2014-2015 Panic Thread

[MirageS]

Panicking just got my second wait list no acceptances yet.
3 IIs, 5 holds, rejections -> stopped counting after the 10th one

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[CannedPineapple]

Well, I get to hear back from ALL the places in March. Yay for all my rolling schools hating me <3

 

[aprimenumber]

Well, I get to hear back from ALL the places in March. Yay for all my rolling schools hating me <3

That stinks, I'm really sorry. At least that means you'll probably get into somewhere amazing!

It's kinda ironic how being too competitive can cause increased anxiety during the cycle if one mostly receives love from the top places who don't do rolling.

 

[Dr Stephen T Colbert DFA]

Panicking just got my second wait list no acceptances yet.
3 IIs, 5 holds, rejections -> stopped counting after the 10th one

I'm in the exact same position: 2/3 wait listed, haven't heard from the last place yet. I just want this whole process to be over! It's hard being patient.

 

[WorldChanger36]

Jumping in the panic pool. Multiple DO acceptances zero MD interview invites. Getting late and I really want at least an MD interview.

 

[prdv]

I'm in the exact same position: 2/3 wait listed, haven't heard from the last place yet. I just want this whole process to be over! It's hard being patient.

+2

2/5 waitlisted. The 3rd one seems to coming soon since people have been accepted my interview date.
Really starting to seriously question what's wrong with me.

 

[BurntFlower]

Jumping in the panic pool. Multiple DO acceptances zero MD interview invites. Getting late and I really want at least an MD interview.

At least you have multiple acceptances! Some of us here are still in limbo.

 

[exmoderpina]

1 MD interview (in deferral/hold/waitlist/whatever) so far and several rejections... I wonder if the cliched phrase "it only takes one" will become my mantra.

Also waiting on a Jan 8th MCAT retake score.

 

[ImpulsiveTraveler]

Applied to 23 schools, rejected pre-II by 7, II at 5 schools, I interviewed at 3/5 and was waitlisted at all 3.....I'm freaking out.... :/

 

[prdv]

Applied to 23 schools, rejected pre-II by 7, II at 5 schools, I interviewed at 3/5 and was waitlisted at all 3.....I'm freaking out.... :/

Exactly in the same boat. I'm freaking out too!

 

[JoeT]

Me when people write "Just got accepted!!!" posts on SDN

 

[rikudo]

Turning in my panic card, accepted DO. Still waiting on responses from MD's but I will be a physician nonetheless. Good luck to everyone here! Stay positive, admissions are still very active.

 

[Whatsinthebox]

Me when people write "Just got accepted!!!" posts on SDN

Hysterical. The very next post is an acceptance.

 

[nulsky77]

Had my one MD interview 2 weeks ago and don't think it went well :/ definitely panicking. Completely dropped the ball on a handful of questions...pretty bummed out at the moment!

 

[gyngyn]

Had my one MD interview 2 weeks ago and don't think it went well :/ definitely panicking. Completely dropped the ball on a handful of questions...pretty bummed out at the moment!

It's almost impossible to guess your outcome based on how you feel about the interview.

 

[drdang92]

After 3 months of panicking I've finally accepted to my top choice!!! I don't know what to do with myself right now!
-5 interviews
-3.5 GPA
-27 MCAT
-URM
-medium ECs

 

[prdv]

After 3 months of panicking I've finally accepted to my top choice!!! I don't know what to do with myself right now!
-5 interviews
-3.5 GPA
-27 MCAT
-URM
-weak ECs

Congrats!! Were you accepted off a waitlist may I ask?

 

[rikudo]

After 3 months of panicking I've finally accepted to my top choice!!! I don't know what to do with myself right now!
-5 interviews
-3.5 GPA
-27 MCAT
-URM
-medium ECs

Fantastic, Congrats!

 

[drdang92]

Fantastic, Congrats!

Thanks!

 

[absie107]

Been lurking on SDN til today. Finally need to post. As of now, I'm 99% sure I'm going to have to reapply. Stats: 30 MCAT, cGPA 3.88, sGPA 3.73, double major in music/anthropology (switched to the premed route around junior year after a long, long period of contemplation and shadowing), had to take some courses post-bacc last year but didn't do an official post-bacc program. Have over a year of clinical volunteer experience, several extracurriculars including multiple teaching experiences, multiple study abroad experiences, started working as a chief medical scribe in June, etc etc.

Issues with my application include: Lateness, I took the MCAT on 06/05/2015 and didn't want to automatically submit my scores, didn't get in primaries til mid July, secondaries in August/September; lack of any laboratory research experience, as the only research project I did was anthropological in nature and for an undergrad fellows program at my school; not really being that much of a unique snowflake in comparison to people who have done more 'impressive' things

Applied to 16 MD schools, most of which are around my MCAT range. Rejected from a few, heard nothing from most, keep getting emails along the lines of "you're still in the running but if we reject you just wait til the end of March LOL BYE" from the rest. Did my own research on DO, but due to not wanting to apply DO without any DO-specific shadowing/clinical experience, didn't apply DO this year. I've been working alongside both MDs and DOs regularly, 40+ hours per week, since this past June, so I'd certainly feel comfortable applying DO next cycle.

Anyway... any successful applicants want to share words of wisdom? Criticisms that I maybe missed? Thoughts? Jon Hamm-containing GIFs?

 

[miamiheatfan]

Been lurking on SDN til today. Finally need to post. As of now, I'm 99% sure I'm going to have to reapply. Stats: 30 MCAT, cGPA 3.88, sGPA 3.73, double major in music/anthropology (switched to the premed route around junior year after a long, long period of contemplation and shadowing), had to take some courses post-bacc last year but didn't do an official post-bacc program. Have over a year of clinical volunteer experience, several extracurriculars including multiple teaching experiences, multiple study abroad experiences, started working as a chief medical scribe in June, etc etc.

Issues with my application include: Lateness, I took the MCAT on 06/05/2015 and didn't want to automatically submit my scores, didn't get in primaries til mid July, secondaries in August/September; lack of any laboratory research experience, as the only research project I did was anthropological in nature and for an undergrad fellows program at my school; not really being that much of a unique snowflake in comparison to people who have done more 'impressive' things

Applied to 16 MD schools, most of which are around my MCAT range. Rejected from a few, heard nothing from most, keep getting emails along the lines of "you're still in the running but if we reject you just wait til the end of March LOL BYE" from the rest. Did my own research on DO, but due to not wanting to apply DO without any DO-specific shadowing/clinical experience, didn't apply DO this year. I've been working alongside both MDs and DOs regularly, 40+ hours per week, since this past June, so I'd certainly feel comfortable applying DO next cycle.

Anyway... any successful applicants want to share words of wisdom? Criticisms that I maybe missed? Thoughts? Jon Hamm-containing GIFs?

Applying early makes a difference, especially being complete in July vs. September. I wouldn't retake the MCAT at all, your numbers are fine. Have your primary in by early June and secondaries done by mid-July. Stay away from schools like George Washington or Georgetown that get 12 million apps. You can try to get into a research lab to have "something new." Don't worry about reach schools, just apply to realistic schools only- both MD and DO. You definitely are competitive for all DO schools and a good amount of MD schools. Try to apply to 20-25 if finances allow it. Use MSAR wisely and pay attention to the "Acceptance Information" page. Good luck and best wishes!

 

[absie107]

Applying early makes a difference, especially being complete in July vs. September. I wouldn't retake the MCAT at all, your numbers are fine. Have your primary in by early June and secondaries done by mid-July. Stay away from schools like George Washington or Georgetown that get 12 million apps. You can try to get into a research lab to have "something new." Don't worry about reach schools, just apply to realistic schools only- both MD and DO. You definitely are competitive for all DO schools and a good amount of MD schools. Try to apply to 20-25 if finances allow it. Use MSAR wisely and pay attention to the "Acceptance Information" page. Good luck and best wishes!

Thank you!!

 

[darthsubway]

Been lurking on SDN til today. Finally need to post. As of now, I'm 99% sure I'm going to have to reapply. Stats: 30 MCAT, cGPA 3.88, sGPA 3.73, double major in music/anthropology (switched to the premed route around junior year after a long, long period of contemplation and shadowing), had to take some courses post-bacc last year but didn't do an official post-bacc program. Have over a year of clinical volunteer experience, several extracurriculars including multiple teaching experiences, multiple study abroad experiences, started working as a chief medical scribe in June, etc etc.

Issues with my application include: Lateness, I took the MCAT on 06/05/2015 and didn't want to automatically submit my scores, didn't get in primaries til mid July, secondaries in August/September; lack of any laboratory research experience, as the only research project I did was anthropological in nature and for an undergrad fellows program at my school; not really being that much of a unique snowflake in comparison to people who have done more 'impressive' things

Applied to 16 MD schools, most of which are around my MCAT range. Rejected from a few, heard nothing from most, keep getting emails along the lines of "you're still in the running but if we reject you just wait til the end of March LOL BYE" from the rest. Did my own research on DO, but due to not wanting to apply DO without any DO-specific shadowing/clinical experience, didn't apply DO this year. I've been working alongside both MDs and DOs regularly, 40+ hours per week, since this past June, so I'd certainly feel comfortable applying DO next cycle.

Anyway... any successful applicants want to share words of wisdom? Criticisms that I maybe missed? Thoughts? Jon Hamm-containing GIFs?

I agree with Miami. Applying early will make or break you. I am a reapplicant with similar stats as you who applied late last year. I improved a lot upon my application during that time including volunteering, more clinical experience, and doctor LOR. Look at your own app and spend the time now figuring out how to improve. Every school asked me what happened last year and what did I do to improve.

I also suggest applying to more schools like Miami said. I ended up applying to nearly 30 schools and it is seemingly random where I got in. Accepted to 3 schools, so about 10% "success." More schools is probably better for chance at acceptance and then options when you are accepted! Contrary to what Miami said, I say go for GU and GW if you want. I applied to both and was interviewed at one so it's not impossible unless funds are tight.

Advice I was given is to take some time to be sad about not getting in this year. 1 week and then get over it. This is part of your journey to become a doctor. Start finding opportunities, get a raise at work, go volunteer with people, find a lab to volunteer in, or whatever you think your app needs.

A small tip: if you apply DO, make the application count. I applied to a few of them this year and I haven't heard anything from them since. I probably didn't put too much effort into the app and it showed.

Best wishes my friend. Let me know if you need any clarification about what I said or had any questions.

 

[PlasticBag]

I agree with Miami. Applying early will make or break you. I am a reapplicant with similar stats as you who applied late last year. I improved a lot upon my application during that time including volunteering, more clinical experience, and doctor LOR. Look at your own app and spend the time now figuring out how to improve. Every school asked me what happened last year and what did I do to improve.

I also suggest applying to more schools like Miami said. I ended up applying to nearly 30 schools and it is seemingly random where I got in. Accepted to 3 schools, so about 10% "success." More schools is probably better for chance at acceptance and then options when you are accepted! Contrary to what Miami said, I say go for GU and GW if you want. I applied to both and was interviewed at one so it's not impossible unless funds are tight.

Advice I was given is to take some time to be sad about not getting in this year. 1 week and then get over it. This is part of your journey to become a doctor. Start finding opportunities, get a raise at work, go volunteer with people, find a lab to volunteer in, or whatever you think your app needs.

A small tip: if you apply DO, make the application count. I applied to a few of them this year and I haven't heard anything from them since. I probably didn't put too much effort into the app and it showed.

Best wishes my friend. Let me know if you need any clarification about what I said or had any questions.

Great post! Could you elaborate on why you think you didn't get responses from DO schools? I have good stats for DO, I have a DO letter and put a lot of effort into "why DO" but no luck so far... I'm wondering if there is anything DO-specific that I need to improve.

 

[darthsubway]

Great post! Could you elaborate on why you think you didn't get responses from DO schools? I have good stats for DO, I have a DO letter and put a lot of effort into "why DO" but no luck so far... I'm wondering if there is anything DO-specific that I need to improve.

Unfortunately, I don't have a great explanation. Likely a mixture of things including applying to only 3 DO schools, having some spelling mistakes in my app (embarrassing), bad "why DO," and maybe they could tell that DO was my back up. I have a feeling that if I applied to more DO schools, I would have gotten in somewhere, but who knows. Unless I am mistaken, the DO cycle is longer than the MD cycle so there is hope still, plasticbag. Never thought I'd address a plastic bag.

How many schools did you apply to?

 

[PlasticBag]

Unfortunately, I don't have a great explanation. Likely a mixture of things including applying to only 3 DO schools, having some spelling mistakes in my app (embarrassing), bad "why DO," and maybe they could tell that DO was my back up. I have a feeling that if I applied to more DO schools, I would have gotten in somewhere, but who knows. Unless I am mistaken, the DO cycle is longer than the MD cycle so there is hope still, plasticbag. Never thought I'd address a plastic bag.

How many schools did you apply to?

Thanks for your response, makes sense! And congrats on your acceptances.

I applied to five DO schools, and added two more later (got rejected from one of them). Still waiting to hear from the other six, I'm hoping for at least one ii, even if it ends up being a rejection, just so I can go into the next cycle not being totally depressed.

Applying late probably hurt me the most (waited over three months for my DO letter, arrrgh, didn't get it until December) and not applying to enough schools. I can maybe add two more next cycle for a total of 9 DO schools but no more (geographic reasons).

If I don't get any ii's by March, I'll start studying for an MCAT retake It's a horrible, awful test, but it does widen options significantly and it seems like I need a lot more schools to apply to (needless to say, I had no luck at MD schools with my 29).

And if I get in next cycle, I'll become a recyclable plastic bag! Sorry, couldn't help it

 

[darthsubway]

Thanks for your response, makes sense! And congrats on your acceptances.

I applied to five DO schools, and added two more later (got rejected from one of them). Still waiting to hear from the other six, I'm hoping for at least one ii, even if it ends up being a rejection, just so I can go into the next cycle not being totally depressed.

Applying late probably hurt me the most (waited over three months for my DO letter, arrrgh, didn't get it until December) and not applying to enough schools. I can maybe add two more next cycle for a total of 9 DO schools but no more (geographic reasons).

If I don't get any ii's by March, I'll start studying for an MCAT retake It's a horrible, awful test, but it does widen options significantly and it seems like I need a lot more schools to apply to (needless to say, I had no luck at MD schools with my 29).

And if I get in next cycle, I'll become a recyclable plastic bag! Sorry, couldn't help it

Ah yeah the applying late plus the low number of schools is probably why you haven't heard anything yet. Applying to all 9 will likely yield success if you apply early. No shame in applying again as long as you learn from your mistakes. I'm sure that you have thought of all these things on your own, so you know what you need to do to do better next cycle if it comes to that.

 

[lightasday]

I'm going to join y'all. LizzyM score of 72 and no acceptances yet.

The stress of it all has been making me lose weight and I'm barely pulling myself together. Hopefully good news is on our way for all of us.

 

[nm825]

I'm going to join y'all. LizzyM score of 72 and no acceptances yet.

The stress of it all has been making me lose weight and I'm barely pulling myself together. Hopefully good news is on our way for all of us.

I'm in the exact same position with the same LizzyM score. How many interviews did you get? I applied to 17 schools and only got interviews at 2 (1 waitlist, 1 pending).

 

[lightasday]

I'm in the exact same position with the same LizzyM score. How many interviews did you get? I applied to 17 schools and only got interviews at 2 (1 waitlist, 1 pending).

I applied to 10 schools. Interviewed at 2, and I'm on a pre interview hold for 1. I haven't heard back from the other 7.

I just don't understand. Not to sound pompous or anything, but I have great extracurriculars and my committee letter was superb, as my advisor told me. I feel that all my hard work was for nothing. :/

 

[aprimenumber]

I'm in the exact same position with the same LizzyM score. How many interviews did you get? I applied to 17 schools and only got interviews at 2 (1 waitlist, 1 pending).

I applied to 10 schools. Interviewed at 2, and I'm on a pre interview hold for 1. I haven't heard back from the other 7.

I just don't understand. Not to sound pompous or anything, but I have great extracurriculars and my committee letter was superb, as my advisor told me. I feel that all my hard work was for nothing. :/

I feel for you guys. When I applied last cycle, I applied to around a dozen places. LizzyM~74, applied to 12 places, got 2 II's, and no cigar on either. This cycle I applied to around two dozen places and got 9 II's, and I've been fortunate enough to have been offered an acceptance really early on. So I have a couple of questions for you guys that I think could hopefully shed some light on you guys' situation.

1) When did you guys submit your secondaries? Submitting secondaries early can give you a strong edge, especially if you're a solid but unexciting applicant. When schools have more interviews to give, they tend to be more generous with them to whomever is applying.

2) How are your guys' clinical experiences? Clinical EC's are generally the most significant EC's given the obvious fact that you're trying to go into a clinical profession. Medical schools want to make sure that you guys know what you're getting into. They're more worried that you'll drop out because you realize you don't like medicine than because you couldn't handle the coursework. Shadowing is extremely important. It's crucial to have relevant shadowing experiences that have helped confirm your desire to become a physician. In my opinion, family medicine is probably the most important specialty to shadow since it captures many of the essential features of the profession (patient-physician relationships, holistic approaches towards care, being prepared for anything etc.). A lot of people spend a lot of time shadowing various specialists, which is cool, but may offer one a very limited view of what the profession is.

 

[sundancing]

4 MD interviews yielded one rejection, 2 waitlists, and one pending.
3 DO interviews yielded 3 acceptances.

My last MD interview is coming up and I'm just not sure if MD schools like my personality based on the response I've gotten from them in the past. :/ Feeling very nervous.

 

[M12B]

Turning in my panic card! Best of luck to those of you still waiting for acceptances and IIs.
My one acceptance came from my only 2014 interview, and was a waitlist first, so anything can happen!

 

[nm825]

I feel for you guys. When I applied last cycle, I applied to around a dozen places. LizzyM~74, applied to 12 places, got 2 II's, and no cigar on either. This cycle I applied to around two dozen places and got 9 II's, and I've been fortunate enough to have been offered an acceptance really early on. So I have a couple of questions for you guys that I think could hopefully shed some light on you guys' situation.

1) When did you guys submit your secondaries? Submitting secondaries early can give you a strong edge, especially if you're a solid but unexciting applicant. When schools have more interviews to give, they tend to be more generous with them to whomever is applying.

2) How are your guys' clinical experiences? Clinical EC's are generally the most significant EC's given the obvious fact that you're trying to go into a clinical profession. Medical schools want to make sure that you guys know what you're getting into. They're more worried that you'll drop out because you realize you don't like medicine than because you couldn't handle the coursework. Shadowing is extremely important. It's crucial to have relevant shadowing experiences that have helped confirm your desire to become a physician. In my opinion, family medicine is probably the most important specialty to shadow since it captures many of the essential features of the profession (patient-physician relationships, holistic approaches towards care, being prepared for anything etc.). A lot of people spend a lot of time shadowing various specialists, which is cool, but may offer one a very limited view of what the profession is.

I submitted my secondaries between early and mid-August...probably a little late. I have an ok amount of clinical experinece (100+hours of shadowing, 1 year of volunteer EMT, a semester of enrolling ER patients in clincial studies), but I think my lack of research (other than the ER thing) killed me. I'm holding out hope for the results of my second interview, which funny enough is at my dream school and the highest ranked school I applied to...I don't really understand how that happened. They have a ~60% post-interview acceptance rate too, so I'm still holding out hope, but I think I may have bombed one of the interviews.

 

[aprimenumber]

I submitted my secondaries between early and mid-August...probably a little late. I have an ok amount of clinical experinece (100+hours of shadowing, 1 year of volunteer EMT, a semester of enrolling ER patients in clincial studies), but I think my lack of research (other than the ER thing) killed me. I'm holding out hope for the results of my second interview, which funny enough is at my dream school and the highest ranked school I applied to...I don't really understand how that happened. They have a ~60% post-interview acceptance rate too, so I'm still holding out hope, but I think I may have bombed one of the interviews.

Well, it appears that you already have a couple of DO acceptances, so congratulations on that! I hope everything works out for you with your dream school too!

 

[rachel993]

Y'all. While I am still in panic mode, I have good news. I just got my FIRST II of the cycle, for a school at which I was complete in August. silence doesn't mean rejection, and the cycle isn't over yet!

 

[X3NA]

Entering the brutal post-interview waiting period after booking flights, renting cars, and reserving rooms to be interrogated at a top choice school. Any advice on how one can survive the wait without losing one's mind?

 

[Whatsinthebox]

Entering the brutal post-interview waiting period after booking flights, renting cars, and reserving rooms to be interrogated at a top choice school. Any advice on how one can survive the wait without losing one's mind?

Before I got accepted I would lie down and stare up at my ceiling for a couple hours a day so I don't think I can help you.

 

[ridethecliche]

1 MD interview (in deferral/hold/waitlist/whatever) so far and several rejections... I wonder if the cliched phrase "it only takes one" will become my mantra.

Also waiting on a Jan 8th MCAT retake score.

That MCAT won't help you for this cycle at MD schools though.

It's almost impossible to guess your outcome based on how you feel about the interview.

I don't know. I'm certain a recent interview will lead to a rejection, if that school didn't put everyone on the alternate list.

 

[Ace Khalifa]

Entering the brutal post-interview waiting period after booking flights, renting cars, and reserving rooms to be interrogated at a top choice school. Any advice on how one can survive the wait without losing one's mind?

Just live life normally. If you're still in school, focus on not failing your classes. If you're in a gap year, keep doing your gap year activities.

 

[joonage]

Debating whether I should go to community college and get a certificate in some medical profession ...

Or find another research position.

Oh the choices of the panic life.

 

[PlasticBag]

Serious question: how do you extinguish hope?

It would be much easier for me to stop waiting for ii's and just accept the necessity of reapplying, but until I get rejection letters from all DO schools (longer app cycle and the like justifications for my hope), I will keep checking my email for something other than silence.

But another week of silence has just begun.

 

[medicalmnt]

dont have a summer plan as of right now and exams are starting to pile up.... whoops!!

 

[aprimenumber]

Serious question: how do you extinguish hope?

It would be much easier for me to stop waiting for ii's and just accept the necessity of reapplying, but until I get rejection letters from all DO schools (longer app cycle and the like justifications for my hope), I will keep checking my email for something other than silence.

But another week of silence has just begun.

Send rather nasty and unprofessional emails to each of the DO schools that you're waiting on. That should do the trick.

Serious answer:
Your hope isn't unjustified. I know of a friend who got two last minute interviews in April, got waitlisted at one of the schools, got off the waitlist in late June, and is now a M1 at a DO school. It definitely does happen.

But there's not much I can tell you that you probably don't already know. You can just try to focus on everything else you have going on in your life, and just forget about medical school for a little while. You can also do the opposite, and just assume that you will need to re-apply, and start focusing on what you can do to improve your application in preparation for your next cycle.

 

[PlasticBag]

Send rather nasty and unprofessional emails to each of the DO schools that you're waiting on. That should do the trick.

Serious answer:
Your hope isn't unjustified. I know of a friend who got two last minute interviews in April, got waitlisted at one of the schools, got off the waitlist in late June, and is now a M1 at a DO school. It definitely does happen.

But there's not much I can tell you that you probably don't already know. You can just try to focus on everything else you have going on in your life, and just forget about medical school for a little while. You can also do the opposite, and just assume that you will need to re-apply, and start focusing on what you can do to improve your application in preparation for your next cycle.

Haha, I could call schools: "How much for an ii?", that should do it.

I'm trying to focus on re-applying, doing more volunteering, etc. I figured that even if I do get a super late interview, it's probably better to have something to say other than "I was lying on the couch in depression waiting for that ii for months".

Well, it will be over at some point!

 

[X3NA]

Before I got accepted I would lie down and stare up at my ceiling for a couple hours a day so I don't think I can help you.

Still better than dishing out $300 to buy an exotic bird in an effort to forget the fact that I applied to med school though...

 

[JBtt]

Three interviews, two rejections and one wait list. Starting to think I'm just not a fun person to talk to….

 

[MirageS]

3 interviews 3 wait lists ((((

 

[Paperbackwriter1356]

Same!

 

[WorldChanger36]

Still better than dishing out $300 to buy an exotic bird in an effort to forget the fact that I applied to med school though...

I adopted a greyhound . Cheaper and a great distraction.