Although many students apply to medical school the summer between their junior and senior year, many others decide to wait one or more years. We recommend you assess your application readiness prior to applying. While the list below is not 100% inclusive, remember that these and other can be sound reasons to delay application. Please give yourself permission to wait to apply if you need or want to:
- travel/study/work abroad for a while
- take a reflective pause to ensure this is still the career you want
- show your senior year grades to demonstrate grade improvement
- engage in additional coursework at the post-baccalaureate level to strengthen your academic preparation
- make time to finish your pre-requisites and/or adequately prepare for the MCAT
- garner more clinical exposure
- engage in additional research activities to be a more competitive MD/PhD applicant
- repair your credit score by working and saving for a while so you can be eligible to borrow money for your medical education
- take a rejuvenating break prior to starting medical school
- tend to some health or other personal issue before embarking in medical school.
Remember that the national average age for entering medical students is usually around 24 or 25 years. You will not be alone if you decide to wait one or more years prior to applying! See the information on Postbaccalaureate Programs and Gap Years for possible ideas.