Would wanting to take a gap year decrease my chances of getting into medical school?

I'm wanting to take a gap year for travelling mainly. And i want to go into medicine. Though i am not sure, whether taking one will be looked down upon... I'm thinking of going to sheffield, leeds, nottingham, which are quite competitive.

I could not write it on my ucas application, and then ask for the offer if i get one , to be deterred . But then i have heard taking one could support my application form. I don't know :confused:

Reply 1

Hygeia

14

Pyropink

I'm wanting to take a gap year for travelling mainly. And i want to go into medicine. Though i am not sure, whether taking one will be looked down upon... I'm thinking of going to sheffield, leeds, nottingham, which are quite competitive.

I could not write it on my ucas application, and then ask for the offer if i get one , to be deterred . But then i have heard taking one could support my application form. I don't know

Generally medical shcools don't mind gap years providing you use them constructively (getting more experience in healthcare environments etc).

If you are planning on applying before the gap year, then apply for deferred entry at the start, don't wait til you get interviews/offers and add a sentence or two about your gap year plans to your personal statement.

N.B. ALL medical schools are competitive!

Reply 2

Pyropink

OP

1

Hygeia

Generally medical shcools don't mind gap years providing you use them constructively (getting more experience in healthcare environments etc).

If you are planning on applying before the gap year, then apply for deferred entry at the start, don't wait til you get interviews/offers and add a sentence or two about your gap year plans to your personal statement.

N.B. ALL medical schools are competitive!

But what if i was to get the offers, and then ask for a deferred entry? Are they likely to listen?

I'm just scared that if i tell them beforehand it may be harder for me to get in, like may ask more harder questions or get put off. Cause tbh i'm just gonna travel around places, and not really do anything too productive

Reply 3

bigman_ben

11

Shouldn't be an issue at all. Someone I went to college with got some experience at the hospital and local surgery then spent this past year selling furniture at house of fraser making quite a bit of commission in the process.

Reply 4

Pyropink

OP

1

I'm wanting to take a gap year for travelling mainly. And i want to go into medicine. Though i am not sure, whether taking one will be looked down upon... I'm thinking of going to sheffield, leeds, nottingham, which are quite competitive.

I could not write it on my ucas application, and then ask for the offer if i get one , to be deterred . But then i have heard taking one could support my application form. I don't know :confused:

Reply 5

No Future

17

Not at all. I know loads of medics (inc myself) who took gap years

Reply 6

Hygeia

14

Pyropink

But what if i was to get the offers, and then ask for a deferred entry? Are they likely to listen?

NO. You have to apply and ask for deferred entry at the start. The only way they might consider letting you after giving an offer would be in extenuating circumstances. (as far as I know)

I'm just scared that if i tell them beforehand it may be harder for me to get in, like may ask more harder questions or get put off. Cause tbh i'm just gonna travel around places, and not really do anything too productive

Just throw in a couple of weeks work experience somewhere and they shouldn't mind if you do lots of travelling as well.
The only way to know for sure what they'd think would be to ring/e-mail some of them and ask.

Reply 7

Renal

17

The schools want you to do gap years and go off to do exciting things - they don't want another ******* schoolkid. They'll accept it provided you have plans to do something at least a little worthwhile.

Reply 8

Baki

12

Pyropink

I'm wanting to take a gap year for travelling mainly. And i want to go into medicine. Though i am not sure, whether taking one will be looked down upon... I'm thinking of going to sheffield, leeds, nottingham, which are quite competitive.

I could not write it on my ucas application, and then ask for the offer if i get one , to be deterred . But then i have heard taking one could support my application form. I don't know :confused:

Some of them encourage gap years.

Reply 9

CHEM1STRY

11

Gap years are good and bad.

Reply 10

No Future

17

CHEM1STRY

Gap years are good and bad.

How are they bad? I am so glad I took a gap year and feel it has been strongly advantageous to me and I gained lots of experience, learned a great deal, made friends, contacts and have a job which I can go back to. Plus I earned a little bit of money to help me through med school. The loans don't cover the basics :frown:

I have absolutely no regrets about taking a gap year...though it did make me less excited and more cynical about medicine than I would have been had I gone straight from school

The only 'bad' thing (if you can call it bad) is that I am slightly older than my peers...and some of the second...and third years!

(In Scotland they finish school a year earlier than in England)