Understanding Reasons for Electing Gap Years between Undergraduate Education and Medical School and the Impact of Gap Years on the Student Experience of Medical Education

Gap years have grown in popularity among students attempting to go to medical school in recent years. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), more than half of matriculated students now have taken time off between their undergraduate studies and medical school. Although man...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Advances in physiology education 2021-12, Vol.45 (4), p.886-894
Main Authors: Rashid, Haroon, Kibble, Jonathan D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptability
Adjustment (to Environment)
Affordances
College students
Goal Orientation
Medical Education
Medical schools
Medical Students
Motivation
Professional Identity
Reflection
Resilience (Psychology)
Scheduling
Stress Management
Student Development
Student Experience
Student Motivation
Teamwork
Time Management
Undergraduate Study
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Summary:Gap years have grown in popularity among students attempting to go to medical school in recent years. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), more than half of matriculated students now have taken time off between their undergraduate studies and medical school. Although many claim benefits to taking gap years, research on the impacts of these experiences on medical students is largely nonexistent. This study aimed to qualitatively analyze the gap year phenomenon and its impacts on medical students through semistructured interviews conducted at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. Through these interviews, the research team collected in-depth responses that were thematically analyzed. Analysis revealed the following major themes regarding the impacts of gap years: (1) adaptability to change and failure; (2) professional identity formation and understanding of team role; (3) understanding the "real world;" (4) refocusing of goals; (5) resilience and stress management; and (6) reinforcement of motivation.
ISSN:1043-4046
1522-1229
DOI:10.1152/advan.00059.2021