No ortho research - take a year off?

Hello!

I'm 2/3 of the way through my MS3 at a med school with a top 10 ortho program. I have a 260 on Step 1 and honors in medicine, surgery, neurology, and psychiatry, as well as 10+ pubs in a non-surgical field.

I'm really interested in orthopedic surgery, and I'm wondering if I need to take a full research year to match *anywhere* (vs. helping out with as many research projects as I can now)

Thank you!

Research is part of the big puzzle. It can only help. Unfortunately everyone that applies now has an average >250 and has all the same things you've done. Try to find something outside of medicine that makes you someone that they will remember during interviews.