Gap years after college are OK, but also not required

We get asked about this a lot. One or more years between college and medical school may be helpful for those with limited research experience during college or who want to take a break before plunging into an MD-PhD program. Note, however, that although we recognize that there has been a nationwide trend in which prospective MD-PhD applicants have been encouraged to postpone applying until after college we do not require it. This is particularly true for applicants who have done meaningful research in college and are otherwise ready to apply. The training path for physician-scientists is rewarding, but long. For many applicants, the right answer is to dive in and get started.