legit reasons to defer med school (with acceptance in hand)

[biggiesmallsiz]

what do you guys think?

does wanting to travel count? for example, i was born in india but I came here when I was 6. I was thinking of doing a "roots" kind of sabbatical and traveling all around india. I havent even been to the taj mahal. wtf man.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Law2Doc]

what do you guys think?

does wanting to travel count? for example, i was born in india but I came here when I was 6. I was thinking of doing a "roots" kind of sabbatical and traveling all around india. I havent even been to the taj mahal. wtf man.

Each school will have their own policy on deferrals. Many will only allow deferrals for very limited reasons which were unforseeable when applying. Just a few (the minority) allow deferrals for any reason. I'd say most schools would say "wanting to travel" is not an acceptable reason. The acceptable reasons I've seen tend to involve health or major family issues, getting a Rhodes or Fulbright (or something similar) requiring you to spend a year elsewhere, and things of that magnitude. Expecting to defer as a matter of right is a mistake (except at a small couple of schools) and you shouldn't apply if you don't plan to attend in the subsequent year.

 

[MadameLULU]

Contact your school's admission department since that is the department which grants deferrals. Moving to pre-allo.

 

[mfrizzo3]

what do you guys think?

does wanting to travel count? for example, i was born in india but I came here when I was 6. I was thinking of doing a "roots" kind of sabbatical and traveling all around india. I havent even been to the taj mahal. wtf man.

That would not count.

 

[tigercu]

traveling for fun does not count

i had a friend with 0 acceptances and 1 waitlist, she was not expecting to get off of the waitlist so she did a charity world travel thing that lasts 11 months, she left for it in june and was accepted off of the waitlist in july, but she had already started the world travel thing and the school let her defer

that was a major exception,

if you've been accepted and then decide to do something like volunteer abroad for a year, med schools will not let you defer even though your doing something charitable

the girl on the other hand started and then was accepted so they let her defer

rhodes, family illnesses stuff like that is okay

 

[crut]

just ask...

I deferred last year to "define my research interests." I don't see how a very personal/educational/transforming trip is less important than burying oneself in a lab. I guess the school I dealt with had a pretty lenient policy, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

I would frame the idea in the most positive light possible. Don't just tell them you want to travel...

 

[elwademd]

talk with those in charge of student affair and admissions within the medical school.

i went to emory (graduated '05) and i had a friend from undergrad who deferred a year and was an airline stewardess for delta airlines and travelled for a year before starting.

 

[ppancreas]

Once I got into medical school, I wrote 3 of my top choices (University of Florida, Irvine, and St. Louis University) a well-crafted and thoroughly spell-checked letter asking if I could defer for one year of stress-free, selfish pleasure travel. I mentioned that the travel would help me 'get back to my roots' (the country I was traveling to is where my grandmother is from), and that deferring for a year would allow me and my partner to start graduate school at the same time. UF and St. Louis University said yes, no problem, hope you have fun and send us a postcard. Irvine said no.

I'm going to UF and, yes, deferral was so worth it!

 

[OncDoc19]

It really depends on the school. For those with limited deferral policies usually you can only get one for a major scholarship. An adcom told me that the problem is that the rate of return to the school you deferred from is around 50% and this makes schools nervous.

 

[45408]

just ask...

I deferred last year to "define my research interests." I don't see how a very personal/educational/transforming trip is less important than burying oneself in a lab. I guess the school I dealt with had a pretty lenient policy, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

I would frame the idea in the most positive light possible. Don't just tell them you want to travel...

Do a research project for 3 months and go vacay for 9 months.

 

[SurferDocAli]

Ill go with you. Im half Indian. Actually, I am probably going to go the summer before med school. That is hopeful thinking, but I really want to go. The last time i was there was in my mom's tum-tum. I almost was born there but they made it back to the US in time.

 

[biggiesmallsiz]

Ill go with you. Im half Indian. Actually, I am probably going to go the summer before med school. That is hopeful thinking, but I really want to go. The last time i was there was in my mom's tum-tum. I almost was born there but they made it back to the US in time.

is that avatar you? if so, give me your information so i'll tell my parents. we'll set up an arranged marriage.













LOL

 

[AKu2984]

Do a research project for 3 months and go vacay for 9 months.

Now that...sounds like a great idea. Hmmmmm...

 

[nutrition]

is that avatar you? if so, give me your information so i'll tell my parents. we'll set up an arranged marriage.

Darn it! You beat me to it. The girl in the avatar is super gorgeous.

 

[AlexMorph]

Darn it! You beat me to it. The girl in the avatar is super gorgeous.

jeez, settle down....what is this? the meat market?

 

[nutrition]

jeez, settle down....what is this? the meat market?

Sorry didn't intend it so strongly.

 

[ChakDeyPhutteMD]

It really depends on the school. For those with limited deferral policies usually you can only get one for a major scholarship. An adcom told me that the problem is that the rate of return to the school you deferred from is around 50% and this makes schools nervous.

wait this doesn't make sense b/c aren't deferrals contingent on your agreeing not to reapply to other med schools?

 

[mdblogger]

when should you make requests for deferral?

how bout being a professional translator in hospitals? would that qualify as a good enough reason ... to want to experience that for a year?

 

[CoenCorydoras]

Can a good reason for deferring be because you are planning to serve in the military?

 

[de Ribas]

Can a good reason for deferring be because you are planning to serve in the military?

You just bumped 9-year old thread

 

[COMMANDER CLOWN]

You just bumped 9-year old thread

The alternative was making a new thread and then getting flamed for not using the search function.

 

[CoenCorydoras]

You just bumped 9-year old thread

I'm sorry. I just wanted advice. I tried finding a similar post but this was the closest post I found to answer my question.

 

[Catalystik]

Can a good reason for deferring be because you are planning to serve in the military?

I see your status is designated as Pre-Physical Therapy. Posters in this forum, being mostly Pre-Med, won't know how adcomms in Physical Therapy Programs view deferrals for any reason.

Search or ask here instead: Pre-Physical Therapy

 

[Mad Jack]

Can a good reason for deferring be because you are planning to serve in the military?

Probably. But like, a four year deferral isn't something most places grant. If it's for a reserve deployment though, you should be fine, since you'd be deferring less than a year most likely.

 

[Jaigantic]

Is it common to defer for a year to do some prereqs that your accepted school requires that you hadn't gotten out of the way beforehand?

 

[CoenCorydoras]

I see your status is designated as Pre-Physical Therapy. Posters in this forum, being mostly Pre-Med, won't know how adcomms in Physical Therapy Programs view deferrals for any reason.

Search or ask here instead: Pre-Physical Therapy

Thank you. My apologies again. I am new to this.

 

[Catalystik]

Thank you. My apologies again. I am new to this.

No problem. Good luck with your search.