Leave of Absence for Family reasons

[futuredrpedsed]

Hi Everyone! I am an MS1 (4 weeks in) and I am strongly considering to take a Leave of Absence for the whole year and restart next year. My dad is sick and needs someone with him all the time; my family is looking into hiring someone but I think it may be best if I go home. My school has been supportive and says I can do it and come back next year as a "repeater" ( I hate the name of that lol). Has anyone else had to take an LOA before? Also does anyone have any idea what this would mean financially? Will i get any of my money back? It would really suck if I just dropped 20k to have to take LOA 4 weeks in. Thank you guys so much!

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[DO2015CA]

Will your dads situation change much between now and next year? You don’t want to stop thinking you’ll delay then never go back. Also are there any other options for your dad? It’s mean to say but medical school and residency are time you need to be selfish

 

[scoopdaboop]

Idk about the money stuff. You need to talk to your school about that not sdn. But I wouldn’t recommend a leave of abscence especially cuz if ur interested in anything remotely competitive, every year from now it gets harder to match with new do schools popping up like a farm.

 

[futuredrpedsed]

Will your dads situation change much between now and next year? You don’t want to stop thinking you’ll delay then never go back. Also are there any other options for your dad? It’s mean to say but medical school and residency are time you need to be selfish

We are trying to explore other options and my parents definitely dont want me to take the LOA unless absolutely necessary. Luckily I have time on my side (im at the younger end of age of medical students). Knowing my family they will make me go back lol. Hopefully it will change for the better but he will atleast be out of the acute situation he currently is in. I really want to be selfish but at the same time I dont want to regret this in the future. Home is far away so I also dont have the option of checking in every few weeks.

 

[futuredrpedsed]

Idk about the money stuff. You need to talk to your school about that not sdn. But I wouldn’t recommend a leave of abscence especially cuz if ur interested in anything remotely competitive, every year from now it gets harder to match with new do schools popping up like a farm.

This is one of my worries as well. I don't know if it will be looked down upon by residency programs either. Im not too sure what I want to go into yet; and Im concerned what will happen with the combination of the DO/MD residencies as well. But at the same time I feel as if this situation may become too distracting and I wont do as well as I possibly can.

 

[Giovanotto]

What? Are these posters above me serious? Go home and help your dad, the hell. Obviously get your money back too, you've barely started.

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Idk about the money stuff. You need to talk to your school about that not sdn. But I wouldn’t recommend a leave of abscence especially cuz if ur interested in anything remotely competitive, every year from now it gets harder to match with new do schools popping up like a farm.

The bolded is my biggest concern with waiting another year. Every year we add hundreds (some years 1k like 2022) of new students and while some new residencies are opening, they are not increasing at the pace of school expansion. I mean there have literally been like 20 new schools since I originally started.

This is one of my worries as well. I don't know if it will be looked down upon by residency programs either. Im not too sure what I want to go into yet; and Im concerned what will happen with the combination of the DO/MD residencies as well. But at the same time I feel as if this situation may become too distracting and I wont do as well as I possibly can.

This is a n=1, but I think it depends on why you did it. For family member/non-academic reasons that are resolvable you are in better shape than chronic medical conditions/imminent failure of semester. I was talking to a resident who took a year off from school to work so she could save up money (FMG - US citizen but at a noncarribean foriegn school), she still recieved a decent amount of love for her 50 apps (8 interviews in non-primary care specialty). She said that it was not really an issue.

Will this apply in 2024? I can't tell you, but each program will look at it differently. Some will care, and some won't. That said, taking a leave not related to your academic performance/mental health/chronic medical condition is viewed with less severity than otherwise.

 

[Giovanotto]

This is one of my worries as well. I don't know if it will be looked down upon by residency programs either. Im not too sure what I want to go into yet; and Im concerned what will happen with the combination of the DO/MD residencies as well. But at the same time I feel as if this situation may become too distracting and I wont do as well as I possibly can.

Likely the case, you're going to feel guilty as hell about it. Can they just have you start next year, rather than take a LOA? I mean damn, you just started.

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Likely the case, you're going to feel guilty as hell about it. Can they just have you start next year, rather than take a LOA? I mean damn, you just started.

This is what I would go for. Its not really fair to call it a repeated year when you were only 4 weeks in.

 

[AMEHigh]

I took a leave of absence for 2 years, not for the same reasons. I have no regrets. Granted I didn’t apply for anything super competitive like neurosurgery, ha and this was several years ago. However, family and life outside of medicine is super important (to me and most people once you get older especially, and have perspective), so I wouldn’t give it a 2nd thought if you need to be with your family.

Speak with your school about the financial stuff.

 

[AMEHigh]

Wait, I just re-read and you’re just in your first year?!? Ok DEFINITELY just delay starting until next year. I’d talk to your school ASAP.

 

[hallowmann]

This is one of my worries as well. I don't know if it will be looked down upon by residency programs either. Im not too sure what I want to go into yet; and Im concerned what will happen with the combination of the DO/MD residencies as well. But at the same time I feel as if this situation may become too distracting and I wont do as well as I possibly can.

I think you need to take the LOA, you just need to be prepared. If this is truly counted as an LOA and not as a deferment of starting (which would be way better and you should really advocate for your school to treat it as such), then it'll matter to residencies, but less so than if you took a year off later. Also, keep in mind that every time you apply for a medical license, you will have to list and possibly describe any gaps in your medical training.

As far as worrying about the future and competitiveness. Don't worry about it. You can't control it. You have no idea what the landscape will be like in 4 yrs. None of us do.

 

[drfeelgood]

Why if you take a year off and your dad doesn’t get better? Do you wait until he passes away before you do anything?

 

[futuredrpedsed]

This is what I would go for. Its not really fair to call it a repeated year when you were only 4 weeks in.

I know but unfortunately they don't do deferments for anything unless you get deployed or something which really sucks that its going to follow me around forever now.

 

[futuredrpedsed]

Likely the case, you're going to feel guilty as hell about it. Can they just have you start next year, rather than take a LOA? I mean damn, you just started.

your 100% right i already feel horrible about it

I took a leave of absence for 2 years, not for the same reasons. I have no regrets. Granted I didn’t apply for anything super competitive like neurosurgery, ha and this was several years ago. However, family and life outside of medicine is super important (to me and most people once you get older especially, and have perspective), so I wouldn’t give it a 2nd thought if you need to be with your family.

Speak with your school about the financial stuff.

yeah I know I will be content with something less competitive, heck id be happy with straight peds. I know in the long run the year wont matter as much its just really sucky that Im like 4 weeks in and its going to count as a repeated year

 

[Mass Effect]

We are trying to explore other options and my parents definitely dont want me to take the LOA unless absolutely necessary. Luckily I have time on my side (im at the younger end of age of medical students). Knowing my family they will make me go back lol. Hopefully it will change for the better but he will atleast be out of the acute situation he currently is in. I really want to be selfish but at the same time I dont want to regret this in the future. Home is far away so I also dont have the option of checking in every few weeks.

I took a leave of absence. I did have to explain it on licensing forms for my training and full license. You'll have to explain it, but family reasons is super easy to explain. You haven't been in school long enough for it to be for academic stuff, so you're good. Agree that if your school will give you a deferment, that's best case scenario. Otherwise, I would just take it and be prepared to explain it later.

My school didn't charge me twice. I only paid one year of tuition.

What? Are these posters above me serious? Go home and help your dad, the hell. Obviously get your money back too, you've barely started.

I took a leave of absence for 2 years, not for the same reasons. I have no regrets. Granted I didn’t apply for anything super competitive like neurosurgery, ha and this was several years ago. However, family and life outside of medicine is super important (to me and most people once you get older especially, and have perspective), so I wouldn’t give it a 2nd thought if you need to be with your family.

Speak with your school about the financial stuff.

This, exactly. Everyone's family and circumstances are different, but family always comes first in my book. I disagree with posters saying it's time to be selfish. That would be fine if we're talking family barbecues or going home for Christmas. But illness? Not so much. I know for me, if it was my parents and I decided it's time to be selfish, I would regret it down the line.

 

[futuredrpedsed]

I took a leave of absence. I did have to explain it on licensing forms for my training and full license. You'll have to explain it, but family reasons is super easy to explain. You haven't been in school long enough for it to be for academic stuff, so you're good. Agree that if your school will give you a deferment, that's best case scenario. Otherwise, I would just take it and be prepared to explain it later.

My school didn't charge me twice. I only paid one year of tuition.




This, exactly. Everyone's family and circumstances are different, but family always comes first in my book. I disagree with posters saying it's time to be selfish. That would be fine if we're talking family barbecues or going home for Christmas. But illness? Not so much. I know for me, if it was my parents and I decided it's time to be selfish, I would regret it down the line.

Thank you so much for your insight. I know not everyone is going to be happy with my decision, alot of family friend doctors have told me not to but I feel this is the right thing for me. Thats honestly great that your school didn't charge you twice, i think i will get a pro rated amount back. Ive been emailing my financial aid office back and forth as i havent made the official decision yet and they said i may have to take a private loan out for my first semester which sucks but ill see how it goes..

 

[scoopdaboop]

If u have to pay the money, then don’t take a leave of absence. Honestly there is very little you can do to help your father. You need to have a heart to heart with him and maybe he will be understanding of why you cannot be with him.

 

[futuredrpedsed]

If u have to pay the money, then don’t take a leave of absence. Honestly there is very little you can do to help your father. You need to have a heart to heart with him and maybe he will be understanding of why you cannot be with him.

My dad is a very understanding guy, he doesn't want me to take it. When I told him he was in near tears. I know me being there wont persay fix anything but I feel as if it will help him mentally.

 

[hallowmann]

My dad is a very understanding guy, he doesn't want me to take it. When I told him he was in near tears. I know me being there wont persay fix anything but I feel as if it will help him mentally.

If they return a prorated amount, I would do it. Its a few thousand dollars, and you're honestly unlikely to notice it in your mountain of debt (you might even be able to recoup that with some part-time work). If its the whole semester cost and you truly need to take out a private loan, then that is rough, and ultimately will have to be a decision you truly have to think about.

Its OK, just take the time. It'll affect you in some small way, but realistically, you will be fine, and chances are not going will make it hard for you to focus and do well this semester/year anyways.