Including parent jobs in AMCAS

[missdoctor]

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Since neither of my parents are doctors, does it matter if I include what they do for a living in my app? Can it hurt me not to or am I just better off putting the info in anyway?

 

[ksmi117]

Why wouldn't you? I mean I suppose you could leave it off, but they don't ask just to see if your parents are doctors. I had interviewers ask me about my family and what perspective I got from my parents jobs and neither of mine are physicians.

 

[ThaliaNox]

I'd rather see applicants whose parents aren't doctors, to be totally honest. If your dad is a plumber, it won't hurt you to put it. Schools want people with different backgrounds and experiences. Not everyone can or should be the kid of a doctor who went straight through school at an Ivy league college and who volunteers in Costa Rica during breaks.

 

[missdoctor]

I'd rather see applicants whose parents aren't doctors, to be totally honest. If your dad is a plumber, it won't hurt you to put it. Schools want people with different backgrounds and experiences. Not everyone can or should be the kid of a doctor who went straight through school at an Ivy league college and who volunteers in Costa Rica during breaks.

Okay that's good to know. Glad to see it's not much of a disadvantage to have non-doctor parents.. and that it can even be an advantage as you say 🙂

 

[SoulinNeed]

I'm just as guilty as anyone else of this, but I think you may be over analyzing this. Med schools don't really care about your parents. Yes, they may ask during your interviews, and you may include it in your PS, but the AMCAS application doesn't even require you to include their info. So, include it, don't include it, don't worry about it.

 

[randombetch]

I'd be suspicious if an applicant had doctor parents - does he/she want to go to med school to live up to his/her parents' dreams or their own?

 

[NightSwim]

ehhh, doesn't the AMCAS specifically ask for your parents' occupation?? Pretty straight-forward, right?

 

[SoulinNeed]

ehhh, doesn't the AMCAS specifically ask for your parents' occupation?? Pretty straight-forward, right?

I believe it's optional.

 

[NickNaylor]

Okay that's good to know. Glad to see it's not much of a disadvantage to have non-doctor parents.. and that it can even be an advantage as you say 🙂

If anything it's an advantage. I would certainly consider my parents' lack of college education and non-medical jobs unique. It's different from the typical following in your parents' footsteps story.

Definitely include it.