Why do you guys push gap years so hard?

[baratheonfire]

It seems as though most of you believe taking a gap year is the default option (regardless of stats), whereas applying to medical school before graduation is harder to justify.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mvenus929]

Couple reasons.

1. Competition is tough and the process sucks. You should go for it with your best foot forward, and most people haven't done enough in three years to have an outstanding application that will certainly get them in. Taking a gap year or two allows you to focus on some of those weaknesses.

2. The perspective from a traditional student going through med school is leagues different than someone who worked full time and was not in school. Trust me on that one.

3. Medicine is tough. It's a helluva long road and at times it seems like there is no end in sight. I highly, highly recommend that everyone explore other careers well before committing to medicine. Having s gap year gives you more opportunities to do that.

 

[22031 Alum]

I've never pushed gap years for no reason. I was an attending before I was 30 and regret nothing.

 

[baratheonfire]

I've never pushed gap years for no reason. I was an attending before I was 30 and regret nothing.

Not you necessarily. But there are tons of posters like @mvenus929. I don't get why people are still recommended to take a gap year if their stats are fine and they KNOW medicine is what they want to do. Doesn't a commitment to medical related activities help establish your desire to enter medicine more than going career shopping?

 

[Lawpy]

It seems as though most of you believe taking a gap year is the default option (regardless of stats), whereas applying to medical school before graduation is harder to justify.

Yeah that's nonsense. There are many strong applicants who get into medical schools (even the top tiers) straight through because they were developing strong applications from freshman year (and even before that). Gap years are by no means necessary, not even close, especially for applicants who destroyed the MCAT in sophomore year and have strong GPA, research and ECs.

Besides the obvious of improving GPA/MCAT/ECs, gap years are taken willingly just to explore the real world, form connections, have fun etc. It is purely individualized and by no means are they necessary.

Couple reasons.

1. Competition is tough and the process sucks. You should go for it with your best foot forward, and most people haven't done enough in three years to have an outstanding application that will certainly get them in. Taking a gap year or two allows you to focus on some of those weaknesses.

2. The perspective from a traditional student going through med school is leagues different than someone who worked full time and was not in school. Trust me on that one.

3. Medicine is tough. It's a helluva long road and at times it seems like there is no end in sight. I highly, highly recommend that everyone explore other careers well before committing to medicine. Having s gap year gives you more opportunities to do that.

These are all great reasons to consider, but strong, traditional applicants can breeze through medical school admissions quite decisively without taking a gap year. Even average applicants with some clinical and shadowing exposure are not obligated to take a gap year if they have completed their necessary prerequisites.

Don't get me wrong. Gap years are awesome. Yet it is going far, and even inaccurate, to say that gap years are necessary.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

So that less people apply the year they do

 

[baratheonfire]

So that less people apply the year they do

lol

 

[22031 Alum]

The thread you just bumped was unfortunately sidetracked by people forgetting that the word "disadvantaged" has a meaning other than URM status. But looking at the posts actually addressing the "is a gap year an advantage?" question, the people who actually evaluate applicants pretty uniformly say it's not.

 

[efle]

Some things people haven't mentioned

1) need to work for a year to save up $$ to pay for an app cycle
2) want to avoid doing a cycle during full-time school semester

The thread you just bumped was unfortunately sidetracked by people forgetting that the word "disadvantaged" has a meaning other than URM status. But looking at the posts actually addressing the "is a gap year an advantage?" question, the people who actually evaluate applicants pretty uniformly say it's not.

Well I imagine the things you do during the year you add onto your app is the advantage. Publications, hundreds more hours volunteering, taking classes for GPA repair etc. Certainly makes sense that simply being a year older wouldn't itself be a plus 😛

 

[22031 Alum]

Well I imagine the things you do during the year you add onto your app is the advantage. Publications, hundreds more hours volunteering, taking classes for GPA repair etc. Certainly makes sense that simply being a year older wouldn't itself be a plus 😛

If you've managed to put together an app with those things already, a gap year just for the heck of it (which was the implication in that thread) isn't necessary.

 

[baratheonfire]

If you've managed to put together an app with those things already, a gap year just for the heck of it (which was the implication in that thread) isn't necessary.

Thanks, this was basically the confirmation I needed.

 

[mvenus929]

Not you necessarily. But there are tons of posters like @mvenus929. I don't get why people are still recommended to take a gap year if their stats are fine and they KNOW medicine is what they want to do. Doesn't a commitment to medical related activities help establish your desire to enter medicine more than going career shopping?

My stats were fine. More than fine. I've known I wanted to do medicine since I was in middle school. That doesn't change the fact that I, and a number of my coresidents, have expressed a wish to have known about some of the other careers in medicine we have been exposed to since actually starting to work in medicine. Would I still have become a physician had I known about other options? Probably, but I've found that most premeds really don't know the range of opportunities available until it is too late, and some would probably be better suited in other roles (as evidenced by the three classmates I had drop out of school).

Don't get me wrong. Gap years are awesome. Yet it is going far, and even inaccurate, to say that gap years are necessary.

I am by no means saying that gap years are necessary. I do recommend them rather than not for any applicant who has any doubts, is taking less than four years in college, or anyone with any perceived weaknesses in their application. I've been there, had people tell me that I should take a gap year (along with a lot of other misinformation), and I ignored it and applied and was subsequently rejected my first cycle.

Now, I'm also planning a gap year between residency and fellowship for a multitude of personal reasons that I feel makes the choice right for me, but certainly don't advocate for everyone to do that.

 

[asdf123g]

itll be 2 full years since ive done any schooling or done anything medically related...should I be worried going into medschool this summer?

 

[22031 Alum]

That doesn't change the fact that I, and a number of my coresidents, have expressed a wish to have known about some of the other careers in medicine we have been exposed to since actually starting to work in medicine.

This is a fair point. But I'd argue that the average gap year isn't used for that anyway. The vast majority of applicants do more physician shadowing, more research and more volunteering with the intent of becoming a stronger MD/DO applicant. Or they take classes to fix GPA or MCAT deficiencies- again, to become a stronger MD/DO applicant. Actually exploring different (non-physician) healthcare fields can be done while in college or even high school without making a year off necessary.

 

[baratheonfire]

.

 

[baratheonfire]

I've been there, had people tell me that I should take a gap year (along with a lot of other misinformation), and I ignored it and applied and was subsequently rejected my first cycle.

But you basically only applied to 8 schools and 5 of them were top 20s....

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Also, a gap year gives applicants more time for important stuff like video games and Netflix.

 

[Lost in Translation]

But you basically only applied to 8 schools and 5 of them were top 20s....

Arrogant much? From what you've written in the other threads on this topic, your stats are nothing spectacular (unless you're self-censoring to appear modest) and someone applying in their 4th year of UG with similar grades along with a proportional amount of hours logged in the same ECs as you will likely get more looks because they have more hours logged, and they'll probably have more activities because they've had more time to do them.

Have you even taken your MCAT yet?

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

There's also a selectional bias working here. Someone with killer stats/ECs likely knows it and won't need to ask for advice. Thus the people advised to take a gap year might be good candidates with one or two glaring holes in their application that a gap year can help fix.

 

[baratheonfire]

Arrogant much? From what you've written in the other threads on this topic, your stats are nothing spectacular (unless you're self-censoring to appear modest) and someone applying in their 4th year of UG with similar grades along with a proportional amount of hours logged in the same ECs as you will likely get more looks because they have more hours logged, and they'll probably have more activities because they've had more time to do them.

Have you even taken your MCAT yet?

I don't mean to be arrogant, I was just suggesting that choices in his application process might have been more responsible for him being rejected rather than the fact that he applied traditionally. And where did you find my stats on my profile? To my knowledge I've posted neither my gpa nor my mcat.

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

 

[piii]

I don't think gap years are necessary. They just can provide a certain maturity that most people don't have coming straight out of college. If you take 2+ years off before med school, and do it right, you have literally 2+ more years of development and experience. It's not something a junior in college can truly understand without actually going through it. It may be working abroad for a year, working 60 hrs a week to provide for yourself without schooling - it's just a different lifestyle at a different age with a different perspective and for some people, it's everything they personally need to be a great doctor and person.

You have to realize that living life is more than medical school or being a doctor. Some people prefer to have years off and explore life and people without draining their energy from education and premed ECs.

There are plenty of young med students who are intimidated by the MS1 classmates who are 26+. And there are plenty of older classmates who admire the younger students who accomplished so much already.

Different strokes.

It's just that you hear people pressing gap years because they think younger students are too persuaded by the idea of gunning into it, naive to the other opportunities.

 

[Lost in Translation]

And where did you find my stats on my profile? To my knowledge I've posted neither my gpa nor my mcat.

Spoiler: I wanted to see how many of these threads you've made since you have 2 on the front page right now.

I'll have a 3.7 cGPA and 3.55 sGPA. My MCAT is probably going to be >97th percentile.
I've also founded a club that promotes sustainable development in rural India, have 500+ clinical volunteer hours, 50+ shadowing hours, and 2000+ nonclinical volunteer hours (I've volunteered at a soup kitchen twice a month since I was 6 years old). Also 1 1/2 years of research on bone fragility.

 

[Stagg737]

Gap years aren't necessary or even advised for many applicants, especially if they're smart about where and how many schools they apply to . The people I think should take gap years are those who are either at the weaker end of borderline and need to solidify their app, or people who clearly have a deficit/red flag in their app. There's no point in taking a gap year if you've got the stats and know medicine is what you want to do. Yes, there are advantages to taking time off and exploring the world, but there are also advantages of finishing residency by the time you're 30. It really just depends on the individual.

 

[SOMBound13]

It seems as though most of you believe taking a gap year is the default option (regardless of stats), whereas applying to medical school before graduation is harder to justify.

I didn't opt for a gap year. Maybe Calif applicants are more likely taking gap years to strengthen their applications because the competition there is so intense?

The few people that I've known to take gaps years either needed to retake the MCAT or needed to do post-baccs, which really aren't gap years.

As a side benefit, glad that I'll graduate before turning 26 so that I can stay on my family's health plan until residency, and then be insured thru that.

 

[baratheonfire]

Oh ****, thanks
Could remove that pls btw

 

[22031 Alum]

In short: sometimes gap years are necessary. Sometimes they aren't. Doing one with no clear reason, just because others do, is a bad idea.

 

[Redpancreas]

It seems as though most of you believe taking a gap year is the default option (regardless of stats), whereas applying to medical school before graduation is harder to justify.

Couple of things.

First of all, I don't think anyone advocates taking a gap year when you don't really need one on SDN. One of the reasons traditional students have chosen to take gap years is because in the last 100 years with the advancement of medical science, a lot of money has been made in medicine and thus the stakes for admissions have skyrocketed. If you're able to go right through, it takes a lot of hard work and stress right from the get go. Those who took years off may have started late or just didn't want to cram the pre-reqs (not all of us took AP/IB in high school) in the first two years, combine MCAT stress with junior year, and find a way to fit shadowing/volunteering/work experience/research experience/teaching/etc somewhere throughout.


Second, I think you may be experiencing a selection bias where the users on this site are more likely out of college. A lot of my undergrad friends who were admitted into med school right out never had any interest in SDN. This makes sense to me because while in college you have friends, staff, and many resources available to gain information on medical school. Not to mention I always knew I wanted medicine since I was a little kid so I always kept an ear out for what was next so I could prepare myself. For those who chose other fields and later decided to pursue medicine, it may be harder to even know where to start and hence they turn to SDN. I've always pointed anyone who needs help with med admissions to SDN because I think in a couple weeks of using the site, you can really figure out everything you need to know. It's really a great resource.

Finally, I just wanted to address gap years from my personal trad POV. First off, not many may admit this but I was terrified of having to take one. My parents pretty much made it so all I had to do was focus on school and I knew I wanted medicine from the get-go so I had no excuse to take an extra year. Also, I didn't like the thought of waiting a year and having to tell everyone I wasn't applying yet.

That all being said, I actually think a gap year wouldn't have been so bad in retrospect. I think the average age of our school is 25 upon admission and about 50% of students have taken a gap year. When I look at the students who've taken years off, I notice a couple of things. One is that they seem more put together and on top of life in general. Second is that they're more motivated. Also, I feel like those who did SMPs or did some extra work were more ready for the competition you face in medical school. This last point is important because say you want something competitive like Ortho or maybe even Derm right off the back. If that's the case, you don't really have time for much of a learning curve in med school. You just have to jump in and start outperforming your peers for AOA, honors, etc. I personally had a year long learning curve as a first year who came right in. I had to learn to cook for myself in a more time-efficient way, make time to pay minor bills, etc. and on top of that I had a very minor but still distracting pitfall in mental health in the form of an existential crisis (that I've since recovered from). All in all, I can see some benefit of traveling/career exploration, doing more classes if you're not competitive enough, figuring out who you are as a person, and realizing what exactly you want out of medical school before you jump in. Unlike what my mom thought, it doesn't get any easier once you're in. After your first summer you don't even have breaks.

 

[Azete]

I think a gap year to "beef up" your application is a complete waste. I do, however, recommend a gap year at some point -- perhaps even in the middle of undergrad -- to everybody I talk to. Most kids have been in the bubble of academia their entire lives and have no idea what they really want in life because they have zero real world experience.

I graduated in Finance in 3 years, went directly to law school, got the high-paying job I always wanted and hated every ****ing minute of it. Don't make my mistake and just take a year to experience life, you'll learn a lot about yourself in the process.

 

[Glazedonutlove]

you do not need a gap year if you have things ready in 3 years, unless it is for financial reasons. It is not that hard to do interviews during the semester if you plan well and speak to your professors in the beginning of the semester.

 

[Satire5Texul]

I think numerous people I have met need to take a gap year and recollect themselves, but instead they are going head-first into the MCAT saying things like "I just want to get it over with" (and these are not high-scoring students) with sub-par GPAs, no letters to date and applicants of over-represented majority in medicine.

These are the people that will be retaking the MCAT and hopping on to here to ask what to do for their gap year.
So you tend to see a lot of these type of people.

Also once you start medical school, you are in a funnel that is going one way. You likely would not disrupt your medical curriculum (unless for research and these are not advisable it seems from allo). Taking a year off before residency significantly cuts yours chances of getting one the following year. So a lot of people see this as the last time to do something before medicine.

I have friends who are finishing in 3 years, so they can take 1 gap-year. To do this they are taking something like 20 credits on average every semester. There has been fumbles along the way for these people too.

I think you got to be in tune with yourself. A gap year is not necessary nor a recipe for everyone. Its highly individualistic.
The best thing to do is to tread lightly. Take the MCAT, once and when you feel most prepared, whenever that is.
Apply when your application is competitive.
Some people need a gap year for all this, some dont. Either way, its less about numbers and more about mental state and preparedness to take on whats to come next.

 

[carpediem22]

You have to realize that living life is more than medical school or being a doctor. Some people prefer to have years off and explore life and people without draining their energy from education and premed ECs.

This. I'm on a gap year now, and not to sound cocky, but I know I could've gotten in somewhere good straight out of college. I've known that I was going to take a gap year since my freshman year -- I wanted a chance to explore the world and do things that I would never have the opportunity to do once I'd started medical school. Yes, my gap year is improving my app, but that isn't why I did it. Most of the people I know who have taken gap years did it to get real life experience, not because it was "necessary" for their app.

And I'm so happy that I took one.

 

[raiderette]

I would have loved a gap year but didn't feel I could afford to live on my own, do research and pay student loans. I was lucky to get in this cycle but I didn't get a second look at schools that have older and more experienced applicants.

 

[22031 Alum]

Everybody thinks what they did is "the right way," there's no changing that. But I disagree with the implication that traditional applicants don't know that there's more to life than being a doctor. Nobody's looking down on people who go straight from college to any other job for not knowing there's more to life than engineering, or teaching, or accounting, or whatever. Medicine is magically something special that you can't possibly realize you want to do and -gasp- just do it? Give me a break. This is how you end up with disillusioned medical students and residents once they realize that it's a job. It's highly demanding but has pros and cons like any other job.

 

[DrDarce]

Kind of mirroring what a lot of people said here. I think what is being pushed is the attitude that gap years are not necessarily bad. Some people need it and some people don't. Personally, I took a gap year because I wanted a year off to work and enjoy life, I didn't necessarily need it. The idea of applying my junior year of college and going straight into med school just wasn't appealing to me.

 

[Cotterpin]

I don't see a lot of people "pushing" gap years on SDN. Rather, I feel like I see a lot kids saying stuff like "I'm way behind doing all of my premed stuff, but I really don't want to take a gap year, please help!" And then they get responses along the lines of "It's not the end of the world if you take a gap year."

From my personal perspective, I just can't imagine going straight through from kindergarten to med school and then being a doctor without ever having just lived life for a second outside of school. Maybe I'm a prejudiced jerk for thinking that's undesirable, but . . . being 26 years old when you are finally out of school and working for the first time? I dunno.

 

[Krupke]

I've never seen gap years pushed, but I've seen students being made aware of the fact that taking a gap year isnt a bad thing.

I have 2 gap years because I couldnt afford to apply out of undergrad. Every application cycle there are people complaining about how they can't afford to interview--> the idea of a gap year should have been pushed on them

A gap year ~might~ also be useful since I've spent the past 1.5 years waking up at 5am and working 13.5hrs every day. I'm hoping that will make 3rd year less of an adjustment, but we'll see. Other than that, Im jealous of people who didnt need a gap year.

 

[SOMBound13]

I think a gap year to "beef up" your application is a complete waste. I do, however, recommend a gap year at some point -- perhaps even in the middle of undergrad -- to everybody I talk to. Most kids have been in the bubble of academia their entire lives and have no idea what they really want in life because they have zero real world experience.

I graduated in Finance in 3 years, went directly to law school, got the high-paying job I always wanted and hated every ****ing minute of it. Don't make my mistake and just take a year to experience life, you'll learn a lot about yourself in the process.

There is a need to do a gap year if someone is "late to the table," and needs senior year to finish everything up before taking the MCAT and applying. Also needed if some grade repair is needed.

As for "living in a bubble," there are ways to avoid that, starting in high school. I got my first job on my 16th birthday, actually worked two jobs that summer. Working at a Mexican restaurant and McDonalds (yes, McD's...ugh). I needed money quickly to buy a car and working two jobs was the way to go. After that summer, I kept the Mexican restaurant job for the next 2+ years. No way was I living in an academic bubble, and I'm grateful for the experiences. I worked part-time throughout undergrad as a tutor, and did a mix of internships and more restaurant work during summers. During the summer before starting med school, I worked full-time as a bartender, to save money to lessen the need for loans that first year. All of it was a learning experience.

I know that some people, instead, only seem to do medically-related jobs and ECs, but there is value in doing just a regular McJob, at least as a high school kid, to get a better feel for people and the real world.

 

[22031 Alum]

From my personal perspective, I just can't imagine going straight through from kindergarten to med school and then being a doctor without ever having just lived life for a second outside of school. Maybe I'm a prejudiced jerk for thinking that's undesirable, but . . . being 26 years old when you are finally out of school and working for the first time? I dunno.

We could go back and forth exchanging personal perspectives all day. But people go straight from kindergarten through college (+/- grad school) to career all the time. All. The. Time. I don't think believing that medicine is "above that" makes anybody a jerk, it just doesn't strike me as logical. Maybe it's because I grew up in a family of blue collar workers, teachers and the like, but delaying entering the workforce without a good reason, just to say you did it, strikes me as odd.

I'm not saying that people shouldn't take time to determine whether medicine is right for them. I'm saying that it's entirely possible to do that without needing to take time off.

 

[DubVille]

If you go out and work and see the suckiness of life, then a gap year is great, IMO. It seemed a larger portion of the students/residents that never worked a real job struggled to adjust to clinics and actual work (especially the grading). I'd say people that worked a real job first have a lower chance of becoming disillusioned about medicine as a job.. If your entire life has been centered around multiple choice questions, you won't be "as ready" as somebody with a bit of world experience in many cases.
Perhaps this is all a bias, since I worked for a year in between.

 

[Affiche]

We could go back and forth exchanging personal perspectives all day. But people go straight from kindergarten through college (+/- grad school) to career all the time. All. The. Time. I don't think believing that medicine is "above that" makes anybody a jerk, it just doesn't strike me as logical. Maybe it's because I grew up in a family of blue collar workers, teachers and the like, but delaying entering the workforce without a good reason, just to say you did it, strikes me as odd.

I'm not saying that people shouldn't take time to determine whether medicine is right for them. I'm saying that it's entirely possible to do that without needing to take time off.

I think it's very possible to go straight through and come out okay, but I think there's a much greater chance of becoming jaded in the process if you don't take time off. Not to say that non-trad students don't become jaded as well, but I think it's more likely for traditional students who go straight through.

 

[Lucca]

A friend of mine graduated in 2 years and is now in medical school without taking a year off. I think he's perfectly well adjusted and happy with his decision although I could never do what he did and cut college so short. Another friend graduated in 3 years and is now at an MD/PhD program (where many take 1-2 years off to get more research experience) and is also doing well. There's no reason to believe that one cannot possibly be a well adjusted human being without taking time off from school. However, I think it can definitely help mature some people who are hyper focused on things like grades and scores becaus they've never had a different performance metric weighed against them.

I'll be taking a gap year more likely than not myself in order to do full time research and finally ensure that I want to commit to a research career. It will also be nice to not do school for even a little bit before doing school for 8+ more years. As one of my mentors put it "there are no logical breaks from when you start until you're done" and 8 years is a long time to be in the pipeline and residency is a different beast altogether. I'm willing to make the sacrifices but I would appreciate some time to myself.

 

[Cotterpin]

We could go back and forth exchanging personal perspectives all day. But people go straight from kindergarten through college (+/- grad school) to career all the time. All. The. Time. I don't think believing that medicine is "above that" makes anybody a jerk, it just doesn't strike me as logical. Maybe it's because I grew up in a family of blue collar workers, teachers and the like, but delaying entering the workforce without a good reason, just to say you did it, strikes me as odd.

I'm not saying that people shouldn't take time to determine whether medicine is right for them. I'm saying that it's entirely possible to do that without needing to take time off.

Whoa, whoa. I never said medicine is "above that." This is not what I'm talking about at all. I am not talking about needing some kind of magical experience before you're ready for a magical career. I'm talking about being a fully-grown adult who has only ever been in school for the last twenty years and how I find that to be just kind of bizarre. If somebody goes straight from kindergarten through college into a job, then that's pretty normal. They'll still be more or less a kid when they get out and get their first full-time job. The thing that's different about medicine is that you'll already be in your mid/late twenties before you get out into the real world for the first time. It's such a crazy long extension of that youth/student period.

I'm also not saying that anybody should delay entering the workforce. I'm saying the opposite, actually. If you take a gap year, get a full-time job. Be an adult. Find out what that's like.

 

[Affiche]

I'm a younger non-trad and while I sometimes feel a little bit old compared to traditional students, I don't regret my time off at all. I do encourage everyone to take time off, but not because that has anything to do with their application.

The best part of taking time off, for me anyway, has been working at a job that could very easily become my career but realizing how ****ty this job can be. When your life revolves around work instead of school or applications, you gain a very important perspective and learn a lot about what you need from your career to feel satisfied.

I have friends from college who are either in their intern year or last two years of medical school and there is a noticeable difference between the ones who took time off and the ones who didn't. For one, my trad friends hated a large portion of medical school and spent their med school years hyper-focusing on how to be the most competitive candidate for the match. In contrast, my friends who took a year or so off first have been almost enjoying med school ("studying things I'm interested in on a flexible schedule? Sweet!" or "pimping seems totally fine if you've ever experienced verbal abuse from your boss before"). They will all get through med school and residency just fine, but the ones who have taken time off to really consider an alternative career seem much more satisfied with their decisions and much more accepting of the drawbacks of a career in medicine.

 

[SOMBound13]

A friend of mine graduated in 2 years and is now in medical school without taking a year off.

I do agree with this. I could have graduated within 3 years, but my family strongly advised that I stay for four and, in hindsight, I'm grateful for their wisdom and insight. The 4th year was spent with a lighter load, finishing a couple of classes for my major, taking classes "for interest," including a jogging class, a weight training class, and some additional foreign language classes. It made it easy to fit in interviews and Second Looks. My undergrad is a big sports school, and championships were won during my years, so it was great to have the time to enjoy that aspect. I was also able to participate in 2 intramural sports throughout. I think that without that loose schedule and "free time," I might have experienced some burn-out.

I'm not a big fan of 6 year or 7 year BS/MD programs that cram everything in, leaving little time for R&R.

 

[22031 Alum]

The thing that's different about medicine is that you'll already be in your mid/late twenties before you get out into the real world for the first time. It's such a crazy long extension of that youth/student period.

But that's not different about medicine. I'm sure you had multiple PhD professors about whom you could say the exact same thing. That's what I mean when I say people are ascribing a "different-ness" to medicine that isn't there.

 

[Cotterpin]

But that's not different about medicine. I'm sure you had multiple PhD professors about whom you could say the exact same thing. That's what I mean when I say people are ascribing a "different-ness" to medicine that isn't there.

I would say the exact same thing about those PhD professors. The only "different-ness" I'm ascribing is to anything that keeps you in school and out of the workforce until you're well into your adulthood. Medicine is obviously one of those things because that's an automatic 8 years of school in adulthood. The PhD professor who's in school for a similar amount of time? Same thing. It's the time in school I'm objecting to. Has nothing to do with the particular field.

 

[Affiche]

But that's not different about medicine. I'm sure you had multiple PhD professors about whom you could say the exact same thing. That's what I mean when I say people are ascribing a "different-ness" to medicine that isn't there.

PhD's are a little bit different than the MD/DO route, though. At least for my SO, getting his PhD is more like a job than time in school. He still wishes he sold out and worked instead though

I would say the exact same thing about those PhD professors. The only "different-ness" I'm ascribing is to anything that keeps you in school and out of the workforce until you're well into your adulthood. Medicine is obviously one of those things because that's an automatic 8 years of school in adulthood. The PhD professor who's in school for a similar amount of time? Same thing. It's the time in school I'm objecting to. Has nothing to do with the particular field.

I'm a little more forgiving when it comes to PhDs. My SO spends 6 years doing research and then comes out doing more research. He has much more work responsibility than I expected, tbh. I doubt he'll graduate and enter his first job in the "oh ****" phase you see interns experiencing.

 

[mimelim]

Couple reasons.

1. Competition is tough and the process sucks. You should go for it with your best foot forward, and most people haven't done enough in three years to have an outstanding application that will certainly get them in. Taking a gap year or two allows you to focus on some of those weaknesses.

2. The perspective from a traditional student going through med school is leagues different than someone who worked full time and was not in school. Trust me on that one.

3. Medicine is tough. It's a helluva long road and at times it seems like there is no end in sight. I highly, highly recommend that everyone explore other careers well before committing to medicine. Having s gap year gives you more opportunities to do that.

My stats were fine. More than fine. I've known I wanted to do medicine since I was in middle school. That doesn't change the fact that I, and a number of my coresidents, have expressed a wish to have known about some of the other careers in medicine we have been exposed to since actually starting to work in medicine. Would I still have become a physician had I known about other options? Probably, but I've found that most premeds really don't know the range of opportunities available until it is too late, and some would probably be better suited in other roles (as evidenced by the three classmates I had drop out of school).

I am by no means saying that gap years are necessary. I do recommend them rather than not for any applicant who has any doubts, is taking less than four years in college, or anyone with any perceived weaknesses in their application. I've been there, had people tell me that I should take a gap year (along with a lot of other misinformation), and I ignored it and applied and was subsequently rejected my first cycle.

Now, I'm also planning a gap year between residency and fellowship for a multitude of personal reasons that I feel makes the choice right for me, but certainly don't advocate for everyone to do that.

Personally, I am just as wary of non-traditional "perspective" as I am with traditional students. We have more problems with Gen-Y entitlement than anything else, but a fair amount of my administrative headache comes from non-traditional students/residents who want everyone to 'trust them' that their perspective is different. There is a big difference between non-traditional and taking a gap year or two. But, there are a lot of associated issues with people who come in as a second career or later on. Experience outside of medicine is great. Sometimes it is very helpful. On the other hand, it isn't most of the time and it can be quite problematic.

I am one of the biggest advocates for people to explore before they apply. But, that does not mean that you must take dedicated time off to do that. Certainly if you are late to the game, it is one thing. But, it certainly does not need to be the standard.

Some things people haven't mentioned

1) need to work for a year to save up $$ to pay for an app cycle
2) want to avoid doing a cycle during full-time school semester


Well I imagine the things you do during the year you add onto your app is the advantage. Publications, hundreds more hours volunteering, taking classes for GPA repair etc. Certainly makes sense that simply being a year older wouldn't itself be a plus 😛

1) Opportunity cost lost waiting a year > cost of application cycle - I know people do this, but it never made a ton of sense to me long term.

2) School is not that busy, I'm sorry, but it really isn't. Maybe I'm expecting a bit much from students, but with proper planning the application cycle should be a relatively straight forward process. It is a long process, but the vast majority of the work can be done early. I have a brother and two advises applying for next year (start in 2017) and all of them have their LOR and secondary responses ready to go. It isn't hard, but it does require some diligence. Creating a school list can be done very early. Getting primary/secondary information from the cycle before should be done a year in advance. LOR should be cultivated from day 1 of undergrad, regardless of what you are trying to go into. I can understand if you are working full time and in school. But classes alone? Unless you are that uber academic triple majoring, it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

I don't see a lot of people "pushing" gap years on SDN. Rather, I feel like I see a lot kids saying stuff like "I'm way behind doing all of my premed stuff, but I really don't want to take a gap year, please help!" And then they get responses along the lines of "It's not the end of the world if you take a gap year."

From my personal perspective, I just can't imagine going straight through from kindergarten to med school and then being a doctor without ever having just lived life for a second outside of school. Maybe I'm a prejudiced jerk for thinking that's undesirable, but . . . being 26 years old when you are finally out of school and working for the first time? I dunno.

I went straight through from kindergarden to medical school. Honestly, if you don't have a life outside of school, you are doing it wrong. I played more sports and was more active from age 18-26 than virtually every young professional that I know. Even now as a PGY4 resident I rock climb 10-12 hours a week and have trips to climb in 3 different continents planned for the next year and a half. I ran several large (100+ player) Minecraft servers (and the associated business from them) for years. Oh, and I've been married for almost 7 years now (and was before I left medical school). Would I have had more time to do things if I wasn't in medicine? Maybe, alright, probably. But, significantly more? I doubt it. Have I had to focus on what makes me happy and cut out certain things? Yes. But, that is inevitable in most fields. The concept that the road to and through medical school should be all consuming is as dangerous as it is untrue.

 

[Cotterpin]

I went straight through from kindergarden to medical school. Honestly, if you don't have a life outside of school, you are doing it wrong. I played more sports and was more active from age 18-26 than virtually every young professional that I know. Even now as a PGY4 resident I rock climb 10-12 hours a week and have trips to climb in 3 different continents planned for the next year and a half. I ran several large (100+ player) Minecraft servers (and the associated business from them) for years. Oh, and I've been married for almost 7 years now (and was before I left medical school). Would I have had more time to do things if I wasn't in medicine? Maybe, alright, probably. But, significantly more? I doubt it. Have I had to focus on what makes me happy and cut out certain things? Yes. But, that is inevitable in most fields. The concept that the road to and through medical school should be all consuming is as dangerous as it is untrue.

This is not my objection. I'm not worried that doctors never made time to have hobbies or go on trips. Who cares? I'm more concerned that they might be overgrown kids who have been in school for 20+ years, never had a normal job before, and are expected to be in touch with, and relate to, their adult patients.

 

[mimelim]

This is not my objection. I'm not worried that doctors never made time to have hobbies or go on trips. Who cares? I'm more concerned that they might be overgrown kids who have been in school for 20+ years, never had a normal job before, and are expected to be in touch with, and relate to, their adult patients.

The benefit of a "normal job" is minimal for the vast majority of people. Is it a bonus if someone is particularly mature because it, but that doesn't always happen.