Taking a year off after 5 years of undergrad? Yay or nay?

[TribalSeeds]

I have searched the forums and found similar threads so I am merely looking for more perspectives on this.

I have 3 years of undergraduate right now. I will complete two years more of undergraduate so I will be a 'super senior' when I am done. I started the premed track and getting involved in ECs late. I want to apply next summer but I don't know if I will be ready to get into a top 10 or 20 school.

What are the pros and cons of taking a year off? Is it a good idea if it is only to apply later so as to have a better 'resume'?

Thoughts? Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Tapepsi]

I have searched the forums and found similar threads so I am merely looking for more perspectives on this.

I have 3 years of undergraduate right now. I will complete two years more of undergraduate so I will be a 'super senior' when I am done. I started the premed track and getting involved in ECs late. I want to apply next summer but I don't know if I will be ready to get into a top 10 or 20 school.

What are the pros and cons of taking a year off? Is it a good idea if it is only to apply later so as to have a better 'resume'?

Thoughts? Thanks

I mean...taking a year off doesn't sound like a good idea to me at all.

How important is it for you to get into a top 10 or 20 school? I'm sure there are plenty of schools that you'd enjoy being at that aren't ivy league.

Also, there's no guarantee that even if you take a year off that you'll get into a top 10 or 20 school. It's always good to have safeties.

Remember, unless you plan on entering academics, board scores are the most important factor when applying for residencies. The school you attend may be considered, but it's a lot further down on the list.

 

[BiopsychStudent]

I took a year off after undergrad. It took me a lot longer than I anticipated to land a research assistant position, in part due to the poor market and scarcity of grants, and in part because I waited until last May to start looking for one. Now I decided only last year to go the premedical route, so I spent much of this year working on prerequisites I hadn't taken and volunteering, so the couple months I wasn't working was not a total waste, but...

If you intend to take a year off be sure to plan it carefully. Figure out where you'll be working or what you'll be doing before your gap year begins, or you'll waste a lot of your time looking for work, and applying for volunteer programs, etc. rather than doing anything meaningful.

 

[mdeast]

I took a year off after undergrad. It took me a lot longer than I anticipated to land a research assistant position, in part due to the poor market and scarcity of grants, and in part because I waited until last May to start looking for one. Now I decided only last year to go the premedical route, so I spent much of this year working on prerequisites I hadn't taken and volunteering, so the couple months I wasn't working was not a total waste, but...

If you intend to take a year off be sure to plan it carefully. Figure out where you'll be working or what you'll be doing before your gap year begins, or you'll waste a lot of your time looking for work, and applying for volunteer programs, etc. rather than doing anything meaningful.

It's not particularly difficult to find jobs. Science research was one of the few fields unaffected by the recession and there have been increases in funding from the NIH over the past couple of years as part of the stimulus plan. 1 year isn't much in the long run. Your medical career is your entire life. If you want the time off, take it now.