After recently earning my Bachelor of Science in Biology and a certificate in Leadership & Ethical Development from American University, I decided that my next steps would be to obtain life experiences that would eventually inform my practice as a physician. Like any other graduate, my choice has come with some judgment and disappointment. How people feel about what I do next is not what has bothered me. What I find daunting is how the gap year stigma is still perpetuated, without any thought given to its basis. 

The stigma of the gap year(s) comes from the belief that young people could not possibly spend their time doing anything more meaningful than pursuing academia and that any break away from that will inevitably deter us away from our ultimate goal. Society has historically positioned the gap year as time spent doing absolutely nothing. Many people have asked me, well if medical school isn’t next, why not graduate school to receive your masters? To put it plain and simple, I have no need or want for it. Typically pre-med students attend post-baccalaureate or master degree programs following undergrad if their goal is to strengthen the merit component of their medical school application. Humbly speaking, I did well enough in undergrad to at least prove that I can handle the rigor of the hardcore sciences. I am grateful for my background in Biology, but my passion for public health has realigned my interests with pursuing a combined MD/MPH program following my gap year(s).

I truly believe most of the advice out there against a gap year comes from a good place. People have offered me a myriad of unsolicited advice since I’ve crossed over from the bubble of college life to the real world. I appreciate those who have congratulated, supported, and encouraged me. Although ultimately their recommendations fail to take into account the ever-rising costs of education, burnout in academia, and the pursuit of other passions. 

My decision not to matriculate directly into medical school isn’t something new. From the end of my sophomore year, I knew that I was not financially or mentally equipped to apply to medical school in my junior year of college. For those of you who aren’t familiar, the medical school application is a selection process like no other. Contrary to applying to college in your senior year and starting higher education upon graduation — the application process for medical school begins in June following your junior year and ends in April of your senior year of college.  

I decided on a gap year for ME. I decided I needed the time off to rest and heal. I have talked previously about my experiences with burn out and how it affected my health in undergrad. Thank God I got that wake-up call when I needed it the most. Burn out came for me during semesters where I took 18 credits, did extracurriculars, worked a part-time job, and interned 15 hours a week. It came for me when hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated my home, and I was managing my family’s finances. It came when the demands of school pushed me to skip meals daily during my senior year. Check out Leading Your Own Life for how a morning routine has helped me to work around this!

Everyone’s path to wherever they’d like to end up will look different. Much of the speculation that graduates receive for doing a gap year is met with the idea that gap years will derail us. When, in fact, many of us are using this time to position ourselves in the best place to eventually pursue higher education. I am proud of what I accomplished in undergrad. Every single graduate should be! We all need to shed more light on the importance of self-care in academia because it has become all too de-humanizing. My gap year(s) will be filled with a service program molding young minds, MCAT prep, remote freelance writing ventures, community programming, and much needed time with family and friends. I am confident that this will prove to be my power chess move and I am looking forward to it! 

If you’re reading this and you’re considering taking time off, don’t let your friends, family, or community make you feel like you’re making a mistake. You know what’s best for you. Reach out if you need any resources. Sending you love and light.