Health Careers Advising

Gap Year

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Gap Year

The phrase “gap year” is commonly used to describe the period of time between the end of an undergraduate program and the start of medical school. While for some applicants it is one year, there are many students who take 2 or more gap years. The majority of students at US medical schools have taken at least one gap year, so this is actually the most common path to medicine.

There are many reasons to consider a gap year, such as strengthening your candidacy by gaining experience, improving your GPA or test scores, paying down debt, or taking time to explore more during your undergraduate years. You may also want to take a gap year in order to rest, reflect, and recharge before beginning the rigorous medical school journey. There are a number of reasons to take a gap year and also some reasons not to. The important thing is to make the choice that best fits your personal situation.

Why Take a Gap Year?

The primary advantage of a gap year is that you simply have more time. Because you won’t be applying until the end of your senior year (for 1 gap year), you have an additional year of your undergraduate experience. This allows you to spread out the medical school prerequisite courses and MCAT timeline, which then allows you to have more time to pursue your other interests and activities. This additional time can be to participate in more research and perhaps even a publication. It provides time for more clinical experience so you have a better understanding of the profession you are applying for. It also allows you the opportunity to gain more from your time at Brown.

During your gap year, you will have time when you are not in school - likely for the first time you can remember! There are many ways to take advantage of this opportunity. You can participate in activities that strengthen your application, although it is important to note that these will not be on your primary application as you will submit that before your gap year begins. This extra year can provide a mental break from academics, allow you to explore the world outside of college, pursue your passions, pay down debt, start a new business, or just take the time to do that one thing you have always wanted to do but never had the time.

Why Not Take a Gap Year?

Probably the most common reason that most students do not take a gap year is that it will delay the start of medical school and therefore the time until they become a physician. Some applicants are nontraditional and therefore have already seen a good bit of life and are ready to get started. Others love learning and the academic environment and do not want to leave it. Some may need to begin making payments on undergraduate student loans and would rather start medical school and defer those until later. Finally, it can be difficult to explain to family and friends that a year off is the common path to medical school and students face pressure to keep going.

Should I Take a Gap Year?

Only you can decide on your readiness to apply to and begin the rigors of medical or health professional school. Because of this, there is no “right” answer on whether or not to take a gap year. Some things to consider in making your decision of whether or not to take a gap year:

Consider the strength of your application: Are there aspects of my application that could benefit from more attention or activities during a gap year?
Set up two timelines: What do your next 5 years look like with a gap year? Without one?
Keep an open mind: Avoid comparisons. This is your journey. Don’t be afraid of an opportunity even if it means taking a gap year.

What Should I Do During a Gap Year?

Some students view a gap year as a way to fill a “gap” in their application. However, this is not an effective strategy unless you plan 2 gap years because you will need to submit your application before your gap year begins. While you can provide updates during the application year, these will not be available on your initial application. Instead, we recommend that you have a strong application when you submit your primary application and then use your gap year to pursue activities that you are passionate about. Here are a few activities that you might consider for your gap year, but these are just a suggestions and there are many more options:

Some students pursue a Masters degree in an area that interests them or complete a 5th year Masters program here at Brown. Others students may take additional coursework to help prepare for medical school, take one last medical school requirement, or to increase their overall GPA (but this last option is typically only successful with 2 gap years).

This time can be an opportunity to participate in a fellowship, conduct additional research, work in the clinical environment, volunteer in any number of settings, start a new business, take on leadership roles, work in an environment outside of medicine, or participate in any number of other experiences.

You can also use this time to take a rest from the stresses of academia and take the time to remember why you love learning. It is also a good time to organize and prepare your environment, family and self for the next 4 years of schooling. You can take some time to travel or save money and pay down debt before starting what is an intense experience in medical school that will drastically limit your free time.

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no set amount of time for a gap year so long as they are productive and the activities strengthen your position as a candidate.

A gap year is not required to enroll in medical school. However, there are many advantages to a gap year so we recommend that you keep your options open as you prepare for medical school.

First - get organized and become familiar with your loans. Federal loans and private loans have different requirements and programs. Typically, you have a 6-9 month grace period after graduation to begin making payments. If you do not feel that you can make these payments, you can request a deferment (will not accumulate interest) or forbearance (payments are delayed, but interest will accrue).