The Pros and Cons of NOT Taking a Gap Year Before Medical School

Is a gap year worth it? In this video I discuss my experience applying to medical school without taking a gap year. There are definitely pros and cons.
Contents:
00:43 Pro - Being younger when you enter & leave medical school
01:33 Con - Going through major stress while still in undergrad
03:02 Pro - Not having an academic break
03:35 Con - Having less time to improve your application (extracurriculars, MCAT, GPA)
04:30 Pro - Facing lower standards for extracurriculars
05:29 Con - Having less time to grow as a person & mature
06:05 Pro/Con - Not having/getting to move away for a short time
06:58 Pro - Having fewer years of pre-med stress
07:50 Con - Not having as much money
08:17 Conclusion
Instagram: @michaelgongwer
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[@sciolynerd5517]

This man took like a negative gap year by graduating in 3 years. Thats amazing!!

[@MM-tw5mo]

You will be in your 30s by the time you’re done your residency: 4 years of medical school, 4-6 years for PhD, and then post graduate training with possible fellowships. You’ll be well into your 30’s.

[@SKARTHIKSELVAN]

Thanks for your video. I almost agree with all your pros and cons.

[@almiraalmira1451]

Micheal, Have you decided where you are gonna go for medical school? Also, how would the content of your channel change after you start med school, just curious. A big supporter of your channel!

[@michaelgongwer]

Thanks for your support! I have decided on a school, and the video about that will be out in the next few weeks. Once I start med school, I plan to start making some videos on my med school and MD/PhD program experiences while still mixing in some advice for applications!

[@amuwu1525]

Hey Michael! I am a freshman in college I had a rough semester this second semester and received two C's in psychology classes which coincide with my major. I haven't taken any pre-med classes yet, so my science GPA could still be a 4.0 if I hypothetically get all A's. Since those two C's though I have felt very discouraged is there still a chance to bounce back?

[@michaelgongwer]

There is definitely a chance to bounce back! Definitely put in your best possible effort into the science classes when you start taking them, especially in the beginning. Put in way more effort than you think is reasonable at the start of a class and then tone it down if you find that it's unnecessary. This prevents you from getting behind and builds a strong foundation that you can build on.

[@ayeshazahrah680]

I have a quick question. I am a student who came in with advanced college course work and thus I entered college as a sophomore. I will be graduating in 2021. Would you think it would be good to take a gap year or just apply with only 2 years of undergrad?

[@ismaelcherif1375]

Have you received an answer to this question from anyone because I’m very curious as well?

[@ayeshazahrah680]

Ismael Cherif nope not yet!

[@michaelgongwer]

Hey Ayesha! That was exactly my situation as well! I ended up deciding not to take one, but I really think I would have had a lot stronger of an application of I had an extra year for extracurriculars. If you're confident your application will be strong, okay with not getting in most of the places you apply, and okay with a lot of stress from cramming everything in two years it's possible to go straight through. Otherwise I'd recommend a gap year, it would have saved me a lot of stress haha