Taking time off before residency

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megmed

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If I were interested in General Surgery or Internal Medicine, and I want to take 1 year off after I graduate med school before I start residency, how do you think this will affect my residency applications? Do I apply during my 4th year and tell them that I want a year off, or do I take the year, and then apply to residencies during that year off?

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If I were interested in General Surgery or Internal Medicine, and I want to take 1 year off after I graduate med school before I start residency, how do you think this will affect my residency applications? Do I apply during my 4th year and tell them that I want a year off, or do I take the year, and then apply to residencies during that year off?

Unless a residency program allowed you to defer starting for a year (highly unlikely as they'd then have to fill your spot with someone else), you'd have to apply for the Match during your year off.
 
A friend of mine took a year off after med school to have a baby. She applied for residencies the fall after she graduated and began the residency July 1 a year and a month after she had graduated. How this would be viewed by programs you apply to depends on the reason you want to take the time off.
 
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How this would be viewed by programs you apply to depends on the reason you want to take the time off.

Quoted for emphasis. If you take a year off simply for the sake of taking time off you're going to get serious questions about your drive and motivation from residency programs and it WILL hurt your match. If you take a year off to do something interesting related to your career, or take the year off to have a child, yes, those generally considered just fine by residency programs.
 
Agree with the above.

Acceptable reasons for taking time off include family illness, pregnancy, spouse moving/relocating for a new job.
 
Quoted for emphasis. If you take a year off simply for the sake of taking time off you're going to get serious questions about your drive and motivation from residency programs and it WILL hurt your match. If you take a year off to do something interesting related to your career, or take the year off to have a child, yes, those generally considered just fine by residency programs.


Would you still be considered a US grad (aka in the same pool as other 4th year students applying) or are you in the same pool as the FMG and DO applicants?

Also, how much time is there between the last day of 4th year and the first day of residency? Is there usually a week or two off?
 
Would you still be considered a US grad (aka in the same pool as other 4th year students applying) or are you in the same pool as the FMG and DO applicants?

Also, how much time is there between the last day of 4th year and the first day of residency? Is there usually a week or two off?

(1) Neither. You're no longer considered a "US senior."

(2) Most med schools graduate somewhere between mid-to-late May. Most residencies start in late June or by July 1st.
 
(1) Neither. You're no longer considered a "US senior."

(2) Most med schools graduate somewhere between mid-to-late May. Most residencies start in late June or by July 1st.

Thanks Blade. I actually meant a US senior (not grad). It's nice to know that I will have at least a month in between (to get settled and what not).
 
or you could delay your graduation till after sometime july, like aug-sept, and then you would have a good reason to defer for a year caus you couldnt make a match, its a win-win, you get a year off, and still considered a senior.
 
Quoted for emphasis. If you take a year off simply for the sake of taking time off you're going to get serious questions about your drive and motivation from residency programs and it WILL hurt your match. If you take a year off to do something interesting related to your career, or take the year off to have a child, yes, those generally considered just fine by residency programs.

Yeah, you're going to get alot of strange looks from PDs if you tell them you are just relaxing/recuperating. For most people the end of 4th year is vacation enough.

Plus there's the whole issue of loan repayment ...
 
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