Looking Towards A Possible Re-Application

[BackthePack]

In addition to seeking more professional advice I figured I would poke the brains of those on SDN.

I am currently amidst the 2014-2015 cycle and waiting to here back from my two state schools, but because of how late it is in the cycle I am mentally preparing for re-application. Here is what I applied with in June of last year:

• NC Resident

• 4.0 GPA - Graduated Valedictorian from NCSU in Zoology, Minor in History

• 31 MCAT (9 PS/ 11 VR/ 11 BS)

• Recipient of a 4 year full academic scholarship and leadership development program

• Over 400 hours of clinical volunteering and shadowing -including in 320 hours of shadowing under the direction of a well respected heart surgeon, 60 hours under a transplant surgeon and around 80 hours of international clinical work in basic primary care
• Leadership roles as the team leader on one of my international medical trips, co-chair of a committee for my scholarship, and multiple leadership positions within my fraternity
• Various non-clinical volunteering hours on various projects through my fraternity, and my scholarship program, as well as the service hours during my international clinic trips
• 2 years of lab research in evolutionary ecology, but no publications
• 4 letters of recommendation from close professors, faculty mentors and the heat surgeon I shadowed

I applied early with what I thought was a good application, but the results have been disappointing. I received three interview invites for September/October interviews, leading to one waitlist and two unknown statuses at this time. Since last summer I have improved my application through the following:

• Began work in June as an Ophthalmic Technician at a private practice and will have accrued 2,000 additional hours of clinical experience (all in direct contact and communication with patients) by the time of my re-application
• Started mentoring/tutoring through a YMCA program this Spring - will continue through next year in my current city in the event of reapplication

I want to know what the SDN community thinks of this. My premedical advisor had nothing but good things to say about my application and told me to keep up the good work, but obviously something is holding up my acceptance. I know that I will need to re-examine my interview skills, but I have historically interviewed well and received positive feedback from some of my interviewers on the trail this year.

My fear about reapplying is that my new application won't be substantially different from my old, and given my previous academic/clinical/service record I'm not sure things can be improved greatly, and it is exceedingly difficult making drastic changes given a demanding work schedule.

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[rbnsafsadgf]

Hi,

I don't see anything wrong with your application. In fact, it is strong. How many schools in total did you apply to? and 3 interviews-> 1 wait list and 2 not-yet-rejected-or-accepted-s , right? You did good with applying early and having a well rounded application. Any red flags? bad letters?

Your app is already different with your optho tech experience. If you do reapply, re-write your personal statement and make sure your letters are strong. How well do you know your shadowing LOR writer? It would probably be better to have one from your work experience rather than a shadowing experience.

You are on the right track already. I hope the best for your wait list position.

 

[BackthePack]

I do plan to have the Ophthalmologist I work for write a letter of recommendation to add to the letters already written in my favor. I asked my premedical adviser if there were any red flags in my application or letters of recommendation, or any areas of weakness, and the response I received was that I sailed through the premedical committee and everyone loved my application - so I would take that to mean that my letters are decent.

I initially applied to 15 schools and I think I completed 11 secondaries. I was screened out of a secondary at one of the schools and did not complete the other three because it became obvious that they did not take hardly anyone from out of state. Of the 11 I finished, I received the three early interview invites that I mentioned. I'm really confused as to why I have not been accepted at my two state schools. One of the my interviews at the school in which I was waitlisted did not go the smoothest - didn't connect well with the interviewer and perhaps did not articulate answers the best. But my state-school interviews I thought went very well - to the point where one of the interviewers told me I was a strong candidate for admission.

 

[DrMidlife]

Sounds like you got a letter from a prof who doesn't think you should be a doctor.

Research schools BEFORE you apply to them. In general public schools outside your home state are only interested in you if you have top 5% stats. You effectively only applied to a few schools last time. Go for 25+ well-researched schools next time.

Best of luck to you.

 

[BackthePack]

Unlikely about the bad letter. As I've already mentioned all letters of recommendation were electronically submitted to the premed advisory committee for evaluation along with my resume and statistics. My premed adviser who drafted my committee letter and has seen all of my letters said everything was solid.

If I have to reapply I will definitely change up my school selection a bit. However, I did apply to some state schools in other states who I knew took a greater number of OOS students, like VCU and UVA in Virginia. I won't be reapplying to the South Carolina schools though given their exceedingly low admittance of OOS students.

 

[srvfaniam]

In addition to seeking more professional advice I figured I would poke the brains of those on SDN.

I am currently amidst the 2014-2015 cycle and waiting to here back from my two state schools, but because of how late it is in the cycle I am mentally preparing for re-application. Here is what I applied with in June of last year:

• NC Resident

• 4.0 GPA - Graduated Valedictorian from NCSU in Zoology, Minor in History

• 31 MCAT (9 PS/ 11 VR/ 11 BS)

• Recipient of a 4 year full academic scholarship and leadership development program

• Over 400 hours of clinical volunteering and shadowing -including in 320 hours of shadowing under the direction of a well respected heart surgeon, 60 hours under a transplant surgeon and around 80 hours of international clinical work in basic primary care
• Leadership roles as the team leader on one of my international medical trips, co-chair of a committee for my scholarship, and multiple leadership positions within my fraternity
• Various non-clinical volunteering hours on various projects through my fraternity, and my scholarship program, as well as the service hours during my international clinic trips
• 2 years of lab research in evolutionary ecology, but no publications
• 4 letters of recommendation from close professors, faculty mentors and the heat surgeon I shadowed

I applied early with what I thought was a good application, but the results have been disappointing. I received three interview invites for September/October interviews, leading to one waitlist and two unknown statuses at this time. Since last summer I have improved my application through the following:

• Began work in June as an Ophthalmic Technician at a private practice and will have accrued 2,000 additional hours of clinical experience (all in direct contact and communication with patients) by the time of my re-application
• Started mentoring/tutoring through a YMCA program this Spring - will continue through next year in my current city in the event of reapplication

I want to know what the SDN community thinks of this. My premedical advisor had nothing but good things to say about my application and told me to keep up the good work, but obviously something is holding up my acceptance. I know that I will need to re-examine my interview skills, but I have historically interviewed well and received positive feedback from some of my interviewers on the trail this year.

My fear about reapplying is that my new application won't be substantially different from my old, and given my previous academic/clinical/service record I'm not sure things can be improved greatly, and it is exceedingly difficult making drastic changes given a demanding work schedule.

 

[srvfaniam]

Hello!

Your CV/prep sounds exemplary. Makes me wonder if it is as you suggested ---your interview/people skills?? Why do YOU feel your interview skills need some work?

"Likeability" will take you a long way.

 

[BackthePack]

And that's the real head scratcher because I've historically performed well in interviews I've done for other things in the past, including jobs, leadership positions and the selective scholarship I was awarded. I only really feel that I need to re-examine my interview skills because as evidenced by the above the rest of my application, including personal statement, letters, clinical and service appear to be good. I interviewed with around 7 individuals this cycle, and I thought 6 of them went pretty well, with one being a little iffy because the interviewer was a bit confrontational and didn't let me finish my thoughts, leaving me a bit flustered. In fact, as mentioned above, one of my interviewers at a state school gave unsolicited advice that I was a strong candidate for admission.

 

[Faha]

I suggest you apply to these schools in addition to your NC schools
Quinnipiac
Hofstra
New York Medical
Albany
Commonwealth (PA)
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Creighton
Tulane
Also apply to at least 10 DO schools. Submit your applications in June and have all your secondaries complete by July and you will attending a MD or DO school somewhere in 2016.