Hi, this is my first post here but I need some advice. I have been accepted to med school to start fall 08. I’ve done all my required courses except the organic lab. I couldn’t do it along with my orgo lecture because I was pregnant with my third at the time. Now I’m taking biochemistry (without the lab) and a genetics course. I’m breastfeeding the baby and I am really concerned about doing the lab at this time because of the organic solvents, etc.
By the time I enter med school this won’t be as much of a concern (the baby will be almost a year and I won’t be nursing as much). Do you think I can get the orgo lab requirement waived? Or will they force me to take it? What if my pediatrician writes a letter for me? I’m not sure where I’ll be going next year, I’m into Einstein but waiting to hear from a bunch of other schools.
You are going to have to ask the schools that. Better to ask and find out for sure than to have your acceptance rescinded because you didn’t meet the conditional acceptance terms of completing all required coursework.
As an aside, you could also consider taking a deferment for a year if they tell you that they won’t waive/defer the requirement for you.
Congrats on both the acceptance and the baby!
While I seriously doubt that the program will allow you to simply not honor the Orgo lab requirement, I suspect that they will consider a 1-yr deferment. The pediatrician’s letter may or may not have much impact - afterall, you are dealing with a bunch of doctors anyhow - but it could not hurt. OTOH, some schools resist handing out deferments except in cases of need - to be determined by the program. As a physician, I am not aware of any specific indications that would mandate breastfeeding until age 1 - although as a father, I strongly support breastfeeding for as long as it is feasible. It is hard to predict what the AdCom will determine
All in all, you would be money ahead to contact the school or schools where you are admitted & get this process started ASAP.
Starmoon!
I definitely agree with Emergency! and OldmanDave - call the school and ask about that.
Just out of curiosity - could you please post here what the answer was!
Congratulations on you acceptance.
Kasia
Well, the AAP does recommend breastfeeding for a year, so I’m not exactly unusual for wanting to do it.
What about taking biochem lab instead of orgo lab? Would that be OK?
Again, you’re going to have to contact the school(s) and get permission from them. It’s certainly worth asking. Also, if they do agree to waive the orgo lab requirement for you, I would make sure that you get it in writing from someone who appears to have some clout. (i.e. Dean of Admissions, Dean of Academic Affairs, etc)
And, FWIW, despite the fact that the AAP and WHO and all kinds of various acronyms recommend breastfeeding for a year, you would be surprised at how inflexible the medical establishment can be about providing accommodations for it amongst its own staff/students. During certain rotations and residency, it can be difficult to find time to eat or even go to the bathroom, let alone find time to pump. Not saying it’s right, just saying that it’s the reality. I personally chose to do a MPH this year instead of starting third year rotations, so that I wouldn’t have to deal with the breastfeeding issue. (My daughter just turned 1)
I told you in calculus class that you would get in, and I was right!
(I know exactly who this is-- even in Manhattan, there aren’t a zillion premed “former dancers with five-year-old twins”.)
Thanks Matt! Congratulations to you too.
Hard to believe it’s been so long… and I went and complicated things by having another kid…
BTW “starmoon” was our in utero nickname for the baby. (The girls made it up.) His real name’s Leo.
To “emergency”: yeah I know the medical establishment is not exactly supportive to nursing moms. But the more of us there are the more they’ll have to adjust (especially if we speak up!). Case Western was actually really accommodating when I interviewed there–they even have a “lactation center” in the building. It would be so easy for every school/hospital to have that.
Congrats on the new baby. 
I think it would be a lot better if you had a solid plan for how you can complete the requirement, rather than coming across like you’re trying to get out of it altogether. Most med schools are pretty willing to make REASONABLE adjustments to accomodate people (and I agree Einstein is a pretty accomodating school). But that generally doesn’t mean you don’t still have to meet the requirements at all. So you will almost certainly have to take organic lab; the question is, how best to accomplish it?
For the record, I’m actually not certain how dangerous any of the chemicals in a typical sophomore lab would be to a lactating mother. But regardless, it’s better to be safe than sorry, and I think your concerns are completely understandable. You’re a dancer and a mother, so now it’s time for you to put that terrific creative ability of yours to work. How can you take organic lab and avoid potentially harming the baby? Maybe you could offer to take organic lab after your first year of med school, during the summer between M1 and M2. Alternatively, if you must take it this summer, what about a compromise such as only breast feeding the baby half the week, and then not breast feeding on lab days after class (and maybe one more day later if you want to be super safe)? You could still pump and discard the milk on those days and breast feed on the days before lab. There are probably other possibilities that you can come up with that I haven’t thought of. Suggest them to the med school, and hopefully y’all can negotiate on a plan acceptable to you both.
Best of luck to you.
Well I asked my biochemistry professor what she thought yesterday and she said she definitely would stay away from that lab while pregnant or lactating, that the solvents they use are pretty nasty. She suggested asking if I could take it the following summer or during intersession or something. Maybe I could even do it my first semester there–or is that crazy? But actually she thought they should waive the requirement.
I think your best bet is either filling out an ADA sheet with your school so you can complete the lab requirements without the exposure to the solvents somehow, or asking for a deferral. But by all means contact the med school where you have been admitted and ask them.
You could consider taking the lab as an independent study course. Mountain State University actually offers a lot of labs, including organic chemistry, through their distance learning office. I know it sounds weird taking it that way, but it’s an accredited school and Medical Schools will accept the courses. I know someone who did an entire year of O Chem that way, and I took Chem, Bio, and Biochem through Mountain State. Best of all, there are no actual chemicals involved, just lots of problems. good luck!
In my opinion, if they accepted you and say nothing about orgo lab, then you are in. Might want to ask the school about that anonomously.
- isia Said:
Not quite true. Most school's official acceptance letter states something to the effect of "pending completion of all pre-requisites". Hoping they don't notice she didn't complete them is asking for trouble.
- Emergency! Said:
- isia Said:
Not quite true. Most school's official acceptance letter states something to the effect of "pending completion of all pre-requisites". Hoping they don't notice she didn't complete them is asking for trouble.
This 100% true and why last minute spots open up at times, people are then told they have been dropped.
US schools play hard ball.
- DRFP Said:
- Emergency! Said:
- isia Said:
Not quite true. Most school's official acceptance letter states something to the effect of "pending completion of all pre-requisites". Hoping they don't notice she didn't complete them is asking for trouble.
This 100% true and why last minute spots open up at times, people are then told they have been dropped.
US schools play hard ball.
This is oh so true. Med schools take a very dim view of "short cuts."
Cheers,
Judy
I really like the idea of looking for a way to take the lab without undue exposure to solvents, through independent study, credit at another institution that handles things differently, etc. Then contact your school and make sure they will accept that credit before you enroll. It helps the administration a lot when you try to solve your own problems, and they are more likely to try to help you in return.
… but you still need to ask the school that is requiring it - you don’t want to get things lined up for starting in August only to be told at the last minute that your acceptance will be revoked without that credit. You’re getting opinions, which is fine, but the ONLY opinion that matters is that of the medical school.
Mary
- starmoon Said:
Please do not take offense to this, but, to be perfectly frank - the opinions of your chem professor, pediatrician, OPM members, Santa Claus & the Easter Bunny do not amount to a hill of beans. The decision on you having to honor the course requirement is exclusively the province of your medical school. Furthermore, they have a long waiting list of eager beavers who either already have or will have their pre-reqs completed & who are equally qualified applicants to medical school. In that context, most med schools opt for the most simply, compliant option. I suspect they will either defer you or potentially revoke your offer of acceptance.
Yes, the AAP endorses breastfeeding to 1 year & yes, I agree I would be very concerned about being a lactating mother in OChem lab...or any other hands-on chem lab/bio lab with lots of solvents. However, breastfeeding is not considered a "disability" by the medical establishment. And, the medical establishment has a multiple-generational history of "teaching, endorsing & encouraging" patients to do x, y or z, but not supporting those measure within its own hallowed halls. Yes, this is changing, but at a glacially slow pace - the 'old school' camp still believes that somehow the rules do not apply to physicians the same way it does to normal folks. Of course, this is total BS, but it is the reality of the profession - thank God it is improving!
And, before anyone misunderstands my message or intent, my wife & I are ardent supporters of breastfeeding. My wife is an active member of the Le Leche League & has actually breastfeed both of our girls (or will be for the 1y/o) beyond the AAP guideline of 1 year.
So, even though I am a major supporter of breastfeeding over formula, I suspect the reality you will face may not be so warm, fuzzy & supportive.
So this all goes back to: Try to find an o-chem lab option that DOES NOT require you to expose yourself to solvents. Contact your med school. Ask them if they will accept the credit for that lab. Take that lab. Go to med school.