MD MD father primary app disclosure: anchor on otherwise-strong app?

[indigo1648]

If TLDR: refer to bolded for quick skim..

I do not want to come off as entitled. I do believe that income/background disclosures have a place on the primary application so as to benefit URM populations. What I oppose is their disclosure being (arguably) mandatory.

My father is a prominent ER physician. My employment as an ER tech and ER scribe is in the ER in which he works. My mother's father was a GP in a different part of the country and the fact that my mother has retained her (uncommon) maiden name makes this fact all-the-more accessible. In truth, my decision to go into medicine was one that I made, doing so relatively late (at 19) and very abruptly. It was actually not my father, but my mother (not physician), who explicitly encouraged me to take an EMT course than set me on the path, yada yada. But none of what I say in this regard is credible, I don't think - and I'm self-aware enough to know and accept this wholesale.

Profile (not comprehensive)
- White male, CA
- one of better UCs (you can probably narrow down to 2 from this characterization)
• 3.88 sGPA, 3.94 cGPA
• major: political science
- MCAT: TBD (June)
- 9 months as ER tech (EMT-certified)
- plus: research, clinical work in foreign country, healthcare policy internship, among other areas
Current
- ER scribe (6+ months)
- Volunteer for Congressional campaign (House of Reps, Federal)

It isn't that who I am or the background I come from just dawned on me. This post was precipitated by my realizing just how much the primary application expects me to disclose, and how doing so will likely reveal everything noted in the first paragraph, and much more. A quick google search of my/my father's (uncommon) last name would make clear our shared employment history, which is approaching 2 years and has served as my sole income. The same of my mother's name, in relation to her father being a physician as I noted.

Disclose/Not Disclose

As I'm sure you all know, there is a childhood (residence, parental income, etc) and parental (name, educational attainment, occupation, income) detail sections on the primary app. The childhood details have the nondisclosure option, while the parental section allow only for nondisclosure under the circumstance that this information is "unknown" (adopted for example). I could do a "partial disclosure" by noting only my mother and her being "self-employed" while not mentioning my father. Yes, I am aware this very probably a bad idea, but on the other hand I may not be probed on the paternal omission, in which case it would be of great benefit. I would like to find a way to wriggle out of answering either of these questions, but I accept that this is very possibly more harmful than helpful for the questions it might raise.

Implications of Full Disclosure (not good)

- only child raised in a household of 3 in noted affluent city
- father: $500k+ income physician
- mother: "self-employed" with little income (that is to say - homemaker)
- employment history: 100% with my father's hospital
• no work before age 18
• no contributions to "pay the bills" until a year ago
- school tuition: 100% covered by father's income
- academic rigor: low; spread out over 6 years
• I performed well, but do not deny the my advantages, which allowed for me to not "rush" and limited need to work

Questions

- Is there a way for me to limit these disclosures, or do I have absolutely no choice?

- If it is the case that I have no choice (risks of nondisclosure outweigh potential benefit), then...
• should explaining how I'm "not" the negative stereotype that all of these elements suggest be central to my application (personal statement, interview strategy, etc.) - and how to go about this?
• should my relationship with my father be brought to the forefront to reframe my background as a "positive" (from adcom perspective)
• any ideas about qualities that are worth emphasizing and might allow me to maintain control of the narrative would be appreciated
• any ideas about elements of my background that are worth obfuscating, despite the associated risk would be appreciated

Thanks for reading

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[altblue]

Coming from a privileged background won't preclude you from obtaining multiple medical school acceptances as the vast majority of matriculants are "middle middle" class and above. Many have physician parents. Just be true with yourself as you write your application and have others look it over.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

The only time that an applicant with an affluent background will be buried by Adcoms is if said applicant fits the negative stereotype of being an ENTITLED jerk. If your ECs, essays, and mannerisms during interviews do not come off that way, then you have nothing to worry about...

 

[thenucleusaccumbens]

This won't hurt you at all. Many people in med school have parents who are physicians. I don't think you should try to "wriggle out of" answering questions. Just tell the truth. Nobody will care.

 

[indigo1648]

I have absorbed the unanimous feedback that I must disclose all of it (if someone disagrees with this, I invite you to say so) and will likely err in this direction - I knew when I saw the app layout that's almost certainly where this was headed.

Do you all not think that my case is particularly extreme though such that it may not be so cut and dry? It's not only that my father is a physician, but my obvious dependence on him for the entirety of my work history, plus being an only child etc. There seems to be a real body of evidence that could lead one to reasonably infer that I "leaned on" my family's financial resources and connections to insulate myself from academic and employment competition, respectively. This was the subtext for my providing all of these details beyond just my family history in medicine.

As for the sort of person I actually am, I do not believe that I am entitled - I have put my fullest efforts into this process start to finish, and still feel nothing is assured (hence the post). I understand that my father and where he figures in my decision to pursue medicine should have a place in my personal statement, as to not state this might appear less than forthright. The issue is that all of these specifics regarding my father and his being integrally tied to my clinical experience makes it (it seems to me) very difficult for me to portray myself as, in any sense, independent of him. I do believe I can say what needs to be said, and in the right manner, at the right time. However, that my father's employment as an emergency physician and my clinical work is inextricably tied and that the image this conjures is fundamentally distasteful to some, to whom I would be seen as an "unreliable narrator" is concerning to me.

I do not know where to start in explaining "why I chose medicine" because I will have to acknowledge my father and his influence (which is truly less than anyone would assume, though I took advantage of my association with him after I made the decision independently, though I would have had less basis for making it were he not my father...repeat) while emphasizing my independence from him, both of which just do not seem likely to be taken as credible given all that they will know. Alternatively, I could just accept this and double down on my association with my father and actually overstate his influence, which then would seem "honest." His role was one of facilitation in my clinical employment and big picture/long term guidance (he is old, had me when he was 45, though still working in emergency medicine, so has no conception of what is involved in getting into medical school now).

I do not mean to make this a "woe is me" thing. I am just outlining how I believe I have to walk a particularly "fine line" beyond that of the typical doctor-parent applicant profile, and requesting a bit of guidance, as it is likely some matriculants with MD parents are reading this and thinking "this guy's story is less unique than he thinks..." if this is you, please comment and tell me how you dealt with lack of apparent/credible independence from MD parent. Thank you.

 

[thenucleusaccumbens]

Off the top of my head I can think of 4 med students I know who worked at the same hospital as their parent at some point. It's not very unusual. Medical families are a thing. Even Mayo Clinic was founded by a dad and his 2 sons who all worked together. I don't think your case is extreme nor do I think it will be seen as fundamentally distasteful. Just don't list your dad as your contact person on AMCAS for that clinical experience.

 

[indigo1648]

Wealthy suburb/city + higher-income family + depended on parents for money and opportunities + didn't need to work to pay bills describes the majority of medical students. Even having a physician as a parent is incredibly common (just off the top of my head from people within my "group" of friends, they make up at least 10% of my class). You'll be fine. Quit worrying and just be honest. Based on what you've written here, your larger issue will be your lack of nonclinical volunteering experience, particularly with people who have different backgrounds/challenges than you have - the poor, the disabled, the homeless, etc.

Thank you. You make a good point about the nonclinical experience, and I have tried to fill that in with some tutoring of high school students/setting goals within the diverse urban area in which I live. When I belatedly noticed that was lacking, it was a bit of a wake up call.

That list isn't quite comprehensive (thought post was getting too long). I worked in a underserved/isolated area clinic associated with my undergrad university's medical school. More specifically, my research was in viral epitopes and I went on an accredited trip to the country most afflicted by this virus... and did clinical work there for 5 weeks.

Is there anything aside from that you would recommend that I fill in (to the limited extent this is at this point possible) that might be helpful given the specifics of my background described?