Taking 4-5 years off before applying

[madadder]

---

Members do not see this ad.

--

 

[SN12357]

Just wanted to ask a quick question after a conversation with a friend (yes, it really is a friend, not me as I'm applying right now). One of my friends is 19 and finishing her bachelors degree this semester, and told me she'd like to take 4-5 years off to travel before applying to med school. Now I thought I read / was told somewhere that med schools want you to have taken the prerequisite courses (sciences mostly) within 3-4 years before applying. I told her that MCAT scores are only good for 3 years as well. Do schools frown upon science courses that were taken 4-5 years ago? Could someone please clear that up for me? Thank you.

-Shane

Well she'd definitely have to take the MCAT closer to applying. Schools vary on their willingness to take older courses. She'd probably be ok on the prereqs themselves but might need to show recent coursework to show she still has the necessary skills to do well in the classroom.

Even more important is whether or not those years would be in activities that would strengthen her application or not. A few years working, particularly in something healthcare related? Great. Just bumming around? Not great at all.

 

[darkjedi]

You are right about the MCAT, however 5 years for classes is not long enough to be a problem. What will be an issue however is if she can take the MCAT and do well on it so far removed from her prerequisite classes.

Taking a few years off to travel is an awesome idea, but I will agree with SN that she should still aim for something meaningful during that time. 5 years is a ton of time to be traveling, she can certainly fit something interesting in during that time and still leave plenty of room for fun stuff.

 

[BlackBox]

Really agree on the are these years productive comments from darkjedi and SN. I don't think admissions committees will be in love with the idea of having someone who just decided to travel around for fun. Now if you were to volunteer in some impoverished areas of the world during these trips....

 

[aspiring20]

If possible, I would not take that many years. I am applying next June, and I graduated May of 2012. If you want to see your peers getting in year after year celebrating their white coat ceremonies while you are stuck working 50+ hours a week, then take as many years off as you want.

but if your friend is ready, apply immediately.

gap years may not be harmful to your chances, it most definitely is to your emotional psyche.

 

[SN12357]

If possible, I would not take that many years. I am applying next June, and I graduated May of 2012. If you want to see your peers getting in year after year celebrating their white coat ceremonies while you are stuck working 50+ hours a week, then take as many years off as you want.

but if your friend is ready, apply immediately.

gap years may not be harmful to your chances, it most definitely is to your emotional psyche.

Harmful to your emotional psyche? Guess I should head to a psychiatrist to get diagnosed with a mental problem I wasn't aware I needed to be concerned about.

There are many reasons that many gap years may not be a great idea for someone otherwise prepared for med school; jealousy DEFINITELY isn't one of them. Wow.

 

[Goucher2013]

To third what others have said: five years off to travel? Depends on who's paying.

An old acquaintance of mine was dropped off at the airport after graduating high school, with a one-way ticket to Australia and the directive to work his way back to Europe. Now, that's an interesting way to spend your time off. Five years living off someone else's money? That would probably be seen as even-further-elongated adolescence.
These are the kinds of experiences that make non-trads stand out to med schools: leadership, responsibility, failures, hardships, bouncebacks, impact on the world around you. Your friend doesn't have to leave her hometown to achieve any of those things, so location is secondary.

 

[darkjedi]

If possible, I would not take that many years. I am applying next June, and I graduated May of 2012. If you want to see your peers getting in year after year celebrating their white coat ceremonies while you are stuck working 50+ hours a week, then take as many years off as you want.

but if your friend is ready, apply immediately.

gap years may not be harmful to your chances, it most definitely is to your emotional psyche.

this is the worst advice

 

[Sesom]

Tell her to go to med school so she can make a **** ton of money before she is in her 30s.