Just update for all of you; would have updated but didn't feel it was urgent. The rejection was confirmed as a rejection. I'll be working and retaking the mcat this next cycle and try again.
My impression is the interview counts for very little, unless you royally pop up as a red flag. Given any weight, it would have been an easy acceptance. When your hand is shook on a job site and you are looked in the eye that you performed like one of the best they've encountered; you know it means something and will follow you. Given that, I expected it to carry more weight than my so so MCAT, and demonstrate the picture painted.
Case and point in the interview where I gave an honest reply without trash talking anyone that was just hoping off of the fence was "Why D.O."? Would you be a different person with a D.O or M.D. by your name? Without either status, are you now a less caring person? No, many of your parents are M.D. and care infinitely about the people they care for. Why everyone talks about medicine in their family, with traditional M.D.s in them and yet have the audacity to say they don't care as much because they are not a D.O is insulting. The fact there was an M.D. and Phd in the very room spoke to that regard.
This was the moment the clouds parted from the sky in the interview and it honestly interrupted everything as the two interviewers stepped in and reiterated what I said while looking at everyone for trying to cater to saying such buzzwords of "I wanna be a D.O. because I care more." They hear that everyday, every interview, and it must make them sick to see such people show little backbone to acknowledge it in the one chance they get.
Another thing, if you get asked about something about stopping smoking or health care. Take a step back and realize the United States isn't like the third world where people can lack access to what we have here. Everyone is "aware" about breast cancer, and where I live-smoking starts in college if it hasn't yet. Many start chewing at the age of 2 by their Dads giving it to them.
That white washy response of "making people aware" is garbage. You think people are dumb? They aren't dumb enough to not know ordering pizza hut everyday will kill them when they have complicated type two diabetes. They just do not care. It sucks, I know. Some will never care, and you cannot make them. I've had friends in grade school that turned their back on our friendship after their parents had a heart attack/stroke under my parents' care when warned every visit and brushed it off vas nothing. The one even tried to sue my father and was laughed at by legal counsel when they looked at the medical records demonstrating a constant warning that he was at high risk unless he changed his diet/lifestyle immediately. You hear this for years and you question you had a stroke and try to sue? That isn't being unaware, that is the common case of not giving a flying.... yeah. I didn't mention the more vulgar things of course. Only the short fact that "awareness" isn't the issue it is portrayed as.
Granted I said my thoughts far more politely than above, and more thought out. You'll have to forgive me as I'm right off a shift. It just irritated me that everyone in the group interviews were so nervous of what they think the interviewers wanted to hear instead of trying to hide and be gutless... hoping later on their stats somehow made up for a spine.
I'll say it like I said about the ability to care as a D.O/M.D. during my interview. The potential is always within the person no matter what title or lack there of is assigned them, and that potential proves yourself in life.
Now...
My Stats if anyone cares:
3.92 or close to it Science GPA (I forget exactly, it was all A except A- Org I summer;B+ org 2 summer; A- biochem
4.0 non science
24 (forget letter for essays) MCAT.
Typical average research/EC; nothing to change the world, but not a selfish case either.
I still continue to doubt the contribution the interview has unless it is to black mark you. I'm not bitter, but I'm honest with myself when I can just a positive reaction of those supposedly suppose to warrant an interview. If it was a job interview, I would have been hired later that day when you can get people to break out of character that much and almost make it obvious you impressed them more than the people that sat on the fence the entire time.
What I can tell you is, I was rejected before my D.O letter arrived; so that I can tell doesn't pull much weight at all if any. Clearly the interview must not either as again, straight rejection, not wait listed even near the bottom. Going into "rural family practice" isn't a magic bullet either. That is my goal, to return to this area until I retire. I'll die with debt likely due to no one being able to really afford proper care and you make maybe half at best what a family practice doctor would normally make. That doesn't bother either. It doesn't bother me many will try to sue me or take a swing at me for telling them what they need to hear; I've grown up here, don't accept most of the thought processes, but the diabetic problem is so severe that without a doctor in the area, people will go until amputations occur. I have the passion, intellect, drive, and remain the only one with the desire to practice here after my mom retires. Its more than a calling to me, as I have many more easier lucrative choices in life. It isn't about the easy way, the richer way, the simple way-this is the only way.
As to why Lecom? Its 3 hours away and way more focused in areas other than research than Pitt (sad since 30 years ago it really was a quality place even for family medicine...now it is snubbed ...very sad.) Lecom has a 3 year primary care path, and it just fit. So I'll try again, since I'm young at the age of 21. I have about 7 more years worth of buffer before I really start to worry lol.
Time for bed, I sound crankier than I am. I just tend to be punctual when I type.
P.S. Erie is cold to anyone that cannot be bothered to look up the weather on weather.com . Bring layers if it bothers you, and perhaps a wind breaker and umbrella if it is coming down slushy.
