Any medical student parents out there?

[Notyetamummy]

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Me! Pregnant! I'm taking a year out having finished my 2nd year at Manchester. I'm mature - 28. I didn't mean to get pregnant ( and if one more person tells me I should have known how it all works I'll strangle them), but we're going with it and very happy. I moved back to Devon to be with my partner and near both our families once i finished my exams, so have been in talks with peninsula to see if I can transfer, but they still haven't given me an answer either way yet. Manchester will hold my place for me so I could be moving back up come September 2011!

What's your story? x

Me. I'm taking a year out (should be 4th year) - DS was born almost 4 weeks ago. But I think I probably wont be going back. A friend has just gone back, and has had to get full time child care, and sadly I don't think we'll be able to cover it on one salary.

Sorry, that's not meant to sound negative. I know several people who've gone back after having a baby :)

Fingon - will you not qualify for a childcare grant?

I dont think so, it's my second degree and I didn't qualify for any other student funding. I'm going to look into it, but I'm not hopeful. :( My friend didn't qualify for it either.

Oh please don't give up! You've come so far! i would be devastated if I couldn't go back. I hope you can find some way to manage it. Just think of all that money you'll earn when you qualify.x

Course it is your decision and obviously I haven't had my baby yet so maybe your feelings/priorities change when that happens? Where were you studying? I hope things work out well for you.x

sorry to hear that, do check> I really wanted to apply but couldn't afford childacre if I don't qualify

God knows what I'll do - if I manage a transfer then maybe my family can help out but if I have to go back to Manchester I'm screwed. At the moment I'm determined that I'll find a way somehow - but maybe I'm being naive.

Have you spoken to someone at your university? My tutors were really supportive. They will want you to finish rather than drop out. The university may have some funding available for students in your situation. x

Roxie, yes I guess feelings etc change, my friend hates having to leave her DD to go back, but I've got a year before that aspect really kicks in for me - obviously right now it seems unimaginable though, but I might be sick of being at home by then :o

The big problem is that I'm studying in London, so childcare is jaw-droppingly expensive, average seems to be £75 per day

I can imagine - I used to live in London - I moved from there to Manchester to start my degree. I struggled on a full-time salary so I couldn't begin to imagine what it's like trying to survive as a student!

I'm really missing it already - I've been having to work an admin job full-time anyway cos I'm not entitled to any maternity pay/allowance so I wish in a way I'd just kept on til I dropped - though I would be due around exam time! I expect I'll be grateful I did too when baby comes!

The teaching hospital I would have been at in Manchester has a creche but i haven't a clue how much it costs, or whether I'd be entitled to any help. Does your hospital or uni have any facilities? London is not the most family-friendly place though is it? Definitely try and speak to someone in the support services at your uni though - Manchester said they are going to contact me in the summer to discuss any extra support I will need and how they can help me! Not sure what they will actually come up with though!

I really hope it works out for you whatever you decide in the end - and that you manage to get some support if you do go back. x

Ooo, I started this thread a little while ago and hadn't checked it to see whether anyone had replied.

I was in my final year but have had to take some time out as I've had really bad endometriosis and have to have an op on the 10th of December (they're going to try to do it laparoscopically but have warned me that it will most likely be open as it will involve extensive excision and removal of a large endometrioma) and so have had to suspend my final year until next June.

Anyway, the endo that I have will come back after the excision and my mother was unable to have a child with my step-father due to her endo so after much discussion with DH, family & the clinical sub-dean (it's unusual to have to involve uni in you're family planning but hey-ho) we've decided to ttc.

So, if all goes well (which it may well not) I will be a final year med student when I give birth. Not sure what the plans will be around that - it depends if/how soon we manage to conceive.

I'm really worried about the whole thing. Uni have been really supportive and have said that I can have any time out that I need, but I'm not sure how it will all work out money-wise. So I started this thread for your experiences.

How are you managing?

Hi, DP is a med student in 3rd year of 4 yr grad course, we have two DC, second born in the first yr of med school.

We cope financially, get an NHS bursary and childcare grant, and I work full time, plus DP does a bit of very part time work. Its very very busy. There are a few student parents on the course, and it is an extra difficulty, but your University student support should be able to point you in the direction of additional supports. University nurseries can be subsidised and cheaper, even if you don't get childcare. DP has negotiated directly with a placement for Mondays working from home, which really helps. The Uni didn't really help with this, so it seems to be important to get individuals on side - they will bend rules for you.

Good luck TTC, your Uni sounds much more supportive than ours, and in the end you are nearly there!

Do you mind me asking how much the bursary & childcare grants come to? Sorry, I know it's cheeky to ask about money.

No its fine, I just don't know! The bursary figures are on some website, and the childcare grant goes up to 80% of our costs, so it depends how much childcare you need. I'll have a think and post again if I can find the stuff. I don't do the finances....!

kayjayel it's reassuring to hear that you are managing. We have all this to come, but I get the impression that my uni will be quite supportive too so fingers crossed!

Yes, you're definitely making me feel better kayjayel.

Me. I just typed and deleted a long moany post about my current wobble, then realised that wasn't the point of the thread

I'm a 2nd year, with 3 dc. My eldest is 8, and the youngest has just turned 2. This is my first degree, so luckily I have a fair amount of financial help for childcare costs.

Those who are graduates, do your universities have a financial contingency fund? Also, there are a number of bursaries aimed at helping women medical students with childcare costs. Failing that, Natwest offer a professional studies loan.

Hope things work out ok for all of you.

Moan all you like! I don't mind for one. Being a medical student parent is never going to be easy I expect... I personally would like to know what I have to look forward to - warts and all! But I wasn't the OP so she may have had other intentions for the thread...

Hey peeps! It's RoxieP here with a festive name change. How you all doing? I am still waiting to hear for sure if I can transfer - I got offered an interview date but it was my EDD! So I am to contact them in the new year and probably arrange an interview for Feb sometime. Hope you are all well. x

I'm married to a graduate medical student. He finishes this summer (can't wait) & we are moving from London to Manchester for FY. The maximum monthly bursary for grad students (including dependents allowance) is around £800 I think. You can claim 80% of costs up to a certain limit for childcare - £120 is stuck in my head but not sure that is right.

roxie, have you had the interview yet?

Hi

I too am married to a medical student (2nd Year)

We have a LO who is 3 months old. Any advice on when to have a second? Is fourth year a bad year?

K

KathMCB - friends on dp's course just had their second in 4th year. Actually think it might be a good time depending on the course arrangements. They had the baby at Christmas & he's got his elective immediately after (so now) which he is spending doing a research
paper, so lots of time at home. Suppose it depends on how well you cope with all the stress - we're planning second for F1, hopefully not too mad!

Roxie, how's your transfer?

Hi everyone, I'm a 4th year at the moment and currently 7 weeks pregnant. Anyone got any good advice on how to cope with tiredness/sickness while on hospital placement? The advice of eating often and sitting down doesn't really work with 4 hour ward rounds and shifts on labour ward!

In terms of the 4th year question, it's working well for us since lots of people intercalate between 4th and 5th year, so if I take a year out I can rejoin a lot of my year. And our finals are in 4th year, so 5th year should be easier to handle with a small baby.

sound I would avoid labour ward if at all possible! I swapped so I didn't have to do obs and gynae while pregnant. Have you contacted your uni? They will need to do a risk assessment.

I did a placement while pregnant and spent lots of time in the toilet feeling sick, but everyone was very understanding and I still got signed off despite not being there much!

You do finals in fourth year? That's interesting, which uni are you at?