Gap Year Opportunities

Updated 6/2025

Gap year(s) are between your undergraduate studies and your start of professional student. Use this time to specifically work on areas you are concerned with for your future application: working in the field (clinical), enhancing your service, improving your academic record, or gaining clinical research experience if applicable. You may also decide to combine these with admissions test prep. This year should be meaningful, productive, and make you a stronger candidate.

A word of advice: although travelling is great, make sure you have strong outcomes from this year! AAMC has this helpful article, "Making the Most of Your Gap Year"

Post-Graduation Academic Programs

Employment Opportunities

Research Opportunities

Post-Graduation Academic Programs

For those who need to strengthen their academic (especially science) record OR for those moving into healthcare from a non-science major a graduate program or a post-bacc program are helpful options. Below are some FAQs and things to consider when choosing a program:

FAQ

What are the different types of programs?
- Grade enhancer vs. Career Changer: grade enhancers are for students who already have science prerequisites but need to improve their science record. Career changers are for those whose undergraduate major was not science focused and thus need most or many science prerequisites
- Master's, vs Post-bacc Certificate Programs: Post-baccs are a continuation of your undergraduate record and do not confer an additional degree. They are often shorter in time than master's programs as well
How do I choose?
- This may be influenced by what professional school you want to attend or what you plan to do before professional school. For example, some programs have linkages with professional schools that provide you a guaranteed interview or seat. Alternatively you may want a master's degree if you plan to work or apply to other career opportunities before professional school.
- If you have a fairly low GPA, a Master's program is likely going to suit you better as your graduate transcript and GPA will stand alone plus you will be taking more upper level courses. If you specifically need science coursework, make sure you enroll in a science coursework, preferably meant as a pathway to your professional school of choice.
Do I NEED one of these?
- If your science academic record is below average or you feel you want more preparation academically before the rigorous professional curriculum, this route could be a good fit. However, if your academic record is strong but you need to improve in areas such as admission test or clinical and service experience, then you are likely better of using your time to develop those areas and not pursue one of these programs.

Some other considerations:

Cost of the program
Length of time to complete
Does it require a minimum undergraduate GPA?
Does it require an MCAT or other admission test score to apply?
Does the program offer linkage agreements or affiliations with health professions schools? (e.g. guaranteed interview for maintaining a certain GPA)

A starting point to search for post-bacc programs (not all may be listed):

AAMC’s Postbacc Database, search by state, public/private, certificate, program focus, and graduate/undergraduate level
PostBacCAS: search for post-bacc programs that participate in this centralized application service to help you complete academic prerequisites for admission to different health professions programs. Programs that do not participate in PostBacCAS handle their application processes separately.

Employment Opportunities

Becoming a Medical Scribe is a common employment opportunity for pre-health students to gain experience in healthcare settings. Assist physicians of clerical or secretarial duties so they can focus more directly on clinical care. The scribe is an unlicensed person and exclusively non-clinical. They do not touch patients and do not engage in any type of patient care. A scribe’s role is limited to documentation and efficiency management for the physician. The scribe observes the physician during patient encounters and performs documentation on the physician’s behalf. Under the direction of the physician, they enter information into the patient’s electronic or written chart in the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. All documentation is reviewed and edited by the physician. It is signed with an attestation by the provider that the scribed chart accurately reflects all work, treatment, procedures, and medical decision making performed by them. These positions may be part-time or full-time positions. See the Opportunities (Off-Campus) for some scribe companies.

Research Opportunities

There are often many research opportunities posted on job search engines but below are some other research opportunities. Doing research (clinically focused preferred) is especially important for those of you interested in becoming a physician scientist or applying to medical schools with high research expectations!

Become a National Alliance of Research Associates Programs (NARAP) Chief Research Associate at an affiliate hospital around the U.S. (including Jefferson) and volunteer 20 hours/week to conduct clinical research in the Department of Emergency Medicine!

Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Program

Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP)