Defer Acceptance to MSU-CHM?

[MedQueen]

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Hey fellow non-trads. Nice to meet you. 😀

Just got accepted into MSU in East Lansing and torn between going or defering for a year. I am super psyched about the school, but am not so keen on moving to East Lansing yet for a variety of reasons. I think, in part, I am just hesitant because I am not quite ready to move from a city into the middle of nowhere ... not a good reason in itself.

I really don't have a plan yet but am sure I could create an enriching year off. International experience, underserved medicine, clinical research ... etc.

I'm already 3 years out of undergrad, am graduating with a master's this summer and am not sure putting med school off another year would be a good decision.

I know you all have a bunch of wisdom you could share with me regarding deference -- please HELP!

 

[Nasem]

People who get acceptance from a professional school and let it go sometimes have a hard time getting other acceptances from future cycles.....

Because future cycles start to look as you like "oh if we give you an acceptance he/she will just reject it just like they did last year"

You should feel lucky you got accepted, some people would sell their body parts to be in your spot, be grateful and take it

 

[njbmd]

Hey fellow non-trads. Nice to meet you. 😀

Just got accepted into MSU in East Lansing and torn between going or defering for a year. I am super psyched about the school, but am not so keen on moving to East Lansing yet for a variety of reasons. I think, in part, I am just hesitant because I am not quite ready to move from a city into the middle of nowhere ... not a good reason in itself.

I really don't have a plan yet but am sure I could create an enriching year off. International experience, underserved medicine, clinical research ... etc.

I'm already 3 years out of undergrad, am graduating with a master's this summer and am not sure putting med school off another year would be a good decision.

I know you all have a bunch of wisdom you could share with me regarding deference -- please HELP!

If you are deferring, be sure that you have a good reason to defer as opposed to "not wanting to move yet". If you don't want to move to Lansing, then release your seat but realize that you may have difficulty getting accepted in the future. If you have something unfinished with your degree, illness of self (or loved one), a prior commitment that you must honor, a job that you just can't leave at this point etc, then deferement makes sense.

I doubt if Lansing is going to change that much in one year. If you are interested in becoming a physician and don't have a commitment that you need an extra year, then don't defer.

 

[MIGLdr]

I think if you got in this cycle, then you should go for it!

Lansing is ooook, I don't think it quite fits into the "middle of nowhere category." (I live in Metro Detroit area) Maybe it's more isolated then say it's cousin city and archrival Ann Arbor, but Ann Arbor was pretty deppressing for me when I did my undergrad there.

This is just my personal 2c, but I've never felt geography to be a strong factor in these life changing decisions 🙂 . If you really want to do this, and you got a seat at MSU, then that's what needs to be done.

 

[MedQueen]

Thanks for your advice! I'm sure I'll be going in the fall -- most of my anxiety on moving has to do with dragging my significant other all the way across the country ... yikes. I would never let go of the opportunity to go to school there -- I LOVE the program!

 

[Whites83]

I've spent the last 5 years in East Lansing (just about to graduate), and it really isn't that bad. Sure it's basically surrounded by farms, but East Lansing and Lansing have a lot going on, and E.L. is very student-centered (50,000 students will do that to a city). Beyond that, it's just a little more than an hour drive to the Detroit area, where there is a lot going on. It's a pretty nice place to go to school, I actually hope to be returning in a few years for Med School.

 

[BeanerMD]

I hear ya about dragging the SO around...my husband is currently living in CA, and I'll be recruiting him all the way to EL when I move this fall. Even though he's thrilled for me and us, he's not thrilled about for himself because his job prospects are extremely limited there. We might try and have him live in Chicago, though, taking the train to see me on the weekends. We'll have to see. Regardless- hope you decide not to defer so I have another fellow nontrad with me in class 😀

 

[MJB]

Couple of questions:

1. Why apply there if you don't want to live there?

2. Have you ever lived in "the middle of nowhere"?

 

[spicedmanna]

First of all, as I'm sure you know, MSU is a great medical school, despite being "in the middle of nowhere." Nice work getting accepted. From your OP, you clearly like the school and are enthusiastic about attending there. Location is of course important, but you'll likely be so busy with classes, etc., that I doubt you'll have too much time to rue the fact that you are not in your dream location. You can't always get what you want, but you do get to go to medical school. Now, go become a doctor; you can make it work in East Lansing for two years. You certainly got your wish to become a doctor, to go to medical school; now for a more enjoyable journey/ride you might need to let go of being attached to what the process will look like.

Second, if your significant other isn't willing to move with you, or provides more resistance than you are willing to have in your life about moving to MI for medical school, I think you will need to decide on what is more important to you, having a relationship with someone who isn't willing to do this with you at all and forgoing medical school for the moment, or manifesting your dream of becoming a medical doctor and being willing to let the relationship go, if necessary. Ideally, it isn't an either/or situation, you can go to medical school in East Lansing and grow your relationship as long as both people in the relationship are willing and excited to hop on board the ride, but sometimes it could come to that, if one party isn't willing to compromise. There is tremendous power in willingness, in being willing, and I wouldn't underestimate that power in creating job opportunities in East Lansing, etc., for your significant other. Sometimes, however, these opportunities don't appear until you commit.

Good luck in making your choices and in manifesting what you want!

 

[spicedmanna]

By the way, it's not possible to be in the middle of nowhere, if you are in the middle of now here. 😉

 

[8744]

Hey fellow non-trads. Nice to meet you. 😀

Just got accepted into MSU in East Lansing and torn between going or defering for a year. I am super psyched about the school, but am not so keen on moving to East Lansing yet for a variety of reasons. I think, in part, I am just hesitant because I am not quite ready to move from a city into the middle of nowhere ... not a good reason in itself.

I really don't have a plan yet but am sure I could create an enriching year off. International experience, underserved medicine, clinical research ... etc.

I'm already 3 years out of undergrad, am graduating with a master's this summer and am not sure putting med school off another year would be a good decision.

I know you all have a bunch of wisdom you could share with me regarding deference -- please HELP!

You know, the difference between East Lansing and Lansing is a sign. They're pretty much the same city. And while Lansing is not Detroit, it's hardly the middle of nowhere, at least no more nowhere than any other medium-sized Midwestern city.

I've seen the Detroit downtown and that, my friend, with the exception of Greektown, is the middle of nowhere.

You would be stupid to defer for a year.

The underserved? **** 'em. They'll still be there in four years. Don't worry about that. International experience? Hey. You got accepted. You don't have to play that game anymore.

Just go.