Student Parents - Special Consideration?

[MSUstarchild]

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Currently, our student parent group is asking our administration to be removed from what they deem to be the late labs and small group sessions and to be allowed alternate opportunities to take exams that are at 7-7:30 am. They argue that these times are not conducive to having children and that because most of them commute as well they need to be able to be home in time to feed their children and put them to bed.

My question to all of you is: does your school allow student parents to make alternative arrangements for their classes or must they follow the same protocol as other students?

Further, what about students that commute but do not have children? Why are they any less entitled to the same opportunities?

 

[tkim]

I had kids during med school and I did not ask to be treated any differently from the single students. Where does it end - during residency, can I ask to be let off early or not take call because I won't be able to put the kids to bed? Good grief.

 

[JeffLebowski]

Yeah, that sounds like total BS. Having children isn't a disability that should be accommodated by medical school administration, it's a decision you made and a set of priorities that isn't everyone else's responsibility to agree with.

 

[ShyRem]

UNE left it up to the individual professors. However, making alternative arrangements all the time just because you had children or a spouse was rather frowned upon - you would get the "what are you going to do for rotations and residency???? They won't let you make your own hours and days just because you have children!" speech. So, no. As a parent I didn't get ANY special arrangements because I had children. My husband (who worked graveyards) ended up taking time off work for those cases of conflicting times.

As for rotation sites: UNE also does not give special accomodation for those people with children when it comes time for lottery for rotation site. As a result, I'm away from my children and husband during the week but I am fortunate to have gotten into a core site that is close enough that I can go home on weekends and spend time with my family and be Mom.

Get used to it. Rotations and residency generally won't cut parents any slack.

 

[Amy B]

VCOM didnt allow any "alternative testing times" Nor did we ask. The only time we were allowed to ask for special circumstances is we were allowed to write a letter requesting local rotations. You cant take your kids out of school every other month. But other than that, I cant think of anything that as a group the parents of VCOM asked for a bending of rules.

We had a number of single parent families (men and women) and they as well as married couples had to make things work. hard ? yes and at times seemingy impossible, but parents just have to make things work if they want to be in med school...

 

[ShyRem]

I agree, Amy. I didn't ask either. But I *am* jealous that VCOM allowed the parents to arrange core rotations near their children. :sigh: Being away from your kids is hard. But you make do. Nothing lasts forever.

For those parents asking for special arrangements: just wait until 4th year and you're doing audition rotations states away for 4 weeks a pop because no where close by has a residency you are interested in. Just the thought of setting those up just truly sucks moldy monkey patties. But it's a necessary step for the end result. Need to get another video camera setup for my laptop.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

The only special arrangement I had to make at UMDNJ-SOM was an excuse of a small group session because I had to rush my daughter to x-ray. Other than that, while they have no overt policy on making special accommodations for students with children, I do not think that they would.

Other than on an emergency basis. But then again, I have a wall calendar in my den where I write down all of the times I am in class that my wife can refer to.

 

[DrMom]

However, making alternative arrangements all the time just because you had children or a spouse was rather frowned upon - you would get the "what are you going to do for rotations and residency????

Get used to it. Rotations and residency generally won't cut parents any slack.

This is key.

MS 1 & MS 2 are the easy schedules in this med school & residency process. If you're whining at this point, I don't see much hope for the rest.

As was already said, sometimes the schedule sucks, but you make do and accomodate for your family as you can. You can't expect anyone else to move things around for your family except under unforseen circumstances (emergencies).

 

[MSUstarchild]

Thank you to everyone for your replies. I just want to make it clear that I do not have any children and many at my school feel I am being insensitive on this issue. Based on the limited number of replies, it would seem that MSUCOM would become an outlier in this situation if they were to grant such a request and might be in fact setting these students up for disappointment once they start their clinical rotations.

I do respect the need for a plan of action should an emergency arise (which I believe already exists), but I think making an across the board policy is simply unneccessary.

 

[Amy B]

I guess here's the thing.... if it doesnt affect you, then dont worry about it😉

 

[DrMom]

I would argue that allowing certain people "better" exam times does affect everyone, if only by being inherently unfair.

 

[Kateb4]

I would argue that allowing certain people "better" exam times does affect everyone, if only by being inherently unfair.

Agree with this. I have three kids, and I don't want or think I deserve any special treatment, nor would I want my classmates looking at me as though our opportunities were not equal. I chose to come to med school with my kids, and I knew what I was getting into. Children are not a disability and parents don't need any special consideration.