Disclosing Motherhood in Med Intervew

[Premedchic]

Hi Everyone,

 

I am a single mother of 3 and will be applying next year. I know that Medical schools are not supposed to ask questions pertaining to age, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion etc.

 

Motherhood is a big part of who I am. It would be extremely difficult for me to go through the entire interview process and not disclose that. However, I wouldn't do it if it meant jeopardizing my chances of being accepted. I know that they re not suppose to discriminate, but lets be honest, the interviewers are only human, and my marital status/family status might affect the way they think, feel and act towards my application. There must be a reason why Med school candidates should not be asked these types of questions. I am afraid that this type of information could generate biased opinions and/or discriminatory judgments that may not work in my favor.

 

Any thoughts on this situation? I would appreciate some honest opinions. Thanks for your time.

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[future_doc]

Hi Everyone,

 

I am a single mother of 3 and will be applying next year. I know that Medical schools are not supposed to ask questions pertaining to age, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion etc.

 

Motherhood is a big part of who I am. It would be extremely difficult for me to go through the entire interview process and not disclose that. However, I wouldn't do it if it meant jeopardizing my chances of being accepted. I know that they re not suppose to discriminate, but lets be honest, the interviewers are only human, and my marital status/family status might affect the way they think, feel and act towards my application. There must be a reason why Med school candidates should not be asked these types of questions. I am afraid that this type of information could generate biased opinions and/or discriminatory judgments that may not work in my favor.

 

Any thoughts on this situation? I would appreciate some honest opinions. Thanks for your time.

Edit/Delete Message

 

As a highly intelligent potential applicant, I believe that you have answered your own question and I share your views. I would not trust appearances or rely upon total impartiality. In any event, you may only be subject to the MMI, in which case there would be no reason for this topic to come up. On the other hand, if you will be going through the 'traditional' type of interview, my advice is practice, practice and more practice to ensure that you do not raise this (important) topic for the obvious reasons. Once you are accepted, it does not matter. Things in life are rarely as they appear or they do not necessarily conform to the strict guidelines. Good luck.

[lostintime]

As a highly intelligent potential applicant, I believe that you have answered your own question and I share your views. I would not trust appearances or rely upon total impartiality. In any event, you may only be subject to the MMI, in which case there would be no reason for this topic to come up. On the other hand, if you will be going through the 'traditional' type of interview, my advice is practice, practice and more practice to ensure that you do not raise this (important) topic for the obvious reasons. Once you are accepted, it does not matter. Things in life are rarely as they appear or they do not necessarily conform to the strict guidelines. Good luck.

 

I think it can work FOR her though because if she can get the grades and MCAT to apply to med being a mother of 3, it really shows commitment. And she obviously has life experience that many of us don't have.

 

Maybe just gage how the interviewers are on the day of and if you feel relaxed/comfortable with them, then disclose it, if not then don't. Play it by ear?

[future_doc]

I think it can work FOR her though because if she can get the grades and MCAT to apply to med being a mother of 3, it really shows commitment. And she obviously has life experience that many of us don't have.

 

Maybe just gage how the interviewers are on the day of and if you feel relaxed/comfortable with them, then disclose it, if not then don't. Play it by ear?

 

lostintime, ALL you say is true. A single mother of 3 multitasking, juggling her schedule constantly, succeeding at accomplishing all her family and academic priorities has the skills at least of a C.E.O. of a large public corporation. Yes, 'play it by ear'. But don't open a pandora's box where the interviewer will want to know of your support system and the like, and then the interview potentially turns upon his evaluation of your support system or other misc. criteria that gets him off the beat and track. So, the applicant will need to be totally prepared to walk down this path comfortably so as to 'convince' the interviewer that as a single mother of 3, she is fully capable of carrying the rigorous and intensive load of medical studies, etc. I just hasppen to think that on a K.I.S.S. basis [Keep It Simple Stupid], the applicant has a better shot of acceptance by dealing honestly with the questions raised, and not to volunteer this information.

 

I have seen recent examples of highly qualified applicants being refused interviews at professional school simply b/c their background did not seem to fit the norm (of course, such applicants were never told this, but it was a logical inference) although their background was entirely appropriate and in accordance with the univeirsity requirements as indicated on their website.

 

Be prepared to disclose this information in a positve and comfortable manner, however, use extreme caution as to whether it is necessary to do so.

[Jochi1543]

I agree with future_doc. My first reaction to your post is "how the hell are you gonna pull off being a single mother of 3 and go to medical school." You don't want this to be the the dominant thought at your interview. Tango_Charlie said in another post not to mention that you are a SINGLE mother - this may be a good route to take. That way, you can discuss your experiences as a mother, if this is what you choose to talk about at your interview, with fewer potential consequences.

[silvrsleuth]

i would suggest that you practice bringing it up and not bringing it up when you prepare for the interview (that is, imagine situations like "tell me about yourself" and how you could answer them with and without motherhood coming up) so that, based on your reading of the situation, it comes out naturally. While I think it's an amazing accomplishment to balance motherhood and school, and that should completely count in your favor, it may not, so you should be prepared to dodge it if you think that's best.

 

My concern would be that they might ask later on "do you have children?" or "tell me about your family", to which you'd pretty much have to answer the truth, and they'd wonder why you'd been evasive at the beginning.

 

Also, I kinda agree that mentioning that you're single might work against you (although it obviously should not). if asked, I would refer to a supportive family network and leave it at that. make them (inappropriately) ask for details, if they're going to.