Is there a chance? Please help.

[Pembo23]

So I didn't think this was going to be an issue, but research at SDN has shown otherwise. In my previous application cycle, I was wait-listed at 3 schools and so applied to graduate schools for public health as a backup plan. My goal was to walk out of medical school in 5-6 years with an MD and an MPH. The issue was this: I was accepted to my current MPH program and then offered a great scholarship and research position. The offer was too good to pass up, so I filled out the paperwork and accepted the offer.

However, two weeks after the offer, I was offered an acceptance off the wait-list of one of my schools and I turned it down because I had already made a commitment to attend the MPH program and felt like it would be dishonest and disingenuous to contact them back and reject the offer. Now I am in the position where I am reapplying to medical school and I'm sure that the information that I rejected an offer to attend medical school is hanging over my head. First, is there even a slight chance I can get in? How would I explain this in a way that made sense and did not look flimsy? Could I spin this and explain that I felt a 2 year MPH program would be advantageous to me as a doctor?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Dreamislandcaptive]

This is a tough position to be in

 

[Pembo23]

This is a tough position to be in

Your diplomatic answer to my question is much appreciated. I understand though that my situation is a quite a bit worse than tough. Any feedback and advice, no matter how sharp it may be, is appreciated.

 

[cabinbuilder]

All you have to give is an honest answer. The MPH offer was a great one and there is no guaranteed to get of the waitlist into medical school. You didn't feel it was right to back out of an accepted offer after the fact. They will understand this concept. It's the same as getting into a residency that wasn't your first choice and then being offered a spot elsewhere. It's a binding contract that needed to be honored. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[italiancowgirl]

I think there will be a small amount of understanding for this situation. An MPH is an accepted and respected adjunct to an MD. You were accepted off of the waitlist which is volatile and unpredictable. In the end though you showed that you cared MORE about the MPH than the MD. I think the only way I can imagine this going well is to apply broadly and explain that as a professional you felt at the time that accepting the MPH was a commitment you could not change. Obviously you have no real chance at the program you said no to. Stay strong in your statements that keep focus on you wanting to be a doctor. Everything was just to help you get to that point, so this is just one more critical element in your path. You will have lots of different reactions to this without a doubt. But I think with solid stats you could still have a shot. GL