Time off during MD/PhD?

[jlamacc1]

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Hey all, I'm a second year MSTP student. I've started to ponder taking a year or so off for personal issues. Does anyone know if this is even a possibility? Of course, I'm assuming I'd go off the training grant for the amount of time I'm "inactive" but I can definitely see some potential problems with NIH regulations, grant cashflow and the like. Just wondering if anyone's heard of an MST doing anything like this. I'm sure that even if it's "possible" to do, whether or not I will be able to will depend on my program's policies.

 

[antoniosvidne]

You could do that, but I hear that taking a year off is often a sign that you'll eventually drop out of the program. And I've seen this happening multiple times.

What are the "personal reasons" anyway?

 

[Neuronix]

Does anyone know if this is even a possibility?

I did it. See http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=2089 and the more recent entry.

Of course, I'm assuming I'd go off the training grant for the amount of time I'm "inactive" but I can definitely see some potential problems with NIH regulations, grant cashflow and the like. Just wondering if anyone's heard of an MST doing anything like this. I'm sure that even if it's "possible" to do, whether or not I will be able to will depend on my program's policies.

I had no problems whatsoever. I even had my own personal F30 grant. They just paused and resumed it.

 

[mercaptovizadeh]

Hey all, I'm a second year MSTP student. I've started to ponder taking a year or so off for personal issues. Does anyone know if this is even a possibility? Of course, I'm assuming I'd go off the training grant for the amount of time I'm "inactive" but I can definitely see some potential problems with NIH regulations, grant cashflow and the like. Just wondering if anyone's heard of an MST doing anything like this. I'm sure that even if it's "possible" to do, whether or not I will be able to will depend on my program's policies.

To be honest, I've thought of it many times over the past year.

One caveat: the more time you have off to actually think about things, the more likely you are to drop out. The grueling tempo of med school sort of excludes this sort of existentialist contemplative thinking and focuses you on the next exam, performing on the wards, step 1/2, etc.

PhD, depends on whether you're being flogged by the mentor or let free to do your own thing. There's a danger that you could "smell the roses" and realize that research, medicine, or both are not for you.

If your personal issues are such that you can't deal with them during the PhD, then take the year off. Just be aware that after a relatively slow paced year following MS1/2, it's hard for many to find a renewed drive to push through the PhD.

 

[jlamacc1]

So it seems that from a practical standpoint (NIH ish et al), taking time off may be possible?

 

[mercaptovizadeh]

So it seems that from a practical standpoint (NIH ish et al), taking time off may be possible?

Practically speaking, possibly.

There's one girl at my program that's post M2 pre-PhD who took off a year for no "big" reason (death, illness, etc.) and her name is still on the roster. She's URM, so I think that might make them a little less hard on her than they would be on the average MD/PhD student petitioning for time off pre-PhD without a big reason.

Logistically and financially there should be no problem at all. You will lose medical insurance and ability to do clinical stuff (which depends on malpractice insurance).