Two-year break in studies

[PacificWaves]

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Long time lurker, first time poster here.

My weird situation: I started college in the US at 16. Since I'm a dual citizen of the US and a country which requires mandatory conscription, I quit school and left the US at 18. I am now about to complete my service (just a few more months) and I've been accepted as a transfer student at a different college in the States. I'll be back in school this fall.

Because I have a two-year gap in my college education, I don't really have a record of long-term involvement in activities or research. I intend to get back to it all when I start school this fall, but I won't be able to show any fantastic research results or long-term leadership positions, obviously, because I was gone for two years.

What do you guys think med schools will think about all this?

 

[afugazzi]

I can't speak based on talking to anyone else in your situation, but I imagine med schools will understand (assuming you start up with the usual clinical and volunteering ECs soon after you return) and will find you a very interesting candidate.

 

[Dianyla]

Because I have a two-year gap in my college education, I don't really have a record of long-term involvement in activities or research. I intend to get back to it all when I start school this fall, but I won't be able to show any fantastic research results or long-term leadership positions, obviously, because I was gone for two years.

What do you guys think med schools will think about all this?

First, they'll probably be intrigued and/or impressed. Of course you should list this very significant 2 year experience in your AMCAS Work/Experiences section. I would imagine that working in any military structure has exposed you to new and interesting leadership structures (whether you were leading or led) and you can expand upon this as you describe it. Don't feel bad for missing out on being treasurer of some stupid undergraduate student club, nobody gives a **** about club "leadership" anyway.

Secondly, two years is a lot of time. Use it well, and you can still get meaningful leadership and research experiences in the time you have remaining. Don't take the defeatist attitude of "Well it's too late to be working on a multi-year study and getting authorship on a published research paper, therefore I shouldn't even bother!" 🙄