Does anyone have any experience with being a caretaker and providing financial support for a disabled, elderly parent while in medical school? Is it possible? The parent receives enough money to pay for her food, but I would need her to live with me and to provide the utilities. Would schools factor this into the cost of attendance/student budget to allow me to take out more in GradPlus loans to cover the increased housing costs for living off campus, etc.? Unfortunately, I am in the position of being forced to choose between my dreams and career and caring for family.
Caring/providing financial support for disabled elderly parent as a medical student
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Unfortunately, the financial aid people can be really stingy with anything outside the "cost of attendance." The full cost of attendance is the number they set, not the number we necessarily want.
Last year, I asked for an extra $1000 for my computer fund and they made a big deal about it and asked me why I needed a new computer.
Last year, I asked for an extra $1000 for my computer fund and they made a big deal about it and asked me why I needed a new computer.
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I was in a very similar situation and I chose to leave to my undergraduate school to care for immediate family full-time. That was over six years ago, and I'm only now able to try to scrape my way back to university next summer.
I don't regret what I did, but you also have to think ahead: if this is what causes you to be in crazy debt and without a proper income to repay it, how that is going to affect your family as well--and perhaps your ability to care for your other parent on loved one down the road.
Had I already been in med school or starting, I would have chosen to continue my education 100%--while exploring personal / private loans, GoFundMe etc, or trying to work something out with the school / finding a resource that will help you with care.
These are seemingly impossible situations at times, but I feel like you are in a much better situation than I was in, and that there are more doors that could be opened for you. Keep hope that things will work out, regardless of what you decide.
Feel free to message me if you want.
I don't regret what I did, but you also have to think ahead: if this is what causes you to be in crazy debt and without a proper income to repay it, how that is going to affect your family as well--and perhaps your ability to care for your other parent on loved one down the road.
Had I already been in med school or starting, I would have chosen to continue my education 100%--while exploring personal / private loans, GoFundMe etc, or trying to work something out with the school / finding a resource that will help you with care.
These are seemingly impossible situations at times, but I feel like you are in a much better situation than I was in, and that there are more doors that could be opened for you. Keep hope that things will work out, regardless of what you decide.
Feel free to message me if you want.
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I would consider taking a LOA. Being in medical school is a full-time job, and you should not try to bury yourself in more debt to cover your family's medical expenses. You will need the break, and you don't want to risk failing out of school for any reason. See if you are still able to use counseling services while on LOA; that should help you cope with the challenges. Sorry to be blunt, but family is family. Sure, they want you to achieve your dreams, but you need to savor every moment you can get with family.
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If the parent receives more than half of their support from you they would be considered a dependent and you could reasonably expect your COA to go up, but typically not aligned with any real-world dollar amount. My school has a fixed cost of housing that is the same for every student regardless of whether you are single or have a family of six. The machinery that drives most of med school process is not non-trad friendly.
