Gaps between college and starting an MD-PhD program are adding years to physician-scientist training time.

ABSTRACT: The average age when physician-scientists begin their career has been rising. Here, we focused on one contributor to this change: the increasingly common decision by candidates to postpone applying to MD-PhD programs until after college. This creates a time gap between college and medical school. Data were obtained from 3544 trainees in 73 programs, 72 program directors, and AAMC databases. From 2013 to 2020, the prevalence of gaps rose from 53% to 75%, with the time usually spent doing research. Gap prevalence for MD students also increased but not to the same extent and for different reasons. Differences by gender, underrepresented status, and program size were minimal. Most candidates who took a gap did so because they believed it would improve their chances of admission, but gaps were

SUBMITTER: Brass LF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8986071 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature