Stories of Deferrals

[EthicsForBreakfast]

Does anyone have any knowledge regarding deferrals of acceptance? The website leaves it pretty vague but states:

"Once admitted in the first year, a student may submit a request for a deferred registration. This deferral may be granted under very exceptional circumstances. The request is granted or refused by the Admissions Office in consultation with the Vice-Dean.  Students admitted by another medical school and given the privilege of a deferred registration will not be considered for admission at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ottawa as long as they maintain their deferred registration."

Without getting into too much detail, I was accepted into a 1 year masters program at a pretty prestigious school and the nature of the masters program would only make me a much better doctor. It is directly related to medicine and I have a scholarship for that school and will have to put down a huge deposit way before Ottawa will even tell if me if I'm accepted or not. Any stories of deferrals for something positive and not negative like a family death or illness???? What have exceptional circumstances been in the past? 

[la marzocco]

31 minutes ago, EthicsForBreakfast said:

Does anyone have any knowledge regarding deferrals of acceptance? The website leaves it pretty vague but states:

"Once admitted in the first year, a student may submit a request for a deferred registration. This deferral may be granted under very exceptional circumstances. The request is granted or refused by the Admissions Office in consultation with the Vice-Dean.  Students admitted by another medical school and given the privilege of a deferred registration will not be considered for admission at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ottawa as long as they maintain their deferred registration."

Without getting into too much detail, I was accepted into a 1 year masters program at a pretty prestigious school and the nature of the masters program would only make me a much better doctor. It is directly related to medicine and I have a scholarship for that school and will have to put down a huge deposit way before Ottawa will even tell if me if I'm accepted or not. Any stories of deferrals for something positive and not negative like a family death or illness???? What have exceptional circumstances been in the past? 

Unforeseen personal emergencies or obligations are the most common reason. 

But many schools have accommodated the deferral for the purpose of finalizing the obtention of an advanced degree such as a masters degree or a PhD (request should be supported with details of the status of the academic program and a supervisor's letter detailing the progress and anticipated completion of the program). So I think as long as you can persuasively argue your position about the masters program and convey how it will help you in becoming a clinician, i think there is a very legitimate reason. 

I personally know someone who got their deferral accepted for finishing their license to practice law - I think they look at it on a case-by-case basis. Their argument was that this law licence means a lot to them.. they spent 3+ years studying + articling so they want to finish it. 

[Meridian]

In your case you are hedging bets. This is no different than many other Med applicants covering plan B.   They will not defer your Medicine admissions so you can start a new masters.

[la marzocco]

18 minutes ago, Meridian said:

In your case you are hedging bets. This is no different than many other Med applicants covering plan B.   They will not defer your Medicine admissions so you can start a new masters.

Agreed - if you havent begin the program, then you will have really no leverage.

[EthicsForBreakfast]

6 hours ago, qnzjlo said:

Agreed - if you havent begin the program, then you will have really no leverage.

That's really a shame because this is something I was planning on adding to my medical degree regardless. This culture of covering your ass being wrong is also frustrating. It's a person's entire life and career... of course you're trying to protect yourself against loss by trying to support multiple options. 

[IMislove]

Well I mean they do MD/MSc's and MD/PhD's so the opportunities are there. Not to mention some residents are able to have a research year and obtain MSc's. Schools also need to churn out students, and they don't want to mess around with clerkship schedules I would imagine. Plus the spot you defer could have potentially gone to another potential student who would make an amazing doctor/clinical researcher, etc. They are pretty fair in my opinion. 

[rmorelan]

1 hour ago, EthicsForBreakfast said:

That's really a shame because this is something I was planning on adding to my medical degree regardless. This culture of covering your ass being wrong is also frustrating. It's a person's entire life and career... of course you're trying to protect yourself against loss by trying to support multiple options. 

It is annoying - but if I could add a possible bright spot - it usually is very possible to defer the masters until a point in medical school. It is surprisingly easy to get ivy league masters degree acceptance as a medical student/doctor as well. Well it was surprising to me ha. MD is a gateway to almost anything. 

[JohnGrisham]

5 hours ago, EthicsForBreakfast said:

That's really a shame because this is something I was planning on adding to my medical degree regardless. This culture of covering your ass being wrong is also frustrating. It's a person's entire life and career... of course you're trying to protect yourself against loss by trying to support multiple options. 

No one is forcing you to apply this year.

[Donald_Duck]

I am almost certain they will not defer for that reason, esp since they do not even let current students finish their graduate degrees when they get accepted.  Let alone allow you to start one. If you want to do the masters, then do it instead of applying to medicine and apply next year.

Mr Duck

[medhopeful'17]

On ‎2017‎-‎11‎-‎15 at 1:14 PM, EthicsForBreakfast said:

Does anyone have any knowledge regarding deferrals of acceptance? The website leaves it pretty vague but states:

"Once admitted in the first year, a student may submit a request for a deferred registration. This deferral may be granted under very exceptional circumstances. The request is granted or refused by the Admissions Office in consultation with the Vice-Dean.  Students admitted by another medical school and given the privilege of a deferred registration will not be considered for admission at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ottawa as long as they maintain their deferred registration."

Without getting into too much detail, I was accepted into a 1 year masters program at a pretty prestigious school and the nature of the masters program would only make me a much better doctor. It is directly related to medicine and I have a scholarship for that school and will have to put down a huge deposit way before Ottawa will even tell if me if I'm accepted or not. Any stories of deferrals for something positive and not negative like a family death or illness???? What have exceptional circumstances been in the past? 

Just out of curiosity.....what is the program???

[PurpleS]

If you do get accepted, maybe you can work with the program admin in both programs to see if some kind of compromise can be made. There are students at the Mac program who have been able to take a year off during med school to complete a Master's that they started during their MD.

[Bambi]

If this Masters is that important, accept it and do not proceed further with your med school application this cycle. You will be an even better candidate for med school next cycle from what you say. You cannot have both cakes during the same cycle, deferring med school for a year. You need to make a decision, one or the other.