When to do a 1-year master's program?

[AntsInMyEyes_Johnson]

I am thinking about doing a 1-year master's program during my gap year, but also I know that a lot of people tend to take a year off during med school (after the second or third year) to do either research or a 1-year master's program. When would you opt to take it, and why?

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[Dr. Stalker]

Complete a 1 year masters the semester AFTER you've applied to medical school. This means during your interview season (ideally after graduating college) you'll also be completing a one year masters degree.

What types of Masters programs are you interested in? MPH? MS? MBA?

 

[mydogmolly]

My opinion is next to worthless, but bravo, sir. Best name I've ever seen.

To the point, I think most people do a 1-year master's if that program (with the exclusion of SMPs and another GPA-boosting curricula) will provide tangible benefits to their future careers. For example, a MPH if you really want to go into health policy or epidemiology research, or M.Eng. if you really want to work at the crossroads of medicine and medtech, or M.S. in some area of particular research area that you have interest in, but not enough interest to warrant a PhD (like bioengineering, biochemistry, etc.).

EDIT: and to answer your question about when, I think it depends person to person. I'd assume some would like to get it out of the way before med school (so do it during your application year), while, as you said, others graduate with dual degrees and just do it during M3. I've heard of some even doing it during residency, like doing a part-time MPH while finishing an IM program. It really depends on your preference, I think.

 

[AntsInMyEyes_Johnson]

Complete a 1 year masters the semester AFTER you've applied to medical school. This means during your interview season (ideally after graduating college) you'll also be completing a one year masters degree.

What types of Masters programs are you interested in? MPH? MS? MBA?

There are a few interesting programs at NYU and Columbia. Columbia has the Biotechnology - MA Program, and NYU has the Biotechnology - MS Program, both of which can be completed in 1-year (I think, don't quote me on that lol). They offer course that would allow me to become more familiar with the biotech industry, and I have a sort of entrepreneurial, innovative spirit that I want to cultivate. I think it would be valuable for my career down the line and getting exposure now might be beneficial if I ever want to get into it as an MD (whether its through research or on the business side of things). I especially like the courses offered by the NYU program more because they're more specific for various technologies/fields, like genetic engineering, protein engineering, materials in medicine, and applications of immunology...

Also, I would plan to do it after I've applied and during my interview season, but what are your thoughts (or anyone else's reading this) on doing the master's program during med school (between either the 2nd and 3rd or 3rd and 4th years of med school?) What do you see as the pros/cons of either option?

 

[Dr. Stalker]

There are a few interesting programs at NYU and Columbia. Columbia has the Biotechnology - MA Program, and NYU has the Biotechnology - MS Program, both of which can be completed in 1-year (I think, don't quote me on that lol). They offer course that would allow me to become more familiar with the biotech industry, and I have a sort of entrepreneurial, innovative spirit that I want to cultivate. I think it would be valuable for my career down the line and getting exposure now might be beneficial if I ever want to get into it as an MD (whether its through research or on the business side of things). I especially like the courses offered by the NYU program more because they're more specific for various technologies/fields, like genetic engineering, protein engineering, materials in medicine, and applications of immunology...

Also, I would plan to do it after I've applied and during my interview season, but what are your thoughts (or anyone else's reading this) on doing the master's program during med school (between either the 2nd and 3rd or 3rd and 4th years of med school?) What do you see as the pros/cons of either option?

DISCLAIMER: NOT A MED STUDENT

Columbia also has a very amazing masters in bioethics program; give it a look.

In my UG lab (my home school has a med school) we often have medical students. The only ones that took a solid year off during medical school did it to boost their CV to get in good terms with my PI as he is also a program director for our school's residency (its a top tier residency) and he knows all the PDs and is very happy to "make phone calls" if a med student accomplishes something in our lab. The bulk of the med students show up during the summer between first and second year. Only a handful did a year off and it was almost exclusively for research.