Getting Nervous

[TopDocChick]

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Can some mothers who have children under kindergarten age and have been accepted to medical school please give me some encouragement? I am so nervous about defending my decision to want to be a physician without sounding like a heartless mother. I am nervous about the presumptions that the adcoms are going to make about me such as assuming that I won't be able to get all the work done if my kids are sick (my husband would stay home - which I'd tell them if they ask, but what if they don't ask.) What if i don't even get asked for an interview based on the fact that i have kids???

I had to mention my kids in my Personal statement because there was a direct connection to why I became interested in medicine, but i didn't dwell on my kids- i think i made passing reference once. I also didn't talk about my kids in my EC section, but since i didn't my ECs look really empty. I am so nervous that I won't even get offered a chance to interview.

So, words of encouragement only - no meanys or I will simply hit ignore on your name.

Thanks

 

[ScubaEMT]

I know that Im not a mother, but I figured that I would give a few words of encouragement anyway.

I am about to have my first child and, after quite a bit of soul-searching, have decided to continue to pursue my M.D. I talked with a doc at work who had already had a kid before starting med school. She said that it was tough, but with a lot of dedication and the help of her husband, she was able to push through.

I have run into a few people who said that I couldn't do it and that med school would rob me of time with my child, but my wife and I have decided that my getting into medicine will help the kid out in several ways:

1. The extra money once I am through will give the child opportunities that (s)he would not have otherwise (e.g. school, travel, etc).

2. The fact that I am working extremely hard to fulfill my dream will serve as an excellent lesson to the child about hard work.

3. Free healthcare!

Another important point is that you will be able to make time for your kids. It may not be as much as you would like, but this is temporary. My father is a physician and was working as a medical director of a growing ER when I was a kid. He worked an unbelievable amount of hours, but still found a way to make time for my brother and I... and with my mother out of the picture, he really had his work cut out for him.

As far as how to handle your interviews, I havent been through them, so I will leave that to those who are more qualified, but I just wanted to offer up my two cents.

Best of luck!

 

[2008orbust]

This is a tricky situation. If you look at my AMCAS, you would never know I have two toddlers except for the fact that under dependants it says 3. I was advised to keep them hush hush because although they are not supposed to hold it against you, they may, in the back of their mind, think you will just be too overwhelmed and quit or do poorly. It was hard for me to not write about my kids.

If it does come up, talk about the SUPER STRONG support system you have and how you truly feel you have all the bases covered. How you've already learned how to juggle things with kids/work/school before and proven to yourself you can multitask and still be a great student and parent. If you act as if it really isn't a problem at all, they won't think it is one.

Once you get in, you can show way too many pictures of your kids to everybody you meet.

Good luck, James

 

[MSmentor018]

absolutely, then can get in!! there's a few in my class and 1 is about to have her 1st baby. I went to nursing school years ago with a single mom with 5 kids so the balancing can be done. just like the previous post, talk about support system, how you plan to balance it all..etc. most importantly, get the grades and mcat score to back it up. generally speaking you can be the greatest person in the world but without the numbers, you won't get the interview. there are many books/interview advice/web pages on the subject. try mommd.com good luck!