Taking a Year Off

[Saluki]

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I've been feeling burned out with all the school stuff lately, and I applied for a summer mission trip. It looks like the summer trip will probably come through, but the organization called me and said that they need nannies for the missionaries in central Asia, which is where I orginally wanted to go. However, I'm reluctant to delay school another year. Anyone else out there taken a year off? Worth it or not? How did that play out in your med school application?

 

[rainwoman]

I'm sort of in the same situation right now...I want to take a year off and do some of the things that will be hard to do once I start med. school (travel abroad, backpack in Chile for a semester, do some medical missions). I'm supposed to be taking the MCAT this August and applying this fall, but I'm only 20 years old right now.
Anyone who could respond to these posts and give some insight about taking a year off would be greatly appreciated!

 

[mpp]

I think it is a wonderful idea to take a year or two off. There is no hurry. Medical school will still be here when you get back from all the cool things you will be doing around the globe. Feel free to take the MCAT now or wait until you are back from doing whatever. It probably won't matter too much as you will still have to prepare for that exam. Especially for the 20-year old...if you feel even the slightest that being in school another four years might make you miss out on something that you can't go back on (and once you start medical school there is really no going back for quite a while...you've got those four years to finish and then a residency and then loans to pay back and by then you might have a family that can't go with you on a journey across Tibet or the Serengeti). There are definitely people out there who are ready and able and going to medical school at age 20 is the best thing possible. But, for most people, I think taking a year or two off is the best thing for them. You'll never get those two years back. You might just waste them in some boring lecture hall. Good luck deciding what to do.

 

[Sweet Tea]

I completely agree with mpp-- take time off. Med schools, the MCAT, and the joy that is AMCAS will be waiting for you when you get back. Take some time off and do something fun and meaningful...not only will it make you a more interesting applicant, but it'll make you a more interesting person. 😀

 

[CRAZYTERP]

I think you are all talking about taking a year off during school. I actually took a break between undergrad and med school for one eyar and it has definitely been a great decision. regardless of when you take time off it will come up during your application and as long as you don't waste that year sitting on the couch, but rather do something productive (ie volunteer, travel, do research) you will be fine and have a much better perspective too.

At first I was going to apply for acceptance in 2002 but after taking the MCATS twice I decided I needed a break and needed to enjoy school. I still wonder how my friends survived bc some of them seemed like they were always out of town on interviews. Had I decided to do that I would have one been very far behind bc my MCAT scores didn't come in until October and I would have also completely burnt out.

Since graduating last may I took a job working with Habitat for Humanity through the Americorps program and it has been really interesting. It isn't the greatest work and I definitely miss science but I think working away from Bio made me realize how much i need it in my life. Yeah it sounds gay but it's true. Plus when I visit friends at med school or on interview trips I realize how much I want to be doing what they are doing.

Anyhow, there are tons of things to do that involve or don't involve science. I kinda wish I had waited to get a job and traveled some but you also have to realize that if you are going to taking off the same year you apply you will probably be visitng schools and need to find a job that is somewhat lax with vacation. Whatever you do there is definitely something that can be said for taking a year off to do something different. Anything you can do to separate yourself from the other 16,000 applicants is a plus I think.

-CT

 

[LoneCoyote]

Definitely take the year off. I left undergrad totally burnt out and sure I was going to go to law school. Luckily, I took a year off, explored law a bit more and realized I did not like it, and had some awesome experiences that led me to medicine. I will be taking another year off b/w the end of my post-bac this June and when I start med school in 2004, providing all goes well of course 🙂 But I think time off is good. It can help relieve burn-out, give you a chance to do things you won't have time to do later and life, and just give you a broader view of the world, which will help you both as a doctor relating to your patients and going through the admissions process. And believe me putting off school for a year or two won't seem as big a deal once you're on this end of it. You have plenty of time to apply and do it later. Good luck 🙂

 

[ShortStuff]

I agree. I took a year off after college simply because I wanted a break. I worked really hard to catch up in college and be on the same academic levels of my peers and when it was said and done I was tired. On top of that I went abroad my junior year in college so I wouldn't have been able to apply anyway.

The best part of taking a year off is learning that you like to be consumed with interesting things. I have never been so unchallenged in my whole life but in some ways it is really motivating and I am so psyched to start school in the fall. I know it sounds silly but doing all the things I didn't have time to do in college (sleep in SUPER late, watch lots of TV, etc.) have made me want to get back to school.

I have also had time to start reading things other than textbooks on a regular basis, feel that I know more about what is going on in the world, etc. PLUS! I am going to go hiking around Italy for a month before school starts since I have actually earned some real money this year.

My advice. TAKE A YEAR OFF! IT is worth iT!!!!

 

[gramcracker]

Take the year off. Absolutely. It's becoming the norm for people to take time off before med school--at several of the schools I've interviewed at, almost half of the current students took some time off before school.

Med schools like it.

 

[BushBaby]

Nothing new to add here= Definitely take time off...it's worth it. And like previously said, medical school and the mcat WILL be here WAITING for ya.

Another thing about time off- it really allows you to put things into perspective. You might find that you want to do something else besides study medicine. The time off is very useful to reflect.

 

[Joe Joe on da Radio]

Originally posted by gramcracker
Take the year off. Absolutely. It's becoming the norm for people to take time off before med school--at several of the schools I've interviewed at, almost half of the current students took some time off before school.

Med schools like it.

same experience here...at one of my interviews, my interviewer even said that med schools should make applicants take a few years off as a requirement. a little on the far-fetched side, but i agree with her that you're just a better person in the end for the experience imo.

 

[texasgal1112]

I took a year off btw college and medical school and looking back now I would say it would depend on what you were doing with your year. If you are doing something that is a once in a life time experience then go for it, ie train for the Olympic team or won the Rhodes. But if you are doing it to "find yourself" or "gain some independance" or any reasons of that nature I would highly not recommend it. I would say that you can't find yourself in a year if you haven't done so already, it is going to take longer than that. If you want to gain independance, you will gain it in medical school. If you feel burned out now, taking a year off isn't going to rejuvenate yourself. It will just make you more lazy in the long run. Although that also depend on you. But again, it depends on what you want to do with that time off. GOOD LUCK though! 🙂
BTW whether or not ad coms like it I think that also depends. Some of the interviewers I have talked to about taking a year would recommend it. Others say it is a complete waste of time and if you can't handle undergrad, then you surely can't handle medical school. Just thought I might offer up the flip side.

 

[Shorti3181]

I would have to agree with the majority of posters about taking a year off. I know I'm burned out right now and just need to take a little time to rest my brain. On that note, I applied this year and actually deferred, so I'll be starting med school in 2004. I'm going to be in New Zealand for the next 11 months, so trying to apply from abroad wasn't really going to work. Just thought I'd throw the deferral card out there since no one has mentioned it as an option. Just make sure you know about the deferral policies of the schools you are interested in.