The Infamous Gap Year(s): Will It Make or Break You?

"You are EXACTLY where you are supposed to be, and you have the amazing gift of navigating where you’ll go next."

The quick and cliché answer? The years spent between obtaining a baccalaureate degree and pursing your Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree is what you make of it. The circumstances by which one finds themselves hanging in the balance can be nerve-wrecking and discouraging. Watching friends begin their graduate programs and careers inspires a unique type of anxiety when our own lives are punctuated by a question mark. Do I have what it takes? Did I miss my window of opportunity? Will I get accepted this third time around? The truth is there is great power in uncertainty, and the unknown represents boundless opportunities for growth and transformation. I’ve learned my greatest lessons by veering off the path my family and peers expected me to take.

The Pressure to Be Pressed 

American culture is obsessed with productivity, and social media makes it so easy to feel like you’re being left behind! Phrases like “time is money” and “there aren’t enough hours in the day,” trick us into believing that every second spent outside of work or school is time wasted. When I announced to my parents that I would not be applying to PT school during my final year of university, they were distraught. I received remarks like “You won’t know how to ‘do’ school anymore,” and “It looks bad on your application,” but I held firm in my decision. The truth was I wasn’t ready to apply- I hadn’t studied for the GRE, I only had observation hours from one outpatient clinic, and in the words of all college seniors, I was “just trying to graduate!” Mentally I wasn’t in a space to rush the application process. And honestly, I didn’t want to go to school right away. I didn’t know it then, but because of that choice I realized the enormous power in being real with myself and aware of my circumstances. Plus, I had another dream- to move out of state for a year and join a dance company!

Make This Time Work for YOU

Whether your gap years were intentional or caused by forces outside of your control, making the most of that time in a meaningful way can be extremely fruitful! Naysayers make it seem like us “in-betweeners” will get lost in the rabbit hole of life and never make it to PT school. Although I know plenty of people who have, I believe that if becoming a physical therapist is truly your dream, you’ll make it happen. Having a strategic plan for your time-between is key, so here’s what I did to make sure I didn’t get lost in the sauce: 

1. Create a Timetable to Stay on Track

Although I took a year to “find myself,” (it was very Eat, Pray, Love), I knew my end game was PT school, so I mapped out the steps I needed to rock the application process. As soon as the next PTCAS cycle opened, I created my account to survey application deadlines and what information I’d need to input. From there, I broke the application down in sections and gave myself a specific amount of time to complete each portion. I also made a study schedule for the GRE (including taking practice tests) based on my ideal test date. That way I didn’t get overwhelmed. And if you need to retake a class or two, pencil in time for that as well!

2. Stay Connected to the PT World

Keeping in contact with your fellow classmates who are in the same boat as you or already in school is invaluable because it keeps you focused on your goal! It’s easy to start feeling isolated, so intentionally reaching out to people who are in your corner and understand what you’re going through is extremely comforting when the going gets tough. I also had a mentor in the PT profession who made a point to check on my progress!

3. Gain More Shadowing Experience

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Having shadowing or work experience in multiple clinical settings only helps your application! Additionally, seeing physical therapists in action and building relationships with patients served as a reminder for why I’m doing all of this in the first place.

4. Work on Yourself!

Although joining a dance company appears to be completely unrelated to physical therapy, the lessons I’ve learned about consistency, professionalism, and standing in my truth have made me a better human being and well-rounded student. My company experience as a dancer also served as the central topic for my PTCAS essay! How unique is that? This is why it’s important to write your own story, because we each have something unique to share. So many beautiful stories are forfeited for the fear of being different.   

5. Keep in Touch with People You’ve Asked to Write Letters of Recommendation

And I don’t mean send a weekly text asking “WYD?” A little goes a long way. These people are most likely very busy, so doing just enough to keep your name on their minds will suffice. I sent emails to my chosen professors and clinicians every few months to update them on any relevant progress on my application, and I’d ask them about their new research endeavors or that vacation they mentioned. Fostering a connection with these individuals shows that your relationship goes past you needing something from them AND is a great introduction to Networking 101!

6. Most Importantly, Enjoy This Time!

You’ll never get this time back, so don’t waste it by wishing your life resembled someone else’s. You are EXACTLY where you are supposed to be, and you have the amazing gift of navigating where you’ll go next.

So, what am I up to now?

Your girl got into two of the four programs she applied to, and I’ll be attending my first-choice school this fall! If I could talk to the scared, stressed out me one year ago I’d tell her this: this time-between will be some of the best time you’ve ever spent, and it’s okay to not have it all figured out. Facing the unknown is one of the bravest things you can do, and you’ll learn more about yourself than EVER when you go your own way.

 -Raphaelle Lazarre

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