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futuremd101010

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Hi! I recently got accepted off a waitlist at an MD school. I have an identical twin sister who is still on the waitlist who has the same research experience, volunteer experience and hours, clinical experience, MCAT score and a very similar GPA. Basically, I feel that I’m not more deserving of her to go to med school and I can’t envision myself going without her.

Any advice on talking to the med school about it/ possibly trying to defer? I’m hesitant to defer in fear that she’ll be accepted off the waitlist after I try to defer, but I don’t know what to do. Would it at all be an acceptable personal reason to defer because I want to go through med school with my twin sister/ can’t afford to live alone/ want to continue working full time in a doctors office for more clinical exposure?

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I don’t think it’s a very good reason. What if your sister is never accepted—would you never go to med school? As far as living expenses go, many med students share apartments or houses to save money (or you could room with your sister even if she isn’t a student). The school that accepted you thinks you have enough clinical exposure.
 
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Hi! I recently got accepted off a waitlist at an MD school. I have an identical twin sister who is still on the waitlist who has the same research experience, volunteer experience and hours, clinical experience, MCAT score and a very similar GPA. Basically, I feel that I’m not more deserving of her to go to med school and I can’t envision myself going without her.

Any advice on talking to the med school about it/ possibly trying to defer? I’m hesitant to defer in fear that she’ll be accepted off the waitlist after I try to defer, but I don’t know what to do. Would it at all be an acceptable personal reason to defer because I want to go through med school with my twin sister/ can’t afford to live alone/ want to continue working full time in a doctors office for more clinical exposure?
Your sister can live with you and work while she builds her experiences for a reapplication if needed.
I don’t think this is a basis for deferral nor that you should give up your acceptance. What if the same thing happened next year?
 
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I don't mean to be harsh, but I think you need to either envision the possibility of going without her or envision the possibility that you will not be a doctor.

Most schools will not consider a deferral for this reason. The chances of you both getting in AT ALL, let alone at the same school, were slim to begin with and will be even slimmer with at least one of you being a reapplicant. I hear you that you feel you're not more deserving to go to medical school compared to your sister. That could be true - or the adcoms could have felt that you had stronger essays, stronger interviews, etc. That doesn't make either one of you more valuable as a person, but it does make one of you more desirable as a medical school applicant.

If you cannot afford to live alone, you can live with one of your medical school classmates, or your sister can live with you while she works on her reapplication or whatever it is she decides to do. Unless you are doubting that you want to be a doctor at all, you don't need more clinical exposure before medical school - you will get clinical exposure in medical school, that's the point.

The nice thing here is that you are not in the same situation as a couple - you and your sister will always be sisters, you're not going to break up because long distance is hard or your lives are moving in different directions. You have your entire lives after medical school to be roommates, live in the same city, hang out together, etc. Are you really willing to sacrifice your chance at being a doctor over not living with your sister for the next few years? Does your sister want you to? (I don't have a twin, but I do have a sibling....if I was in your sister's shoes, I would want you to go!)
 
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Thanks for the answers. I figured that’s what people would say but I wanted to confirm before deciding
 
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Not a direct answer to your question, but has your sister sent in a letter of intent mentioning your acceptance/wanting to live with you? Might slightly help her chances off the waitlist, but regardless you should take this offer
 
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Just an update for everyone: my sister got into the school off the waitlist so the situation resolved itself!! Thank you everyone for the advice
 
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