Name change?

[lazybutt26]

I am wondering if it is absolutely necessary to change my name on college diploma?
I got married and changed my last name. Didn't realize that it could be a problem until I am sitting here thinking, what if AMCAS does not recognize me since the name on my transcripts which will be sent to them this June will not match the name on my MCAT?
I've changed my name on driver license or other socially important documents. When I went to take my MCAT, I registered it and took it with my new name.
So it will be different than the one shown on my transcripts. Would this be a problem? Even though my first name is the same? (Although my first name is an Asian name, so you will be able to easily spot it with the change of last name)

Thanks for your help!

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[virchow?]

Probably the easiest way to solve this is to email AMCAS laying out your situation. They will help you/tell you if you need to do anything.

 

[New_Slang]

I didn't change mine. I just notified AMCAS that my name had changed and it is marked in the system that I have a maiden** name. All my transcripts are in my maiden name but my schools noted the old vs. new and it hasn't been an issue.

**cringing at that term. I hate it.

ETA: Everything is linked to your AMCAS ID number so as long as you provide the correct ID number with your transcripts, it will get attached to your file.

 

[lazybutt26]

Great! Thanks guys for your help! One last thing to worry about! I called the school actually but they said it was up to my choice but if I wanted to change my name in their system, I would have to get all the documentations filled out and notarized. Who's got time for that?

 

[New_Slang]

Great! Thanks guys for your help! One last thing to worry about! I called the school actually but they said it was up to my choice but if I wanted to change my name in their system, I would have to get all the documentations filled out and notarized. Who's got time for that?

Name changing with the government? Easy.
Name changing with everyone else? Stupidly difficult.

You would figure the gov't would be the worst...

 

[DokterMom]

Just a word of advice from someone who has been around the block -- Keep your maiden name a part of any legal name you use as you never know when it will come in handy.

If you choose to take your spouse's last name upon marriage, shift your maiden name to the middle position and use it in everything formal just to leave a clear paper trail. Or keep it forever, professionally -- it'll help with networking.

 

[Pusheen]

Just a word of advice from someone who has been around the block -- Keep your maiden name a part of any legal name you use as you never know when it will come in handy.

If you choose to take your spouse's last name upon marriage, shift your maiden name to the middle position and use it in everything formal just to leave a clear paper trail. Or keep it forever, professionally -- it'll help with networking.

So I could legally go by both names, I.e. Mary Brown and Mary Smith are both acceptable identification? I'm in a similar situation as I am getting married in the next year. Would my maiden name be accepted as a legal last name even though it would be in the middle name field of my documents?

 

[idontknowwhatnametopick]

Just a word of advice from someone who has been around the block -- Keep your maiden name a part of any legal name you use as you never know when it will come in handy.

If you choose to take your spouse's last name upon marriage, shift your maiden name to the middle position and use it in everything formal just to leave a clear paper trail. Or keep it forever, professionally -- it'll help with networking.

What do you mean when you say it will help with networking?

OP, AMCAS will ask you for any names you currently use or have used in the past, so just put both names in there, and always get your AMCAD ID# attached to anything that gets sent to AMCAS, and you'll be completely fine.

 

[DokterMom]

So I could legally go by both names, I.e. Mary Brown and Mary Smith are both acceptable identification? I'm in a similar situation as I am getting married in the next year. Would my maiden name be accepted as a legal last name even though it would be in the middle name field of my documents?

So long as your intent is not to criminally deceive, you can use whatever name you want. So Dr. Mary Smith who also answers to Mrs. Mary Brown (wife of James Brown)

 

[DokterMom]

What do you mean when you say it will help with networking?

OP, AMCAS will ask you for any names you currently use or have used in the past, so just put both names in there, and always get your AMCAD ID# attached to anything that gets sent to AMCAS, and you'll be completely fine.

Back in the dark ages before everybody was on Facebook or whatever else everybody is on now, you might want to look up an old classmate that you haven't talked to in 10 years using the name they used while you were in school together. Maybe that's not a thing anymore?...

 

[idontknowwhatnametopick]

So I could legally go by both names, I.e. Mary Brown and Mary Smith are both acceptable identification? I'm in a similar situation as I am getting married in the next year. Would my maiden name be accepted as a legal last name even though it would be in the middle name field of my documents?

You get to decide what to do with your 2 last names. Say you are Mary Jo Brown, marrying Mr Smith. You can choose to be Mary Jo Brown, Mary Jo Smith, Mary Jo Brown-Smith, Mary Jo Smith-Brown, or Mary Brown Smith. Or maybe even Mary Smith Brown? At least that's what I remember from my name change process a year and a half ago.

 

[idontknowwhatnametopick]

Back in the dark ages before everybody was on Facebook or whatever else everybody is on now, you might want to look up an old classmate that you haven't talked to in 10 years using the name they used while you were in school together. Maybe that's not a thing anymore?...

That makes sense. It's still a thing. I was recently trying to look up a childhood friend and had a really hard time because it turned out she was now married and didn't keep her maiden name. I knew her before computers and the internet became big though. Back in the golden age of floppy disks.

 

[Pusheen]

You get to decide what to do with your 2 last names. Say you are Mary Jo Brown, marrying Mr Smith. You can choose to be Mary Jo Brown, Mary Jo Smith, Mary Jo Brown-Smith, Mary Jo Smith-Brown, or Mary Brown Smith. Or maybe even Mary Smith Brown? At least that's what I remember from my name change process a year and a half ago.

Let's say I bumped my maiden name to my middle name and became Mary Jo Smith Brown. If I showed up to an interview and they were looking for a Mary Smith, would my legal ID be acceptable?

 

[DokterMom]

Let's say I bumped my maiden name to my middle name and became Mary Jo Smith Brown. If I showed up to an interview and they were looking for a Mary Smith, would my legal ID be acceptable?

Generally, yes. Depends on how much of a stickler they want to be, which is why I would suggest your MD license and diploma ALWAYS be issued using your maiden name.

Legal documents that are critical but not necessarily life-long (driver's license) should include maiden and married names if you use them. It's not hard at all for a woman to explain the Mary Jo Smith Brown thing.

 

[idontknowwhatnametopick]

Let's say I bumped my maiden name to my middle name and became Mary Jo Smith Brown. If I showed up to an interview and they were looking for a Mary Smith, would my legal ID be acceptable?

For interviews I assume it would be fine. Just tell them about the name change in person.
The one thing you'll have to be very careful about is booking plane tickets.

 

[idontknowwhatnametopick]

Generally, yes. Depends on how much of a stickler they want to be, which is why I would suggest your MD license and diploma ALWAYS be issued using your maiden name.

Legal documents that are critical but not necessarily life-long (driver's license) should include maiden and married names if you use them. It's not hard at all for a woman to explain the Mary Jo Smith Brown thing.

So say my name is now Mary Smith Brown (maiden name replaced middle name), you'd say my medical license should be under just Mary Smith, not Mary Smith Brown?

 

[New_Slang]

For interviews I assume it would be fine. Just tell them about the name change in person.
The one thing you'll have to be very careful about is booking plane tickets.

I still have plane tickets booked in maiden name (we plan big vacations far in advance) so I just use my passport for those. You don't have to change your passport as long as you book tickets in the name shown on your passport. I figure it saves me $$$ because the passport (and all my expensive visas) won't expire for a couple more years. At that point, I'll finally finish changing my name.

 

[DokterMom]

So say my name is now Mary Smith Brown (maiden name replaced middle name), you'd say my medical license should be under just Mary Smith, not Mary Smith Brown?

The Smith would still appear, so I'd be totally OK with that -- not that my opinion matters. But if you have any doubts at all or are known to your classmates as Mary Smith more than Mary Brown, I'd do it.

 

[idontknowwhatnametopick]

Since I'm going in married, and hoping to stay married, I guess in my case I'll just make sure both names are on official stuff.
Thanks for your helpful advice.