Is it the right time to reapply?

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amIadoctoryet

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Last year (2015-16), I applied to 20 different MD programs. Stats include a 37 MCAT and a GPA of 3.823. In addition to that I spent a couple of years as a volunteer in a hospital and spent a summer with some clinical research facility. During the last application cycle I also got a job as a medical scribe, and have been working there ever since. I also got a job as a science tutor.

However, apart from a year's worth of my jobs (and 5 new LoRs from the doctors I scribed for over the last year) I have not added any new experiences or more impressive scores to my application. I am not sure whether reapplying to some schools will be right, as it will inevitably invite the "how is this application cycle different from your last one?" question on the secondaries and I am not sure how to address this.

Last cycle I had received 6 interviews and unfortunately had no acceptances (but three waitlists) I have a feeling that what really dinged me were the interviews, because I remember feeling nervous and acting apologetic for lacking certain extracurricular/leadership activities.

First time poster, looking to get some helpful advice. Thank you!

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Hey brother,

One of the best things I read that helped me connect w/my marines, friends, family, and patients as an EMT was HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE by Dale Carnegie. This was a real game changer for me. I really believe in the values and look forward to getting to know new people.

It should be available free online and is an incredible asset. Please don't be fooled by the title - it teaches you how to be genuine and a leader, and DOES NOT rely on manipulation. Perhaps you lacked etiquette and had difficulty connecting with your interviewers?

I also read a lot of books on body language. Chances you are not aware of your body posture as will as the signals you are sending. When I had to practice giving 5 paragraph orders to a company of marines, I practiced and video taped my orders infront of a mirror and played it back. I had to be mindful of my ticks, voice inflection, confidence, flow of words, and attention of the marines/crowd.

Have you done any mock interviews? Have you received any feedback from schools you applied to?
 
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I have not had mock interviews, and unfortunately I was unable to get any information/feedback from schools. But like I had said it is likely that the interviews are what "killed" my application. I guess my real issue is sounding confident in the interviews. I have a hard time feeling confident going into an interview when I know there is a hole in my application (for me it was the lack of "legitimate" undergraduate research).

I'll try to keep that book in mind, because believe it or not you're not the first person to recommend it to me. Thanks for the advice.
 
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Question #1 you will be asked:
How have you improved since last cycle?????




Last year (2015-16), I applied to 20 different MD programs. Stats include a 37 MCAT and a GPA of 3.823. In addition to that I spent a couple of years as a volunteer in a hospital and spent a summer with some clinical research facility. During the last application cycle I also got a job as a medical scribe, and have been working there ever since. I also got a job as a science tutor.

However, apart from a year's worth of my jobs (and 5 new LoRs from the doctors I scribed for over the last year) I have not added any new experiences or more impressive scores to my application. I am not sure whether reapplying to some schools will be right, as it will inevitably invite the "how is this application cycle different from your last one?" question on the secondaries and I am not sure how to address this.

Last cycle I had received 6 interviews and unfortunately had no acceptances (but three waitlists) I have a feeling that what really dinged me were the interviews, because I remember feeling nervous and acting apologetic for lacking certain extracurricular/leadership activities.

First time poster, looking to get some helpful advice. Thank you!
 
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Question #1 you will be asked:
How have you improved since last cycle?????

@Goro I have been trying to figure out areas in my application that may have need improvement, but apart from getting a greater variety of ECs there is not much I can add.

That being said, at my job now I have gained a lot more experience working with doctors, observing some thousands of patient interactions, and directly interacting with several patients. It is through this experience that I have gained more insight into my personal motivations to be a doctor, and what the everyday life of a doctor is. I thought that could be a good thing to mention in my application/interviews.
 
That's it? You just shadowed, and chatted with some patients?


@Goro I have been trying to figure out areas in my application that may have need improvement, but apart from getting a greater variety of ECs there is not much I can add.

That being said, at my job now I have gained a lot more experience working with doctors, observing some thousands of patient interactions, and directly interacting with several patients. It is through this experience that I have gained more insight into my personal motivations to be a doctor, and what the everyday life of a doctor is. I thought that could be a good thing to mention in my application/interviews.
 
That's it? You just shadowed, and chatted with some patients?

My job as a scribe is more than that. I also transcribe patient histories (taken by the doctor), enter diagnosis codes, procedure orders, prescriptions, etc. and write plans. I also search patient histories, looking for missing documents in the patient's chart, and summarize the patient's office visit to the doctor.
 
Personally, I'd prefer to see something like service to others less fortunate than yourself, but you'll never know until you apply this app cycle.

Just have a very strategic list.


My job as a scribe is more than that. I also transcribe patient histories (taken by the doctor), enter diagnosis codes, procedure orders, prescriptions, etc. and write plans. I also search patient histories, looking for missing documents in the patient's chart, and summarize the patient's office visit to the doctor.
 
You need a list of schools that consists largely of schools to which you have not previously applied.
You really need to work on the interview.

@gyngyn What about schools to which I applied but was rejected pre-II? I also am applying from a different state this time around, so would that make a difference? I moved to a new state (VA) after getting a new job and had tried applying to some of the VA public MD programs (but not all). Would reapplying to these schools now that I'm technically IS make a difference?

Also, any suggestions on how to go about interview prep? Would hiring a service to do mock interviews help? If so, are there any that you would recommend?
 
Personally, I'd prefer to see something like service to others less fortunate than yourself, but you'll never know until you apply this app cycle.

Just have a very strategic list.

@Goro hmmmm.... It certainly wouldn't hurt to spend some more of my free time volunteering somewhere.

And by "strategic," does that mean there are some schools I should be looking to, and some that I should avoid? If so which ones? I'm still in the middle of forming my list.
 
@gyngyn What about schools to which I applied but was rejected pre-II? I also am applying from a different state this time around, so would that make a difference? I moved to a new state (VA) after getting a new job and had tried applying to some of the VA public MD programs (but not all). Would reapplying to these schools now that I'm technically IS make a difference?

Also, any suggestions on how to go about interview prep? Would hiring a service to do mock interviews help? If so, are there any that you would recommend?
When an academically strong candidate becomes a re-applicant there is an assumption that he received many interviews and was found to be lacking in other core competencies. We don't teach the core competencies, so there is a tendency to pass on that candidate. One should usually apply to all state publics (even as a re-applicant), but you need to try places that will not view you as a pre-screened applicant.
 
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When an academically strong candidate becomes a re-applicant there is an assumption that he received many interviews and was found to be lacking in other core competencies. We don't teach the core competencies, so there is a tendency to pass on that candidate. One should usually apply to all state publics (even as a re-applicant), but you need to try places that will not view you as a pre-screened applicant.

@gyngyn I'll keep that in mind as I formulate my list of schools.

Thank you so much for your help!:)
 
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5 new LoRs from the doctors I scribed for over the last year
How many LoRs in total are you planning to submit? 5 employer letters seem like a lot.
 
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