Are you non-trad moms and dads talking about parenthood on your app?

[velodork]

I feel like its pretty important information but I was surprised to see that there was not an area to add dependents in the Personal Information section of AACOMAS. Should I try to incorporate this fact into my PS instead? What are you guys/gals doing?

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[MrLogan13]

Does it have anything to do with answering the question of why you want to pursue medicine?

 

[FutureDrB]

I feel like its pretty important information but I was surprised to see that there was not an area to add dependents in the Personal Information section of AACOMAS. Should I try to incorporate this fact into my PS instead? What are you guys/gals doing?

My entire PS pretty much focuses on me being a single parent and overcoming the adversities that go along with that in my pursuit of medical school. I only touch on the "why medicine" briefly in the last paragraph. Mistake? Maybe. But, from the research I've gathered, ADCOMs want your PS to read like a story, not just be a statement about why you want to go into medicine...you'll address all of those questions in your secondaries.

 

[Bru]

Not really. Touched on it briefly in regards to my time management ability. It was part of my app by wasn't central (maybe a tertiary part).

There have been a few threads on the topic of late.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/single-mom-amcas-application-socioeconomic-section.1139446/

and others.

 

[Apk13]

It did not make it into my PS at all. It should not matter if you have dependents or not and why should it.

 

[futuredoc331]

Mine only made it into my PS because seeing the doctor and nurses in action during labor was one of the things that opened my eyes to the medical field. One of the nurses was especially excited to be part of it. Some time down the road when I was thinking about career options this stood out to me and started me on the path. Parenthood in and of itself isn't touched in it though.

 

[Amelie.]

I disagree with Apk13... Having children while working & attending school & involvement in research/clinical experiences is an entirely different ballgame then being a traditional applicant. You have the added responsibility of taking care of your children all the time. That requires a ton of patience, selflessness, and time - to say the least.

Personally, I debated mentioning it for fear it would come off like an excuse, however ultimately I did. I think it depends on your situation and whether or not having children was influential in your journey to applying to medical school. My son had some pretty serious medical problems when he was born and the experiences we went through together after his birth sparked my interest in the medical field in general. In that context, I think it is completely appropriate to mention in your personal statement.

*edited because I apparently do not know how to use the quote box yet

 

[GenusTide]

Tough question. I added it into my app but I know it adversely affected me with at least one program. Unfortunately AdComm's have a variety of people on them with different outlooks so there isn't a best answer but to be honest and sincere. Some will question how you will juggle the rigors of med school and others will congratulate you on how you've made it thus far. If I were to do it all over again, I would still add it but not put as much emphasis on the fact that I did it all while having kids. Just my 2 cents.

 

[NonTradJp]

Being a parent is part of who I am.

 

[ChE04]

My entire PS pretty much focuses on me being a single parent and overcoming the adversities that go along with that in my pursuit of medical school. I only touch on the "why medicine" briefly in the last paragraph. Mistake? Maybe. But, from the research I've gathered, ADCOMs want your PS to read like a story, not just be a statement about why you want to go into medicine...you'll address all of those questions in your secondaries.

I think that you have it backwards, personally. Your personal statement should focus on answering the "why medicine" question; if that involves your kids then great, but the secondaries are where you can expand on diversity, hardships, etc.

 

[VegasPreMed]

My wife (now pregnant) and daughter were briefly mentioned in one sentence of my PS. However, I added something my daughter and I are apart of in my work/activities section, and it was a most meaningful. I killed the last two years academically while my wife was in school full-time as well and we both worked 20-30 hours a week. If your situation is similar, I'd think it would be foolish not to mention it.

As others have said, family and children are inspirations, not excuses. Go that route and I'd think it's perfectly acceptable to mention it.

 

[velodork]

Being a parent is part of who I am.

hear, hear!

 

[MrLogan13]

hear, hear!

It may be part of who you are, but how does it answer the question of why you want to pursue medicine?

 

[Chlorini]

.

 

[FutureDrB]

I mentioned in my original comment above about making your PS read like a story instead of simply talking about why you want to be a physician... Someone just posted the article in another thread, so I just thought I'd share.

http://thedo.osteopathic.org/2014/11/personal-statement-advice-tell-story-experts-say/

 

[familyaerospace]

My kids were mentioned in my PS but only because it was relevant to that particular sentence which explained the rest of the paragraph.

You do need to focus on Why Medicine for the PS. If the kids are in it, great. If not... don't include it.

 

[velodork]

I mentioned in my original comment above about making your PS read like a story instead of simply talking about why you want to be a physician... Someone just posted the article in another thread, so I just thought I'd share.

http://thedo.osteopathic.org/2014/11/personal-statement-advice-tell-story-experts-say/

Totally. I feel like the generic PS will read like a checklist that directly addresses the "why" question but lacks anything truly "personal" in nature. That's fine and all, but IMO the PS is about leaving an impression on the person who is reading it, who may also be the person that decides to accept or reject you. I integrated the fact that I am a father into my PS because it pertained to part of my struggle during this process and reinforced the fact that despite everything medicine is still the right path for me. I also believe that adcoms take factors like parenthood into consideration the same way as a job during undergrad- it is much more difficult to succeed while balancing a work schedule, and the same is true for trying to raise kids. This is just one of the things that sets us apart from traditional students and is what makes us better prepared to succeed in medical school and beyond.

 

[FutureDrB]

Totally. I feel like the generic PS will read like a checklist that directly addresses the "why" question but lacks anything truly "personal" in nature. That's fine and all, but IMO the PS is about leaving an impression on the person who is reading it, who may also be the person that decides to accept or reject you. I integrated the fact that I am a father into my PS because it pertained to part of my struggle during this process and reinforced the fact that despite everything medicine is still the right path for me. I also believe that adcoms take factors like parenthood into consideration the same way as a job during undergrad- it is much more difficult to succeed while balancing a work schedule, and the same is true for trying to raise kids. This is just one of the things that sets us apart from traditional students and is what makes us better prepared to succeed in medical school and beyond.

While I certainly wish I was 10 years younger at this point in the game, I think the life experience, especially being a parent, does make me a more "well-versed" applicant. Not necessarily a BETTER applicant, but a more "holistic" applicant.

The way I see it, you're asking me for a personal statement, about me as a person and what's shaped me into who I am...that doesn't have much to do with my interest for a career in medicine. On the other hand, if you'd like a synopsis of my interest in medicine, my thoughts on the medical profession, philosophy on patient care, etc. I'll be happy to address those questions/issues in my secondaries, since from what I've seen in the secondaries thread, those are the questions they ask.

 

[gyngyn]

There is a box in the AMCAS primary that asks how many dependents you have.

 

[velodork]

There is a box in the AMCAS primary that asks how many dependents you have.

Its interesting that there isn't a space at all for that information on the AACOMAS primary? Then again, the entire AACOMAS application was much more simple and streamlined than the AMCAS app.

 

[gyngyn]

Its interesting that there isn't a space at all for that information on the AACOMAS primary? Then again, the entire AACOMAS application was much more simple and streamlined than the AMCAS app.

I've actually never seen an AACOMAS application!
All I've ever known is AMCAS...