Medical Does it look bad to not include a parent on the Parents and Guardians section of AMCAS?

[Mr.Smile12]

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Does it look bad if I don't include my dad on the Parents and Guardians section on AMCAS? I haven't had a relationship with my dad for 7 years now (since I was 16), and he has contributed little to no financial assistance to me for the last 11 years after my parents divorced (when I was 12). I would like to not include him as I consider his absence a significant part of my story (both personally and financially) and I fear putting him down would not get that across. I don't want to raise "alarm bells" on my app, but it doesn't feel right to me to put him down as a parent, as he has essentially been absent for about half my life now.

The parents section is important in some ways to gauge your childhood resources when it comes to education and health access. You can mention when prompted or appropriate about the financial contributions of your father. I think you should be able to include multiple parents on AMCAS; you aren't the only one applying to medical school from a broken household childhood. (If it doesn't, let us know.)

 

[tantacles]

Stating who your father is does not diminish your story. He is not absent from the universe; he is just absent from your life. Acknowledge his presence in this world by listing your dad in the parents and guardians section, and if his absence is part of your story, you can talk about that in the personal statement or elsewhere in your application.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

I agree. List him as he IS your father, but incorporate your story and hardships elsewhere in your app (personal statement, adversity prompts, etc.)


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