Pregnancy during Pharm School Interview

[sp10]

Hi All,

I could really use some advice from those already in Pharm schools. I will be applying for Fall 2011. I am married and we are planning on having a baby. If all goes well and I conceive now, my due date would be around the time of the Pharm school interviews i.e Jan/Feb 2011. Would they hold theypregnancy against me? Would they get the impression that I won't be able to focus on school?

Thanks for any advice )

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[Milly12]

You may actually be able to use that to your advantage. One thing they want to be sure of is that you can handle the work and that you're motivated. You can use the "I will make sure I get through school to provide for my family" thing.

People have babies in pharmacy school all the time and have no problem getting through the program so that shouldn't have any negative effect on your admission. Unless the interviewer has a personal issue with it for some reason.

 

[Pharmella]

I think it is illegal for them to consider your pregnancy as part of your interview process. In fact, even if you are obviously pregnant they may avoid bringing up the topic just to avoid looking like they are asking as part of the interview. Either way, it won't hurt your chances of getting accepted. People have babies all the time during pharmacy school and it almost always works out fine.

 

[cycloketocaine]

Unless you get stuck with a bunch of sexists, you should be fine. I'm in my third year of pharmacy school and am 20 weeks pregnant. There are 5 girls in my class, and 4 in the fourth year class that are pregnant. I don't think it will be held against you. You might want to discuss with your doctor the timing, and whether you can plan the delivery or will have a natural induction so that you can plan interviews accordingly.

 

[Chuck61686]

Why not just wait til after pharmacy school to have a baby?

 

[sosoo]

it may be illegal, but interviews are opinion based
and so theres a slight chance the interviewers hold
it against you. dont be surprise that bias doesnt
exist in professional schools. or prejudice for that matter.
but putting that aside, being pregnant during pharmacy
school will most likely pull you back one year of study,
which means you wont graduate with the same class.
so if they have anything against you, this may be it.
they dont want the number admitted to be different
from the number graduating for that class. this will look
bad on the school? my opinion anyways.

 

[Milly12]

it may be illegal, but interviews are opinion based
and so theres a slight chance the interviewers hold
it against you. dont be surprise that bias doesnt
exist in professional schools. or prejudice for that matter.
but putting that aside, being pregnant during pharmacy
school will most likely pull you back one year of study,
which means you wont graduate with the same class.
so if they have anything against you, this may be it.
they dont want the number admitted to be different
from the number graduating for that class. this will look
bad on the school? my opinion anyways.

Wrong. You won't "most likely" get held back a year of study. Everyone I know who had a kid during school is doing just fine, if not better after having it.

I'm sure bias exists within admissions committees every now and again, but I wouldn't say that's the rule.

 

[kinipela35]

Why not just wait til after pharmacy school to have a baby?

Not everyone is in their early 20's in pharmacy school. There are several married women in my class who are approaching 30 or are already past it and don't want to wait much longer to have children (there are many reasons for this). Another reason is they don't want to be pregnant while out looking for jobs or they don't want to get pregnant and have to take leave a few months into their first job.

 

[Chuck61686]

Not everyone is in their early 20's in pharmacy school. There are several married women in my class who are approaching 30 or are already past it and don't want to wait much longer to have children (there are many reasons for this). Another reason is they don't want to be pregnant while out looking for jobs or they don't want to get pregnant and have to take leave a few months into their first job.

I know many students who have had kids. Between home loans, student loans and the extra mouth to feed they are struggling miserably with finances. In my opinion, here's the best order of events - I believe this to be consistent with the "American dream":
1) Get educated --> 2) Get a good job --> 3) Pay off debts, achieve financial stability --> 4) Have children

I don't know the OP's financial situation but I think this is a very important variable. From what I know, kids cost lots and lots and lots of money.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

I know many students who have had kids. Between home loans, student loans and the extra mouth to feed they are struggling miserably with finances. In my opinion, here's the best order of events - I believe this to be consistent with the "American dream":
1) Get educated --> 2) Get a good job --> 3) Pay off debts, achieve financial stability --> 4) Have children

I don't know the OP's financial situation but I think this is a very important variable. From what I know, kids cost lots and lots and lots of money.

Not everyone in pharmacy school is married/partnered with another student. Some people's SOs have good jobs. As well, if you're older, and you delay having kids too long, you might not be able to have kids when you're done with school.

Every parents' situation is slightly different, and there really is no best time to have kids.

 

[type b pharmD]

Not everyone in pharmacy school is married/partnered with another student. Some people's SOs have good jobs. As well, if you're older, and you delay having kids too long, you might not be able to have kids when you're done with school.

Every parents' situation is slightly different, and there really is no best time to have kids.

I also thought it was kind of presumptive for him to say that

 

[Apteka]

take it one day at a time- and if you get an interview when you're 8 months or 9 months, there's no reason to even talk about it at the interview. it's not relevant.

 

[Silvermist]

I know many students who have had kids. Between home loans, student loans and the extra mouth to feed they are struggling miserably with finances. In my opinion, here's the best order of events - I believe this to be consistent with the "American dream":
1) Get educated --> 2) Get a good job --> 3) Pay off debts, achieve financial stability --> 4) Have children

I don't know the OP's financial situation but I think this is a very important variable. From what I know, kids cost lots and lots and lots of money.

I'm an incoming P1 in my early 30s with 2 kids under 3 at home.

I really don't disagree with you as to the 'best order of events," but I think John Lennon said it best: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." I already had both my munchkins by the time I applied, but if I had waited to get out of school, I would be in my late 30s, the age where things can start becoming difficult. If I waited to pay off my student debt, I would be close to 50 ! Kids *can* cost lots of money - but not necessarily. If you buy all new clothes, prepay their college tuition via 529s, send them to private school, daycare and preschool 5x week plus extracurriculars, then yeah I imagine it could get quite expensive. These are not necessarily the choices everyone make however, and personally I have found the financing quite manageable. If anything, the hardest part is time management. I have found that kids tend to get sick or cut teeth immediately before an exam is scheduled ...

 

[Chuck61686]

I'm an incoming P1 in my early 30s with 2 kids under 3 at home.

I really don't disagree with you as to the 'best order of events," but I think John Lennon said it best: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." I already had both my munchkins by the time I applied, but if I had waited to get out of school, I would be in my late 30s, the age where things can start becoming difficult. If I waited to pay off my student debt, I would be close to 50 ! Kids *can* cost lots of money - but not necessarily. If you buy all new clothes, prepay their college tuition via 529s, send them to private school, daycare and preschool 5x week plus extracurriculars, then yeah I imagine it could get quite expensive. These are not necessarily the choices everyone make however, and personally I have found the financing quite manageable. If anything, the hardest part is time management. I have found that kids tend to get sick or cut teeth immediately before an exam is scheduled ...

Great post from someone with firsthand experience!
And yes I wholeheartedly agree, time management is BIG.

 

[MCPharm27]

I was six months pregnant during my interview. I mentioned it very briefly when answering a "time management" type question, just so it wasn't the elephant in the room. The people I interviewed with didn't seem concerned about it, and they aren't allowed to ask you direct questions relating to it. Focus on how you have a good family support system if you find yourself around that type of topic. I got in no problem and about to finish my first year.