Best Medical Schools for Families

[Cornfed101]

I have been scouring the internet trying to find which med schools are friendly towards families, and I am not finding a ton out there. Probably because it is rare. After my sole MD interview so far I was severely underwhelmed by the amount of support for non-trads and families. There were 47 people at the interview and I was one of only two people that were married, and the only one with kids.

Needless to say, I want to know, have any of you gone to an interview or currently attend a medical school that is more friendly towards families? I am starting to realize that this might be the most important factor in choosing a medical school for me. It seems like DO schools, in general, are much more catering to non-trads as my DO interviews had many more people with families and we met a lot of med students that have families and do just fine. The things that I am looking at specifically:

1. COA budget - is it generous enough to supplement a family or is it is literally meant for a single student living in a dumpster and eating only ramen? And don't say "it's only meant for a single student!" I know that, but, for example, RVU gives $35k and Creighton gives $20k for living. Denver isn't that much higher COL than Omaha.
2. Are there other families there? - my wife is very social... and so are my daughters (too much sometimes)
3. Are you moving a bunch during rotations?

This won't really have a huge effect on me at this point in the process. I already applied and picked my school list, but this may be helpful for future family people.

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[StarSpangled]

Great idea for a thread! I have wondered this too. At my first interview, a student told me that he didn’t know of any moms in the school but that there was a pregnant MS4. At my second interview, the faculty interviewer told me I’d be the only mom she knew of (in a Med school of close to a 1000 students). It does make me worry that I won’t find my place among the student body and that they’ll be an expectation for me to be just as engaged socially but without my family included. Although I have applied to schools where you have to move for rotations, I am not about that and heavily favor not moving.

I have no idea what to expect for financial aid, I assume because FAFSA asks about dependents this must be factored in? No clue.

 

[Cornfed101]

Great idea for a thread! I have wondered this too. At my first interview, a student told me that he didn’t know of any moms in the school but that there was a pregnant MS4. At my second interview, the faculty interviewer told me I’d be the only mom she knew of (in a Med school of close to a 1000 students). It does make me worry that I won’t find my place among the student body and that they’ll be an expectation for me to be just as engaged socially but without my family included. Although I have applied to schools where you have to move for rotations, I am not about that and heavily favor not moving.

I have no idea what to expect for financial aid, I assume because FAFSA asks about dependents this must be factored in? No clue.

I've definitely noticed a little more love towards families at DO schools. At one of my interviews, one of the OMS2s at lunch was a single dad with a 5-year-old. I was definitely picking his brain!

With FAFSA for med school just about everyone qualifies for total COA. The problem is that $20k COL is tight to live on when I can't really live with roommates... I have heard that some schools let you get additional loans for daycare expenses though. I don't think that is universal, but I am not sure.

 

[StarSpangled]

I've definitely noticed a little more love towards families at DO schools. At one of my interviews, one of the OMS2s at lunch was a single dad with a 5-year-old. I was definitely picking his brain!

With FAFSA for med school just about everyone qualifies for total COA. The problem is that $20k COL is tight to live on when I can't really live with roommates... I have heard that some schools let you get additional loans for daycare expenses though. I don't think that is universal, but I am not sure.

Wow, single dad in medical school. That’s no joke!

Yeah I’m not sure how that’s gonna work with my husband’s income... guess private loans are an option at worst.

 

[deleted1010363]

I have been scouring the internet trying to find which med schools are friendly towards families, and I am not finding a ton out there. Probably because it is rare. After my sole MD interview so far I was severely underwhelmed by the amount of support for non-trads and families. There were 47 people at the interview and I was one of only two people that were married, and the only one with kids.

Needless to say, I want to know, have any of you gone to an interview or currently attend a medical school that is more friendly towards families? I am starting to realize that this might be the most important factor in choosing a medical school for me. It seems like DO schools, in general, are much more catering to non-trads as my DO interviews had many more people with families and we met a lot of med students that have families and do just fine. The things that I am looking at specifically:

1. COA budget - is it generous enough to supplement a family or is it is literally meant for a single student living in a dumpster and eating only ramen? And don't say "it's only meant for a single student!" I know that, but, for example, RVU gives $35k and Creighton gives $20k for living. Denver isn't that much higher COL than Omaha.
2. Are there other families there? - my wife is very social... and so are my daughters (too much sometimes)
3. Are you moving a bunch during rotations?

This won't really have a huge effect on me at this point in the process. I already applied and picked my school list, but this may be helpful for future family people.

I know this doesn't have much to do with your discussion but just curious as to what you gpa was? I just noticed you put High MCAT and low gpa. After I am all said and done (with straight A's in all BCPM courses) the best I will get is a cGPA of 3.05 but a sGPA of 3.81. I am also a non-trad like yourself. 34 years old, never married, no kids but have plenty of life's debts lol.

 

[Cornfed101]

I know this doesn't have much to do with your discussion but just curious as to what you gpa was? I just noticed you put High MCAT and low gpa. After I am all said and done (with straight A's in all BCPM courses) the best I will get is a cGPA of 3.05 but a sGPA of 3.81. I am also a non-trad like yourself. 34 years old, never married, no kids but have plenty of life's debts lol.

PMd you

 

[Cornfed101]

The catch, of course, is a military commitment for all of you and you must be physically able to join, which not a lot of people are.

That’s a pretty big catch. I thought about it, but I don’t really want to be deployed and be away from my family for that long. Also don’t love the idea of the military saying “oh you want to do that speciality? We don’t really need that”

 

[Tiran145]

I am a married M1 at Creighton who has one child. 20k is plenty to live on in Omaha. Honestly I felt the same way you did as I was in the interview trail last year. My class is pretty young and I am one of only a handful of people with kids, One other guy just had a baby a couple weeks ago, I don’t feel like it’s a big deal or anything. Everyone loves my kid and hanging out with her. It is what you make it. I don’t think the school has as much a difference as the location of the school and proximity to your or your partners family.

 

[never-too-late]

I haven’t had any MD interviews, but in my DO interviews some schools seem more family friendly than others. In general, parents *might* have a difficult time putting together the kind of application that makes them a competitive MD applicant. I found it almost impossible to get volunteer hours, for instance, as a single mother of 3 in school full time. I’m definitely feeling like my application fell short. I did think, however, that my top choice DO school was family supportive. They had representatives who had families in school at every event I attended. It almost seemed like they were reaching out to us parents.

the military route probably is great if you’re not a single parent or too old. I’m both. I am freaking out a little about how difficult it’s going to be to live my life and go to medical school!

 

[Cornfed101]

proximity to your or your partners family.

I am envious of people who have this option. My parents and my wife’s parents both live in the rural west ~500 miles from the nearest med school. Luckily, my wife has a real talent for making new friends where ever we go, so I’m not too worried about the social network aspect.

 

[Tiran145]

I am envious of people who have this option. My parents and my wife’s parents both live in the rural west ~500 miles from the nearest med school. Luckily, my wife has a real talent for making new friends where ever we go, so I’m not too worried about the social network aspect.

Ya I am too! We live 700-950 from either of our families. You get breaks and can visit. Finding a good network at your new school is key though!

 

[deleted367183]

We had a LOT of people with kids, maybe 10, in my class at the University of Cincinnati. Through secondhand knowledge, the administration wasn't all that supportive, but everyone graduated.

 

[sandstone]

RVU was good for my family and I, although finances were hard. Maxed out COA and borrowed from family to continue a nice lifestyle, home, neighborhood, etc. Midwest would be easier in terms of finances.

The absolute key to lifestyle is going somewhere where a lot of lectures are not required! This will open up a lot more time with family and for studying.
Also, you have to have rotation options near the school so you dont have to move your family as much. I got to stay in Denver all four years which was good.

I recently posted links to a lot of what I've said about this over the years:

Applicants/Students/Residents married and/or Kids - Support and Advice thread

So, it has been a while since I have made a support thread. I noticed that there is a very large number of applicants here on SDN that are either married, have kids, or both but there is not a central location for us to gather information on what it is like to be a premed, med student or...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Good luck!