Taking a Gap Year – Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center

What is a gap year?

The period of time between graduating with a bachelor's degree and the start of professional school.

Applicants often take multiple gap years.

Professional school applications can be daunting and competitive, so taking one or more gap years can be pivotal.

Common reasons for taking a gap year or more:

To have a more competitive application for health professional school.
Engage in various activities such as volunteering, interning, and strengthening one's GPA or entrance exam score.
Pay down debt.
Take a break to travel, relax, and recharge.

Below are common ways applicants spend their gap year(s):

Employment/ Internship
- Enhance your résumé.
- Earn money.
- Great way to gain exposure and experience.
- Opportunity to explore a potential career path.
- Resources:
  - PAC Health Opportunities
  - PAC Current Opportunities

Volunteering
- Build relationships and make meaningful changes in a community.
- Can be health-related or non-health-related.
- Experiences can vary greatly.
- Can be beneficial as long as the experience is meaningful and valuable.
- Working in an environment related to their field of interest can help applicants gain exposure and experience interacting with people with whom they may work in the future.
- Resources:
  - PAC Volunteer Opportunities Page
  - PAC Current Opportunities

Shadowing
- Provides a realistic view of the profession and what working environments are really like.
- Establish new connections.
- Explore potential career paths.
- Resource:
  - Shadowing Tips

Classes
- Taking or retaking classes can help strengthen the applicant's academic record.
- May retake courses in which they may not have performed well to raise their GPA and better understand the concepts and content of that particular course.
- Consider taking new courses to further prepare for professional school.
  - For example, classes such as anatomy or physiology can help prepare students planning to work in health.
- Resource:
  - Recommended Health-Related Classes

Graduate Programs
- Master’s (MHP), PhD, or other degree programs
- Pursuing a graduate degree is another way for students to further improve their academic record.
- Resource:
  - Graduate Programs Offered at UH Manoa

Include gap year options and professional school application components (i.e. entrance exam, primary/secondary applications, interviews, etc.).
Have alternative options available in case there are any limitations or unforeseen challenges.
Ensure that the timeline is reasonable and doable.
Resource:
- Four-Year Plan Template

Apply to gap year opportunities EARLY!
Some opportunities have deadlines and limited space.
Applying early will allow applicants time to wait for decisions and seek other options.

Once the timeline is set, be active!
Take time to learn what you are doing in your opportunities.
Develop characteristics and skills for the future.
Form relationships with mentors, supervisors, and co-workers to connect with other professionals related to the field.