this during med school vs. after they graduate.

 

[Law2Doc]

Take 1 year off before med school. Take another either between 2nd and 3rd year or between 3rd and 4th year.

Agree with this. Most schools will be fine with a year off, especially between second and third year, for either research or some international healthcare work, but fewer will be amenable to both. Most people choose one, and perhaps do the other as a month or two elective during 4th year. Many schools have a fixed number of years that you are allowed to earn your MD within as well, so you may be pushing that wall if you take too many years off and heaven forbid you have to retake something.

 

[Law2Doc]

Also another factor is age, when your in your early-mid twenties these kind of experiences have a bigger impact on you than when your in your 30s or 40s.

Actually the opposite of this is probably true. You tend to appreciate things more later on after you have done other things. Lots of us who are coming back to med school after prior careers are having more "fun" than those who see it as just a harder continuation of college. A lot of the younger folks are still in the "just tell me what I need to know for the test" mode from college, and miss out on some of the experiences. The same is true for the various extracurriculars. Being younger you may have fewer entanglements and thus be able to do things like international experience more easily. But if you think the impact is going to be bigger, I think you are working too hard to sell yourself a bill of goods.

 

[Oasis]

Actually the opposite of this is probably true. You tend to appreciate things more later on after you have done other things. Lots of us who are coming back to med school after prior careers are having more "fun" than those who see it as just a harder continuation of college. A lot of the younger folks are still in the "just tell me what I need to know for the test" mode from college, and miss out on some of the experiences. The same is true for the various extracurriculars. Being younger you may have fewer entanglements and thus be able to do things like international experience more easily. But if you think the impact is going to be bigger, I think you are working too hard to sell yourself a bill of goods.

Not at all. I should have prefaced my post by stating that I am currently living abroad in this capacity and so my idea to do this did not arise on a whim. I feel, for me, that given my age and circumstances this was the best thing I could have done. I dont have an "identity crisis" but i very much feel like im still discovering what kind of person I want to be. I know if I do this in med school it will enrich my life that much more.. Anyway I dont want to make this into my personal statement..I apologize if my post came across sounding like older students experiences werent as legitimate. Im just saying for me, being young and experiencing these things is definately different than waiting till im older (again I dont want to go into details and im not trying hard to sell myself a "bill of goods").
but honestly while I appreciate your feedback this is driving away from the issue- I really wanted to hear about other peoples experiences not psychoanalyze my own motivations.

 

[yadayadadude]

I think you're underestimating how tough it is to come back to medical school after time away. I'm about to take a year off for research, effectively at the end of my fourth year. Essentially, I'm postponing residency (but not officially graduating). I'm very nervous about how tough it's going to be to be an intern after a year off from clinical work. It will be tough to jump into third year after a year away ... and tough to jump into fourth year after a year away ... honestly, one year off during medical school just sounds much, much smarter to me than two.

 

[yadayadadude]

Obviously there are some major practical concerns here. Med school debt is one of them.

Remember that your loans will go into repayment after the six month grace period is up. Economic hardship deferral may not be an option after 2009. I guess you could enter forbearance during your time off.

 

[Occams Razor]

Have you considered MD/PhD or some other combination (MD/MPH, etc)?

 

[Oasis]

yeah ive taken a look at this NIH-oxford/cambridge program. But the thing is that i did not apply as a md/phd student. I would have to apply as an internatl MSTP student after MS1, get into my school"s program and simultaneoulsy apply for that NIH program. plus im guessing its a really competitive thing to get into.

 

[Oasis]

I think you're underestimating how tough it is to come back to medical school after time away. I'm about to take a year off for research, effectively at the end of my fourth year. Essentially, I'm postponing residency (but not officially graduating). I'm very nervous about how tough it's going to be to be an intern after a year off from clinical work. It will be tough to jump into third year after a year away ... and tough to jump into fourth year after a year away ... honestly, one year off during medical school just sounds much, much smarter to me than two.

I think your right about this. but just curious, how come your taking the year off after 4th year? Dont most people do it after MS2 or MS3?

 

[dancerchick]

i am also contemplating taking a year or two off btw 2nd and 3rd year...for various reasons mostly unrelated to med school....volunteering, artistic, marriage, etc. basically i should have done this before going to med school but i didnt...which was stupid but whats done is done. im most worried about how this will reflect on residency match. im not out to get a super competative specialty and my grades are above ave. any advice?

 

[notdeadyet]

Actually the opposite of this is probably true. You tend to appreciate things more later on after you have done other things.

Actually, there are some international experiences that you either have in your youth or you don't have at all. Your inclination/ability to do incredibly risky/foolish things that will feed you a lifetime of memories decreases quickly as you gain maturity/common sense with age. You'll consume less alcohol and have less bravado for the sake of getting laid.

There are some great experiences that can only be had with youth. Which is why everyone cringes when they see the guy in his 30's trying to recapture youth he missed by being devoted to the corporate ladder. I savor the experiences I've had working abroad in my 30's, but wouldn't replace the wild and wooly times on the road during my early 20's for a second.

That said, I wasn't a premed at the time. If your idea of adventure is eurorail and staying in hostels and visiting museums, hell, save 'em for your 40's when you can do it in style.

 

[ZagDoc]

That said, I wasn't a premed at the time. If your idea of adventure is eurorail and staying in hostels and visiting museums, hell, save 'em for your 40's when you can do it in style.

Hey now, some of us mixed plenty of drunken bravado into our eurails and hostels, thank you very much. 🙂

 

[Oasis]

You'll consume less alcohol and have less bravado for the sake of getting laid.

haha I can vouch for the validity of this statement from personal experience👍

 

[SFdoc]

For what it's worth- nearly 50% of the student in each class at UCSF take a year off (for research, other programs, traveling, life...)
You should not feel bad or hesitant about this at all. If you can find a way to defer the loans and have a good time, I say go for it- you're going to be a doctor for the rest of your life anyway.

 

[caffeineaholic]

Check out the NIH/Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars Program:
http://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/overseasfellowship/

-it's done after M3 year
-i think it's fully funded
-it looks fairly competitive (only 25-30 fellowship spots per year), but is open to MD only students as well as other grad students