Any other accepted students experiencing regret about being accepted/going? Advice?

[Psai]

You'll be fine, just go through with it. You worked too hard not to

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Goro]

One of my advisees had ~20 IIs for a single accept.

I am pretty sure I broke some sort of record on SDN for highest interview to acceptance ratio over two cycles. Something like over 16 interviews attended over two years for one acceptance. I interview well, I am a social person (trust me, I was in a fraternity). I don't know what happened. And to be honest, I don't want to invest the time and money in a career I am on the fence about at age of 22.

 

[Goro]

All new endeavours are fraught with anxiety. You'll do fine.

Hard work paid off and I'm accepted to a MD school. I've known medicine was what I wanted to do for ages, even after exploring other careers I was really interested in. I know about the responsibilities doctors have, how extremely stressful medical school will be and the like, so I know what I'm getting into. I also was very comprehensive and did my research fully on the schools I applied to and was accepted to. I also have no idea what else I'd do if I didn't do medicine.

It's just that after I finally got accepted and the happiness and feelings of accomplishment wore off, I'm really concerned about going to medical school, and really questioning if I really want to do this. It's taken an incredible amount of hardwork for me to get to this point and I faced and overcame burnout multiple times. I've had horrible experiences before I was accepted including nasty interviewers, so that didn't help either. I'm also looking at the fact that I'm really getting tired and burnout of classrooms, lectures, and the whole lecture-test format. It really tires me out, and I can't wait to be done with that format. After the first two years are we pretty much done with that format of learning forever? That's something that'll keep me going for sure, but I'm so tired of this format of learning.

Medical school also looks so damn extremely hard. It's going to be way harder than undergrad, and undergrad was very hard for me, like I had to spend all of my time studying, even though I did well. Basically I'm expecting to be non-stop studying all the time in medical school, and have no free-time, and that's very hard on me because I'm basically giving up years of my life to dedicate myself to some of the hardest studying there are, and having no real free-time is brutal. Also, the subjects in medical school look absolutely brutal. I did a preview of anatomy and a lot of digging on it and it looks absolutely hellish to learn and do well in. All the standardized tests also seem soul-shattering because I'm not a very good standardized test taker and ultimately it seems like everything will come down to my ability do well on these tests. Even if I do well in medical school and get into a good residency program, from what I've seen they're just as intensive if not more so than medical school, and I'll have even less free-time, so it's basically another repeat of medical school. Finally, when I become an attending, I'll be working even more insanely hard (depending on speciality) and have even less free-time. That's disheartening because I want my hard-work to pay off and to actually be able to have a life, and do stuff normal people my age can, and have fun. Even though I knew most of this going into the process, it just worries me even more now that i'm accepted, and is far more of an issue.

This isn't even mentioning I going to school across the country away from my family (one of my parents is seriously ill and probably going to die within the next year or two) and my gf who I love. Though I'm perfectly fine being away from my family and away from home, it's just all the other stuff that I mentioned above that makes it much worse for me.

Anyone else seriously questioning going to medical school now that they're accepted? I'd also greatly appreciate any advice or comments on my situation because I'm at a complete loss.

 

[padfootmd]

Something I read either here on SDN or tumblr:

(when accepted)

OMG I GOT INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL!!!

(later)

Oh crap, I have to go to medical school.

 

[rilte4]

I interview well, I am a social person (trust me, I was in a fraternity).

I don't know that this ensures anything, in this case. They (medical school interviewers) generally want you to like medicine too.

 

[general987]

I don't know that this ensures anything, in this case. They generally want you to like medicine too.

He could always have been a GPA anchor for the fraternity. Can't describe how many pre meds act as anchors. And they do volunteering willingly!!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[Officer Farva]

One of my advisees had ~20 IIs for a single accept.

Man, that's expensive! I also knew some pretty weird people in my time who got in with 2-3 IIs. They all claimed to have messed up their interviews and had rapid heart rates and what not through the whole thing.

I wonder how important the interview really is. Is it everything, or just a small part. For mediocre applicants who somehow snag a top tier invite, do they really have a chance even with Brad Pitt-looks, the compassion of a saint, and an award-winning personality?

 

[Goro]

Very simple: Interview makes or breaks you. A great interview can make an interviewer take a chance on a otherwise marginal applicant. And a bad interview will sink a 4.0/40 MCAT candidate. I've seen it happen plenty of times.

I wonder how important the interview really is. Is it everything, or just a small part. For mediocre applicants who somehow snag a top tier invite, do they really have a chance even with Brad Pitt-looks, the compassion of a saint, and an award-winning personality?

 

[prehealthadvisor55]

I am pretty sure I broke some sort of record on SDN for highest interview to acceptance ratio over two cycles. Something like over 16 interviews attended over two years for one acceptance. I interview well, I am a social person (trust me, I was in a fraternity).

Sorry, but the evidence points to the contrary. Some self-reflection while reconsidering career options could do you some good.

 

[WingedOx]

I interview well, I am a social person (trust me, I was in a fraternity).

 

[DominusAnulorum]

With all the resistance I felt discussing a research career at my interviews, I was pretty disappointed. Hopefully those adcoms are not representative of the way American medicine is heading or else we are all in serious trouble!

If I did medicine, I would try to get as far away as possible from where medicine is heading by transferring into MD/PHD or doing a full-research career. All the older docs I know are quite supportive of my goals and pessimistic about the future of medicine.

So I am genuinely curious about why you think that American medicine is doomed because of a transition away form an intensive research focus (something which I have not personally witnessed in my interviews)? Everyone I've talked to is very happy with an increased focus on personal interaction and bedside manner. I get that you like research and would rather do that, but just because you like research does not mean that everyone ought to do it in medicine. That is an example of bias. I personally am not a huge fan of comedies. This limits the tv shows I can watch. That does not mean, however, that tv is doomed. It just means they are not currently catering to my interests. Doctors interact with people a lot. I would argue that it is one of the most social professions. Making patients feel better is their job and part of that is having good bedside manner and calming them down. Maybe that would not matter to you, but it matters to a lot of people. I have heard so many stories about people who went to a local hospital and were treated by a cold doctor and hated it, even if he did solve their problem, only to go to a top tier hospital and get an incredibly warm doctor who gave the same treatment, but made them feel at ease, and loved it. Research is beneficial and necessary to increase the quality of medical treatments, but it is not necessarily a skill all doctors need.

 

[Guccitwotimes]

I don't know that this ensures anything, in this case. They (medical school interviewers) generally want you to like medicine too.

Interviewing is way more complicated than that too. Literally anything can turn off an interviewer to you.

 

[Officer Farva]

Interviewing is way more complicated than that too. Literally anything can turn off an interviewer to you.

Exactly! The interviewer may have food poisoning from Buffalo wings and then decide to hate you for being from Buffalo, NY!

 

[Guccitwotimes]

Exactly! The interviewer may have food poisoning from Buffalo wings and then decide to hate you for being from Buffalo, NY!

Yep! I had an interview doc me points for being incredibly sick because he didn't believe I was sick because I was so excited about the school. No winning there. Nothing like being asked if I'm really sick when I have a 100+ fever and was using every fiber in my body to absolutely slaughter this interview.

 

[Officer Farva]

Yep! I had an interview doc me points for being incredibly sick because he didn't believe I was sick because I was so excited about the school. No winning there. Nothing like being asked if I'm really sick when I have a 100+ fever and was using every fiber in my body to absolutely slaughter this interview.

You were sick and he didn't believe you were sick? He sounds like a real nobel prize winner lol. I wonder where he got his degree.

 

[Guccitwotimes]

"Hellish and insanely difficult" are the flip-side of "fascinating" --

And working so hard can be rewarding in it's own way -- think of a second wind and runner's high.

You don't have to swear off fun. In fact, you'll form intense friendships with some of the most amazing people you'll ever get the chance to meet. -- If you stay on top of your game.

You said you wanted to be normal? You're already too smart for that. But you will get to experience the 'work like a dog for minimal cash rewards' that all your friends will get to experience for a few years. That's definitely normal. But then you'll veer off onto a path of very high paychecks and more flexible work hours while calling many of your own shots -- which is decidedly not the norm.

That's the truth. I worked retail and had this exact feeling. I'm not saying nobody else at my job did work, but it sure as hell felt like it when I was the only person working the register with 20+ in line and most of the other employees just chilling in the back room.

Btw, a really important thing that helps me is to remember that most of life is a choice. We're all adults here, but I think the pre-med path is particularly potent in making people feel like life is just a series of semi-horrible boxes that must be checked... which essentially frees us from the hassle of exercising personal responsibility for our own lives, but deprives us of learning the skills to be creative and self-directing. It's like living in communist Russia, kinda.

The truth is, everybody has restrictions and challenges in life, but in the end you get to decide whether you let your challenges (i.e. medical school, being a doctor, the global economy, etc...) ruin your happiness. You can decide to forego top grades, a prestigious residency, a few years of ease, a sexy cynical attitude... Whatever you want! You can pick: passing grades, a residency that gives you the tools you want, hard work for the sake of a challenge, and an eye for the bright side. Life's what you make it, is what I'm trying to say. And medical school CAN be seen as less a means to an end and more an opportunity to learn to use a lot of interesting tools so you can build your own best life.

But, again, if you're burnt out and your parent is sick, not much is going to look bright. Just cheering up and having a good attitude is an effort under ordinary circumstances. Some time away could really help you back on your feet. Rooting for you, OP.

Thank you

Med school, residency and having a rewarding medical career is very much about attitude. Phrases like burn out should not be in your vocabulary at this juncture. You can allow yourself to contemplate things like that after doing the same job for a decade but it's just a form of psyching yourself out while just a student/trainee.

And you do yourself a disservice being in a rush to get done with the learning/testing phase of your medical journey. This is very much a path of lifelong learning. You will have tests in med school, residency, board exams and then periodic MOC. If you aren't forever reading medical journals and looking up things about your patients throughout your career, you aren't doing your job.

Next, I think the focus on all the fun you'll miss out on while in med school and residency is misplaced. Yes it is time consuming and yes you will have a ton of trade offs and not get to "hang out" or see every movie that comes out or regularly watch TV shows or party all night at the club. But you will do a ton of things the average young person will never get to do or see too, and that really should be the focus. Only a fool spends their 20s doing cool stuff while whining about the things they didn't get to do.

There is always a little let down when you achieve a short term goal (like getting into med school). You thought it would "complete you" and it unsurprisingly didn't. But there are much bigger hurdles ahead and instead of dwelling on having made it to base camp, it's time to change your focus to the mountain ahead.

This is a hard path with a lot of hard work and sacrifices. But it's pretty darn rewarding as well. So you can focus on the glass being half full or half empty. It's really an attitude thing that separates the person who loves this career from the one who hates it. I keep saying on here that it's not the right career for everybody, and just because you got into med school doesn't necessarily mean you are or aren't such person. Good luck.

It's really hard not to have burnout in my vocab. Tackling the large number of premed endeavors at once fried me hard at at least one point, and the interview process was also brutal and I had to decompress for like a month after what I went through (insane flights, ridiculous interviews, brutally long days after already sinking an interview). You're right about everything. I can have the positive attitude as well, and had to while I pushed through all of this or otherwise I would have failed.

You'll be fine, just go through with it. You worked too hard not to

Amen.

All new endeavours are fraught with anxiety. You'll do fine.

Too true, change also doesn't have to be bad. It's just taking the plunge that is hard and filled with question. In 2 years-4 years these issues I have will be irrelevant and I may have the same worries about residency. I gotta try

 

[Efflorescence]

Very simple: Interview makes or breaks you

This is the painful truth. My roommate and I both wanted to go to the same school in our hometown. Similar GPA, same MCAT, interviewed on the same day. Her interviews went well; one of mine went terribly.

The result? She was accepted 2.5 months ago and I am now waitlisted. It sucks to know that I sank myself via the interview. Even worse, we had one of the same interviewers However, I have an acceptance to another school that I like so I'm grateful for that.

 

[Guccitwotimes]

You were sick and he didn't believe you were sick? He sounds like a real nobel prize winner lol. I wonder where he got his degree.

Yea, it gets even better: he also asked me if I was genetically tested as proof for my race, and my next interviewer that day automatically assumed everything in my application was BS. Needless to say, I got a post-interview rejection.

 

[Officer Farva]

Yea, it gets even better: he also asked me if I was genetically tested as proof for my race, and my next interviewer that day automatically assumed everything in my application was BS. Needless to say, I got a post-interview rejection.

Genetic test for proving race? What year is this again??? I would complain. I don't stand for racism.

I come from an immigrant family from Europe. One of my interviewers was blasting foreign doctors and foreigners in general. Kind of funny considering that they want to serve the underserved. A lot of these doctors are more interested in serving their own egos and bank accounts, but that is besides the point.

 

[jazzcatastrophe]

I'm also having doubts. I know I would enjoy being a doctor and would be good at it, but I just don't know if I would like it more than I enjoy the work I do now. There are so many things that excite me about medicine, but there are just as many things I love about my current work, even though it is much less "prestigious" and I know people would think I'm crazy to turn down medical school to keep doing it. I'm seriously considering asking for a deferral to spend another year working (without the pressures of grad school, applications, etc) to figure it all out.

 

[PhysioMD]

YOu're right don't go! and tell the admission committee you are giving your seat to me I don't even care if you have your seat in timbuktu..that's how much I know I want to be a doctor. If you have doubts that you haven't yet worked out..makes people like me a bit upset because maybe my GPA is 0.05 lower than you or MCAT lower by a point or two and that's what cost me the spot that I really really really know I want.

 

[Guccitwotimes]

YOu're right don't go! and tell the admission committee you are giving your seat to me I don't even care if you have your seat in timbuktu..that's how much I know I want to be a doctor. If you have doubts that you haven't yet worked out..makes people like me a bit upset because maybe my GPA is 0.05 lower than you or MCAT lower by a point or two and that's what cost me the spot that I really really really know I want.

I've been through exactly what you're going through bc I'm a reapplicant. I'm not giving up my seat. You should think about how easy it is to be in my situation when that acceptance you so desire comes, and I guarantee your POV will change.

Genetic test for proving race? What year is this again??? I would complain. I don't stand for racism.

I come from an immigrant family from Europe. One of my interviewers was blasting foreign doctors and foreigners in general. Kind of funny considering that they want to serve the underserved. A lot of these doctors are more interested in serving their own egos and bank accounts, but that is besides the point.

I would, but complaining about my interviews has done absolutely no good, and I've had worse than what I've mentioned. That sucks that you had experience that too. The thing with interviewers often times is that they can do absolutely anything and say it, and even though they may claim "anything you say is valid as long as you justify it", they're the same people getting applicants rejected for disagreeing with them. Interviewing is totally an ideology-driven process and really more like a popularity contest imo.

 

[Officer Farva]

I've been through exactly what you're going through bc I'm a reapplicant. I'm not giving up my seat. You should think about how easy it is to be in my situation when that acceptance you so desire comes, and I guarantee your POV will change.



I would, but complaining about my interviews has done absolutely no good, and I've had worse than what I've mentioned. That sucks that you had experience that too. The thing with interviewers often times is that they can do absolutely anything and say it, and even though they may claim "anything you say is valid as long as you justify it", they're the same people getting applicants rejected for disagreeing with them. Interviewing is totally an ideology-driven process and really more like a popularity contest imo.

I have another funny horror story for you. I took the MCAT twice, 34 (very low verbal) retaken for a ~40. At one program, the interviewer blasted me for being spoiled because no one gets above a 35 without spending $10,000 on tutoring he said.

I self-prepared entirely. The only money I spent was on books and practice tests. Even if I did spend 100,000 dollars, it is none of his business anyway. This is a medical school interview, not an IRS audit. At another interview, I had my interviewer pressing me to disclose my income from my gap year job.

I hate to say it, my medical school interviewers kind of shattered my view of physician professionalism.

 

[Guccitwotimes]

I have another funny horror story for you. I took the MCAT twice, 34 (very low verbal) retaken for a ~40. At one program, the interviewer blasted me for being spoiled because no one gets above a 35 without spending $10,000 on tutoring he said.

I self-prepared entirely. The only money I spent was on books and practice tests. Even if I did spend 100,000 dollars, it is none of his business anyway. This is a medical school interview, not an IRS audit. At another interview, I had my interviewer pressing me to disclose my income from my gap year job.

I hate to say it, my medical school interviewers kind of shattered my view of physician professionalism.

Wow, that's un****ing believable. By the time I got through with interviewing I just about stopped keeping track of interviewers' BS assumptions about me because even when I politely clarified or called them out on their BS they'd just say "OH I understand" and then mark me down for it. Interviewers have a seriously bad case of myopia.

 

[Ho0v-man]

This is the painful truth. My roommate and I both wanted to go to the same school in our hometown. Similar GPA, same MCAT, interviewed on the same day. Her interviews went well; one of mine went terribly.

The result? She was accepted 2.5 months ago and I am now waitlisted. It sucks to know that I sank myself via the interview. Even worse, we had one of the same interviewers However, I have an acceptance to another school that I like so I'm grateful for that.

My first interview was literally 10 minutes from my house. Tanked it. I'm wait listed but I'm not getting off of it. My interviewer tricked me into saying that I don't like taking pt histories or working long hours. It's not even true! I'm moving across the country for school...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Guccitwotimes]

My first interview was literally 10 minutes from my house. Tanked it. I'm wait listed but I'm not getting off of it. My interviewer tricked me into saying that I don't like taking pt histories or working long hours. It's not even true! I'm moving across the country for school...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interviews that pull that **** are the worst. I had one who tried to trick me to lie and say something unethical. it's insane.

 

[Efflorescence]

@Ho0v-man I'm sorry that happened to you too I'm sure I'll look back one day and know that everything worked out for the best, but right now it's just disappointing. I hope we'll both like our respective new cities.

 

[Officer Farva]

Wow, that's un****ing believable. By the time I got through with interviewing I just about stopped keeping track of interviewers' BS assumptions about me because even when I politely clarified or called them out on their BS they'd just say "OH I understand" and then mark me down for it. Interviewers have a seriously bad case of myopia.

My first interview was literally 10 minutes from my house. Tanked it. I'm wait listed but I'm not getting off of it. My interviewer tricked me into saying that I don't like taking pt histories or working long hours. It's not even true! I'm moving across the country for school...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I hope medical schools start taking note. Our interviews are probably our first serious discussions with MDs. All of our prior interactions have been superficial, either through passing at work or through our annual check ups.

Interviewers should start seeing themselves as representatives of their universities and their fields. And medical schools should be careful of the nut-cases who they select to interview us. In my case, I interviewed with my share of nuts, probably out of bad luck.

Those nuts seriously ruined my view of all this professionalism we hear about and the schools themselves. All because that is our first serious discussion with MDs that is not superficial.

 

[DocsRocks21]

for all of you saying you regret it, one simple answer QUIT and find something you do love. there are more than a few of us who are in gap years because we didn't get accepted who would give an arm or leg to be where you are. You'll never make it through 4 years and residency unless you have a passion for what you are doing and truly enjoy it.

 

[Ho0v-man]

I hope medical schools start taking note. Our interviews are probably our first serious discussions with MDs. All of our prior interactions have been superficial, either through passing at work or through our annual check ups.

Interviewers should start seeing themselves as representatives of their universities and their fields. And medical schools should be careful of the nut-cases who they select to interview us. In my case, I interviewed with my share of nuts, probably out of bad luck.

Those nuts seriously ruined my view of all this professionalism we hear about and the schools themselves. All because that is our first serious discussion with MDs that is not superficial.

While he was a tough interviewer, I attribute the problems to mostly me just being nervous.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DominusAnulorum]

for all of you saying you regret it, one simple answer QUIT and find something you do love. there are more than a few of us who are in gap years because we didn't get accepted who would give an arm or leg to be where you are. You'll never make it through 4 years and residency unless you have a passion for what you are doing and truly enjoy it.

I think that's a little unfair. It's normal to have doubts before making a huge life decision. People get cold feet on wedding days and that's supposed to be one of the best days in life. It's part of the realization that life is pretty big and even something big like going to medical school is just a part of it.

 

[Kaz]

I don't know about the rest of you, but for me the excitement of getting accepted lasted all of one day.
One freaking day.
I realized the next morning what was ahead of me, but it helped to remind myself of why I got into this in the first place.

I'm probably going to do things that would make my life easier/better (learn cooking, saving money for stuff like a printer, etc.) so that I at least get off on the right foot.

 

[cherubb3]

One of my advisees had ~20 IIs for a single accept.

That is rough. I thought I had it bad with two acceptances out of 9 IIs!

It is definitely a humbling experience to not be outright accepted following an interview... I personally thought most of my interviews went well and I kept confidence in the idea that I love patient care and that my motivations for pursuing medicine are noble. I thought these things would be clear in the way I speak and explain myself... humbling, indeed.

But the way I see it, this whole experience is going to be humbling. It will be humbling when I work my butt off for a barely passing grade in pre-clinicals, it will be humbling when I get a pimp question wrong on my rotations, and it will be VERY humbling when I'm a doctor and (ultimately) make some kind of error or am at a loss on what to do. This is only the beginning, so I might as well get used to it.

 

[Petrichor1]

sometimes, I feel like those countries where medicine is basically a hit or miss admission solely based on stats from high school and starts in college may actually carry a point. Though their doctors are very young comparably, they do harbor happier versions that get to start life early. I think this limbo of first from undergrad then to medicine and thereafter, the daunting cries of debt and old age are things we as society have let happen. Anyways, I really don't have a life and lost flavors for it at a young age so that's why entering medicine is for me. Helping people, being the leader is for me. I feel like I don't care too much about marriage as a whole and feel that if tomorrow I were to describe myself, it definitely shouldn't be for whether or not I'm married.

 

[Officer Farva]

sometimes, I feel like those countries where medicine is basically a hit or miss admission solely based on stats from high school and starts in college may actually carry a point. Though their doctors are very young comparably, they do harbor happier versions that get to start life early. I think this limbo of first from undergrad then to medicine and thereafter, the daunting cries of debt and old age are things we as society have let happen. Anyways, I really don't have a life and lost flavors for it at a young age so that's why entering medicine is for me. Helping people, being the leader is for me. I feel like I don't care too much about marriage as a whole and feel that if tomorrow I were to describe myself, it definitely shouldn't be for whether or not I'm married.

The French and German systems is one of the best systems in the world for medical education!

 

[Mansamusa]

The French and German systems is one of the best systems in the world for medical education!

I think the French have the best system. Anyone can start the first year (about ~2000 students start). They take a test at the end of 1st year and the top 200ish get to move on. You get 2 chances to do the first year. Tuition is like 250 euros. It is a very fair system

 

[Lucca]

sometimes, I feel like those countries where medicine is basically a hit or miss admission solely based on stats from high school and starts in college may actually carry a point. Though their doctors are very young comparably, they do harbor happier versions that get to start life early. I think this limbo of first from undergrad then to medicine and thereafter, the daunting cries of debt and old age are things we as society have let happen. Anyways, I really don't have a life and lost flavors for it at a young age so that's why entering medicine is for me. Helping people, being the leader is for me. I feel like I don't care too much about marriage as a whole and feel that if tomorrow I were to describe myself, it definitely shouldn't be for whether or not I'm married.

English system takes longer to train docs than ours if they are specialists and about the same for GPs. Most other systems are 1-2 years faster AT MOST.

I would never trade our system for one where people decided straight out of high school. It wouldn't work here. Residency training would be a mess since we don't also have a nationalized system or regulation of undergraduate programs. Not to mention that we would lose a lot of potentially good trainees to the fact that our high school system does a good job of adequately preparing like 15% of our students for college, if we're being generous.

 

[Officer Farva]

I think the French have the best system. Anyone can start the first year (about ~2000 students start). They take a test at the end of 1st year and the top 200ish get to move on. You get 2 chances to do the first year. Tuition is like 250 euros. It is a very fair system

The American system has nobel prize winning research, we spend the most on research out of all countries in the world. We need to compete with Europe better!

The problem is how bloated our universities are, which is why we spend the most money. We have all these various deans, vice deans, associate deans, assistant deans, and the countless administrative staff that supports each person. I think patient simulators are humongous wastes of money.

The large amount of admins I believe kind of ruined the system by overcomplicating admissions and other processes that are done by universities.

 

[Officer Farva]

English system takes longer to train docs than ours if they are specialists and about the same for GPs. Most other systems are 1-2 years faster AT MOST.

I would never trade our system for one where people decided straight out of high school. It wouldn't work here. Residency training would be a mess since we don't also have a nationalized system or regulation of undergraduate programs. Not to mention that we would lose a lot of potentially good trainees to the fact that our high school system does a good job of adequately preparing like 15% of our students for college, if we're being generous.

Agreed, we should start by improving high schools. My high school was awful. My first semester of college was a rude awakening, but I somehow managed to pick myself up after then.

 

[Petrichor1]

English system takes longer to train docs than ours if they are specialists and about the same for GPs. Most other systems are 1-2 years faster AT MOST.

I would never trade our system for one where people decided straight out of high school. It wouldn't work here. Residency training would be a mess since we don't also have a nationalized system or regulation of undergraduate programs. Not to mention that we would lose a lot of potentially good trainees to the fact that our high school system does a good job of adequately preparing like 15% of our students for college, if we're being generous.

usually in other countries, students are sorted out into 2 groups starting in high school: humanities and sciences. The mere fact that you quote 15% is without context of knowing that in these other countries, the ones who are only eligible of applying and taking exams for medical/engineering schools are the sciences section. Even among these are subclasses divided in A/B/C in accordance to average grade received. Theoretically, this system would take away from the fruition of a student that comes with maturity that can later make a candidate want to pursue other arenas. By that time, though, they cannot either due to inexperience or most likely illiteracy in the field and the stringency of the system to prevent any crossovers. However, what I am arguing is perhaps, we may want to have more early admissions/assurance programs so that students don't become so incumbent on the idea of aging/debt which come with the uncertainty and meaninglessness of gaining admission to medicine overall in any part of the world (but moreso in the Americas where candidates are much older when they apply no matter time of completion of this medical journey). It all comes down to aging and doing this medical schooling at the midst of an age where we should be married, should have kids, and should be settled (whether it is with debt or without). There is no doubt that doctors marry the oldest.

 

[Officer Farva]

usually in other countries, students are sorted out into 2 groups starting in high school: humanities and sciences. The mere fact that you quote 15% is without context of knowing that in these other countries, the ones who are only eligible of applying and taking exams for medical/engineering schools are the sciences section. Even among these are subclasses divided in A/B/C in accordance to average grade received. Theoretically, this system would take away from the fruition of a student that comes with maturity that can later make a candidate want to pursue other arenas. By that time, though, they cannot either due to inexperience or most likely illiteracy in the field and the stringency of the system to prevent any crossovers. However, what I am arguing is perhaps, we may want to have more early admissions/assurance programs so that students don't become so incumbent on the idea of aging/debt which come with the uncertainty and meaninglessness of gaining admission to medicine overall in any part of the world (but moreso in the Americas where candidates are much older when they apply no matter time of completion of this medical journey). It all comes down to aging and doing this medical schooling at the midst of an age where we should be married, should have kids, and should be settled (whether it is with debt or without). There is no doubt that doctors marry the oldest.

Another reason I may be turning down my one acceptance. I have a serious girlfriend, and I don't feel like moving far away. It would have been nicer if the undergrad-medical school transition is more streamlined from the beginning.

 

[Petrichor1]

Another reason I may be turning down my one acceptance. I have a serious girlfriend, and I don't feel like moving far away. It would have been nicer if the undergrad-medical school transition is more streamlined from the beginning.

I know this is a terrible suggestion, but why don't you wait a year where you could hone in on your skills, get some more experience that is lacking in app, and apply again after the one year gap? It doesn't seem to me that you are profoundly in a hurry to do medical school and you prefer to do it when you are close to family and with less debt (of course don't we all?). Of course, there is no guarantee that your gf will remain in the same area either for 4+ years. It's all about making sacrifices and unfortunately only the relationships meant to be last in a long-distance connection. I personally am being pushed by an employer to do one extra year in gap but because I have no relationships, no interest in staying locally for medical school, and nothing to look forward to beside medicine it is a very hard decision to take the guts and say no but a fairly easy one because I know the alternative of possibly being unemployed for a long period of time isn't an issue if it'll be just for one year.

 

[NotYou20]

English system takes longer to train docs than ours if they are specialists and about the same for GPs. Most other systems are 1-2 years faster AT MOST.

I would never trade our system for one where people decided straight out of high school. It wouldn't work here. Residency training would be a mess since we don't also have a nationalized system or regulation of undergraduate programs. Not to mention that we would lose a lot of potentially good trainees to the fact that our high school system does a good job of adequately preparing like 15% of our students for college, if we're being generous.

agreed. There's also plenty of smart, good people who just don't give a **** about high school. That we pretty much erase that is great. Lack of motivation or bad decisions when you're 16 shouldn't bar you from medicine

 

[Officer Farva]

I know this is a terrible suggestion, but why don't you wait a year where you could hone in on your skills, get some more experience that is lacking in app, and apply again after the one year gap? It doesn't seem to me that you are profoundly in a hurry to do medical school and you prefer to do it when you are close to family and with less debt (of course don't we all?). Of course, there is no guarantee that your gf will remain in the same area either for 4+ years. It's all about making sacrifices and unfortunately only the relationships meant to be last in a long-distance connection. I personally am being pushed by an employer to do one extra year in gap but because I have no relationships, no interest in staying locally for medical school, and nothing to look forward to beside medicine it is a very hard decision to take the guts and say no but a fairly easy one because I know the alternative of possibly being unemployed for a long period of time isn't an issue if it'll be just for one year.

I have been interviewing for software engineer jobs that are more tempting, and am also considering going back for a one year masters at a great, in the area school. For me, all jobs are just jobs that pay the rent and bills (including medicine), so I have no strong feelings one way or the other. I am also pretty eager to start my career early on, rather than wait until my 30s to truly be beginning when fellowship is over.

 

[Petrichor1]

I have been interviewing for software engineer jobs that are more tempting, and am also considering going back for a one year masters at a great, in the area school. For me, all jobs are just jobs that pay the rent and bills (including medicine), so I have no strong feelings one way or the other. I am also pretty eager to start my career early on, rather than wait until my 30s to truly be beginning when fellowship is over.

I think medicine is terrible idea for you then. Nowadays with sufficient experience, many software engineers are surpassing PCPs salaries with flying colors. If you are really talented in this field, you will appreciate the net amount you have earned vs. the doctor that graduates with debt by near 30. You are already interviewing at companies which tells me that you already have things figured out. Only confusing thing is why did you go such a long route to figure this out?

 

[Officer Farva]

I think medicine is terrible idea for you then. Nowadays with sufficient experience, many software engineers are surpassing PCPs salaries with flying colors. If you are really talented in this field, you will appreciate the net amount you have earned vs. the doctor that graduates with debt by near 30. You are already interviewing at companies which tells me that you already have things figured out. Only confusing thing is why did you go such a long route to figure this out?

Long story, but 2 application cycles, kind of overqualified and underqualified (either interviewed at the very top tier or very low tier), got accepted in the 2nd cycle at a top school for one acceptance after a bazillion interviews. Traveled all over the country, dealt with a lot of nonsense from interviewers and adcoms. I have two doctors in my whole family who are miserable at their jobs. Had plenty of time to think to myself. I will only go if offered significant money for a scholarship.

 

[Optimus-Prime]

This whole thread chaps my ass,

I worked myself into the ground for three years to wrangle an acceptance. Boo hoo wa wa, get over it

 

[Dustbowl12]

People would do anything for a US MD/DO acceptance.

Don't worry, be Happy

 

[ProspectiveKidd]

People would do anything for a US MD/DO acceptance.

Irrelevant

Why don't you give up everything you own or know and just be thankful you can breathe because some people don't get to breathe.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Had plenty of time to think to myself. I will only go if offered significant money for a scholarship.

Why would scholarship $ impact such a life-determining decision?

You either want to be a doctor, or not...