How early can you see on scan/telling medical school I am pg...

[toomuchribbon]

Hi all. Have recently found out I am pg, BFP on 3rd Sept after a few days of sore boobs. I stopped BFing my DS1, who is 6.5 months, in July and shortly after had a period.

I have no idea how pg I am but obviously can hazard a guess that it's something like 5.5 weeks at present.
In two weeks' time I start graduate medical school so am going to have to tell them sooner than I would do an employer, due to things like occupational health vaccinations for patient contact and dissection etc.

I am booked for a private scan next Friday to try and ascertain my dates - can't really wait any longer as need to tell med school that Monday. My NHS first scan won't be for a while obv.

1. What is the earliest you can get a BFP - almost 4 weeks? If so I will be 6 weeks + - will I be able to see anything next Friday?

2. Does anyone have any advice about telling med school and likely obstacles? I don't know why I am making such a big thing of it - am sure they expect it when they take on grads in their early 30s but it just feels a bit aghhh in timing even tho' I am tremendously excited about both the studies and baby...

Thanks so much in advance.

Any chance you can defer for a year?

I think it is too late - I would have had to have told them last month pre-BFP... So I think I need to make it work as it is, somehow!

This baby would be due at the end of the academic year, in May, so I would at least have four months of summer hol as maternity leave on top of anything I took off at the beginning of my second year...

I would suggest talking to them rather than "thinking its too late", if you really would like to defer.
These are fairly exceptional circumstances (as you say the cut-off date was before you could possibly have POAS) and there is always potential for an exception.
Telling them now - the minute you know - may buy you the option.

You probably can still defer if for good reason, or do an interuption of studies.
They do need to know ASAP though as you will need to where special equipment for dissection and if on a course with early patient contact would need to avoid areas with radiation (obviously XR but also patients having some forms of radiotherapy)

You won't be the first!

Thanks, Editededition and Wimwom. Good points.

The only thing is - I am not sure I want to defer. I feel I can handle the first year and pregnancy; I know each is different but my first was very easy last year, even at full-term.

If the timing of the birth meant disrupting the year or having less time with the baby, I would do so - but as it is the birth, if all goes well, in May would be perfect timing.

I have waited quite a while for this and am desperate to start: perhaps this sounds silly. The first year is not too heavy so I would have time with my DS1, too. He will be with my husband full-time so childcare is not an issue.

In which case, just tell them as soon as you have the BFP so that they can make any and all necessary adjustments. They will certainly know all the elements which may need special arrangements..

Have fun, and good luck.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I did a grad entry med course, although that was before having my DS.

1. Earliest BFP is at around 4 weeks. Earliest a viable pregnancy can be confirmed on scan probably about 6-ish. I had a heartbeat on an abdominal scan at 6+4. You can see earlier with a vaginal scan.

2. I would call them ASAP after your scan to discuss options. I agree that if you can handle it, it might he silly to defer aif you can get most of the first year done. Courses are very different in different places, but there may not be a great deal where being pregnant will be a hindrance. I am sure the situation will have arisen before, and you will def need to talk with OH about risk assessment, and to your tutors about your plans.

What vaccinations do you need? I had to have Hep B but that was all, and the course of Jabs was a while before starting.

Good luck for both of your new adventures!

EditedEdition, thanks - you are right. Thanks again.

ClenchingPanda, great to hear from you! Thank you
I didn't quite expect another DC so soon but at the same time I'm very very happy about it though it's early days of course.

Thanks so much for the guidance. That sounds as though I should see something next week, then.

Yes, I'll call them next week as soon I have enrolled and had the scan. Glad you think it's not totally mad! I'd just love to get the first year underway and done, and I feel sure I can handle it.

I seem to just need Hep B, from looking at the occ. health list; however, they don't start till later this month as patient exposure is not till early November I think. I've seen conflicting advice about whether you can have it when pg, but it seems as though you can according to NHS advice.

Do you happen to know how possible dissection will be?
Again, conflicting reports; as Wimwom says above I think I might have to wear some kind of filter because of the formalin, though it seems in the US med students rarely do so as it's a bit of a bother...
Am sure there's a way around all of this!

I think you can have HepB vaccine during pregnancy, but sure your Occy Health dept will advise.

Re dissection, I'm afraid I have no idea. Increasingly anatomy is taught without dissection classes but it very much depends on your course. Again, the once you tell them, they should look through your classes and attachments for the year and do a risk assessment.

Good luck with your scan and do give me a shout if I can help with any other questions.

Toomuch ..... 6 years ago I was more or less in your position.....I entered postgrad med school about 10 weeks pregnant with dc2 and had my first experience of dissection on the day of my 12 week scan!
I reasoned like you that the first year as doable pregnant and it was fine.

With regard to hep B vaccs I think you need 3 to raise

Aah phone...I think you need about three to get an adequate antibody response and although when I chwcked it seemed hep b vacc was fine, Occy health weren't happy ans there was no risk in first year anyway...no venepuncture nor cannulation so no chance of needle sticks.

Dissection was a non-issue as most anatomy taught from ready prepared prosections.

I informed med school via first meeting with my personal tutor and they were fab.
I had my first OSCEs at 39 weeks and set a bit of a trend on the course....subsequently in my year babies were born in second third ans final year.
Am in my last couple of days maternity with ds3 and return to finish my f1 job on Mon!

Best of luck to you.

ClenchingPanda, thanks a lot. On my course it is taught with twice-weekly dissection but as you say other schools prove it can be done just with prosection, so I guess I'll see what they say. Thanks so much, I'll be in touch if any sensible-ish questions arise...

I have anyway just decided to ask if I can shift onto the semi-accelerated 5-year course instead of the 4-year grad course - still plenty of grads on it but at a slightly slower pace as years 1 and 2 are not combined into one. From talking to friends already doing it it seems that on the grad course I really won't have any evenings off to spend with DS so 5-year is perhaps best all round. Tedious to spend longer studying but probably better to do it with slightly less stress if poss.

Bythebeach wow, what a parallel! It's great to hear from you, thanks. I love the dissection and 12 week scan coincidence...
Hoping my morning sickness will not be too bad this time so I can get stuck in without fear of queasiness. Great to hear about Hep B and
altogether very inspiring - thank you. I'm surrounded by people (apart from DH) who think it mad merely to have attended the original interview at 38 weeks so as you can imagine they're not going to be impressed with this news. Ah well!
Hope all goes well returning to work and late congrats on your DS3.

Just to add, I'd really try and change to the 5yr course if you can, friends of mine did the 4yr grad course (I did 5yr course as a grad) and they were worked REALLY hard compared to my first year which was, quite frankly, pretty easy going.

The anatomy question does depend on med schools but I will echo that there is a lot more prosection now so shouldn't be a prob.

And as anther word of encouragement - a friend of mine did her final day long OSCE when 38wks pregnant with twins so it's definitely do-able!

Good luck with both baby and med school! I've been qualified for quite a bit now but was a graduate entry to med school so any questions feel free to message me!

I became pregnant half way through clincal school 10(!) yrs ago. It was unexpected. I told the dean straight away. She asked "who was going to bring up the baby" :).

I took a whole yr off and joined the year below. Generally they made few concessions to me having a baby. The problems were with commuting/ getting back to childminder- you need to think about flexible childcare.

Good luck.

Thank you, I really appreciate these answers. So helpful!

Freudianslap, really good to hear from you, thank you. Very inspiring to hear about your friend and her OSCE timing! Fantastic to hear you agree on the 5-year decision. I requested it today - I think it should be fine. Thanks again - it would be good to message you if things arise, thank you!
I'm not sure what your background was but even as an arts (English) grad I have heard the first year of the 5-year is pretty ok.

streptococcus - that made me smile, if wryly - hmmm I can imagine; I have been, and am, prepared for similar obstacles. I was almost full-term at my original interviews for all medical schools last year and somehow got offered places as a result of all so I figure they are not too opposed, or at least perhaps not as much as they could be. I'm prepared for the worst, however!
With regard to childcare I am very fortunate that DH will be home for both DCs so childcare is not an issue for now. The childcare grant that will cover a nanny two days a week or similar for nursery can kick in when we need it but he will always be able to be home sooner than I will. Thankfully - I am very lucky in this respect I know and frankly without it I'm not sure how possible the whole thing would be. Commuting I know is another story - it's going to be ok for now but obviously trickier come clinical years.
Thanks again.