Deferring (and Peace Corps)

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wjin06

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Does anyone know how deferring for a year works?

I'm going to be applying this year even though I'm pretty sure I'll be taking a year after college whether I get in or not. Do we note this somewhere on the app or bring it up sometime during the interview or something? Or is that something that would hurt my app and if asked about it, I'm suppose to fib and just say "not sure" or something like that?


Also, does anyone know if med schools will allow a more than 1-year deferral if the reason is something like the Peace Corps?

Thanks!

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If you're pretty sure you're going to be taking a year off, don't apply. Some schools don't do deferals and you could in the end have wasted a lot of money.
 
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First, I think it's a GREAT idea to do stuff between college and med school. (Don't be like me and do stuff for 20 years, though.) Grow your horizons, find yourself, do some good. It'll make you a better doctor, most likely.

Second, are you aware that the Peace Corps is typically a 27 month commitment? It also takes months of planning, applying, interviewing, getting nominated, etc. before you go. (And in my view it's completely worthwhile - my number one regret is that I didn't do a Peace Corps gig.)

Third, see chapter 8, page 47 of the latest MSAR. Starts with "An accepted applicant may encounter a special, one-time opportunity that is too attractive to pass up." Effectively, deferral is a thing you apply for AFTER you get accepted, and there are conditions and selectivity and such things.

It would be difficult (at least ethically) to be simultaneously applying to med school and to the Peace Corps, get accepted to med school, and then say "oh guess what, I have this one special opportunity that I can't pass up."

I'd call some medical schools you like and ask if they've granted Peace Corps deferments. It would be quite difficult to attempt to apply while serving, so I don't think it's a crazy idea.

Best of luck to you.
 
Is there a way to find out whether schools do deferrals? I'v heard that almost all do at least a 1-year one. I'd like to applying this time around because I may be going on the Peace Corps, which would make it difficult to apply later, and because I'd like to get a sense of why I'm not getting in, if that's the case.


More opinions on applying with the intention of deferring?
 
I'm just finishing my second year as a TEFL volunteer with the Peace Corps in Bulgaria, one of the most developed countries that the Peace Corps currently serves in, and even here, it would be impossible to apply to medical schools because there are too many infrastructure problems. I say, if you can get a med school to grant a deferment for PC service, that's great. I don't know much about that, but if you have any questions about the Peace Corps, feel free to PM me.
 
Is there a way to find out whether schools do deferrals? I'v heard that almost all do at least a 1-year one.
Not true. Some but not all schools will grant deferrals for things like the Peace Corps. If you apply to schools, are accepted, refused a deferral, tell them to shove their acceptance, then apply again to said school in a couple of years, you may find your odds of getting in again significantly shorter.

And like DrMidLife said, applying with the intention of asking for a deferral is a bid dodgy. It makes it hard to answer the question, "If you knew you weren't going to be attending in Fall, 2008, why did you apply for Fall, 2008.
I'd like to applying this time around because I may be going on the Peace Corps, which would make it difficult to apply later, and because I'd like to get a sense of why I'm not getting in, if that's the case.
You'll ge the sense of it when you apply with an intention of matriculating. Don't burn bridges on a process that's already so challenging.

If you want to do the Peace Corps thing, do so knowing that you'll have a glowing experience on your application, but will have to wait until finishing to realistically apply. I taught for several years in Brazil and Poland and couldn't have imagined trying to do the app thing effectively from there. Many Peace Corps placements will be in fairly remote areas that would make applying/interviewing a logistical nightmare. Don't do a disservice to the Peace Corps or your app.
More opinions on applying with the intention of deferring?
It would be foolish.
 
If you already got accepted, why go through the charade of pretending to care? I mean, you're in...you fooled 'em....let it go. time now to start working on that Radiology match so you never actually have to see patients except for those unavoidable two years in medical school.

Seriously, if you still have this kind of dedication seven years from now you can do a lot more good as a physician or than you can as some schmoe teaching the villagers how to dig a well.
 
I agree with everything thats been said. This is a dicey prospect. Also, the Peace Corps wants someone who can really commit. They do reject people, you know. It does take a while to go through the whole application process for Peace Corps, at least 6 months generally, although it took me 2 years.

The service commitment for teachers is 24 months but for specialists- health, environmental, and business volunteers, the tour is 27 months. If you want to do the PC and are willing to take a lag year for applications, I think that is your best option. Your health careers advisor at your college will be able to tell your chances application wise and if you already have doubts about your ability to get in, PC and some life-work experience will help. If you have (and you should if you are pre-med) some health work experience, it might be possible to be a health volunteer so that you could do some public health work in PC.

PC is interesting and a moderate asset to an application but it is not for everyone. There is a lot of down time and boredom and trials. One of my fellow volunteers used to like to say, Its the easiest job youll ever hate. But think of all the time you would have to study for the MCAT!!
 
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