Growth Year Opportunities

Planning and taking a growth year is one of the best things you can do to become a competitive applicant for professional school. There is no downside to using that time to grow yourself and moreover, professional schools see growth years as mature decision making. Taking a growth year is more common than you might think.

“Growth Year” vs “Gap Year” 

Language is powerful in how we describe ourselves and our goals. “Growth year” implies a time to learn, serve, and grow yourself with intentional experiences that strategically help you become a stronger, more competitive applicant. “Gap year,” on the other hand, connotates taking time off between school or work. This term can make you feel like your time is wasted and not spent growing yourself. That’s why we encourage students to talk about and plan for their growth year(s).

Why Growth is Important 

Professional schools and their admissions committees value candidates who have taken the time to make thoughtful and mature decisions while growing and reflecting on their professional competencies.  Applicants who are in a rush, underprepared, or want to just “throw their hat in the ring” are not strong candidates. Planning for and using the time a growth year provides does not hurt your chance for admission, and it can make all the difference in a successful application.

How to Make the Most of Your Growth Year(s) 

How you spend your growth year(s) might look different from other professional school applicants. The most important thing is that you spend the time in a way that will prepare you to be successful. Here are some ways successful applicants tend to spend their growth year(s):

  • Increase shadowing and clinical experience.
  • Complete research, internship or abroad experience.
  • Finish their undergraduate degree with a strong GPA and take senior year advanced and upper division courses or add a minor/certificate of interest.
  • Complete a graduate or postbac program.
  • Take time to breathe, reflect, recharge and work/volunteer in a rewarding experience.
  • Live as an independent, employed adult.
  • Earn money to pay off debt.
  • Stay connected to medicine/shadow throughout your growth year.
  • Reflect on their career path and research “target” schools based on values and mission.
  • Pre-write their personal statement and secondary essays.
  • Prepare for a strong entry exam (e.g., MCAT, GRE, DAT).

Where to Start

If you are unsure of how to make the most of your growth year, start by completing this self-evaluation. It will help you get an overview of where you might want to prioritize your time. Then, meet with your PPAC advisor for a one-on-one conversation to determine your strengths, weaknesses, and options to leverage your growth year(s). Expanding upon the list above, it might be helpful to address areas of improvement in terms of academic and non-academic opportunities.

If you completed an undergraduate major in something without the prerequisite science and math courses, or completed the prerequisite courses with lower grades (or low over-all GPA) you can:

  • Take additional courses or re-take prerequisites.
  • Get a second bachelor’s degree in a science major.
  • Complete a relevant postbac program.
  • Look for a program that offers a postbac-career changer program.
  • Consider graduate courses.

We highly recommend you talk to your PPAC advisor first to explore your best options.

If your academic record and prerequisite courses are strong, consider these non-academic areas to balance and strengthen your application. If you have an experience that takes you into a non-medical field, that’s okay, but find time to also include medical experiences/shadowing. No matter what you choose, be sure to stay connected to your medical field of choice during your growth year(s).