Gap Year for Research: Is It Worth It?

For medical trainees interested in practicing in a highly competitive specialty such as otolaryngology, what are the merits of taking a gap year to do research, typically between the third and fourth year of medical school?

For residents who choose a dedicated, prolonged gap year—typically one to two years of research—how does that choice contribute to their future career?

As an increasing number of students take a gap year for research, some even before applying to medical school, questions are being raised as to its merits, and the potential workforce implications such a gap year may have (JAMA. doi: 10.1001/jama.2024.19750).

Although data are lacking on the number of students taking a gap year to do research, either before applying to medical school or during medical school, the trend toward students taking a gap year is well recognized, and there is growing interest in what this may mean for medicine. As noted in a 2025 commentary published in the American Journal of Medicine (Am J Med. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2025.11.021), more attention is needed to understand how the growing prevalence of gap years may affect the predicted physician shortage of 86,000 physicians by 2036, as well as the toll it may take on trainees in terms of financial debt. The authors propose questions that need to be raised to understand the impact of gap years:

Are gap years truly necessary to prepare undergraduate or medical students for their next phase of training, or could their educational benefits be adequately conveyed via existing curricula? Are there ways to identify outstanding candidates for medical school and residency that do not rely on the curriculum vitae embellishment derived from an extra year of clinical work or research?

In otolaryngology, several studies document these issues and questions as the trend in delaying entry into otolaryngology by doing research has increased over the years.

A 2024 study by Boyi et al found that 28% of otolaryngology applicant responders to the Texas STAR survey reported a gap year, of whom 40% participated in research (Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. doi: 10.1177/00034894241261821). Among the other responders, 41% completed a Master of Public Health or Science (MPH and MSc), and 19% completed a Master of Business Administration, Education, or other degree (MBA and MEd). The study found that applicants who completed a gap year for research or an MPH/ MSc degree received significantly more interview offers than those without a gap year or those who received an MBA or MEd. Taking a gap year was not associated with match success, however.