Pre-Health Growth Year Guide

This guide explains what a growth year is, why you might consider taking one, and offers suggestions for activities to undertake.

What is a growth year?

A growth year, also known as a gap year, is a break between undergraduate school and graduate or professional school.

How common is it to take a growth year?

It is becoming more common for pre-health students to take growth years. The AAMC 2023    Matriculating Student Questionnaire reported that 73.2% of matriculants said they took at least one year before starting medical school. While numbers are not as readily available for other healthcare disciplines, most data indicates an upward trend in growth years.

Why do people take growth years?

People take growth years for many reasons, but the main goal for pre-health students should be to strengthen your application and ensure you are a strong candidate. That can vary depending on the areas you need to improve.

Does taking a growth year reflect negatively on me?

In most cases, no. If you use your time wisely, a growth year can be presented as a way to show how you’ve worked to develop yourself, and this is viewed positively by admissions. Be careful not to refer to your growth year as “taking time off”. This suggests that you didn’t do anything productive or meaningful.

What should I do during a growth year?

As stated previously, that will depend on what aspects of your application you need to improve.  Below are some ideas for ways to use your time wisely.

Improve entrance exam scores

If you’re considering retaking an entrance exam, these resources may help:

Improve GPA or complete prerequisites

If you haven’t taken all of your prerequisites, you might consider non-degree courses or a post-baccalaureate program. Special master’s programs are a good option if you need to boost your GPA or prove you can successfully handle rigorous science and math courses.

Gain Experience

Gaining experience is a vital part of the pre-health process. It allows you to see how providers interact with patients and get an understanding of work environments as well as daily tasks and duties, helps you decide if this is the right path for you, and allows you to develop important skills.  If you’re lacking observation/shadowing hours, research, volunteering, leadership, patient or animal experience, check out the information on the Pre-Health Advising website regarding extra-curricular activities.

Grow Personally

If you’re satisfied with your grades and exam scores, and you have plenty of clinical experience but don’t feel ready for graduate or professional school, you might choose to take a growth year to grow personally, developing skills like resilience, emotional intelligence, maturity, and cultural competence, all of which are essential in healthcare. If you pursue a personal growth year, be intentional about how you spend your time and be ready to reflect on what you learned.  Admissions committees value experiences that build self-awareness and real-world understanding.  Examples include:

  • Working in a non-clinical job to strengthen communication and professionalism
  • Volunteering with underserved communities to build empathy and cultural awareness
  • Leading a project or initiative that shows leadership and resilience
  • Caring for a family member to understand healthcare from the patient’s side

The most important thing is to connect your growth back to how it will make you a stronger future healthcare provider.