Taking time off before med school

[JennaB4MD]

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I'm a college senior considering taking a year off before med school, not to do anything super-special, probably just to move to Colorado and live in the mountains for a year and do the outdoorsy things I enjoy. But I can't shake the feeling that this is "wrong". So my questions are:
1) Anyone comments from those who took time off? Does anyone regret doing it?
2) Do people that went straight from college to M1 wish they had taken time off?
3) Anyone know if Loyola lets you defer?
4) How the hell do I say "I want to go skiing for a year because it's the only time I'll ever get to do it" sound professional in a deferral letter????

Thanks!

 

[Brewster]

I did not take any time off, but I know lots of people who did. It is very common (at least at my school).

If you are not already in somewhere, I would recommend doing something related to medicine, whether it be working in a doctor's office or research. However, it sounds like you are looking for deferment of an acceptance you already have, so this is not an issue. Afraid I have no idea what to say in the letter, sorry.

Of the people I know who took time off, some loved it, some wish they could have gone to med school sooner. Seems, from my unscientific observations, that people feel 1-2 years off is ideal, any more they see as a waste of time (again, generalizing, not true of everyone).

Speaking as someone who has not taken time off I can say that early on, when many of my non-med school friends had jobs and money and free time, yeah I wished I had taken time off. However, now that I am about to graduate and move on to residency, I am thrilled that I opted to go straight through so that I can move on to the next step.

Hope this helps. Have fun skiing or in med school, whichever you decide.

 

[TysonCook]

I took a year off and I highly reccommend it!! If you aren't living life you might as well be dead.

Trust me, once you're stuck in a library studying all day, without seeing the sun for weeks on end you'll be psyched that you took some time off and enjoyed life.

Since I live in Utah I was able to ski all winter, and since my friend had a ton of "friends fly free" tickets we traveled around the world for the rest of the spring and summer living out of our backpacks.

Although I didn't technically defer for a year, I just scheduled interviews around my schedule (I graduated in 2001, but applied for 2002) and it kicked A$$. Once I was in, I did a little side work volunteering here and there (to keep up the health related stuff) and then just went where the wind took me.

Great times!!! Definately DO IT!!!

 

[southerndoc]

I took a year off between high school and college and two years off between college and medical school.

I don't regret it one bit... except that I'm not a doctor at a younger age so I can pick up more girls. Just kidding.

Seriously, if I had it to do over again, I'd do the same thing... possibly even get a PhD before medical school.

 

[ms1inmw]

Go to Colorado. I did. After undergrad. I knew that I wanted to go to med. school, but instead of applying, I went skiing. I went to Winter Park and spent a year as a ski bum. Taking a year off was the best thing that I ever did. Hell, I often wonder why in the hell I came back.

I dont think that it has made medial school any more enjoyable, but the memories and experiences are things that made the year off totally worth it. Removing yourself from the world of academica every once in awhile is a very healthy thing to do, and the ski slopes of Colorado are about as far away from that world as you can get.

 

[jon_jon]

It depends on why you want to take a year off... A year can go by quickly, but it can also be a long time... you don't want to waste valuable time.

If you feel burnt out from school, and need a breather, that's one thing. But you can easily take the summer off before med school and do something fun.

If you just want to be a bum for a year, I don't know if this is a wise decision. You can always go skiing or hiking during med school, depending on where you live. You will still have winter break, spring break and summer vacation even in medical school.

If you wanted to learn about sports medicine in the ski slopes of Colorado, that would be a different story. Or learn about family medicine in "Everwood" or something like that.

I've heard of people taking a year off because they didn't like the school they were accepted to and wanted to re-apply without telling the medical school they were accepted to. Now this would be a risky move. And most schools that grant deferment will ask you to automatically re-apply for early decision to their school the following year to prevent this from happening.

 

[merlin]

I would highly recommend anyone to take at least a year off after college. I took a year off and travelled for 5 months. It was one of the best times of my life. Also, don't be pressured from other pre-meds that think you need to dedicate every second to application building by working in the medical field. Just enjoy life and I think that will show as a very positive thing when you come to interviews...Cheers.

 

[gwyn779]

I think taking a year off is a great idea. I didn't do it and there are a lot of times I wish I had. I would say that the summer before and breaks are no substitute for a full year, because you still have exams looming all the time. I couldn't really take time off because my fiance had to stay in state (he didn't have national registry paramedic yet) and I didn't want to just sit around where I've always lived. Colorado sounds like a great idea. Even if you don't feel burned out now, it's doesn't take much of med school to get you there. Anyway, a lot of my classmates took time off, I didn't, but I think it's a good idea. Actually, one of the guys who started out in my class last year lasted about 5 days, then decided he needed a year off and deferred until this year. Now he seems much happier about it.

 

[DrMom]

I think a year off is a good idea. You've been in school for years on end...and will be in school for years on end. Take some time to do something you like.

 

[maxheadroom]

My year in Vail between undergrad and medschool was the best choice I ever made. Once you have that deferral confirmed, put the skis on the rack and don't look back!

 

[candybits]

I took a year after I graduated, mainly because I needed the money, but I was so sick and tired of living like a student I wanted to see what life was like on the outside world, and get some work experience at the same time.

It sure does give you a diff't perspective on life. There are a quite a number of students who took 1-2 years off after they finished their undergrad, too, for various reasons.

Go ahead, and enjoy life for a change. 🙂

 

[anamarylee]

If you have any doubts whatsoever, take the time off. Just this past week one of my classmates droped out of school. She got into med school at 21 and wish she had taken some time off. Now she has it, but when she reaplies, as she is planning to, it's gonna be tough to explain "I was once given a chance, droped out, and now want another one" to an interviewer. If you are not in any rush to finish your carreer, go for it.

 

[::Seabass::]

Go for it!

I took two years off (I'll be going back to school this fall) and I am so glad you did. You would be surprised how much your perspective will change being out in the real world. I feel like some of my friends that went right through have missed out on that, and they also seem to question their decision to go to med school a bit more. I actually didn't have the choice because I was an engineering major and didn't have time to get in the classes I needed. At first I felt like taking two years off would put me so far behind. I am so much more refreshed and ready to get back to school and attack it. I feel like I might have burned out otherwise, and you are right, you will never have another chance to do this.

I hope it all works out for you.

 

[Enkindu]

I'm starting med school in August, and I got my BA in 1991. I moved to Boulder right after college to climb rocks and play music, and I've never regretted it. Since then I've lived and worked all over the US. I've worked for minimum wage and I've been an executive for a large corporation. I've been a high-rise window washer, radio announcer, EMT, boat builder...as well as a climbing bum and itinerant live-aboard sailor. Since I've seen a lot of the world, I feel like I can relate well to people from EVERY walk of life..I'm sure this will serve me well in medicine. I may have taken the concept of "time off" to the extreme, but I highly recommend getting some life experience before hitting the books again.

Cheers, and good luck.

By the way...most of my med school interviews consisted largely of a dramatic account of my adventures (prompted by the interviewers)...this left little time for the tougher questions, and most of my interviews were actually fun! Just one of the hidden benefits of screwing off for a decade 😀

 

[surfsup]

What do you guys do about money during your yr off? My dream would be to backpack through Europe for a couple of months. . . .

 

[TysonCook]

Originally posted by surfsup
What do you guys do about money during your yr off? My dream would be to backpack through Europe for a couple of months. . . .

Work your butt off at a random jobs for several months then quit. Save all your money (read NO BAR TABS), live at home, live with 17 other people in a two bedroom apt. & eat cheap.

Then when you travel, do it super economically. Don't stay in the 4 star hotels, don't eat out (hit local markets instead), when you can, sleep outside, and get your tickets from hotwire or priceline.

There are a trillion web pages and books about getting around europe for little $. Go to the library or do a search.

Good Luck! I will never regret taking time off. Being a 26 year old freshman is a little different, but then when I stay out later than most 21 y.o.'s and have fantastic adventure stories most people get a little jealous.

 

[JennaB4MD]

Thank you so much to everyone who has posted for all the helpful feedback, I really appreciate it. If I can get a deferral, I am so taking the time off! Any ideas on if it would be acceptable to say in my letter to admissions that I am looking to take 1 year off to regroup and refresh for medical school, and to have some other life experiences before I go? I definitely want to stay involved in medicine and probably do volunteer work, although I don't have any definite plans yet. I guess I coudl play that up, too....any ideas would again be greatly appreciated.

🙂

 

[DrMom]

Originally posted by JennaB4MD
Any ideas on if it would be acceptable to say in my letter to admissions that I am looking to take 1 year off to regroup and refresh for medical school, and to have some other life experiences before I go?

I definitely would not use that as a reason. They'll probably just tell you that you should have thought of that before applying.

You need to have something definite to tell them about how you will be spending your time. It needs to be a good reason (in their eyes) to put off school. I'm sure someone around here can give you some good ideas.

 

[Enkindu]

Dear Adcom of spiffy med school:

Admission to the MD program at your spiffy med school is a fulfillment of a dream and the starting point for a career that I believe will offer great rewards and many challenges. I feel well prepared for the task at hand and I look forward to starting the next phase of my education. Like my fellow incoming classmates, I have spent years of my life evaluating my motivations and preparing myself academically for medical school. As I have matured I have come to realize that the work of a physician requires not only a well-trained mind, but also a sense of compassion, understanding, and empathy. While I could very easily begin medical school on (date xx/xx/xx), I feel that I may be missing an opportunity for interaction with parts of the world and human condition that would make me a much better physician in the long run.

My focus on admission to medical school has been intense throughout my undergraduate career, and I would not change that if I could. I am proud of my accomplishments and I do not regret the many hours I have spent achieving my goals. I have, however, not had the opportunity to get out and see many parts of the world. If I am to understand and interact with people from all walks of life, I feel that I should not move forward without seeking the opportunity to experience first-hand many parts of the world that I might not otherwise see. If it would not jeopardize my status as a future student of your spiffy med school, I would like the chance to take a year to improve my first hand experience of the world. I plan to approach my career in medicine with the same focus and intensity that I have maintained in my undergraduate career, and I feel that the experiences I might gain (cultivating goldfish in Cameroon) will only improve the quality of my performance and experience at your spiffy med school. Please accept my official request for a yearlong deferral. I realize that I hold prized spot as an accepted applicant, and I will gladly accept any outcome regarding this request. Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,
MD2B

🙂hardy: sorry if I got carried away but I was having fun!!!)