Reapplying to med schools after "forced withdraw"

[elite1985]

Hi yall,

Recently (In January 2009) I withdrew from medical school. Let me start from the beginning. In August 2007, I was accepted to med school x. At mec school x, we received grades. I am talking about A-F(70% or above), for the first two years. Well, I passed all of my first semester classes (Cs) and even got a B in my ethics class. Unfortunately, I failed Biochemistry (by a few points). The next semester, I continued to have troubles and ended up taking a leave of a absence for the second semester. The next semester, I was an M1 again, and was allowed to retake biochemistry. Astoundingly, I failed again. In the same time period, I discovered, through a doctor's visit, that I had a medical condition (sleeping related). In addition, I didn't have the best form of support system and often isolated myself because of this situation. I am thinking of ways to reapply in the summer (I want to use my MCAT score before it "expires") and I think that I am mostly applying to carib. schools (then transfering to USA after 2 years). Anyone in a similar situation have any thoughts? Currently, I am back living with my parents ( ), am extremely depressed and am applying to schools of public health. I intend to apply to school and concurrently do some grad school work (if I get into a school of pub health). I was accepted into Meharry (though I chose not to go) and attended an HBCU (Morehouse College) during my undergrad years. My choices of med schools that I apply to will include : Howard, Meharry, Morehouse SOM, St George's and Ross University. Any hope for me?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[elite1985]

Anyone have any experience with this??

 

[slick27]

You were dismissed from your school due to academic reasons? If this was the case, than I don't think they would reaccept you ever. I would think your only option would be the SGU or ross. I don't think DO schools or MD schools will look at you again since you already had one shot and blew it. Even if you had a medical reason, there are too many applicants to give second shots. But, I don't have any experience with this so I really don't have any idea. Other than, my brother took a year off of medical school and was thinking about dropping out (not due to academic reasons). That schools told him that he would be done at that school and most likely every other medical school in the country.

 

[futIDdoc]

from what i have read before, if you flunk out you are pretty much dead to every other American institution (allo and osteo). Be careful about going carib as well. You may get in but you are going to have a hell of a time getting a residency. Getting kicked out of school is going to be an ENORMOUS red flag to any PD.

 

[elite1985]

I withdrew from school...I was not dismissed.

What are some good Caribbean schools to apply to?

 

[elite1985]

I withdrew from school...I was not dismissed.

What are some good Caribbean schools to apply to?

I welcome any more opinions...

 

[futIDdoc]

you are still going to have to explain why you left school. Being forced to withdraw from school is for academic reasons is the same as failing out. You will be held accountable for that when you apply for residencies. A carib has enough hurdles to overcome (see the 40% match rate). Throwing a withdrawal on top of this and you have a huge problem on your hand. You either have to explain that you voluntarily withdrew (PD translation = not committed) or that you had institutional action taken against you (PD translation = can't academically cut it)Try and get back into the school that you withdrew or choose another career path. There are a couple of thread like this on SDN. Do a search and good luck. Sorry to be such a downer, but you need to have realistic expectations before you blow $200k in the carib.

 

[fahimaz7]

Troll.

 

[bellakk]

you need to get your depression and any other medical issues under control before you even begin to think about applying anywhere. Ross and St. Georges are two of the most reputible institutions in the caribbean. Their USMLE pass rates are excellant for studnts who maintained a B average. You still have time to apply to their fall entering class im sure, but I would apply for their January 2010 class to give you plenty of time to get everything else sorted out. If you go to the caribbean and do poorly you will never be a doctor. ever. so dont be afraid to take extra time! Check to see if any of your med school courses will transfer (although I doubt they will).
Best of luck to you!

 

[ShyRem]

Read the fine print carefully. You may be required to send transcripts from med school to any school you reapply at. I would sincerely call the dean of every med school you are considering applying to and having a realistic discussion about your chances. I wish you luck, but I am afraid your chances of an acceptance would be about the same chances as getting a 45 on the MCATs.

 

[dragonfly99]

Sorry this happened! I think your best chance would be of getting back into your old med school, if they would take you. At least you can ask, though more than likely they will say no. Ask yourself if medicine is still what you really want, given that you hated biochem so much, etc. 3 more years of med school will be more of the same stuff...maybe you aren't a science person, maybe more of a teacher or social worker or public interest attorney do-gooder type. Of course I don't know you, I'm just saying maybe consider it.

I don't think any US schools will take you after what happened. It's not personal, it's just there are so many qualified applicants...they usually don't give people 2nd chances.

I'm sure some Caribbean schools would take you, but if you struggle academically down there at all, you'll never get a residency. Even if you don't, you have that red flag on your transcript of not having passed in your US med school. I have seen other threads on here of people withdrawing or being kicked out of US schools and trying to go the the Caribbean...you might want to do a search and see whether you can find any of those people, and ask whether they had success in getting in. There are also schools in Ireland, Israel and Australia, but any of those schools abroad are a rather risky proposition for someone in your position. I honestly don't know if I'd do it if I were in your shoes.

Maybe you could do an MPH, and while you are doing it think about whether you still want to do medicine, or just pursue a career in public health. If you really want to attend Morehouse/Meharry/other particular school, perhaps you should call them up and ask them what would be their approach to a student who had some academic difficulties and withdrew from a med school in the past, but then reapplied after doing an MPH degree?

I think you need to deal with your depression and whatever other issue(s) caused you to get into academic troubles in med school, though, else the problem might just dog you. A famous comedian once quipped, "I follow me wherever I go".

 

[elite1985]

Sorry this happened! I think your best chance would be of getting back into your old med school, if they would take you. At least you can ask, though more than likely they will say no. Ask yourself if medicine is still what you really want, given that you hated biochem so much, etc. 3 more years of med school will be more of the same stuff...maybe you aren't a science person, maybe more of a teacher or social worker or public interest attorney do-gooder type. Of course I don't know you, I'm just saying maybe consider it.

I don't think any US schools will take you after what happened. It's not personal, it's just there are so many qualified applicants...they usually don't give people 2nd chances.

I'm sure some Caribbean schools would take you, but if you struggle academically down there at all, you'll never get a residency. Even if you don't, you have that red flag on your transcript of not having passed in your US med school. I have seen other threads on here of people withdrawing or being kicked out of US schools and trying to go the the Caribbean...you might want to do a search and see whether you can find any of those people, and ask whether they had success in getting in. There are also schools in Ireland, Israel and Australia, but any of those schools abroad are a rather risky proposition for someone in your position. I honestly don't know if I'd do it if I were in your shoes.

Maybe you could do an MPH, and while you are doing it think about whether you still want to do medicine, or just pursue a career in public health. If you really want to attend Morehouse/Meharry/other particular school, perhaps you should call them up and ask them what would be their approach to a student who had some academic difficulties and withdrew from a med school in the past, but then reapplied after doing an MPH degree?

I think you need to deal with your depression and whatever other issue(s) caused you to get into academic troubles in med school, though, else the problem might just dog you. A famous comedian once quipped, "I follow me wherever I go".

THank-you so much for your great words of wisdom! I am a hard-worker and I had a problem area, like other human beings. It is great to see someone that is subjective in their observations. I have applied to public health programs, but recently I have been thinking about medical school. I don't want to give up my life-long dream because of one course. I think that I can kick this problem. This only takes some work. I graduated from college with honors and I am a fairly intelligent person (I like to think). My goal, right now, is to find my way into a master's program. I plan on completing this Master's program during the year of 2009. During the summer, I am applying to medical schools. People don't understand the nature of my problem -- I must continue my course, for myself. I hope to uplift my community and spread the wealth of health knowledge to others in my area. Only by staying in medicine (though I have fallen) can I achieve this mission in my life. I know this may sound arrogant, and maybe even stupid. In this life, on this planet, you only live once and you have to go for what you think will be an amiable destiny. I just put my faith in God and hope that I can be the anomaly in this matter. Thanks all!

 

[dragonfly99]

THank-you so much for your great words of wisdom! I am a hard-worker and I had a problem area, like other human beings. It is great to see someone that is subjective in their observations. I have applied to public health programs, but recently I have been thinking about medical school. I don't want to give up my life-long dream because of one course. I think that I can kick this problem. This only takes some work. I graduated from college with honors and I am a fairly intelligent person (I like to think). My goal, right now, is to find my way into a master's program. I plan on completing this Master's program during the year of 2009. During the summer, I am applying to medical schools. People don't understand the nature of my problem -- I must continue my course, for myself. I hope to uplift my community and spread the wealth of health knowledge to others in my area. Only by staying in medicine (though I have fallen) can I achieve this mission in my life. I know this may sound arrogant, and maybe even stupid. In this life, on this planet, you only live once and you have to go for what you think will be an amiable destiny. I just put my faith in God and hope that I can be the anomaly in this matter. Thanks all!

You can give it a shot, but better have a backup plan too (i.e. public health school, or foreign medical school). It might not be a bad idea to take an undergrad biochemistry course, if that was your problem area.

 

[futIDdoc]

seriously???? You guys are gonna advise this guy to go back? How on earth is he going to get a residency? The MD diploma on the wall means nothing without completing your training. The only way i see him even getting back into school is to go to the carib. Sorry to be so blunt, but I can't see even the least competitive program accepting a candidate with these credentials.

 

[dragonfly99]

No, I do not think he/she has a good shot to get into a US MD program again.
I said that.
That is why I said better have a backup plan.
We don't really know the extenuating circumstances here, though, and it looks like the OP might be URM, since he/she is thinking of applying to Howard, Meharry, etc. Perhaps the OP got depressed and felt isolated, and perhaps the OP can convince these schools that the situation would be different at THEIR school the 2nd time around. I really don't know...I would say it's a very risky proposition trying to get back in.

 

[peppy]

I am sorry to hear that you experienced these setbacks.
If I were in your position, I'd do everything possible to see about getting reinstated at the school you were originally at. If that didn't work out, I think I'd consider other career paths before going to a carribean school.
As others have pointed out, med school is useless if you wind up not being able to get a residency. I went through med school only to end up not matching for a residency. Although I did ultimately find a spot, there are signs that the residency match is becoming more competitive with increased med school enrollment and Carribean medical students may have an extremely hard time finding positions in upcoming years. Knowing how hard the experience of not matching was, I would hate to see you fight so hard to get back into medical school only to have problems getting a residency position. I would caution you to really think about if there is another career where you could find the things you hope to get from becoming a physician. Don't forget that physician assistants and nurses often end up being a big part of patient care nowadays and quite frequently get to have more in depth interaction with the patients than the doctor does.
Good luck finding the right path!

 

[dragonfly99]

I am sorry to hear that you experienced these setbacks.
If I were in your position, I'd do everything possible to see about getting reinstated at the school you were originally at. If that didn't work out, I think I'd consider other career paths before going to a carribean school.
As others have pointed out, med school is useless if you wind up not being able to get a residency. I went through med school only to end up not matching for a residency. Although I did ultimately find a spot, there are signs that the residency match is becoming more competitive with increased med school enrollment and Carribean medical students may have an extremely hard time finding positions in upcoming years. Knowing how hard the experience of not matching was, I would hate to see you fight so hard to get back into medical school only to have problems getting a residency position. I would caution you to really think about if there is another career where you could find the things you hope to get from becoming a physician. Don't forget that physician assistants and nurses often end up being a big part of patient care nowadays and quite frequently get to have more in depth interaction with the patients than the doctor does.
Good luck finding the right path!

I think this is very sound advice. It is true that med school without residency is really not very useful...I mean you end up with an expensive but not very useful degree if you cannot get a residency. Another thing is to be a NP or PA from a good program might be better than getting some medical residency in a specialty you never even wanted to do, in some undesirable hospital (i.e. somewhere that just works you to the bone, with little teaching, or where people are not nice to the trainees at all).

 

[Priti Dave]

How you got admission because it is so hard getting admission. I hope you went due to money and you were not able to handle. I got C in ochem in ore med. I find it very difficult getting admission.

 

[Priti Dave]

You cannot take tution and pass? what was your ochem i and ii? what was your GPA and MCAT?

 

[weezynation]

You cannot take tution and pass? what was your ochem i and ii? what was your GPA and MCAT?

You realize this thread is 3 years old, right?

 

[hellohello007]

I withdrew recently after a leave of absence from a Carib medical school for medical reasons during my second year. I had a gpa of 3.4 and class rank of 35%. I am re-applying next semester do you think they will accept me back? Several admin faculty thought i would based on my performance but don't have a say in the process. The leave of absence and withdraw were for a medical reason only.

 

[Glucokinase]

You realize this thread is 3 years old, right?

Bahahahaha!!!!

 

[Lanolin]

I withdrew from school...I was not dismissed.

What are some good Caribbean schools to apply to?

If you can't pass the basic sciences in two attempts at a US school, why would you want to go drop 50k/year in the caribbean with a high likelihood of failing again? Not to be the deliverer of bad news, but I think two passes through without success would be enough for me to go ahead and try a different field.

 

[IM15An]

If you can't pass the basic sciences in two attempts at a US school, why would you want to go drop 50k/year in the caribbean with a high likelihood of failing again? Not to be the deliverer of bad news, but I think two passes through without success would be enough for me to go ahead and try a different field.

I took a Loa due to health reasons, an incomplete C3C5 fracture. I had excellent grades. I just used my LOA as long as I could and had to withdraw due to time limits.I also did something stupid and did not use the schools doctor to go back but I was in no condition to return until I rehabilitated. I rehabilitated and completed Ironman races (a 2.4 mile swim, 112 Mike bike, and a 26.2 Mile run). So I am now healthy. I was placed on steroids and all sorts of meds when I took the leave of absence that would have compromised patient safety. I am no longer taking these meds. I passed all my boards and had excellent grades at an ivy league school. I have been getting permission to reapply to all sorts of schools due to the situation. They call your Dean. I will be applying to us schools this year. On an interesting note, US schools have been supportive of me reapplying. I sent my CV to the neurosurgery chairman. He said I was a competitive applicant and took me on for a project just this week. Then I was awarded a global health surgery fellowship. To inform others, I have been getting the rejections from foreign schools not US schools as a reapplicant. US and DO schools have been supportive.

 

[Goro]

I know that this is a necrobump, but it's a teaching moment. Your history is one of the few that would end up successfully in readmission to a medical school. Failing out, like OP's history, is simply DOA for a medical career, either DO or MD.

I took a Loa due to health reasons, an incomplete C3C5 fracture. I had excellent grades. I just used my LOA as long as I could and had to withdraw due to time limits.I also did something stupid and did not use the schools doctor to go back but I was in no condition to return until I rehabilitated. I rehabilitated and completed Ironman races (a 2.4 mile swim, 112 Mike bike, and a 26.2 Mile run). So I am now healthy. I was placed on steroids and all sorts of meds when I took the leave of absence that would have compromised patient safety. I am no longer taking these meds. I passed all my boards and had excellent grades at an ivy league school. I have been getting permission to reapply to all sorts of schools due to the situation. They call your Dean. I will be applying to us schools this year. On an interesting note, US schools have been supportive of me reapplying. I sent my CV to the neurosurgery chairman. He said I was a competitive applicant and took me on for a project just this week. Then I was awarded a global health surgery fellowship. To inform others, I have been getting the rejections from foreign schools not US schools as a reapplicant. US and DO schools have been supportive.