Am I done for MD?

[funfriendlyfiller]

Stats: 508 MCAT, 3.5x cGPA, 3.4x sGPA, 3.8x Graduate GPA

EC's: Very diverse spread across clinical (1k+ hours), Nonclinical (close to 500 hours), research (1 publication, and over 1k hours in a different lab), and other experiences, with an interest in innovation in medicine across different fields.

ORM

IL Resident

Primary Submitted: First week of July

Verified: First week of August

Secondaries Submitted: Late August - Late September

Current Status:

2 MD II --> UCLA, Carle-Illinois (Completed)

Pre-II Hold at Mayo Clinic --> R

Pre-II Hold at NYMC --> Pending

Pre-II Rejection --> UW Madison, UChicago, UMKC

Silence:

Duke, Wake Forest, George Washington, Rush, Rutgerts RWJ, Colorado, UIC, Georgetown, Northwestern, MCW, Wayne State, UVA, Harvard, OUWB, UMass, Stanford, Loyola, MSU, ICahn, RFU, USC, Kaiser, UF, Dartmouth, Weill Cornell

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[Hollow Knight]

I'm sorry this is an essay there's just a lot of stuff to unpack in your post. Do you have a chance? At your in-state schools, yes. At Harvard, no.

I promise I don't want to be mean here but there's no chance at all you'd get into Harvard or Mayo with those stats. I had a 520+ score and Mayo didn't even interview me. Not trying to hurt your feelings, but if you reapply next cycle, you should get help to make a list of schools where you will be competitive so that you don't have to set money on fire applying to schools you have no shot at (I shouldn't have applied to Mayo either, I burned that money because I was ignorant).

Now, does that mean you're done for MD? No. Most of us aren't Harvard students. You should be applying to your in-state MD and DO schools, and then schools where you're A) around or over their stats averages or B) fit their mission, and preferably both of these.

Here is a list of Illinois med schools and their stats ( I got them from Shemassian, but I'm not familiar with that company and am not endorsing them). Did you apply to any of these schools? You'd have a shot at getting into one.

Also, did you apply DO? An internist from a DO school and an internist from an MD school do the same job and get paid the same. You're competitive for many DO schools, so it's not like we're talking about you not being a doctor here.

Like I said, I'm not familiar with your state, so if you did apply to these in-state MD schools and I just don't recognize the abbreviations, my apologies.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

PREVIEW and Casper?

 

[funfriendlyfiller]

PREVIEW and Casper?

Casper - 4th Quartile
PREview - 2

 

[funfriendlyfiller]

I'm sorry this is an essay there's just a lot of stuff to unpack in your post. Do you have a chance? At your in-state schools, yes. At Harvard, no.

I promise I don't want to be mean here but there's no chance at all you'd get into Harvard or Mayo with those stats. I had a 520+ score and Mayo didn't even interview me. Not trying to hurt your feelings, but if you reapply next cycle, you should get help to make a list of schools where you will be competitive so that you don't have to set money on fire applying to schools you have no shot at (I shouldn't have applied to Mayo either, I burned that money because I was ignorant).

Now, does that mean you're done for MD? No. Most of us aren't Harvard students. You should be applying to your in-state MD and DO schools, and then schools where you're A) around or over their stats averages or B) fit their mission, and preferably both of these.

Here is a list of Illinois med schools and their stats ( I got them from Shemassian, but I'm not familiar with that company and am not endorsing them). Did you apply to any of these schools? You'd have a shot at getting into one.

Also, did you apply DO? An internist from a DO school and an internist from an MD school do the same job and get paid the same. You're competitive for many DO schools, so it's not like we're talking about you not being a doctor here.

Like I said, I'm not familiar with your state, so if you did apply to these in-state MD schools and I just don't recognize the abbreviations, my apologies.

I appreciate you taking the time to write this out! I did apply to all of the Illinois Schools. I am a UChicago alum but was hit with a pre-II R recently. Was put on the pre-II waitlist for SIU (but they themselves stated within the same email that admission was unlikely from here). Silence from the rest of Illinois (5/7) and about 20 others all over the country.

I did also apply DO. I fared better in the DO cycle so far with 5 II's and 2 A's, one being to CCOM, which has always been a school I would be happy to attend and had a very positive experience with through interview day.

My concern started during this (my second gap year) as I began to determine my career plans a bit more. I'm continuing research I started in undergrad, and now graduate school. This spans three labs for four projects at Stanford, UChicago, & UIUC. I'm also working in finance for a healthcare venture capital fund. In my discussions with my mentors (both clinical and business) I've begun to plan my career as one that fuses clinical medicine with research and business down the line. An MD would not only save me from double the board exams, but also offer me a greater ease transitioning into the roles I see myself occupying that are beyond internal medicine. This is my main dilemma at the moment and I'm getting worried that UIC and the rest haven't said anything, especially my state schools.

 

[LunaOri]

You applied to several schools for which your stats are way too low. Hope for MD interviews, but be happy to have the DO A in hand.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Rush and Loyola require more community service hours (not tutoring), and you had a chance to show that with two gap years had you done Americorps or similar. Let's see how Carle considers you. UCLA is definitely an interesting II (not knowing your mission fit), so good luck!

 

[Goro]

Stats: 508 MCAT, 3.5x cGPA, 3.4x sGPA, 3.8x Graduate GPA

EC's: Very diverse spread across clinical (1k+ hours), Nonclinical (close to 500 hours), research (1 publication, and over 1k hours in a different lab), and other experiences, with an interest in innovation in medicine across different fields.

ORM

IL Resident

Primary Submitted: First week of July

Verified: First week of August

Secondaries Submitted: Late August - Late September

Current Status:

2 MD II --> UCLA, Carle-Illinois (Completed)

Pre-II Hold at Mayo Clinic --> R

Pre-II Hold at NYMC --> Pending

Pre-II Rejection --> UW Madison, UChicago, UMKC

Silence:

Duke, Wake Forest, George Washington, Rush, Rutgerts RWJ, Colorado, UIC, Georgetown, Northwestern, MCW, Wayne State, UVA, Harvard, OUWB, UMass, Stanford, Loyola, MSU, ICahn, RFU, USC, Kaiser, UF, Dartmouth, Weill Cornell

You have a ton of donations on your list.

Your graduate degree, was that a research degree, or a SMP?

Can you enlighten us as to why you applied to Harvard, Stanford and similar class schools?

 

[pablo213]

Can you enlighten us as to why you applied to Harvard, Stanford and similar class schools?

Gotta go for the YOLO application to Harvard and Stanford

 

[funfriendlyfiller]

You have a ton of donations on your list.

Your graduate degree, was that a research degree, or a SMP?

Can you enlighten us as to why you applied to Harvard, Stanford and similar class schools?

It was a specialized MS from UChicago; I had additional prerequisites fulfilled as well in advanced biology because I was not a science major in undergrad. The research I began over a year ago is in a specialized field, which was born out of Stanford. Most of the schools that have the right contracts in place for the IRB that I am on through the NIH are T20, and I met with the dean of Stanford Med. to discuss my project and he connected me with a lab there that is helping me publish under the same field. Carle-Illinois is also heavily invested in the field I am researching.

From a research standpoint, I am continuing research at UIUC through my undergraduate lab, UChicago through a global initiative, & Stanford through the NIH, all of which are yielding abstracts, publications, and posters.

From a business standpoint, I founded a biotechnology startup in college for preventive medicine, became a consultant for princeton's engineering division in graduate school, and am now working within healthcare VC for a statewide health equity collaborative in Illinois.

Academically, I had a consistent upward trend in my undergraduate science GPA: Junior & Senior 3.85 science, graduate 3.81 science. I figured that this, plus my ongoing research and nontraditional experiences would be a good mission fit for schools that are heavy on innovation and health equity.

 

[funfriendlyfiller]

Gotta go for the YOLO application to Harvard and Stanford

haha yeah I honestly figured I will try my hand. All of us have worked incredibly hard, and I just wanted to give it a shot given that I believe I align well with the missions of the schools I chose; I do wish I had added more mid-tiers, and at the end of the day I will be a physician, I just hope the interviews I have received from UCLA and Carle-Illinois pan out, with a few more from the schools that align with my experiences, so that I can have an easier time continuing my research and business initiatives and meet people doing the same along the way!

 

[Goro]

Your research strengths are not able to get you into an MD school, much less the research heavyweights, given your stats.

 

[funfriendlyfiller]

Your research strengths are not able to get you into an MD school, much less the research heavyweights, given your stats.

I understand. I appreciate the candor and realize I should've done better with my stats. Would you suggest I continue down the path I am now and just focus on continuing my work at CCOM then as opposed to reapplying after an MCAT retake? Will not being able to get into an MD school significantly reduce my options for research and business down the line?

 

[Goro]

I understand. I appreciate the candor and realize I should've done better with my stats. Would you suggest I continue down the path I am now and just focus on continuing my work at CCOM then as opposed to reapplying after an MCAT retake? Will not being able to get into an MD school significantly reduce my options for research and business down the line?

Why go to med school? Why not just get a PHD?

If you want to be a doctor, go to CCOM.

 

[funfriendlyfiller]

Why go to med school? Why not just get a PHD?

If you want to be a doctor, go to CCOM.

I would want to match into IM --> Cardiology --> Preventive Cardiology (where most of my research focus is) and then contribute to advancing health equity for preventive care through market-driven solutions while being able to practice medicine within underserved regions. My goal is to become a physician and improve our healthcare system through research/business. My mentors across business, research, and clinical medicine all advocated for me to continue down this path as opposed to a PhD, given that I do want to support my patients within clinic and as a stakeholder within the business world.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I would want to match into IM --> Cardiology --> Preventive Cardiology (where most of my research focus is) and then contribute to advancing health equity for preventive care through market-driven solutions while being able to practice medicine within underserved regions. My goal is to become a physician and improve our healthcare system through research/business. My mentors across business, research, and clinical medicine all advocated for me to continue down this path as opposed to a PhD, given that I do want to support my patients within clinic and as a stakeholder within the business world.

Well if you have a plan and people willing to support you, fine. More details would likely doxx you so it's unlikely any "reality checks" are going to change anything. The description of your mission

contribute to advancing health equity for preventive care through market-driven solutions while being able to practice medicine within underserved regions

is full of buzzwords that it's a turnoff. I hope you didn't give that vibe in your application.

Maybe there are residency directors and fellowship directors who won't mind that your goals are more oriented to business. There are plenty of CMOs in cardiovascular med industry. I just think you are a little more magical in your thinking or have advisors who are encouraging it.

You aren't done until all your schools reject or ghost you.

 

[funfriendlyfiller]

Well if you have a plan and people willing to support you, fine. More details would likely doxx you so it's unlikely any "reality checks" are going to change anything. The description of your mission

is full of buzzwords that it's a turnoff. I how you didn't give that vibe in your application.

Maybe there are residency directors and fellowship directors who won't mind that your goals are more oriented to business. There are plenty of CMOs in cardiovascular med industry. I just think you are a little more magical in your thinking or have advisors who are encouraging it.

You aren't done until all your schools reject or ghost you.

Fair; I appreciate the perspective and I sat on this some more and decided that my mission in life is my own and I'll do my best to achieve it with the offers I land because at the end of the day I did my best and I can look back with zero regrets that I can change! From here on out, it's up to me to put my effort where my mouth is and make the best of my current (and future) situations. Thank you all for your advice and feedback

 

[Hollow Knight]

Not trying to pick on you here but it's better you hear it from us as opposed to your interviewers.

contribute to advancing health equity for preventive care through market-driven solutions while being able to practice medicine within underserved regions

My first reaction to that sentence was "lol that's BS"

But your attitude in this thread seems good. That will serve you well. If you are sincere about your quite lofty and noble career goals, hopefully you have actions to back them up. My mentor from a different med school told me not to say the words "I want to serve the underserved" in my applications, but to SHOW that I do through volunteering with those populations. Because everybody says the words, and yet, very few students end up applying to match Family Medicine in Appalachia like they claimed in their secondaries.......

 

[pablo213]

Not trying to pick on you here but it's better you hear it from us as opposed to your interviewers.


My first reaction to that sentence was "lol that's BS"

I don't think it's BS per se. Just sounds a bit convoluted because they tried to summarize many different passions in one sentence.

 

[funfriendlyfiller]

Not trying to pick on you here but it's better you hear it from us as opposed to your interviewers.


My first reaction to that sentence was "lol that's BS"

But your attitude in this thread seems good. That will serve you well. If you are sincere about your quite lofty and noble career goals, hopefully you have actions to back them up. My mentor from a different med school told me not to say the words "I want to serve the underserved" in my applications, but to SHOW that I do through volunteering with those populations. Because everybody says the words, and yet, very few students end up applying to match Family Medicine in Appalachia like they claimed in their secondaries.......

Yeah I should've expanded a bit more; I'm down to PM about it if you're interested in my ideas but I figured it would be better to leave out of this thread because that's the gist haha

 

[funfriendlyfiller]

I don't think it's BS per se. Just sounds a bit convoluted because they tried to summarize many different passions in one sentence.

Thanks for the positivity throughout this thread man and congrats on your cycle so far!

 

[Goro]

I don't think it's BS per se. Just sounds a bit convoluted because they tried to summarize many different passions in one sentence.

It's business-speak

 

[LizzyM]

If you had scored a 518 on the first try, you'd have been interviewed, and perhaps admitted, to at least half of the schools on your list. With a 508, you are a much less attractive applicant despite the connections and achievements.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

Stats: 508 MCAT, 3.5x cGPA, 3.4x sGPA, 3.8x Graduate GPA

EC's: Very diverse spread across clinical (1k+ hours), Nonclinical (close to 500 hours), research (1 publication, and over 1k hours in a different lab), and other experiences, with an interest in innovation in medicine across different fields.

ORM

IL Resident

Primary Submitted: First week of July

Verified: First week of August

Secondaries Submitted: Late August - Late September

Current Status:

2 MD II --> UCLA, Carle-Illinois (Completed)

Pre-II Hold at Mayo Clinic --> R

Pre-II Hold at NYMC --> Pending

Pre-II Rejection --> UW Madison, UChicago, UMKC

Silence:

Duke, Wake Forest, George Washington, Rush, Rutgerts RWJ, Colorado, UIC, Georgetown, Northwestern, MCW, Wayne State, UVA, Harvard, OUWB, UMass, Stanford, Loyola, MSU, ICahn, RFU, USC, Kaiser, UF, Dartmouth, Weill Cornell

You are an Illinois resident. Why didn't you apply to Southern Illinois? SIU only accepts Illinois residents.

 

[candbgirl]

You are an Illinois resident. Why didn't you apply to Southern Illinois? SIU only accepts Illinois residents.

This is true but SIU is pretty specific in their geographic area they draw from.(South of I 80, rural area.) OP might be from the northern area and decided not to apply.

 

[lacrossegirl420]

Your application is definitely good enough for MD programs, but make sure you’re being realistic where you apply based on your stats (of course, don’t apply Caribbean and you don’t need to)

 

[funfriendlyfiller]

You are an Illinois resident. Why didn't you apply to Southern Illinois? SIU only accepts Illinois residents.

I did. They heavily favor southern Illinois residents. I’m not one

 

[funfriendlyfiller]

This is true but SIU is pretty specific in their geographic area they draw from.(South of I 80, rural area.) OP might be from the northern area and decided not to apply.

I was put on the pre interview waitlist

 

[sciencerules135]

Hi everyone, I had similar questions here. I am a first gen med applicant and am trying to figure out when I should consider/start worrying about reapplying. Is it common for most applicants to not hear back from a lot of schools til spring? I am waiting to hear back from over a dozen schools still. For reference of my stats: LM 67, over 300 research hours, over 250 clinical volunteer hours in the ER, 50+ volunteer hours in a surgery waiting area bringing patients back for pre-op, 300 hours working as a medical receptionist for primary care office, 50 hours or so shadowing multiple different specialties. I know my MCAT is where my application lacks but besides that I felt like EC's are pretty good. Do we think there still is hope? Also, I have heard a lot of people say this cycle is slow. Is that because schools are taking much longer to review and send out II? I have gotten one II so far at a school I love but am still waiting to hear back. Let me know your thoughts. I also am a traditional applicant and applied only MD.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Is it common for most applicants to not hear back from a lot of schools til spring? I am waiting to hear back from over a dozen schools still.

Yes, it is common to get ghosted.

I don't think this cycle is "slow," but AAMC reported there were fewer applicants this past cycle though most seats were filled. By this time of the year, most places would likely have caught up to where they want to be when it comes to processing applications and extending offers. You always have a chance until you get rejected outright, or until the next AMCAS opens.

 

[Angler]

I think the best approach is CQI. Assume you're rejected everywhere until you get your first A; keep improving your application in anticipation of a future cycle reapplication. Even if you have a great application, the cycle can end with no A's, so don't just sit around doing nothing. It's not a good look.

 

[sciencerules135]

I have another question regarding time of completion for a lot of my secondaries. I was really late in taking CASPER about 6 or so of my apps were not complete til october. Is it possible my application has not been looked at by some schools? Is it also possible that some schools haven't even looked at an OOS students yet? Just trying to guage what my next steps are

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I have another question regarding time of completion for a lot of my secondaries. I was really late in taking CASPER about 6 or so of my apps were not complete til october. Is it possible my application has not been looked at by some schools? Is it also possible that some schools haven't even looked at an OOS students yet? Just trying to guage what my next steps are

Do you have a WAMC to share? How late was your Casper relative to submitting secondaries?

To answer your question, I suppose it's possible, but ideally schools should have reviewed all apps before winter break. Realistically, some schools probably will complete all reviews by end of January.

Your immediate next steps without an offer are to keep improving significantly for your reapplication. Begin re-writing all secondaries and your personal essays. Look for DO schools for insurance.

 

[sciencerules135]

Do you have a WAMC to share? How late was your Casper relative to submitting secondaries?

To answer your question, I suppose it's possible, but ideally schools should have reviewed all apps before winter break. Realistically, some schools probably will complete all reviews by end of January.

Your immediate next steps without an offer are to keep improving significantly for your reapplication. Begin re-writing all secondaries and your personal essays. Look for DO schools for insurance.

I don't have a WAMC but I should probably make one. All my secondaries were complete in August but the ones waiting for CASPER weren't marked complete til first week of October. I know I waited to long to take school just got super busy.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I don't have a WAMC but I should probably make one. All my secondaries were complete in August but the ones waiting for CASPER weren't marked complete til first week of October. I know I waited to long to take school just got super busy.

In all likelihood, the schools that required Casper likely placed your file on hold until they knew your Casper scores were reported. Have you heard back from any of those schools that required Casper? You may want to check to be sure your file is still not on "hold for Casper" status.

 

[sciencerules135]

In all likelihood, the schools that required Casper likely placed your file on hold until they knew your Casper scores were reported. Have you heard back from any of those schools that required Casper? You may want to check to be sure your file is still not on "hold for Casper" status.

I haven't heard back from most schools but the schools did send me an email marking my application as complete once they received my scores. I did get two rejections but am still waiting to hear back from 5 schools that recieved my scores in October. Do you think its worth emailing?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I haven't heard back from most schools but the schools did send me an email marking my application as complete once they received my scores. I did get two rejections but am still waiting to hear back from 5 schools that recieved my scores in October. Do you think its worth emailing?

At this point, there's probably no harm to asking those 5 schools.

 

[gyngyn]

I haven't heard back from most schools but the schools did send me an email marking my application as complete once they received my scores. I did get two rejections but am still waiting to hear back from 5 schools that recieved my scores in October. Do you think its worth emailing?

This is OP's thread...
How about making a WAMC of your own so members can respond directly to you!