Undergrad Burnout - Why I took Gap Years and Why I’m Glad I did!
By Anonymous Premed
I can wholeheartedly say that my undergraduate years were ROUGH. As an undergrad majoring in biology on the premed route, trying to balance all the science courses, work, extracurricular activities/volunteer work, a social life while simultaneously transitioning from a teenager to an adult and trying to get some sleep? Difficult!! And unfortunately, my undergrad years were an exceptionally tough time for my family and me with a series of family problems along with dealing with personal health issues. With all of this happening in my life, I was BURNED out by the end of my undergrad career. The passion for being a doctor was fading and it was no longer a priority. I knew I would not dedicate myself to MCAT studying or submitting a solid medical school application. So I spoke to my premed advisor, and she suggested I take a gap year (or in my case gap yearS) off to figure things out.
Deciding to take a break was something I didn’t think I would do. I always had this picturesque formula of how my life would go and that I would go directly from high school to undergrad to med school to residency. However, I forgot to account for one critical variable: STUFF HAPPENS.
To be frank, I did feel a bit down on myself for taking gap years primarily because I was constantly comparing myself to my peers who were traditional medical school applicants that got accepted. Often, I found myself wallowing in self-pity, comparing myself to others, or thinking that time was running out for me (so dramatic!). I was also a little bit LOST not being in school, I think a big part of my identity was always related to being a student, so when that part was gone, I was like, so now what, who am I?!
Now I’m glad to say I am far removed from this mindset. Taking gap year(s) is the BEST decision I made for myself. I discovered who I am outside of school and got the time to know me. I had time for my personal life and even worked on making myself a stronger medical school candidate. First, I was able to gain clinical experience working as a medical assistant, which provided me valuable patient care experience and made me rediscover my passion for medicine. Next, I was able to reconnect with my community, join community organizations, meet new people, participate in community events, and contribute to problems in the community. I mentored and tutored high school students, which gave me so much fulfillment and joy. I also discovered new talents and started hobbies I never had time for, such as photography and baking/cooking.
But I think the most important takeaway I had from doing gap years was prioritizing my mental health. The me that graduated college was burnt out and exhausted, but this time off rejuvenated me. Not only was I was able to address my family and health issues and work through those, I now am equipped with the right tools to manage my stressors and find the right balance between work and life. I fixed my unhealthy mindset of comparing myself to others and got over my obsession with adhering to this timeline that was set by unrealistic expectations or other people’s standards. Now because of this time off, I know that the version of me that will be applying to medical school will be the best version of myself.
To the undergrads who may be reading this although I am glad with my gap years and loved it and do not regret it one bit - this non-traditional route may not be aligned with what you want for yourself - and that’s okay! What matters the most is you figure out what is best for YOU and do the actions that best suits what you need and want for yourself!
