cassica Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Hey Everyone! This idea has crossed my mind numerous times. Is it bad if you don't enter the match after you finish med school? Some people say it is a red flag for your application the year after. Others, say it wouldn't change a thing. what sorts of things have you heard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiel Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 Hey Everyone!This idea has crossed my mind numerous times. Is it bad if you don't enter the match after you finish med school? Some people say it is a red flag for your application the year after. Others, say it wouldn't change a thing. what sorts of things have you heard? Just curious, but what reasons would you have for not entering the match? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
007 Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 I don't really know the answer to this, but my guess is that if you had a reason like having a baby or some great opportunity to pursue, that it wouldn't hurt your application. But if you sat around for a year just because you wanted to, that might not look the greatest. However, I don't know enough about the application to know if you would be given the opportunity to explain your circumstances on the application itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyMax Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 Hey, My only advice would be to have a plan and to be able to justify it, because that is something that could definitely be viewed as a red flag. If you have a good reason for not entering the Match and are prepared to talk about it if asked, then I don't see why not. It's just the year out of the loop that would drive me absolutely nuts! There was one student from the class above mine that opted out of the Match in their year to do some extra education at a pretty prestigous university (I'm not saying what program or which school, so don't bother asking). That person rejoined the Match in my year and ended up matching along with my class without any difficulty. So it definitely can be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassica Posted November 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 Thanks for your replies! I guess if I were to take a year off, it would be for myself. By 4th year, you get pretty exhausted and I don't see why taking a year off should be frowned upon - but that is just my opinion. Besides, I bet alot of people end up doin family just to get residency over with rather than resting and going back to do a longer residency they really enjoyed. I am going to enter the match but just wanted to throw the idea of not entering the match to all of you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 Hi there, I know some folks who are considering opting out of the match this year as well. Their rationale: to get a better grip on which career path they'd like to pursue. It seems that voluntarily taking a year to do something constructive might be viewed as much more positive than simply not matching and entering the next year's CaRMS cycle. Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satsuma Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 If you don`t feel in the right frame of mind to start residency, it could be a good reason to take a year off, IMHO. I can`'t comment on how it will be looked at for Carms the following year. Just wanted to share a story of a doc that while in first year residency became very disenchanted with medicine and didn`t want to do it anymore. So he asked for all the vacation that he would have had throughout his residency all in one clump. They gave it to him...he travelled and something happened during that time off. He came back and ever since then, he has been fine in medicine....though I have no idea how he survived the remainder of residency with no vacation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crackers Posted November 9, 2006 Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 TAKING A year off might be a good idea. Sanity might be preserved. However, if you have loans, and you lose your student status, they go into payment mode after 6 months for national student loans, and depending on your bank, your principal payments may begin... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JewelLeigh Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 If you go to a 4-year med school, it also might make more sense to take a year off between 3rd and 4th year if you need to rejuvenate yourself. (If you are not already in 4th year.) That way, you won't have to worry about a Carms red flag as much, and you will be ready and enthusiastic to do your 4th year electives. This way, you'll hopefully be rejuvenated enough to make a better impression during electives, and the resulting contacts and references will be more up-to-date and timely for the match. Just a thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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