Sometimes it can be difficult to talk to family and friends about a potential change in your professional plans (especially if it involves changing your application timeline). We’ve included some information that can help you start the conversation, and address common concerns that others may have.
Does taking time between graduating and applying to health professions school hurt my chances of being accepted?
No. In fact, if you look at the average age of applicants and matriculates to the most popular health professions, you’ll see that they are higher than a traditionally aged graduate. This means that a majority of people are taking time off before going to professional school.
What do health professions schools expect me to do during that time off?
It depends. A good bridge year choice for one person, may not be a good choice for someone else. In general, professional schools will expect that if there is a weakness in your application that you’re using that time to improve. For example a student who needs to work on increasing their Science GPA would be best served by taking additional science coursework, not by focusing on increasing their clinical exposure (to learn more about post baccalaureate options click here). On the other hand, an applicant with little clinical exposure would not likely want to pursue a master’s degree during their bridge year, but instead would be expected to be devoting more time to clinical experiences.
Are the only applicants that take bridge years, people who have weaknesses in their candidacy?
No. Every year we have strong applicants who choose to take a bridge year or years for a variety of reasons. The five most popular reasons include:
- More time to prepare for entrance exams.
- More time to complete pre-requisite coursework.
- More time to gain clinical exposure.
- More time to prepare their application materials in order to submit their application early.
- More time to explore additional opportunities such as full time employment, study and travel abroad, or hobbies and other student organizations and interests outside of pursuing the health professions.
Are there any negative consequences to applying to just a couple schools to “see how it goes” and then applying as a re-applicant if I’m not successful?
Yes, there can be negative consequences for being a re-applicant to health professions school. First it’s important not to underestimate the financial, emotional, and psychological drain that being unsuccessful in the application process can create. Most application processes from start to finish are 18 months long and consistent rejection during such a long period of time can have a major impact on you during that time.
Secondly, health professions schools do take into account good decision making and judgment skills of their applicants. The decision to put forward a candidacy with low academic or clinical qualifications can lead admissions committees to question whether you took the time to research the application process and make sound decisions. As good decision making skills are an incredibly important quality of a health professional, a decision to go forward previously could have an impact on your second application attempt.
It is possible to be successful as a re-applicant to health professions schools but it is important to identify the weaknesses that lead to your previous unsuccessful application cycle. Applicants that are able to identify these weaknesses, pro-actively improve them, and update other aspects of their application (including personal statements and letters of recommendation) have a good chance of having a successful application cycle. It is also important to remember that some weaknesses may take longer than others to improve upon therefore it is not always possible for a candidate to make the changes necessary in time to re-apply the very next cycle.
To read essays from current U.Va students and alums who have taken a bridge year click on the following links:
