PURPOSE
The residency match cycle has become increasingly competitive, and students
are having to rely less on academic performance and more on research projects
and extracurricular activities. As such, students seem to be taking an
additional year in their medical education to allow time for research or
teaching endeavors. Despite this trend, research remains limited on the
benefit of these additional years. The purpose of the current study was to
survey medical students who took an additional year during their medical
education to complete a research year or academic fellowship. Ideally, study
results would improve understanding of how such experiences influence
academic performance, residency application outcomes, and career development.
METHODS
Matched graduates of medical schools in the Midwest region were surveyed to
assess the risks and benefits of these additional years in relation to their
career outcomes. The online survey asked for the following information: background
of participants, responsibilities during the additional year, research
involvement, academic performance during didactic years, board examination
performance, shelf examination performance, residency application and match
outcomes, and perceived impact of the additional year.
RESULTS
Thirty-one participants completed the survey, and 93.5% (n=29) felt that
the additional year was valuable. Self-reported match data indicated 74.2%
(n=23) matched at their top choice program, and 90.3% (n=28) indicated they
consistently performed average or above average on shelf examinations after
their fellowship year.
CONCLUSION
Results indicated students who took these additional years during their
medical education still achieved high scores on standardized clinical and
board examinations and were competitive match applicants despite the break in
traditional education.