Gap Year

What is a gap year?

A gap year, (otherwise known as a growth year, bridge year, or glide year) is the period of time between undergraduate education and the start of a health professions program. There are a plethora of ways to go about your gap year and a variety of experiences to explore during it. It is an opportunity to reflect more on why you want to apply to a health professions program, and think about how you can put your best foot forward in the application process.

 

Does a gap year “look bad”?

Absolutely not! According to the AAMC (American Association of Medical Colleges) 2021 MSQ Report, 68.5% of new medical students reported that they had enrolled in medical school a year or more after they finish undergrad. This number has been slowly increasing over the years, up from 62.6% in 2017. The bottom line is plenty of students who do not enter a health professions program right after undergrad, and there is no reason you should not consider it as well.

 

Why may a gap year be a good thing?

Consider this: if you decide to apply to a health professions program right out of undergrad, you will need to work on that application a year before you graduate. For example, if you plan to graduate Spring 2025 and want to start your health professions program Fall 2025, that means you need to have started you application Spring/Summer of 2024. Consider this instead: if you wait to apply until after your senior year you have the opportunity to focus on your application separately from your undergraduate coursework. Plus, your grades from senior year will be included in your application, which gives you an opportunity to boost your GPA. Even more, you can use your senior year to make those important connections with faculty for letters of recommendation.

 

Aside from those benefits, a gap year could be a great time to save up money, get clinical hours, or get involved in research. It all depends on your priorities and needs.

 

So…what do I do?

Well, that all depends on you and what you need and want to do to put your best foot forward. AAMC has a great resource about what you could possibly do during your gap year. Think about what your priority is:

  • Health professions programs are costly. A gap year (or multiple years) could be a great time to get a job and save up some money. If you are concerned about loan payments starting after graduation, the AAMC has some great information about your options.
  • Is your application as strong as you want it to be? There are many areas of your application to consider here:
    • How are my academics? This includes GPA and entrance exam scores. You could utilize this time to retake some courses, do a postbaccalaureate program, or get a master’s degree.
    • Do I have enough clinical experience? This could be an opportunity to make up any clinical hours you were not able to get previously.
      • You could get a job that involves clinical experience. Professional school is expensive, so any opportunity to save some money is great.
        • Can’t get a job that involves clinical experience? Do some volunteer work when and where you can. Any opportunity to shadow is a good thing. You never know the connections you may make from it.
    • Have I done any research? More importantly, are you interested in research? This could be the time to get involved in research with a full time lab position.
      • Again, this can also be a way to save some money.
  • Is this health professions program really for me?
    • Maybe you need to take some time to explore other options. Health professions programs can be long, and you want to be certain that you are ready to commit to more years of schooling. You could use your gap year to explore other fields of interest.

 

Basically, you can do anything during this time, but be intentional about it.