Very confused and depressed

[medguy13]

Long story short, I worked my ass off for 4 years to get a 3.8 GPA at my undergrad university. Took the MCAT and scored a little lower than I wanted (32), but still thought I stood a more than realistic chance at getting into many MD schools.

Well here I am in late March. I have had 2 interviews. Zero acceptances. I applied to 25 MD schools, mostly mid-lower tier ones. And yes, I applied early. I'm still on the waitlist for both schools, but at this point I'm treating them as silent rejections.

Luckily, I have been accepted into one DO school, but my plan all along was to go MD and honestly for the time that I put in during college, DO just doesn't cut it (no offense). I feel like I wasted my time getting A's in my classes just to compete for acceptances with people who have 3.3 GPA/25 MCAT.

There were no red flags in my application that I know of. I am completely baffled. I have begun to get paranoid and I've considered the possibility that maybe one of my recommendation letters was negative. But I really have no idea. It's hitting me that I won't be able to get into an MD program after all the hours I've put in. And to see people with lower stats getting accepted left and right just confuses and annoys me more.

I'm sorry if I came across as an arrogant dingus in this post, but its more pent up anger than anything. I just don't get it.

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[touchpause13]

You have an acceptance to a US medical school. Be grateful. You sound like an entitled prick TBH

 

[487806]

You have an acceptance to a US medical school. Be grateful. You sound like an entitled prick TBH

That's not the point here.

Long story short, I worked my ass off for 4 years to get a 3.8 GPA at my undergrad university. Took the MCAT and scored a little lower than I wanted (32), but still thought I stood a more than realistic chance at getting into many MD schools.

Well here I am in late March. I have had 2 interviews. Zero acceptances. I applied to 25 MD schools, mostly mid-lower tier ones. And yes, I applied early. I'm still on the waitlist for both schools, but at this point I'm treating them as silent rejections.

Luckily, I have been accepted into one DO school, but my plan all along was to go MD and honestly for the time that I put in during college, DO just doesn't cut it (no offense). I feel like I wasted my time getting A's in my classes just to compete for acceptances with people who have 3.3 GPA/25 MCAT.

There were no red flags in my application that I know of. I am completely baffled. I have begun to get paranoid and I've considered the possibility that maybe one of my recommendation letters was negative. But I really have no idea. It's hitting me that I won't be able to get into an MD program after all the hours I've put in. And to see people with lower stats getting accepted left and right just confuses and annoys me more.

I'm sorry if I came across as an arrogant dingus in this post, but its more pent up anger than anything. I just don't get it.

ECs? State of residence? Applied late?

 

[kreme]

If it makes you feel any better, there were probably a lot of people with better scores than you that got in too.

 

[nyc1990]

umm ? Why did you apply to a DO school if "DO just doesn't cut it (no offense)"?

 

[Itisneverlupus]

I completely understand that you're frustrated

Some possible thoughts, not in any particular order:

Person statement
LORs
ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES
Secondaries
School list

Call up schools and find out why you were rejected.

Sorry you feel this way. It must be extremely f.ucking annoying, I can see that.

 

[touchpause13]

That's not the point here.



ECs?

Why not? I don't have any sympathy for people like him. That obviously seems to be what he is looking for.

 

[Stoptheclot]

1. Why does DO "not cut it"? I'm just curious for your reasons.
2. Why did you apply to DO if you didn't seriously consider attending a DO school?
Even with the "safety net" mentality, you should be okay falling into the safety net...

 

[487806]

Why not? I don't have any sympathy for people like him. That obviously seems to be what he is looking for.

That's up to you. I understand where he's getting at and can empathize.

 

[487806]

umm ? Why did you apply to a DO school if "DO just doesn't cut it (no offense)"?

1. Why does DO "not cut it"? I'm just curious for your reasons.
2. Why did you apply to DO if you didn't seriously consider attending a DO school?
Even with the "safety net" mentality, you should be okay falling into the safety net...

Can you guys not focus on this DO situation and potentially force OP to make a MD vs DO debate? Even if/when OP applied strictly to MD and is in the same exact situation (minus the acceptance), what can we do to help him out?

 

[Frostbite22]

I second the EC's. Some people with competitive stats are lacking a clinical exposure and it'd be an easy fix.

 

[OneTwoThreeFour]

Long story short, I worked my ass off for 4 years to get a 3.8 GPA at my undergrad university. Took the MCAT and scored a little lower than I wanted (32), but still thought I stood a more than realistic chance at getting into many MD schools.

Well here I am in late March. I have had 2 interviews. Zero acceptances. I applied to 25 MD schools, mostly mid-lower tier ones. And yes, I applied early. I'm still on the waitlist for both schools, but at this point I'm treating them as silent rejections.

Luckily, I have been accepted into one DO school, but my plan all along was to go MD and honestly for the time that I put in during college, DO just doesn't cut it (no offense). I feel like I wasted my time getting A's in my classes just to compete for acceptances with people who have 3.3 GPA/25 MCAT.

There were no red flags in my application that I know of. I am completely baffled. I have begun to get paranoid and I've considered the possibility that maybe one of my recommendation letters was negative. But I really have no idea. It's hitting me that I won't be able to get into an MD program after all the hours I've put in. And to see people with lower stats getting accepted left and right just confuses and annoys me more.

I'm sorry if I came across as an arrogant dingus in this post, but its more pent up anger than anything. I just don't get it.

Sorry the cycle didn't work for you the way you wanted. But I'd lose as much of that attitude between now and the start of school (if you do go DO) or else you'll likely get your butt kicked by the work. Good luck with your wait lists.

 

[Stoptheclot]

Can you guys not focus on this DO situation and potentially force OP to make a MD vs DO debate? Even if/when OP applied strictly to MD and is in the same exact situation (minus the acceptance), what can we do to help him out?

Not trying to start a fire, but obviously it takes reasoning to submit an application somewhere.

 

[touchpause13]

Can you guys not focus on this DO situation and potentially force OP to make a MD vs DO debate? Even if/when OP applied strictly to MD and is in the same exact situation (minus the acceptance), what can we do to help him out?

This is the situation though. He decided to apply to a school and was accepted. Why did he apply if he didn't want to go there? He submitted a primary, secondary, and went to the interview. If it was so beneath him, why put in all that effort? The situation is that he is holding an acceptance. I'd prefer to deal in reality.

 

[Stoptheclot]

Long story short, I worked my ass off for 4 years to get a 3.8 GPA at my undergrad university. Took the MCAT and scored a little lower than I wanted (32), but still thought I stood a more than realistic chance at getting into many MD schools.

Well here I am in late March. I have had 2 interviews. Zero acceptances. I applied to 25 MD schools, mostly mid-lower tier ones. And yes, I applied early. I'm still on the waitlist for both schools, but at this point I'm treating them as silent rejections.

Luckily, I have been accepted into one DO school, but my plan all along was to go MD and honestly for the time that I put in during college, DO just doesn't cut it (no offense). I feel like I wasted my time getting A's in my classes just to compete for acceptances with people who have 3.3 GPA/25 MCAT.

There were no red flags in my application that I know of. I am completely baffled. I have begun to get paranoid and I've considered the possibility that maybe one of my recommendation letters was negative. But I really have no idea. It's hitting me that I won't be able to get into an MD program after all the hours I've put in. And to see people with lower stats getting accepted left and right just confuses and annoys me more.

I'm sorry if I came across as an arrogant dingus in this post, but its more pent up anger than anything. I just don't get it.

Usually the "mid-lower tier" schools have adcoms who sift through 8k-10k apps. Usually your stats get you beyond the cutoff, but then comes the school specific reasons in what they are looking for in an applicant.

If you do end up going the MD reapp route: Set up appointments with an AdCom for the schools that rejected you, each and every one of them if you can! Let them tell you what they wanted to see in your application. If they tell you "get a better MCAT", its bull**** unless you have a 15P 2V 15B, and you aren't having a very productive post-application interview. But if they say "more research" or "more volunteering", you have the next several months to change it! These were incredibly helpful for me as a reapplicant this year and I'm convinced this is what got me an acceptance at a school I reapplied to.

 

[touchpause13]

I wonder what @Goro has to say

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Take the DO and run away with an important lesson about not always getting exactly what you want, despite your best efforts.

 

[whatever5]

Why not? I don't have any sympathy for people like him. That obviously seems to be what he is looking for.

I don't think he's looking for sympathy, I just think he is trying to understand what he did wrong - This is not about MD vs DO. There is nothing wrong with choosing one over the other.

From your post, I think it's clear that you are focused mostly on academics and not on ECs. What sort of shadowing do you have? Clinical volunteering? Non-clinical volunteering? To paraphrase Goro, did you make it clear through your application (personal statment and clinical hours) that you actually like being around sick people and want to spend the next 50 or so years with them? Also, although it isn't as important, did you do any research?

Lastly, how much waitlist movement is there at the MD schools you're sitting on? I am also on 2 MD waitilists, and one of the schools accepts 30% of their class from the waitlist while the other accepts close to 90% from it. It's not over yet.

 

[Boolean]

I don't think he's looking for sympathy, I just think he is trying to understand what he did wrong - This is not about MD vs DO. There is nothing wrong with choosing one over the other.

From your post, I think it's clear that you are focused mostly on academics and not on ECs. What sort of shadowing do you have? Clinical volunteering? Non-clinical volunteering? To paraphrase Goro, did you make it clear through your application (personal statment and clinical hours) that you actually like being around sick people and want to spend the next 50 or so years with them? Also, although it isn't as important, did you do any research?

Lastly, how much waitlist movement is there at the MD schools you're sitting on? I am also on 2 MD waitilists, and one of the schools accepts 30% of their class from the waitlist while the other accepts close to 90% from it. It's not over yet.

Mind saying which school accepts the 90%? Genuinely curious.

 

[masaraksh]

1. Why does DO "not cut it"? I'm just curious for your reasons.
2. Why did you apply to DO if you didn't seriously consider attending a DO school?
Even with the "safety net" mentality, you should be okay falling into the safety net...

a. Well I think it is fair to say that most will choose MD over DO. Even my physician mentor had a pretty strong opinion on this. (granted, she is a radiation oncologist at an academic hospital). She said that DO will often have a harder time matching into certain specialties. Also said that last year there was only one DO matching to rad. onc. period. Then, she said there is also the fact that it is tougher for DOs to break into practicing at academic centers & especially harder to get research grants. I am not trying to put down DO but the above is pretty much fact and it is fair to consider that, especially if one is very set on a career in certain specialties or academia.

2. OP, that move makes no sense. If you applied DO, interviewed, etc. with no plans on going... that just looks like a giant waste of money.

 

[Stoptheclot]

a. Well I think it is fair to say that most will choose MD over DO. Even my physician mentor had a pretty strong opinion on this. (granted, she is a radiation oncologist at an academic hospital). She said that DO will often have a harder time matching into certain specialties. Also said that last year there was only one DO matching to rad. onc. period. Then, she said there is also the fact that it is tougher for DOs to break into practicing at academic centers & especially harder to get research grants. I am not trying to put down DO but the above is pretty much fact and it is fair to consider that, especially if one is very set on a career in certain specialties or academia.

2. OP, that move makes no sense. If you applied DO, interviewed, etc. with no plans on going... that just looks like a giant waste of money.

I was using more of "if reasons A,B,C for #1, why #2?" approach. Everyone has their reasons, but I agree, I personally didn't see any sense of applying DO if there was no serious consideration of matriculating DO.

 

[touchpause13]

I don't think he's looking for sympathy, I just think he is trying to understand what he did wrong - This is not about MD vs DO. There is nothing wrong with choosing one over the other.

I agree it's fine to pick MD over DO or whatever. I'm not trying to make it a DO v MD thing, I just think OP has a bad attitude and I didn't like how he basically **** all over people who applied with lower stats than him

 

[Ost3oclast]

Why doesn't DO cut it man? I'm at an MD school and I'm currently in a clinic working under a DO. He's legit, his patients love him, his colleagues respect him....I certainly don't think any less of him.

 

[Boolean]

a. Well I think it is fair to say that most will choose MD over DO. Even my physician mentor had a pretty strong opinion on this. (granted, she is a radiation oncologist at an academic hospital). She said that DO will often have a harder time matching into certain specialties. Also said that last year there was only one DO matching to rad. onc. period. Then, she said there is also the fact that it is tougher for DOs to break into practicing at academic centers & especially harder to get research grants. I am not trying to put down DO but the above is pretty much fact and it is fair to consider that, especially if one is very set on a career in certain specialties or academia.

2. OP, that move makes no sense. If you applied DO, interviewed, etc. with no plans on going... that just looks like a giant waste of money.

Rad Onc is notoriously difficult to match into regardless of whether or not you're MD or DO.

 

[NontradCA]

Why doesn't DO cut it man? I'm at an MD school and I'm currently in a clinic working under a DO. He's legit, his patients love him, his colleagues respect him....I certainly don't think any less of him.

What MD school has you going to Massage Envy for clinic? Lel

 

[Optimus-Prime]

If you do go DO and are worried about residencies I would consider the hpsp scholarship, I would assume it would help getting into a competitive residency.

Along with the DO affiliation you would be an armed forces trained physician, after your commitment you would have no debt, and you would live very well through medical school and residency. Just a route I personally am considering

 

[Ost3oclast]

What MD school has you going to Massage Envy for clinic? Lel

A school that lets me choose where I do my mandatory clinic days.

 

[tigga2013]

Long story short, I worked my ass off for 4 years to get a 3.8 GPA at my undergrad university. Took the MCAT and scored a little lower than I wanted (32), but still thought I stood a more than realistic chance at getting into many MD schools.

Well here I am in late March. I have had 2 interviews. Zero acceptances. I applied to 25 MD schools, mostly mid-lower tier ones. And yes, I applied early. I'm still on the waitlist for both schools, but at this point I'm treating them as silent rejections.

Luckily, I have been accepted into one DO school, but my plan all along was to go MD and honestly for the time that I put in during college, DO just doesn't cut it (no offense). I feel like I wasted my time getting A's in my classes just to compete for acceptances with people who have 3.3 GPA/25 MCAT.

There were no red flags in my application that I know of. I am completely baffled. I have begun to get paranoid and I've considered the possibility that maybe one of my recommendation letters was negative. But I really have no idea. It's hitting me that I won't be able to get into an MD program after all the hours I've put in. And to see people with lower stats getting accepted left and right just confuses and annoys me more.

I'm sorry if I came across as an arrogant dingus in this post, but its more pent up anger than anything. I just don't get it.

To be honest, I would be pretty confused (and pissed) too if I were in your shoes. 3.8/32 are not easy achievements. I have lower stats and I know I'd have had to put in a lot more time and effort in undergrad to get those numbers. Unfortunately, chance plays a role in med school admissions - for example, which reviewer gets to see your app first, your 'fit' for the school, etc - and I was very blessed to obtain one acceptance at a school that saw something in me.

The fact that you were able to receive 2 MD interviews, not to mention the DO acceptance(!), speaks volume about your qualifications and app in general. I hope you get off those damn wait lists and wish you the best in getting to where you want to be.

 

[whatever5]

Mind saying which school accepts the 90%? Genuinely curious.

I guess that was an oversimplification - I was talking about OHSU, they only accept about 50 people before May 15th and everyone else gets put on hold, and since those 50 are highly sought after, many say no. Say that 20 spots end up getting filled from the 50, that leaves 120 spots to get filled on May 15th, so technically it's more a hold than a waitlist.

 

[midweststudent1]

Long story short, I worked my ass off for 4 years to get a 3.8 GPA at my undergrad university. Took the MCAT and scored a little lower than I wanted (32), but still thought I stood a more than realistic chance at getting into many MD schools.

Well here I am in late March. I have had 2 interviews. Zero acceptances. I applied to 25 MD schools, mostly mid-lower tier ones. And yes, I applied early. I'm still on the waitlist for both schools, but at this point I'm treating them as silent rejections.

Luckily, I have been accepted into one DO school, but my plan all along was to go MD and honestly for the time that I put in during college, DO just doesn't cut it (no offense). I feel like I wasted my time getting A's in my classes just to compete for acceptances with people who have 3.3 GPA/25 MCAT.

There were no red flags in my application that I know of. I am completely baffled. I have begun to get paranoid and I've considered the possibility that maybe one of my recommendation letters was negative. But I really have no idea. It's hitting me that I won't be able to get into an MD program after all the hours I've put in. And to see people with lower stats getting accepted left and right just confuses and annoys me more.

I'm sorry if I came across as an arrogant dingus in this post, but its more pent up anger than anything. I just don't get it.

It's understandable to be upset with 23 outright rejections when you applied very broadly. Unfortunately, if you're not In State then the odds are against you for many of those.

Look at the new match data for many of the more established DO schools for this years match....many of them have just as good, if not better, residency placements than many low tier state school MD programs. Med school will be what you make it. Heck, I know of at least one DO school that had higher board scores than the state MD school in the same city!

 

[kevin2400]

I agree it's fine to pick MD over DO or whatever. I'm not trying to make it a DO v MD thing, I just think OP has a bad attitude and I didn't like how he basically **** all over people who applied with lower stats than him

I know the OP may have a bad attitude to his situation and I can see how we fellow DO students can take offense to such a statement, but isn't it normal for him to feel that way? I mean you make it seem like he has no right to feel sad that other people with lower stats got in when he didn't, but for all you know, he could've sacrificed a lot to achieve his grades and his MCAT score only to end up without an acceptance he deserves when a person who just partied through undergrad to achieve the bare minimum grades got it (this is not to say everyone who has low stats were lazy and partied, maybe they had external circumstances, etc). I was often upset in undergrad when my friends (or so I thought) received higher scores on exams than I did when I put in more effort than they did by studying and going to class while they slept in and missed lectures, and always asked for my notes and outlines the night before.

 

[IsWhat]

I know a student interviewer at a mid-tier program, and his school really values student body cohesion. If there is any hint in your application/interview that you will not fit in with the class, you will be waitlisted/rejected (great stats may increase your chances of landing on the waitlist, however). It is my understanding that many of the middle/low-tier programs are the same way.

You say there are no red flags in your application, but your post reeks of a red flag that is more subtle than a poor gpa/mcat, but can be just as lethal to an application. It seems most of the schools you applied to picked up on it and acted accordingly.

 

[Beth_W737]

Without starting an MD/DO argument ( though I agree many top tier DO schools have match lists as good as many mid-low tier MD), if you get accepted to DO and do not go it will hurt your chances next year as your app asks if you were accepted anywhere. I would take the acceptance, if you work hard you can get in to most residencies especially now that all will be ACGME in future. We had people match to Christianna, Temple, Jeff, etc in almost every specialty

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

Just a lesson to all of those who haven't applied yet: DO NOT apply to a school that you wouldn't want to go to if it was your only acceptance.

 

[Goro]

Goro says OP should be thankful that in four years s/he will be a doctor, and no patient or colleague will care what the two letters after the name are.

If this isn't good enough, and OP stil feels that being a DO doesn't cut it, s/he can decline the acceptance, and improve on the deficits that caused the rejections, then reapply only to MD schools.

I'd much rather have a student who wants to come to my school, and not feel that it's the only way into a medical career.

I wonder what @Goro has to say

 

[NontradCA]

I would take the acceptance OP. Unless you plan on improving your application significantly then you may very well end up in the same spot you are in now, only with no DO school to fall back on.

There's nothing to be upset about, you've tried and this is what you've gotten. In life you should hope for the best and plan for the worst. So I hope you sent in your deposit and just go into it with a positive attitude.

FWIW I applied to a lot of MD programs not thinking I would get in, but was rejected at all schools in the region I wanted to be in. I was accepted at a DO program in that region and choosing it over 3 MDs in other locations. But I ain't even mad.

 

[mke520]

my GPA over the last 4 years and my MCAT score tops both of your scores and I'll be going to a DO school this Fall, so don't think that everyone who goes to a DO school has a low GPA or MCAT score because that's not true at all. If going DO doesn't cut it for you then please don't take the acceptance and reapply to only MD schools next cycle because there are people who actually want to go to the DO school you've been accepted to and would appreciate being there

 

[Pythagorean]

Just to piggyback everything: GPA/MCAT are sufficient; therefore I'm assuming you need to work on your interview skills and add more clinical exposure.

You obviously devalue DO school. I suggest you decline your acceptance. I can assure you there are a number of students waiting hastily for the blessing of a DO acceptance from a wait-list.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

Long story short, I worked my ass off for 4 years to get a 3.8 GPA at my undergrad university. Took the MCAT and scored a little lower than I wanted (32), but still thought I stood a more than realistic chance at getting into many MD schools.

Well here I am in late March. I have had 2 interviews. Zero acceptances. I applied to 25 MD schools, mostly mid-lower tier ones. And yes, I applied early. I'm still on the waitlist for both schools, but at this point I'm treating them as silent rejections.

Luckily, I have been accepted into one DO school, but my plan all along was to go MD and honestly for the time that I put in during college, DO just doesn't cut it (no offense). I feel like I wasted my time getting A's in my classes just to compete for acceptances with people who have 3.3 GPA/25 MCAT.

There were no red flags in my application that I know of. I am completely baffled. I have begun to get paranoid and I've considered the possibility that maybe one of my recommendation letters was negative. But I really have no idea. It's hitting me that I won't be able to get into an MD program after all the hours I've put in. And to see people with lower stats getting accepted left and right just confuses and annoys me more.

I'm sorry if I came across as an arrogant dingus in this post, but its more pent up anger than anything. I just don't get it.

As you can see from the first response that you've received, you've come to the wrong place for a mature, non-judgmental, helpful conversation about this. Some things you can do
1. Approach the schools that you've been turned down at, ask about red flags (do a search on here, there are plenty of threads like this)
2. Have a doctor/mentor/adviser read your personal statement and see if there is some glaring omission or deficiency in it
3. Check your ECs for quality and quantity
4. Withdraw your DO acceptance if you don't want to be a DO

It does sound like you've worked hard, I can understand your frustration. I think if more people were being honest here, they'd be frustrated in your shoes as well. Use your frustration to improve, though. Half of my class didn't get in the first time they applied.

 

[TheLastofUs]

If it makes you feel better 0 acceptances 38+, 3.9+ with 6 waitlists ...

 

[alpinism]

If you do go DO and are worried about residencies I would consider the hpsp scholarship, I would assume it would help getting into a competitive residency.

Along with the DO affiliation you would be an armed forces trained physician, after your commitment you would have no debt, and you would live very well through medical school and residency. Just a route I personally am considering

HPSP will not help you get into a "competitive residency." Most military residencies are mediocre at best with very few sick pts and tons of administrative office work. And that's if you're even lucky enough to get a residency, many HPSP recipients end up doing a GMO tour 1st instead.

Read the milmed forum especially the sticky threads :http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/military-medicine.72/

 

[NontradCA]

HPSP will not help you get into a "competitive residency." Most military residencies are mediocre at best with very few sick pts and tons of administrative office work. And that's if you're even lucky enough to get a residency, many HPSP recipients end up doing a GMO tour 1st instead.

Read the milmed forum especially the sticky threads :http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/military-medicine.72/

He means to say that DOs and MDs are equivalent more or less when getting these residencies. Additionally, the training is not where the access to sick patients are, but in practice after. You should do some searching and reading yourself.

 

[hubriz]

HPSP will not help you get into a "competitive residency." Most military residencies are mediocre at best with very few sick pts and tons of administrative office work. And that's if you're even lucky enough to get a residency, many HPSP recipients end up doing a GMO tour 1st instead.

Read the milmed forum especially the sticky threads :http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/military-medicine.72/

Edit: I think JT3 meant competitive specialty, not competitive program. Im my opinion, it is easier to match into competitive specialties in the military from a traditional point of view (grades, letters, step 1, research, degree), but the military match can be an entirely different beast (needs of the military first!). I do agree with you that most training programs are mediocre. GMO tours are exclusive to the Navy, and are often very important in landing competitive specialties. I would caution doing HPSP for the reason mentioned above, because the satisfaction derived from (the possibility of landing) your desired specialty does not necessarily offset the cons of military medicine.

 

[Patros]

It's too late to do anything about your cycle now, since I wouldn't advice turning down your only acceptance. Here are some things you might have gotten wrong:
- Application not written well (unconvincing personal statement, ECs do not demonstrate positive qualities). However your post is written fairly well, so your handle on English isn't the problem.
-Applied to the wrong schools. A "mid-tier" OOS public school will reject you with no hesitation. Also some people consider schools like Boston U and Georgetown to be mid-tier, but such schools are also notorious for getting 10k+ apps and will again, reject you for small mistakes without a second thought.
-Your recommendations weren't great.
-Your ECs weren't great.

Also note that a 3.8/32 is a dime-a-dozen with allopathic schools. The fact that you only got 2 interviews for 25 schools means that there is certainly a red flag in your app. It sucks you had to find this out the hard way though.

I also find a very interesting phenomenon on these forums. When applying, people advise "apply broadly, make sure you have some safety schools." Yet once you get rejected from your preferred schools and only get accepted to your last choice, the mentality becomes "Well you shouldn't have applied there!" Face the reality guys, some things are better than others. That's life. I didn't get accepted to my top choice, but I'm also not going to pretend the schools I am now choosing between are somehow equal to my top choices. Only thing to do is not despair and make the best out of what you have.

 

[j8620]

Might be a little late now, but interview skills are key. If you got an invite from MD schools, they're interested. Its up to you to seal the deal !!!
On the DO thing, Think twice about declining. One of my close family members just had to be admitted to the hospital. The ER doctor we saw was a DO... Nobody noticed but me and thats just because I was checking for it. It made NO DIFFERENCE. Good Luck. !!!

 

[Psai]

Hey man, getting into medical school is very tough. Maybe one of your waitlists will work out. There are plenty of people that get in when they start moving in May, June. There are even people that get in during July and August as the lucky people have to choose one school and everyone else plays musical chairs. A 32 MCAT is pretty average but getting into a medical school is an accomplishment. If the DO school is what you have, at the end of the day, you'll be a doctor. The difference means a lot less than it did before.

Your success in medical school will depend greatly on how much effort you put in. It might be harder to get what you want from a DO school but if you can make it in an MD school, you should be able to do what you want in a DO school. When a school is looking at 3000 applications and can only interview 500 for 125 spots, then a lot of great candidates get left out in the cold. It doesn't diminish your accomplishments.

 

[type12]

Not to get completely off topic, but I love the "similar threads" on the bottom of the page. Seems like many people are depressed on SDN.

 

[gumdrops]

It doesn't seem that the OP was looking for sympathy so much as an explanation. While people make a good point to be grateful about having any acceptances at all (this cycle was brutal), it's also natural to ask what happened.

If being an MD is that important to you, withdraw your acceptance and reapply. Ask yourself if being a physician (we all are, MD and DO) is more important than having an MD behind your name. Also accept the possibility that you could have the same outcome or worse next year. No matter what people say, it's contradictory when people argue that this process is not random and then tout that "your app may have slipped through the cracks" in a different thread. That would NOT happen if there weren't some element of randomness to this process.

Call the schools at which you interviewed and ask if they could discuss your application. Apply next year to a broader list of schools. Include southern and midwestern mid-tier allo schools and newer medical schools. Only apply DO if you'd be happy going DO. Good luck to you.

 

[WhippleWhileWeWork]

If it makes you feel better 0 acceptances 38+, 3.9+ with 6 waitlists ...

Wow. Outlier.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

Long story short, I worked my ass off for 4 years to get a 3.8 GPA at my undergrad university. Took the MCAT and scored a little lower than I wanted (32), but still thought I stood a more than realistic chance at getting into many MD schools.

Well here I am in late March. I have had 2 interviews. Zero acceptances. I applied to 25 MD schools, mostly mid-lower tier ones. And yes, I applied early. I'm still on the waitlist for both schools, but at this point I'm treating them as silent rejections.

Luckily, I have been accepted into one DO school, but my plan all along was to go MD and honestly for the time that I put in during college, DO just doesn't cut it (no offense). I feel like I wasted my time getting A's in my classes just to compete for acceptances with people who have 3.3 GPA/25 MCAT.

There were no red flags in my application that I know of. I am completely baffled. I have begun to get paranoid and I've considered the possibility that maybe one of my recommendation letters was negative. But I really have no idea. It's hitting me that I won't be able to get into an MD program after all the hours I've put in. And to see people with lower stats getting accepted left and right just confuses and annoys me more.

I'm sorry if I came across as an arrogant dingus in this post, but its more pent up anger than anything. I just don't get it.

The parts in bold aren't necessary. Think about your options objectively and post a summary of your application in WAMC if you decide to reapply. Call the schools you applied to and ask for feedback.

Why not? I don't have any sympathy for people like him. That obviously seems to be what he is looking for.

Both of us applied strictly to DO because that's what we wanted. We're going to see situations like this in the future and I don't think getting pissed off accomplishes anything.

He's in a bad mood and said some inflammatory things but throwing fuel into the fire doesn't help.