Taking a gap year before Medical School is a common thing for premed students to do. There are lots of reasons why students take a gap year and many things to consider.
If you are a premed student deciding whether or not to take a gap year before med school or you are already taking a gap year and want to make the most of it, read this all-inclusive post on gap years before med school.
Contents
- What Is A Gap Year Before Medical School?
- Benefits Of A Gap Year Before Medical School
- 1. More Time Means More Clinical Experience
- 2. No Need To Cram For The MCAT
- 3. Chance To Increase Your GPA
- 4. Extra Time To Accomplish Personal Goals
- 5. A Quick Breather
- 6. A Transition From The College Mindset
- 7) Learning Real-life Skills
- 8) An Opportunity To Do Research
- Disadvantages Of Taking A Gap Year Before Medical School
- 1. Less Time With A Doctor Salary And More Time With Student Loans
- 2. Readjusting Back Into The Student Mindset
- 3. Losing Focus
- Is It A Bad Idea To Take A Gap Year Before Medical School?
- Questions To Ask Prior To Taking A Gap Year Before Medical School
- What Percentage Of Medical Students Take A Gap Year?
- What To Do During a Gap Year Before Med School?
- Medically Related Jobs For Your Gap Year Before Medical School
- 1. Medical Scribe
- 2. EMT
- 3. CNA
- 4. Medical Interpreter
- What Do Most Pre-Meds Do During a Gap Year?
- What Do Medical Schools Like To See In A Gap Year?
- Taking 1 vs 2 Gap Years Before Medical School
- Taking A Gap Year Can Open Doors To Other Passions
- Tips For Staying Motivated During Your Gap Year Before Medical School
- 1. Watch Motivational Youtube Videos
- 2. Stay In Touch With Your Premed Friends
- 3. Get A Job In The Medical Field
- Important Tips If You Are Trying To Avoid Taking A Gap Year Before Medical School
- 1. Take The MCAT Early
- 2. Do Your Extracurriculars On Time
- 3. Maintain A Good GPA Early On
- So, Should I Take A Gap Year Before Medical School?
What Is A Gap Year Before Medical School?
First of all, what exactly is a gap year before medical school? The unique thing about medical school is its very long application process. No matter where you go to med school, the application process takes over a year before matriculation.
It’s because of this that many pre-med students take at least one gap year while they wait through the application process. The only way to avoid a gap year is to take the MCAT prior to the summer after your Junior year in college and apply before senior year.
Is it possible, yes. However, things don’t always go smoothly enough to make this happen. Therefore, students plan to take 1 or multiple years off after college in order to become competitive enough to be accepted into medical school.
Benefits Of A Gap Year Before Medical School
1. More Time Means More Clinical Experience
Medical schools love to see clinical exposure, but sometimes it is hard to find time during your undergrad to get a lot of experience. A gap year can give you that extra time you need to make yourself competitive for medical school.
Giving yourself a whole year with a freed-up schedule can provide the opportunity to engage in a bigger commitment, such as becoming EMT certified and working in an ambulance, or in my case becoming a full-time scribe. These sorts of experiences are highly beneficial because they give you the opportunity to be truly immersed in the medical field.
As a student, you are limited to how many extracurriculars you can do. Sure you can scribe on the weekends or visit the local soup kitchen, but you don’t have the time to obtain the certifications required to take your medical experience to the next level.
Further Reading: 4 Ways Scribing Can Make Medical School an Easier Experience
2. No Need To Cram For The MCAT
I remember during my junior year students were studying for the MCAT to take it in May in order to be able to apply as an early applicant. Some of these students were basically taking a full course load at the same time. I understand the desire to do that, and I admire those who are able to get a competitive score doing that, but still, a lot of people won’t be able to find enough time to prepare and will end up taking it again.
With a single gap year, you are given the opportunity to spend your whole 90-day summer preparing for the MCAT full-time. That is the ideal amount of time to study, and you won’t have to worry about taking classes at the same time.
Further Reading: When is the best time to take the MCAT?
3. Chance To Increase Your GPA
We all know that getting accepted into medical school requires a competitive GPA. This doesn’t mean your overall GPA has to hit the median of the school you are applying to, an upward trend can make you very appealing to medical schools.
One way to increase your GPA and make yourself competitive for medical schools is to do a post bacc program. There are post bacc programs designed specifically to enhance your GPA for medical schools. Some of these programs even offer a master’s degree which makes it easier to receive student loans, makes your medical school application even more impressive, and gives you a backup option for other job opportunities.
4. Extra Time To Accomplish Personal Goals
This is possibly the greatest benefit of a gap year. Sometimes we just do not have the time to accomplish our personal goals whether it is training to compete in a triathlon or starting a blog.
Pursuing some personal goals such as these is not only self-liberating but also another attractive addition to your medical school application. Often times pre-meds get so consumed in the cyclical grind of studying and test-taking that they forget to develop themselves and their personal lives. It is necessary to take time to become the person, and ultimately the doctor, you want to be.
5. A Quick Breather
Yeah, we’re pre-med students and we are generally hard-working, but there is nothing wrong with slowing down a little bit and enjoying the little things.
Once medical school starts you will be working your butt off, which will be awesome because it will be what you love, but you won’t have as much time for family and friends. A gap year is an opportunity to spend some more time with those around you.
6. A Transition From The College Mindset
I understand that this won’t apply to everyone — some people actually have a very structured schedule where they wake up early and go to sleep early. Lots of college students, however, have very sporadic schedules. Some people sleep in till 1PM to attend their first class and stay up till 3AM studying.
In general, college can very easily screw up any stability in one’s schedule with all the social and academic events. Gap years can help develop a more disciplined schedule through any sort of standard, full-time job. This will help for medical school because when you develop a habit of waking up early and going to sleep at a decent hour you will be better at staying on top of the rigorous course schedule without having to pull all-nighters.
7) Learning Real-life Skills
College can be a bubble that protects you from real-world problems. Dealing with employers, negotiating salaries, maintaining a home, and learning how to work in a teamwork environment are a few examples.
In medical school and residency, you will be expected to balance life with an increasing workload. Having already experienced life will help you develop skills that will help you develop this balance.
8) An Opportunity To Do Research
Having real research experience can help you down the road when you are considering things like residency. If you spend a year or two doing a lot of the groundwork, the publication process can continue while you are in medical school so that by the time you are applying to residencies you can have your name on real published studies.
Disadvantages Of Taking A Gap Year Before Medical School
There are lots of benefits to doing a gap year before medical school, but this article would not be all-inclusive if I did not list the disadvantages as well.
1. Less Time With A Doctor Salary And More Time With Student Loans
I’m sure you have heard of compounding interest. Well when you delay receiving that big doctor paycheck by the year, you delay paying off your loans for another year and more importantly you delay building your retirement investments!
One year of delayed salary can significantly affect how much your retirement savings compound over the years.
2. Readjusting Back Into The Student Mindset
It’s true that doing a gap year before medical school can help you develop some real-life adult skills. But it can also take you out of the student mindset.
Throughout college, we develop a really good study routine to keep up with those difficult premed courses. Taking a gap year can make you rusty. After my gap year, I picked those study habits back up very quickly and it didn’t really affect my grades. But nonetheless, it is something to consider if you are planning on taking a gap year, especially multiple.
3. Losing Focus
Getting into medical school requires tunnel vision. If you are taking a gap year and doing something unrelated to medicine, you could lose sight of the end goal of becoming a physician. Losing focus can make it difficult to get back into the grind of med school.
Is It A Bad Idea To Take A Gap Year Before Medical School?
After listing the pros and cons of taking a gap year before medical school, you can see how it’s not necessarily a bad idea to take one.
It all depends on your personal circumstances.
Without the right reasons, a gap year can put you behind. However, if you are doing something productive and making yourself a better medical school applicant, you can really increase your chances of getting in.
Medical schools will not see taking a gap year as a negative unless you haven’t added anything to your application that year.
Questions To Ask Prior To Taking A Gap Year Before Medical School
Before you decide to take a gap year before med school, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. Remember, it is important you are making yourself a better applicant overall. Here are some questions you would want to ask yourself:
Did you have a rough start in college and need the extra time to increase your GPA?
Did you have the opportunity to study for the MCAT while in school? Could you score better on the MCAT if you studied for it without distractions from school or a job?
Do you have other goals you want to accomplish in life?
Do you need to mentally recover from your undergrad?
Are there any research opportunities you can take advantage of? Volunteering abroad? Medically related jobs?
Did you do any extracurriculars during your senior year that you want to make sure are included on your application?
What Percentage Of Medical Students Take A Gap Year?
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) the average age of incoming medical students is 24 years old which means that a large percentage of students nowadays take a gap year before medical school.
The AAMC also did a survey which showed that 43.9% of students who matriculated into medical school took 1-2 gap years, 13.4% took 3-4 years, and 7.9% took 5 or more.
In this day and age, med school students are becoming older and older. Why is this? My guess would be due to the fact that entrance into medical school has become more and more competitive.
What To Do During a Gap Year Before Med School?
If you read the benefits of taking a gap year before med school you would have seen some of the things you can do during a gap year. To reiterate, and give you more ideas, here is a list:
- Take the MCAT without distractions from school or work.
- Improve your GPA with a post bacc program.
- Accomplish personal goals.
- Research.
- Gain clinical experience.
- Get another degree that you can incorporate into your medical careers such as marketing, business, or even something like history.
- Volunteer abroad.
- Shadow more physicians.
- Gain residency in a state that accepts more in-state students (such as Texas).
- Save up to reduce student loans.
- Buy real estate you can use during medical school and rent out to additional students.
Medically Related Jobs For Your Gap Year Before Medical School
Getting a healthcare job that can give you experience related to being a doctor is a very good idea.
Here are some ideas for premed jobs that would be perfect for a gap year before med school:
1. Medical Scribe
Being a scribe before medical school is becoming more and more popular. I personally was an ER scribe and loved the experience.
You are essentially shadowing a physician all day long. Not only that, but you are learning the physician lingo, medical terminology, how an ER or clinic functions, and much more. You will also get to develop professional relationships with doctors that you can use to receive a letter of recommendation.
2. EMT
Another popular premed job is becoming an Emergency Medical Technician or EMT. Being an EMT can be a very fun and rewarding experience. Depending on where you live and how long you work as an EMT, you can also get jobs that work close to physicians such as an ER tech.
Given the nature of the job, you can also expect to have some great stories to tell during your medical school interviews.
3. CNA
Working as a CNA can be fairly similar to working as an EMT. Most CNAs will get a job working for a nursing home at first but usually have the opportunity to become an ER tech as well.
4. Medical Interpreter
Speak Spanish fluently? Hospitals are constantly looking for medical interpreters to act as the liaison between physicians and non-English speaking patients. This job can essentially be like getting paid to shadow a doctor and actually provide an important task for the hospital.
What Do Most Pre-Meds Do During a Gap Year?
According to the AAMC study referenced above, here is how premed students spend the years between college and medical school: (By the way, the percentages add up to more than 100% because some students did more than one option. Also, this survey was done in 2019.)
- Worked at another career 53.3%
- Worked to improve finances 38.5%
- Continued coursework to fulfill premedical requirements 13.7%
- Took premedical courses for the first time 6.4%
- Pursued graduate studies 23.0%
- Worked/volunteered internationally 11.9%
- Worked/volunteered in research 45.4%
- Helped fulfill family obligations 22.2%
- Other 14.2%
What Do Medical Schools Like To See In A Gap Year?
There isn’t anything specific that medical schools like to see in a gap year. The only thing they care about is that you are being productive and doing things that will ultimately make you a better doctor.
This doesn’t mean you have to commit to working in a healthcare-related job or do research. You could enter into an entirely different career in order to develop skills that make you a better leader and a team player. Or you could travel abroad to experience different cultures. As long as you are enriching your life in some way you will be a better applicant for medical school.
That being said, it is still recommended to do some volunteering, shadowing, or other premed extracurriculars on the side since you will have a whole extra year with plenty of free time.
Taking 1 vs 2 Gap Years Before Medical School
It is fairly easy to get into a situation where you need to take 2 gap years before medical school instead of 1.
For instance, if you haven’t taken the MCAT before graduation, you will want to devote the entire summer after undergrad to study for the test, which puts you in the late application category. A late application means that most likely you will need to apply at the beginning of the following summer. By the time you matriculate into medical school, you will have taken 2 gap years.
Above is an example of a student’s plan to do 2 gap years before medical school.
There isn’t anything wrong with doing 2 or even more gap years. Just keep in mind that the cons I listed earlier in this article will affect you even more as you increase the number of gap years you take.
Taking A Gap Year Can Open Doors To Other Passions
If your dream is to be a doctor, taking a gap year should not detract from this ultimate goal. However, if you discover that you have another passion, wouldn’t you want to know?
I know most pre-med students don’t want to think like this. Getting into medical school requires tunnel vision to make it. However, tunnel vision can blind you from discovering other careers that could make you just as happy or even happier. It’s a catch 22.
If you decide to take a gap year, be prepared to possibly lose that tunnel vision and consider other paths. If you decide that becoming a physician was your calling despite the distractions, you will have helped eliminate the doubt that could creep in later in your career.
If you are the kind of person who loses interest quickly, keep reading for some tips to remain determined.
Tips For Staying Motivated During Your Gap Year Before Medical School
A year is a long time. Without the constant studying and premed-related activities you do during undergrad, it is easy to lose sight of the end goal of becoming a physician.
This is something I personally struggled with but was able to maintain that motivation through various methods. Here are my top 3 tips for staying motivated during your gap year before medical school:
1. Watch Motivational Youtube Videos
I used to watch Youtube videos of surgeries during my gap year. Becoming a surgeon was my end goal and watching those experts at work was super motivating to me. There are tons of premed, med student, and physician channels out there that are full of motivational videos.
2. Stay In Touch With Your Premed Friends
Some of your premed friends may be in medical school by the time you take a gap year. Others might be taking a gap year just like you. Stay in touch with your premed friends as much as possible. Keep each other motivated and you will be in medical school before you know it!
3. Get A Job In The Medical Field
Working as a scribe, EMT, or CNA not only looks good on your application but can also keep you motivated. These jobs give you the opportunity to work closely with physicians and see them in action!
Important Tips If You Are Trying To Avoid Taking A Gap Year Before Medical School
There is nothing wrong with taking a gap year before medical school, but maybe you just started your undergrad and you really want to try avoiding a gap year. Here is some advice.
1. Take The MCAT Early
If you are really trying to avoid taking a gap year, it’s important you start planning to do this early on as a pre-med. Consider taking the MCAT as early as the summer before Junior year if you want to devote a whole summer to it.
2. Do Your Extracurriculars On Time
You want to make sure you do the extracurriculars you want to be seen on your Medical School Application before your senior year. Yes, you can update your Medical School application at any time during the application cycle, but you are more likely going to be seen if you put all the important stuff in your initial submission.
3. Maintain A Good GPA Early On
Getting good grades is obvious advice but nonetheless it’s worth reiterating how quickly you can lose control of your GPA if you are not on top of it from day 1. If you have already messed up your first year of college there is still a chance to show a strong upward trend but this could mean delaying entrance to medical school since you will need the extra time to redeem yourself.
So, Should I Take A Gap Year Before Medical School?
If you have read this entire post you should have a good idea of whether or not doing a gap year before medical school is right for you.
More and more medical school applicants are taking gap years so there is nothing wrong if you need to take one or more. Just make sure you have a plan that will make you a better applicant. Increase your GPA, take the MCAT, work as a scribe, earn another degree, there are so many different things you can do.
I’ll leave you with one more piece of advice: Enjoy your gap year.
This is your chance to get things done that you won’t have time for during medical school. Go on a vacation, start a new hobby, and hang out with your friends. You just spent 4 difficult years as a premed student, you deserve a break!
FAQs
Does it look bad to take a gap year before med school? ›
No, it's not bad to take a gap year if you make the most of your time. Remember, more applicants take a gap year than not; ensure you use this time to strengthen your medical school application!
Does taking a gap year affect med school admission? ›Our medical school admissions committee members say that typically, no one regrets a gap year. The discoveries you make about yourself during your time off could end up defining your application.
Can you take a year off to pursue something during med school? ›Many students take time off because of their specialty choice. Taking one year off to do research and get abstracts and publications can be very helpful if you are interested in competitive specialties like dermatology, neurosurgery, head and neck surgery, urology, etc.
When should I take the MCAT if I'm taking a gap year? ›If you are taking a gap year in between graduating from undergraduate work and applying to medical school, it is best to take the MCAT by early May of your senior year to get your score before submitting applications in June. This will also give you an opportunity to retake the MCAT if necessary.
How many gap years do most medical students take? ›The truth is that the average applicant is 24 years old, meaning that most candidates actually take TWO gap years.
What percentage of students go back after a gap year? ›And as for the worry that a temporary step away from formal schooling might cause people to abandon the academic track altogether, some 90% of gap-year takers return to college within a year.
Do universities care if you take a gap year? ›Most universities see the advantages of deferred entry and welcome the maturity and motivation, as well as the additional experience, that an applicant who has taken a gap year can bring to their degree.
What do colleges look at if you take a gap year? ›Colleges will view gap years much the same way they'll view anything else in your application—they'll judge how you used the time that you made for yourself, how you grew during it, and what you might have learned or built in terms of skills that could help you in your area of study.
Does a bad semester ruin med school? ›Bad grades are an indication that you should evaluate these things and even re-evaluate your desires to go to medical school. You cannot maintain the status quo after a bad semester. To sum it up, one or two bad semesters do not ruin your chances.
Is 30 too late for medical school? ›Yes, medical schools do accept older students. According to medical school admissions specialists, it is certainly possible for someone age 30 or over to be accepted into med school.
What is the dropout rate for premed? ›
The AAMC found that about 95.5% of med students in 6-year programs graduated. That is notably higher than the graduation rate of those who went through the standard 4-year medical school program. That equates to a dropout rate of less than 5%.
When should I take the MCAT if I want to start medical school in 2023? ›If you plan to go straight into medical school, we recommend you take the MCAT during the summer after your sophomore year. If you're planning on taking a year off after college to travel and what have you, we recommend taking the MCAT during the summer between your junior and senior years.
Does it look bad to take the MCAT 3 times? ›Because medical schools receive ALL of your exam scores, it is important to limit your retakes and be strategic with your testing. Unfortunately, taking the MCAT more than three times can indicate to prospective medical schools that you struggle with the required prerequisites and content.
How many times can you take the MCAT before it looks bad? ›You can take the MCAT up to three times per year. You can take the MCAT up to four times during a two-year period. You can take the MCAT up to seven times during your lifetime.
What is the toughest year of medical school? ›Year one is the hardest year of medical school.
Many students will likely disagree, but the first year is widely recognized as being the most difficult. The majority of the first year of medical school is spent in classrooms and labs and requires an enormous amount of memorization.
Those entering medical schools who are committed to completing the program are 81.6 percent to 84.3 percent. So, what is the dropout rate for medical school? In a standard, single four-year program, that would put the medical school dropout rate at between 15.7 percent and 18.4 percent, confirms the AAMC.
Is 25 med school too many? ›On the high end, we recommend you don't exceed 40 schools. However, it's not merely the size of your medical school list that matters, but also the specific programs. If your medical school list is too aggressive based on your stats, you'll want to apply to more schools to achieve the right balance.
What are the disadvantages of gap year? ›Distraction: Having a year to think about your career can distract you to consider your little hobbies as passion. The student of present time has the authority to choose career on their own but considering a hobby as a future option that has a lot of risk will not help you to stand upward.
Where do most gap year students go? ›- Thailand. With sixteen million foreigners flying into Thailand each year, there's no wonder it's top of the list for gap year students – it's a pretty special place.
- Australia. ...
- USA. ...
- South Africa. ...
- Peru. ...
- Vietnam. ...
- Brazil. ...
- India. ...
Taking a gap year, however, comes with several risks: The student might never return to college. According to the Gap Year Association, 90% of students who participate in a formal gap-year program enroll in college within a year. This means that 10% do not return.
Does a gap year hurt your chances? ›
Taking a gap year before college (or university) won't affect your admission chances if you use your experience wisely. Make sure you understand when and how to mention your gap year when applying for college. Taking a gap year before college means you'll get to enjoy the best of both worlds.
Do colleges hate gap years? ›Many universities view gap years favorably but they shouldn't be taken solely to enhance a college application. When sharing your gap year experience on your application, be sure to make meaningful connections between how your time abroad relates to your academic life.
How can a gap year hurt? ›If used unproductively, it can hurt chances of admission. Studies show that high school students who delay enrolling in college by a year tend to earn credentials at lower rates than those who enroll right away.
Does Harvard recommend taking a gap year? ›We encourage admitted students to defer enrollment for one year to travel, pursue a special project or activity, work, or spend time in another meaningful way - provided they do not enroll in a degree-granting program at another college.
What are the pros and cons of taking a gap year? ›- ✅ PRO: It's a great way to learn new things, outside of your comfort zone. ...
- ❌ CON: Travel preparation can be stressful. ...
- ✅ PRO: It's a break from traditional education. ...
- ❌ CON: If you don't set goals, it could potentially waste a lot of time.
- ✅ PRO: You'll return home with a new sense of maturity and confidence.
Reach out to your recommenders and request letters two to three months before your applications are due to ensure that you are able to find alternative writers if necessary.
Does anyone regret med school? ›Depending on the survey, up to 50% of physicians regret pursuing medicine or wouldn't recommend their kids become doctors. But on the other hand, many people who didn't pursue medicine in their 20's feel regret and wonder “what if”, and some number pursue medical school as non-traditional students later on in life.
What is the hardest subject in med school? ›- Biochemistry. Most medical students agree that biochemistry is by far the most difficult topic you will find on the USMLE. ...
- Microbiology. ...
- Pathology. ...
- Ethics/Medical Legal Issues. ...
- Neuroanatomy.
In general, pre-med students are advised to retake courses in which they have earned a 'C. ' In reality, one or two 'C's will not rule out medical school for anyone, especially for otherwise high-achieving students.
How old is the average med student? ›Historically, the average age of a medical student would be considered about 22 years old. But according to the annual Matriculating Student Questionnaire from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), nearly 70 percent of students who began their medical studies in 2021 were 23 or older.
How old are most doctors when they graduate? ›
Average Age Of A Medical School Graduate
You'll be at about 26 years old when you graduate from med school if you study in the US. After graduating from high school at 18, you'll spend 4 years in college and yet another 4 years in med school.
Most med students are around 24 years old when heading into their first year. The average graduating age is 28, but it's never too late to go to med school. Non-traditional applicants often fear it may be too late to attend medical school. It's important to know there is no age limit to attending medical school.
How many Premeds quit? ›Only 16.5% of students who intended to major in pre-med graduate college with the required coursework for medical schools. Attrition rates are highest initially but drop as students take more advanced courses.
How many med students quit? ›Our attrition rate is relatively low (6.8% (53/779) and 5.7% (45/779) when students who transferred were excluded) compared to other studies [2, 4, 6–8, 11, 12, 14–16, 19, 21, 22, 26, 28, 31, 33, 37–39]. A recent meta-analysis found an average attrition rate of 11.1% (2.4–26.2%) [3].
What percent of people never get into med school? ›It's also true that many applicants: a) are borderline qualified or unqualified; b) make serious application mistakes; or c) both. Therefore, if you have solid stats and apply the right way, your odds of getting into medical school will be higher than the roughly 36 percent overall acceptance rate.
Can you take a gap year during medicine? ›Gap years during medicine or dentistry degrees
Once you've started studying medicine, many people choose to take a gap year between their foundation years and beginning a specialty. This is a natural point to take a break from your studies and try something new. Intercalation can form part of this.
Does withdrawing from a class look bad for medical school? Withdrawing will only look bad for medical school if there is a suspicious pattern, such as repeatedly withdrawing and then taking the classes at community college instead. Otherwise, having a few withdrawals does not look bad.
Can I get into med school with a withdrawal on my transcript? ›But there's also the issue of how a “W” on your transcript will affect your chance of admission to medical school. The truth is that withdrawing from one or two classes is not going to hurt you at all. In fact, it's a lot better than having an “F” on your transcript, since W's are not factored into your GPA.
What should Premeds do in a gap year? ›There are five categories of experiences that we will discuss: pursuing more education, conducting research, working in healthcare, studying for the MCAT, or gaining other professional experiences. Remember, you can combine multiple of these options during your gap year!
What should I do in my gap year before Medicine? ›If you have any major gaps in your resume, taking a gap year is a chance to address those and gain experience in the right areas. Community service, research or volunteering gap year opportunities can all help give your application to medical school an edge.
Is it worth it to get a masters before med school? ›
Graduate students can pursue research projects that can lead to presenting their work at conferences, and hopefully publications. This can be a huge advantage for your medical school application! Many programs have thesis and publication requirements, so these would work well in improving your skills and application.
Do most Harvard med students have a gap year? ›The makeup of the class reflects a wide range of academic interests and backgrounds, with the majority of students having taken one or more gap years: 73 percent of HMS students and 34 percent of HSDM students have pursued other interests during the gap between college and medical or dental school.
Is failing in medical school normal? ›Getting Bad Grades in Medical School. I'm not going to sugarcoat it: most of us fail at least once in medical school. Unless you're one of those rare students who can absorb knowledge like a sponge, failure is all part of the process.
How many W's on a transcript is bad medical school? ›Myth 1: Having a “W” will disqualify you from medical school. FALSE: Having a “W” does not automatically disqualify you from medical school. Although it is best to not get a “W,” it can be forgiven as long as you do not make a habit of it. As a general rule of thumb, having one “W” should not be too big of a deal.
How many C's are acceptable for med school? ›Medical schools do not accept a grade of C- or below in required courses. If you do retake a class both grades will appear on your transcript. Medical schools recommend that instead of repeating a course you take upper division science courses in the same area to increase your knowledge and boost your GPA.
What is the average med school GPA? ›The most recent data shows that the average GPA for medical school matriculants in the United States in 2021-2022 were as follows: Overall GPA: 3.74. BCPM (biology, chemistry, physics, and math) GPA: 3.67. Non Science GPA: 3.83.
How bad does withdrawal look? ›In most cases, dropped classes will simply appear as “W” (withdrawal) on your transcript. This means that the class will not count toward your GPA, but it also won't have a negative impact on your academic record.