When is a good time to travel?

[flubchub]

Hello all,

I am graduating May 2019 and am planning on applying to medical school in June 2019. During my gap year, I will be working as a scribe at a private practice and continuing to volunteer at a community health care center. Both places are very flexible with scheduling and allow me to take vacation time. Thus, I would like to travel to Vietnam for 3 weeks to 1 month to visit my relatives and volunteer, but I'm not sure when is the best period of time to travel so that I won't miss potential interviews or be able to address any potential problems with my application. My pre-health adviser suggested that a month in June or July would be feasible after my application is submitted, assuming that my internet connection is good. However, the weather in Vietnam during that period is not ideal (monsoon season), and I cannot guarantee good internet during that time. I know interviews can span anywhere from September to March, but I was wondering if it would be okay to be out of the country the month of November or December (when the weather is better in Vietnam)? Is it bad if I have to postpone/reschedule an interview? In general, are there any other months that are better for travel?

I appreciate any help/insight in this matter!

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[Rusrus]

I would not recommend traveling overseas during November/December as that is prime time for interview season.

Yes, postponing and rescheduling interviews due to traveling (vacation) doesn't reflect well on you, nor would it be wise as most schools are rolling admissions. I would recommend you either travel (1) when your advisor suggested, or (2) in the spring/after you have an acceptance since you are looking to take a month off.

 

[freedoctor17]

I would not recommend traveling overseas during November/December as that is prime time for interview season.

Yes, postponing and rescheduling interviews due to traveling (vacation) doesn't reflect well on you, nor would it be wise as most schools are rolling admissions. I would recommend you either travel (1) when your advisor suggested, or (2) in the spring/after you have an acceptance since you are looking to take a month off.

I have met plenty of people who scheduled interviews around being abroad this cycle. The schools don't know why this person will be abroad... I don't think they'll be like "oh they're vacationing, how irresponsible." The fact that they're going to visit family and volunteer also doesn't sound like a vacation anyways.(edit: realized i sound sarcastic here, sorry it's early in the morning and didn't mean to be).

Op I think that you'll be able to schedule around it as long as you know ahead of time when you're going but also i agree with rusrus that you should try and wait until spring if you can. November is a pretty big month to miss out on. Maybe if you left from mid December to mid January would be best since it's over the holidays and they don't interview as much then anyways.

 

[Dr panda]

Can you tell me the answers. In which profession people travel very less? You already know the answer. So whenever you got the time and money you should travel. When I need to feed my mind I travel. Some time I travel solo for one day or two day. Boring life will kill your heart.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

I’m traveling during Thanksgiving break. Doubt there will be interviews then. Also traveling in March.

 

[Gilakend]

I did for a week in March, a week in May-June and 3 weeks in June/July. No issues at all.

 

[drdreyman]

Would it be possible to travel during the holiday season? Between Dec 20-30. I would think they wouldn't schedule interviews that close to the holidays?

 

[Phoebus Apollo]

Would it be possible to travel during the holiday season? Between Dec 20-30. I would think they wouldn't schedule interviews that close to the holidays?

Yeah, probably safe.

 

[LizzyM]

A solid block of time is hard to find but I'd say that taking off from the Friday before Christmas to the Friday after New Year is relatively quiet in admission and a winter break time for most academic institutions. You'd be unlikely to completely miss out on a school's offer of interview dates by being out of the country during that time frame.

 

[nm06003]

I wouldn’t travel until April. I had some last minute II in February for March, and ended up at my top choice from those interviews.

 

[LizzyM]

I wouldn’t travel until April. I had some last minute II in February for March, and ended up at my top choice from those interviews.

Traveling in April means missing out on Second Looks which matter if you have more than one offer and, if you have only one offer, you want the Second Look to meet the people who are likely to be your classmates and to get more information about housing.

 

[Cheeezcake]

Traveling in April means missing out on Second Looks which matter if you have more than one offer and, if you have only one offer, you want the Second Look to meet the people who are likely to be your classmates and to get more information about housing.

Would it look negative on you by adcoms if you mentioned in your secondary or interview that you plan on leaving the country for an extended period in March/April?

 

[LizzyM]

Would it look negative on you by adcoms if you mentioned in your secondary or interview that you plan on leaving the country for an extended period in March/April?

I don't think so although it could be seen has hubris -- that you are overly confident that you'll have the cycle wrapped up by then and have made a decision to accept an offer. Don't forget that there are deadlines for intention to enroll, etc in April. There are also stories of schools that have found a need to interview even as late as March/April when their enrollment targets are not met.

 

[nm06003]

Traveling in April means missing out on Second Looks which matter if you have more than one offer and, if you have only one offer, you want the Second Look to meet the people who are likely to be your classmates and to get more information about housing.

You’re completely right, that slipped my mind. I was traveling and missed Second Look Day