Does it hurt us to take a leave of absence for a quarter? Is this going to be looked at negatively due to our shortened clinical experience?

It has been discussed nationally that all students had altered and less clinical time in 2020, and UCSF students will thus not stand out in that regard. 

Every year at UCSF, roughly 1/3 of the class takes a gap year leave of absence (graduating in five years). This is very common and we have not seen students suffer as a result of taking a leave of absence. The way a leave of absence is represented on the application should convey to programs how you used the time, why you felt it was important to you and what you gained from the experience. Be sure to describe it in a way that highlights your strengths and learning. 

In Career Launch, students can strategically schedule a hands-on rotation relevant to the specialty they are going into to give them more confidence and add to the residency application.