Taking a Gap Year

[thatscorrect7]

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Hi, I was wondering how the timing of a gap year would work.

As of right now, my scores/GPA/ECs are competitive for medical school and I am set to graduate this coming december or next spring if I decide to do an additional certificate program, but I really want to take a gap year to do some work for the marginalized. I feel like this is an experience I want and need to have to get a better perspective of humanity and my potential future role within it.

I was going to apply this summer (couple of weeks from now) but after talking with my mentor and my parents and some soul searching I have decided that I want to take the year before medical school and after graduation to do this kind of work.

My question is, do I just apply next summer and then do all the interviews and other application related things during the fall? I was thinking about it because if I don't apply next summer, I would have a two year gap between my undergraduate graduation and medical school matriculation.

Has anyone encountered this, where you are working somewhere and have to do secondaries during and come back to the states for interviews?

 

[savant]

If you really wanted to, you could apply this summer, and then defer enrollment for a year -- I believe most schools are OK with that.

 

[pirateinaskirt]

I'm in a similar situation, OP. I have several advisors who have said that med schools really don't like to grant deferrals, but I suppose it couldn't hurt to check the policies or ask somebody for each school to which you plan to apply? Also, I imagine they are more likely to grant deferrals for things like peace corps, etc than, say, taking a year to hone your surfing skills or something (unless of course you are a world champion surfer?) I don't really know for sure, but I would not just assume it is ok to defer without checking out what the school has to say about it, as several advisors have told me they aren't big fans of deferral requests. If anybody else knows more about this than I do (which admittedly isn't much) feel free to correct me.

 

[sarahg]

Do you want to do this work domestically or abroad? If you want to work locally, you could apply the summer after you graduate and do your volunteering all through the application year. That would give you a little over a year to a year and a half depending on when you graduate. You could also apply to Americorps or the Peace Corps while applying to med school and most schools will let you defer admissions to do those things (I know Tulane loves for students to do that). You could apply to Americorps immediately after graduation and apply to med school while you're serving, but with the Peace Corps that could be difficult as you may not have regular access to internet, phone, or mail. If you want to volunteer or work abroad it's probably best to apply after you get back, as you never know what month your interviews will start.

 

[WeAreNotRobots]

If you really wanted to, you could apply this summer, and then defer enrollment for a year -- I believe most schools are OK with that.

no no and no. do not do this. adcoms are not okay with asking for deferment when you know beforehand that you would defer an acceptance. either apply this summer (1 year "off") or next summer (2 years "off").