D.O. School with kids?

BU Medical Sciences
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MomDoctor4 said:
Wondering if there are any fellow parents that have gotten into a D.O. program. Any feedback? Did you tell them you have kids?
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Some of my classmates have kids. Its certainly tough, but its possible. If you tell them during an interview you should be able to talk about it.
 
I have read conflicting information so I was trying to gauge how true it is. Some were saying do not mention it at all.
DoctorSynthesis said:
Some of my classmates have kids. Its certainly tough, but its possible. If you tell them during an interview you should be able to talk about it.
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Applicants are NOT required to tell us that they have kids.

I've had plenty of student who have kids, and had have single moms in the class, as well as moms who lived apart from rest of family with one or more kids.

Student-parents tend to be very good support groups for each other.

MomDoctor4 said:
Wondering if there are any fellow parents that have gotten into a D.O. program. Any feedback? Did you tell them you have kids?
Click to expand...
 
MomDoctor4 said:
Wondering if there are any fellow parents that have gotten into a D.O. program. Any feedback? Did you tell them you have kids?
Click to expand...
I have a number of friends who went through a DO program with kids and made it through. I made it through my PsyD as a single parent and was accepted this year to a DO prog but didn't discuss my parental status. My son is older and doing his on thing.

A good rule of thumb is avoid discussing kids, as no good will come from it. Best case you'll show determination, but then you'll also have them thinking about how can you do it all when single people without kids struggle.
 
I have a daughter, I told every school I interviewed at and was accepted at all of them. An MS1 I met had a baby during the school year, missed a week of school and was doing awesome.
 
I openly discussed my wife and kids in every interview as they are a major driving force for me and my motivation to succeed. My comments were frequently followed up with questions about how I will manage my time or support my family while in school, so be ready for that and have a plan in place. I was accepted after all my interviews. Not sure if it could be perceived differently for a woman with kids than a man with kids, but that's something to consider as well.
 
Thanks, guys! I have 2 years or so before I apply, but trying to set standards now.
 
It's DOable...

.. I once went to an MD interview and the tour guide was a third year med student with two kids, 8 and 11. Maybe they're old enough to take care of themselves somewhat more than babies or preschoolers but, hey, you gotta admit that's one efficient mother. I'd assume you'd need a reasonable spouse who understands that you'll be contributing a lot of time to your studies.
 
I agree with @abolt18 and add that it was received very positively at all interviews. Again, I'm a man with a spouse, so single parents may possibly be viewed differently.
 
I have four kids. My husband is extremely supportive, though. He is actually the one that told me to go for it. At least they will be a little older by the time I apply. I was originally going to go for a DNP in anesthesia, but I would have always been thinking that I should have just done what I really wanted to. I never wanted to be a nurse really so I am glad I have other options now. Also, after doing everything it would just take as much time to complete.
 
Your having a spouse makes a big difference if you can discuss how your spouse will help out and your kids won't be infants at least.

I've seen single parents with children (<adolescents) not fair as well in the selection process for med (and other professional) schools and residency, even when family was available to help out.

Kudos to you and your husband, it's a family sacrifice.
 
I have a wife and daughter as well. It's an important discussion you need to have with your spouse, as they will be be taking a huge responsibility while you pursue medicine. I've seen cases where it has ended marriages/relationships, because there was inadequate planning and a significant other becomes overwhelmed that they have to do so much work while not getting an opportunity to advance their own careers.

In the end, though, I've found my family to be a great support system during this whole process.
 
Well, my mother-in-law will be retiring next year. So, that is good. My husband is currently working at Eli Lilly. He flies home one weekend a month. He owes me lol.
Azete said:
I have a wife and daughter as well. It's an important discussion you need to have with your spouse, as they will be be taking a huge responsibility while you pursue medicine. I've seen cases where it has ended marriages/relationships, because there was inadequate planning and a significant other becomes overwhelmed that they have to do so much work while not getting an opportunity to advance their own careers.

In the end, though, I've found my family to be a great support system during this whole process.
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I told both of the schools I interviewed at about my wife and children. I got accepted to both. Many of the students I spoke with at the schools were also parents. I do not believe that it harmed me in any way. If a school did not accept me based on me being a parent, then I don't believe I would have been happy there any way.
 
MomDoctor4 said:
I have four kids. My husband is extremely supportive, though. He is actually the one that told me to go for it. At least they will be a little older by the time I apply. I was originally going to go for a DNP in anesthesia, but I would have always been thinking that I should have just done what I really wanted to. I never wanted to be a nurse really so I am glad I have other options now. Also, after doing everything it would just take as much time to complete.
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I can only speak for myself, but if I had 4 kids knowing what I know about medical school now, I wouldn't do medical school. The time to complete a DNP and a DO program are not the same. Perhaps you're confusing arbitrary measures like 4 years DO = 4 years DNP, but you need to think about it at the next level. Working 4 years 40 hours a week is not the same as working 80 hours a week. Working 80 hours a week in say an office is not the same as working 80 hours a week in construction. Besides, you then have 3+ more years of residency to deal with and who knows how your attending life will be. A surgeon attending will have it harder than a psychiatry attending on average. We all romanticize medical school before we get in. I have this phrase for how I feel about my experience with medical school: Smart enough to get in, dumb enough to do it.
 
MomDoctor4 said:
Well, my mother-in-law will be retiring next year. So, that is good. My husband is currently working at Eli Lilly. He flies home one weekend a month. He owes me lol.
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If you like anesthesia, but don't want to do nursing, depending on where you live you should look into anesthesia assistant programs. They are geographically limited in that a bunch of states haven't approved them, but if you talk to any anesthesiologist, they seem to consider them equivocal or even better when compared to CRNA in quality.

http://www.anesthetist.org

https://aaaa.memberclicks.net/assets/aaaa work states pdf map january 2015 hi rez.pdf
 
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Several people in my class have kids. It can absolutely be done, especially with a supportive spouse.

I think DO schools generally are much more accepting of nontrad students. If I were you, I wouldn't be afraid to mention it if it came up in the interview. I wouldn't bring it up just to talk about it, since it doesn't have to impact whether you will be a good physician (and a successful student), and that is what you are there to talk about... though part of the interview's purpose is for you to see if the school is going to work for you and your goals, and if they are so anti-kid that it caused them to pass over you, then you would be best to learn that upfront.
 
AlbinoHawk DO said:
Smart enough to get in, dumb enough to do it.
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I am stealing that.

I don't agree with you otherwise, though. I hear you, it is pretty terrible. But it is a time bound terrible. It will end, and the outcome may be worth it for her.

I am not accusing you of this, but I have noticed that people are a little more likely to tell women with kids not to do things than guys with kids. I recently overheard a classmate go directly from congratulating a male peer with a new baby at home to subtly undermining a female classmate who has two pre-teens by suggesting that it must be hard on her family to have her absent so much. That probably makes me err on the side of wanting to tell OP to follow her heart. If she has the support, and the means, and this is what she wants, she should get to experience the same crushing stress and ambivalent regrets that gnaw on the edges of every insomniac med student's consciousness.
 
I have several classmates with kids, it's doable but pretty hard. You will have to gauge how supportive your spouse will be, living situation, etc since it'll require moving the whole family most likely (if you don't get into a school near where you live now).
 
I have a toddler and am currently pregnant with our second (and last). I was 18 weeks pregnant when I interviewed, and while I talked a lot about my husband and son, I decided it was best not to mention the pregnancy. I wasn't given too much hassle about having a child (they didn't seem skeptical about it), and I was accepted. I know another applicant who interviewed at the same school who also has one child and is married, but was 37 weeks pregnant at her interview and was (obviously) unable to hide the pregnancy. She told me that they really grilled her on how she would handle family responsibilities and school at the same time. She was waitlisted. This could be a complete coincidence and have nothing to do with the pregnancy, but I have a feeling that it was a factor. OP, I doubt you are planning to be pregnant when you apply, but it is something to consider either way. Good luck and if you need any advice PM me!!
 
I had 3 kids all through med school and would do it all again in a heartbeat. I brag about my kids all the time in interviews. They are such an enormous part of my life that to hide them closes off a huge part about me. And if you are in an interview and they dislike the fact that you have kids, you aren't at a program that is right for you. DMU was definitely right for me and I loved every moment of it. They are incredibly family friendly. If I was at a place that didn't allow me time with my kids, i would be miserable and hating medicine.
 
I looked at this briefly a few years back. Looking now, I am still very interested. It is still a pre-med background and requires the MCAT for admission. Also, from what I saw on this forum about CRNA's, I would not be interested in that path. It really doesn't make sense that someone with a rigorous science background would have less jobs and make less. AA's need the seem pre-reqs as getting into a med school while many nurses have no science background. I guess there has been a lot of push to get AA's to be able to practice in more states. I did not know that this was such a heated issue. Really not fair if you think about it. I am also fortunate enough to live an hour away from Nova in south FL. They offer both the D.O. and the AA program. The AA does seem more feasible. I can't see putting us that much in debt, especially around the time my oldest would be entering college. Things change, though. So, it will be a wait and see game. Same path now anyway.
abolt18 said:
If you like anesthesia, but don't want to do nursing, depending on where you live you should look into anesthesia assistant programs. They are geographically limited in that a bunch of states haven't approved them, but if you talk to any anesthesiologist, they seem to consider them equivocal or even better when compared to CRNA in quality.

http://www.anesthetist.org

https://aaaa.memberclicks.net/assets/aaaa work states pdf map january 2015 hi rez.pdf
Click to expand...
 
MomDoctor4 said:
I looked at this briefly a few years back. Looking now, I am still very interested. It is still a pre-med background and requires the MCAT for admission. Also, from what I saw on this forum about CRNA's, I would not be interested in that path. It really doesn't make sense that someone with a rigorous science background would have less jobs and make less. AA's need the seem pre-reqs as getting into a med school while many nurses have no science background. I guess there has been a lot of push to get AA's to be able to practice in more states. I did not know that this was such a heated issue. Really not fair if you think about it. I am also fortunate enough to live an hour away from Nova in south FL. They offer both the D.O. and the AA program. The AA does seem more feasible. I can't see putting us that much in debt, especially around the time my oldest would be entering college. Things change, though. So, it will be a wait and see game. Same path now anyway.
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Definitely a great option! Considering the length of programs and pay afterward I think anesthesiologist assistant is a GREAT option. Sometimes I think I should have done that. I'd be practicing by now!
 
I have heard of a few people saying something similar. My worry is amount of jobs. I looked them up here in south FL and they are pretty sparse.
 
Dr. Death said:
I have a daughter, I told every school I interviewed at and was accepted at all of them. An MS1 I met had a baby during the school year, missed a week of school and was doing awesome.
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tumblr_nduoamVDHB1r48t0bo1_500.gif


Seriously....

abolt18 said:
If you like anesthesia, but don't want to do nursing, depending on where you live you should look into anesthesia assistant programs. They are geographically limited in that a bunch of states haven't approved them, but if you talk to any anesthesiologist, they seem to consider them equivocal or even better when compared to CRNA in quality.

http://www.anesthetist.org

https://aaaa.memberclicks.net/assets/aaaa work states pdf map january 2015 hi rez.pdf
Click to expand...

Good pay that may even rival some PCPs, especially working in a dent's office (see BLS).

Promethean said:
I am not accusing you of this, but I have noticed that people are a little more likely to tell women with kids not to do things than guys with kids. I recently overheard a classmate go directly from congratulating a male peer with a new baby at home to subtly undermining a female classmate who has two pre-teens by suggesting that it must be hard on her family to have her absent so much. That probably makes me err on the side of wanting to tell OP to follow her heart. If she has the support, and the means, and this is what she wants, she should get to experience the same crushing stress and ambivalent regrets that gnaw on the edges of every insomniac med student's consciousness.
Click to expand...

New baby != 2 pre-teens. Also, saying, "I just had a baby!" is something different than saying "I have kids." In the one case, you congratulate the person. In the other case, that statement isn't inciting any sort of a celebratory response. You have kids? Oh cool; that must be tough with how much you work, huh (perfectly normal response, not oriented at all toward gender)? vs. You just had a baby? Congratulations! (perfectly normal response to a person of either gender).

I think you read too much into it. Though your conclusion is reasonable regardless of the fact your reasoning is flimsy, so it probably doesn't matter.

DoctorSynthesis said:
Haven't taken both but from what i've heard and the books im looking at it seems the uslme questions are written better. They cover the same material, the difference being, the uslme covers more higher order questions. That being said while the USLME is usually regarded as harder they are also comparable exams.
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Really if they wanted to help bring DOs more in line with MDs, they'd have combined the exams before combining the programs. Making OMM optional on the side wouldn't hurt either.
 
MomDoctor4 said:
I looked at this briefly a few years back. Looking now, I am still very interested. It is still a pre-med background and requires the MCAT for admission. Also, from what I saw on this forum about CRNA's, I would not be interested in that path. It really doesn't make sense that someone with a rigorous science background would have less jobs and make less. AA's need the seem pre-reqs as getting into a med school while many nurses have no science background. I guess there has been a lot of push to get AA's to be able to practice in more states. I did not know that this was such a heated issue. Really not fair if you think about it. I am also fortunate enough to live an hour away from Nova in south FL. They offer both the D.O. and the AA program. The AA does seem more feasible. I can't see putting us that much in debt, especially around the time my oldest would be entering college. Things change, though. So, it will be a wait and see game. Same path now anyway.
Click to expand...

I can argue all day about the bolded statement, but I won't get into specific details. The reason why CRNA'S are getting the better end of the deal as compared to their AA counterpart, are because of organizations like the AANA out there who are trying to push for and promote independency of Anesthesia practice for nurses. Also, nursing is a profession that heavily revolves around science, though not as vigorous, but it's still science.
 
NoTownPreMed said:
I can argue all day about the bolded statement, but I won't get into specific details. The reason why CRNA'S are getting the better end of the deal as compared to their AA counterpart, are because of organizations like the AANA out there who are trying to push for and promote independency of Anesthesia practice for nurses. Also, nursing is a profession that heavily revolves around science, though not as vigorous, but it's still science.
Click to expand...

Nursing is a science in it's own right, but is not the same as doing a pre-med degree followed by a heavy masters or med school. I respect all nurses, it's just not for me. I was just stating that it doesn't make sense that a CRNA is valued more than an AA. They should at least be equal, no? It's not even about the money.
 
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There's about at the very least 10 mothers in my class and countless fathers. I'm not going to sugar coat it, it's not an easy job and many of people who have dropped have done so for family reasons as they feel they're not able to be the best parent for their children.

When it comes down to it as a parent you're going to be doing double the work of other students in your class and you'll need to be serious about considering things like live in nannies or whether or not your spouse will be supportive.
 
Drrrrrr. Celty said:
live in nannies
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Hopefully they don't physically/verbally/possibly sexually abuse your kids while you're gone.

Just be very careful if going that route. I'd recommend you simply just don't do this if you can help it.
 
docycle said:
Hopefully they don't physically/verbally/possibly sexually abuse your kids while you're gone.

Just be very careful if going that route. I'd recommend you simply just don't do this if you can help it.
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This is kind of a cynical view to take. With the appropriate due diligence there are plenty of outstanding nannies available, but expect to pay quite a bit for a good one.
 
Azete said:
This is kind of a cynical view to take.
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I totally agree. Not a fan of fear mongering. I just wouldn't take the chance myself. And if I did, I'd accept full responsibility if anything happened.
 
I did it with a 2 yr old and a 5 yr old. You just have to be organized. I treated medical school like a job and went to class since that was my time to study. I don't do study time when I'm at home - too many mom interruptions. My husband scheduled his work so my younger child was in daycare 2 days a week only. Friday night and Saturday I did pure family time with the kids, my shopping, cooking for the week, etc.
 
Your husband does know what a career in medicine entails. The truth is that IT NEVER ENDS. Sure...some times are more difficult than others...but it is all hard. I am saying this as a husband of a physician wife...with three children. The divorce rate is astronomical for women who marry non-physicians...upward of 90%. Just want to make sure that both you and your husband know what you are up against.
 
cabinbuilder said:
I did it with a 2 yr old and a 5 yr old. You just have to be organized. I treated medical school like a job and went to class since that was my time to study. I don't do study time when I'm at home - too many mom interruptions. My husband scheduled his work so my younger child was in daycare 2 days a week only. Friday night and Saturday I did pure family time with the kids, my shopping, cooking for the week, etc.
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Awesome! That is what I do now. I treat school as a full time job. Only do work when they are at school or in bed.
j4pac said:
Your husband does know what a career in medicine entails. The truth is that IT NEVER ENDS. Sure...some times are more difficult than others...but it is all hard. I am saying this as a husband of a physician wife...with three children. The divorce rate is astronomical for women who marry non-physicians...upward of 90%. Just want to make sure that both you and your husband know what you are up against.
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This is true. It will definitely be a sit down meeting in the the near future for us!
 
MomDoctor4 said:
Awesome! That is what I do now. I treat school as a full time job. Only do work when they are at school or in bed.

This is true. It will definitely be a sit down meeting in the the near future for us!
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If you really are passionate about becoming a physician, the challenges might be numerous but don't let the road blocks prevent you from pursuing it! I know a ton of mom docs out there who are non-trads. It's definitely possible and lots of opportunities to find a mom doc here in South Florida that can be a great mentor!!!
 
There are women succeeding in all sorts of demanding careers who successfully raise children. Of course it's hard work and of course it takes sacrifice, some of which will be borne by your family, but if this is what you want and your family is on board, then don't let naysayers or doubt stand in your way.
 
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