Deferring admission to Medical School

[IDontKnow]

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Hey fellow SDNers, I'm in an odd situation and I was wondering what you guys know about deferring admission to medical school especially, what the process entails and also if there's anyone who deferred admission? All input will be highly appreciated, I am going to post my reason for deferring admissions after i've gotten quite a few responses. PLEASE provide feeback!

THANKS

 

[gpumpkin67]

oops...

 

[Tired Pigeon]

This is so situational it is impossible to comment without more info.

 

[AnEyeLikeMars]

Hey fellow SDNers, I'm in an odd situation and I was wondering what you guys know about deferring admission to medical school especially, what the process entails and also if there's anyone who deferred admission? All input will be highly appreciated, I am going to post my reason for deferring admissions after i've gotten quite a few responses. PLEASE provide feeback!

THANKS

Why so secretive?

 

[IDontKnow]

Because it's a very personal matter...but the thing is I actually help out my parents right now with some financial support and I can't justify myself going to medical school and leaving my parents...but right now I'm just trying to get opinions I'm not entirely sure what I want to do...One side I'm like man I don't want to give up such a great opportunity and then on the other hand I'm thinking about my parents...I just don't want to be distracted while I'm at medical school, it's not like my parents want my help, but I just feel obligated because they're my parents and they were there when I needed them.

 

[Tired Pigeon]

Because it's a very personal matter...but the thing is I actually help out my parents right now with some financial support and I can't justify myself going to medical school and leaving my parents...but right now I'm just trying to get opinions I'm not entirely sure what I want to do...One side I'm like man I don't want to give up such a great opportunity and then on the other hand I'm thinking about my parents...I just don't want to be distracted while I'm at medical school, it's not like my parents want my help, but I just feel obligated because they're my parents and they were there when I needed them.

Is this a situation you expect to change substantially in the next year or so? Is there a temporary circumstance your parents are dealing with that you want to help them out with, or are we talking a permanent thing?

 

[AnEyeLikeMars]

Because it's a very personal matter...but the thing is I actually help out my parents right now with some financial support and I can't justify myself going to medical school and leaving my parents...but right now I'm just trying to get opinions I'm not entirely sure what I want to do...One side I'm like man I don't want to give up such a great opportunity and then on the other hand I'm thinking about my parents...I just don't want to be distracted while I'm at medical school, it's not like my parents want my help, but I just feel obligated because they're my parents and they were there when I needed them.

It is very personal. But to get our honest advice we needed to know the reason (for one, to make sure the reason is not because you want to reapply to better schools).

It's obviously going to be a tough decision. But one thing to ask yourself is: If I defer for a year and help out my parents financially, what will be different when I eventually matriculate? A year (+ a few months) from now, will your family be in a better position that would allow you to matriculate?

If you decide you might want to defer, call up the school and ask them about procedure (it will probably very by school).

 

[IDontKnow]

Hopefully, temporary.

 

[Critical Mass]

Well some places don't allow deferments at all. Others have opted for a "personal leave of absence," and some will let you defer outright (meaning that you can re-apply to other places in the meanwhile). I can't think of any examples of the latter, but it seems to be an urban legend in the least.

This is anonymous, BTW, and I think that we're a pretty reasonable bunch.

 

[Re3iRtH]

Critical Mass, are those your abdominals?

 

[psipsina]

If you think that you may be able to help your parents out of the situation before the next academic year begins it might be worthwhile to discuss with the medschool you are thinking about deferring from, if they say no well then you have your answer. If they say yes, you need to decide now what you are going to do if the situation hasn't resolved itself by fall 2008. I don't see how asking the school could hurt you, they are there to help you and have likely had this type of conversation with incoming students before, and can give you much better advice than a bunch of strangers on the internet that you won't even tell the details of the situation to. You will have to tell the medschool about it tho.

 

[Tired Pigeon]

Agree with above -- discuss it with the med school. Be prepared to be much more specific and detailed than here, and be prepared to answer the question, "What will you do if the situation is not resolved after a year?"

By the way, I think your desire to help out your parents is exemplary. There is much to be said for "doing the right thing".

 

[lunaire]

If you want to think long term, it might makes more sense economically to defer from helping your parents out instead, ie: arrange for them to take out loans, and help out with the repayment after you're making the dough as a doctor. Think about it: how much would you be making anyway, if you work with you current qualifications?

 

[Compass]

Actually, it would help out if she started working right now. Loans will cost more per year. If she can cover some now, it'll be easier later. What major would you be in, IDontKnow? If it's in a marketable one that will have a decent salary, I would definitely recommend doing so. If you're planning on odd jobs, though, that might need to be reconsidered.

 

[Avalanche21]

I'm currently on deferment. All I had to do was write a letter explaning why, they made me do a deposit. I also had to resubmit AMCAS. I didn't have to really fill anything out again, but under the schools section, I had to select that I was applying to wake forest as a "deferred candidate." That way you can't apply to other schools using AMCAS.

 

[IDontKnow]

I'm an engineer by profession...

 

[SupergreenMnM]

I am in deferment now. I took a year to finish a PhD and to take a humanitarian trip to Asia. The medical school required me to pay a seat deposit and another amcas application listing them as the only school I was applying too. I received a full tuition scholarship which they were nice enough to hold for me 🙂

I think it is really, really school dependent though as the state school where I'm at doesn't allow deferment at all.

 

[Critical Mass]

Critical Mass, are those your abdominals?

Naw, but they do seem to draw attention to my posts.

I wish they were mine to treat like an ice cream cone though. I'm actually a dude. 😎

 

[lunaire]

Actually, it would help out if she started working right now. Loans will cost more per year. If she can cover some now, it'll be easier later. What major would you be in, IDontKnow? If it's in a marketable one that will have a decent salary, I would definitely recommend doing so. If you're planning on odd jobs, though, that might need to be reconsidered.

Right. But the deferred year will cost between $100k and $1,300k depending on specialty (source: http://www.allied-physicians.com/salary_surveys/physician-salaries.htm). The initial years might be painful, but looking purely at the economics, it makes more sense not to defer.