Deferment to complete PhD - allowed?

hey to a fellow PhD student! First of all, not being able to graduate is not a reason for defferement to begin with. It still can be done but had to be phrased differently. Something like: "Oh, we got this one-in-a-lifetime one-year fellowship to pursue new findings." I could graduate this year, but I CHOOSE to follow up with the new findings.

I mean the reason to deffer has to be somewhat spectacular. I think the committee will just say "Apply next year" if you blatantly state that you cannot graduate.

physiologyguy said:

I have been accepted to several medical schools for the fall. Unfortunately I have had a few drugs not work like I would have hoped in my research! It looks like I will need to defer Med School for a year to complete my PhD. does anyone have any info on how favorable in general most schools are to this? I ask because everyone gets accepted "assuming they complete requirements in time". Of course, completing research as we know is different than completing a BS or even an MPH; it is very unpredictable!

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Have you ever broached the idea of finishing with your advisor? Have you really started writing (lit review, experimental, several chapters?) The med schools may give one year-period. Consider that writing your thesis alone (all expts. completed) is likely a 4-6 month commitment (several months of constant 8 hour day writing, coupled with nannying the committee with comments, orals, editing, etc. etc. etc.) Sounds like your "one more year" with experiments, and writing, may not be a 1 year guarantee. Add this in to the fact that med schools often don't consider a Ph.D. as such a big deal (it is essentially another E.C.) then the deferments may not have the necessary gravitas.

It's doable-just be careful. Don't burn bridges if you can help it.

Good luck!

Is there any way you can write up your thesis on the work that is completed and still graduate? What are your future plans in medicine? How important is it to complete this research?

I think schools would be open to allowing you to defer for a year. Contact the individual schools where you have acceptances. I'd just make sure you can get it done in a year and not have it turn into 2-3 more.

gman33 said:

Is there any way you can write up your thesis on the work that is completed and still graduate? What are your future plans in medicine? How important is it to complete this research?

I think schools would be open to allowing you to defer for a year. Contact the individual schools where you have acceptances. I'd just make sure you can get it done in a year and not have it turn into 2-3 more.

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Agree. Many schools will not allow you to matriculate without your PhD, so you may well *have* to defer a year to finish. Definitely contact the individual schools where you were accepted, explain the situation, and ask what they would like for you to do.

I'm very interested to see how this goes for you, as I'm in a similar boat but applying this year.

physiologyguy said:

FYI, an update - two high-powered research schools that are in my top 4 choices right now both granted me a deferrment to complete my PhD. hope this helps!

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Congrats. Now get busy with that thesis.