Deferment

[thesmartazz]

Howdy, everyone.

I'm starting AMCAS2007 as we speak (eew... ). Anyway, I was wondering what people thought about applying this cycle and possibly deferring for a year if I get a fellowship. I've heard that allopathic schools do not usually allow students to defer unless you get the Rhodes or something. However, is this true?

Is it generally recommended that people apply in the cycle directly before matriculation? How rare is it for people to defer? Thanks!

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[biggoron42]

Howdy, everyone.

I'm starting AMCAS2007 as we speak (eew... ). Anyway, I was wondering what people thought about applying this cycle and possibly deferring for a year if I get a fellowship. I've heard that allopathic schools do not usually allow students to defer unless you get the Rhodes or something. However, is this true?

Is it generally recommended that people apply in the cycle directly before matriculation? How rare is it for people to defer? Thanks!

im thinking of the same thing (probably applying for a fulbright). a place to start is the MSAR, which will give you yes and no answers to your question. then, to find out how strict each school within the "yes" category, you'll have to do some calling around, i figure. from the searches ive done on this site on the topic, schools seem pretty lenient, especially if you have a structured thing you want to do.

 

[Law2Doc]

I've heard that allopathic schools do not usually allow students to defer unless you get the Rhodes or something. However, is this true?

Is it generally recommended that people apply in the cycle directly before matriculation? How rare is it for people to defer? Thanks!

Apply when you are ready to attend; deferment is relatively rare. You generally cannot defer as a matter of right - so don't assume a school will let you. It is unlike college or other grad schools in this respect. Some schools have very stringent policies, often making health or family emergencies the only kind of things they allow deferment for. Others are more generous if you can show something specific you want to do. The smartest move would be to not apply until you are ready to attend. There is no real advantage of applying while in college -- if you already know you want to do something else right after college, then do that something else and then apply (keep the deferment issues out of it). And you will have more to put in your app if you are applying while in this other program.

 

[biggoron42]

There is no real advantage of applying while in college

I would disagree. If you are applying for a competitive scholarship program (ie fulbright, marshall, or something like this) that you have a small chance of getting, you want to do medical school apps too because odds are against you getting into the program. the dilemma only arises when you get into both the program and medical school, and from what i've heard schools are usually very lenient for things like this.

also things like MCAT scores expiring get into the picture when you start waiting too long to apply.

 

[dr.z]

If you want to defer, don't mention it until you get accepted.

 

[Law2Doc]

from what i've heard schools are usually very lenient for things like this.

Your view may change on this. There are some schools that actually have pretty explicit anti-deferment language on their websites. I still think the smart move is to apply only when you are ready to attend.

 

[Shredder]

A deferment feels much better when you know you have a bird in hand to count on after the time off. It's a very different situation from having uncertain plans ahead of you. I'm just theorizing but it seems reasonable.

This is definitely something to run searches on, there are tons of threads and comments on it. One thing for sure is not to mention it before being accepted (if they know your identity).

 

[snobored18]

Your view may change on this. There are some schools that actually have pretty explicit anti-deferment language on their websites. I still think the smart move is to apply only when you are ready to attend.

I agree...if medical school isn't the ONLY thing you want to do the NEXT 4 years of your life you really have no business applying unless you are applying to schools that encourage people to defer (the only one I came in contact with as I applied was the University of Iowa...and you are likely to find that Iowa is the exception and not the rule, Mayo is tough as nails when it comes to deferring). Just think about it from the point of view of the school, you come in interview tell them you would die to have the chance to spend the next 4 years recieving your undergraduate medical education at their school...then the moment a fellowship falls in your lap you are whining to get a deferment for a couple of years...if you want to do a fellowship do it and have another back-up besides medical school.

 

[biggoron42]

There are some schools that actually have pretty explicit anti-deferment language on their websites.

well yea thats why i recommended to first look at the MSAR for black and white yes and no answers.

I agree...if medical school isn't the ONLY thing you want to do the NEXT 4 years of your life you really have no business applying unless you are applying to schools that encourage people to defer

well, suppose i am applying for a very selective scholarship/fellowship. if i get it, itll give me the opportunity to enter medical school a better person. if i dont get it, no sweat, im still ready to enter and do as well as i possibly can.

sure i could have other backup plans like some crappy job or the same volunteering work ive been doing for the past four years or some boring classes.

but come on. i mean, you honestly can't see any reason why a person would want to defer for something like a rhodes, marshall, or fulbright if it fell into their lap? how would this not make you a better person?

 

[julie29524]

I just got a deferment.

I called the school that I wanted to go and asked the director of admissions on what the policy was. She said:
" If you need time to finish a thesis/dissertation for Masters/PhD, then its just a formality. Write us a 2 sentence letter for our files, and thats all. However, if you want to defer for anything else like research, you are going to need to write a long letter explaining your reasons, maybe even have your boss (prinicipal investigator) write a letter also. Then we'll take some time to evaluate the situation and give you an answer."

So call your school and ask if their policy is similar.
Good luck.

 

[Law2Doc]

but come on. i mean, you honestly can't see any reason why a person would want to defer for something like a rhodes, marshall, or fulbright if it fell into their lap? how would this not make you a better person?

I think the prior poster is saying if you are hoping to do one of those, the fallback should really be something else besides medical school for the year, and THEN apply to medicine the year after. Not saying you wouldn't want to do one of those. At any rate, some schools will be amenable to deferrals, but many will not (and those with hard and fast policies may be annoyed that you wasted their time with an application interviewing if you didn't even plan to attend this cycle). So don't really assume you can get one.
I also don't think selecting a med school based on how amenable they are to deferrals is a great methodology.

 

[biggoron42]

I think the prior poster is saying if you are hoping to do one of those, the fallback should really be something else besides medical school for the year, and THEN apply to medicine the year after. Not saying you wouldn't want to do one of those. At any rate, some schools will be amenable to deferrals, but many will not (and those with hard and fast policies may be annoyed that you wasted their time with an application interviewing if you didn't even plan to attend this cycle). So don't really assume you can get one.
I also don't think selecting a med school based on how amenable they are to deferrals is a great methodology.

i hate to continue this discussion because i think its going nowhere, but if you read the rest of my previous post, it's my rebuttal of his contention that your "backup plan" (which is not what i think it is) should not be medical school. i think many top ranked schools agree with me as well. for example, teach for america. they have negotiated two year deferrals for every student accepted into their program with dozens of medical schools. obviously adcoms also see the value of a student who has gone through these sorts of programs.

medical school is not a "backup plan" if your chances of getting into the fellowship/scholarship program are like 2%. its more like a question of very good luck and the opportunity of a life time. and i think most schools understand this, or they would never offer deferments.

and yes i agree, dont pick schools just based on if they give deferments. but if they do, and some oppotunity like this becomes available to you, take advantage of it!