2011-2012 Mercer Application Thread

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my bad...got a little mixed-up
anyone got a call?
 
docsk said:
my bad...got a little mixed-up
anyone got a call?
Click to expand...

Nope Nothing here. But that's ok because Im starting to really have serious doubts anyways.

I'm starting to have doubts about going to medical school, accumulating huge debt, and doing a residency. I have 2 older family friends both in their residency (one in orthopedics, the other in pediatrics) and they both told me of they could "do it again" they wouldn't have become a doctor of medicine and pursued a doctor in something else.


Hahaha. One of them sent me this link and was telling me to go enroll in nursing school.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYrEy9NHKPY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I'm going to go talk with my parents, even if I get accepted at even 1 med school, I don't think I'm going to actually accept it and instead go to nursing school.

In the end, you would still call me DOCTOR. 😍
 
I just call Gail again. If you interviewed in Macon and you haven't received a call yet, then you have been deferred until the next round.
 
Anybody heard anything about Savannah?
 
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No one get a call yet? Surprising; but mostly disheartening. 🙁
Anyone know when the next adcom meeting is or how many slots are left?
 
this is really depressing 🙁
I think i'll call tomorrow and find out what percent of the class is filled?
 
this school is definitely giving me a heart attack with all this waiting...😕
 
I didn't get a call either. Did ANYONE get accepted this month??
 
I think it's been a while since they've accepted many people.... Only 1 or so last month too... Anyone know when the wait list goes out?
 
I was last told that if we interviewed we would know either accepted or waitlist sometime in March. I'd have to call again for the specifics.
 
Just wanted to be another voice on here; I have not received a call either. I interviewed at the Savannah Campus. Anyone else in the same boat?
 
sigmabond47 said:
Just wanted to be another voice on here; I have not received a call either. I interviewed at the Savannah Campus. Anyone else in the same boat?
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Yes - same here. Interviewed in Savannah this month and they told us that the adcom may not get to our files for review this month. But, it's strange that no one has heard anything.
 
I interviewed in Savannah this month as well; also haven't received a call. I don't remember them saying that they might not be able to get to our files this month. In fact, I thought our files would be at the top of the pile since we were the last to be interviewed before this last Wednesday's adcom.
 
I also interviewed in Savannah the last week in November. Have not heard anything. I emailed Gail after the December meeting about the situation and she said I was still in the mix. I would imagine we are all ranked on a list somewhere. Just hope we are high enough in rank when they start sending acceptances. Good luck to all you aspiring Docs.
 
Hi Everybody,

I have my interview at Mercer (Macon) coming up in about two weeks. I have searched this thread and haven't found anything that really tells me what I should expect at the interview. Would anybody care to share their experience interviewing here? Thanks!
 
gabem said:
Hi Everybody,

I have my interview at Mercer (Macon) coming up in about two weeks. I have searched this thread and haven't found anything that really tells me what I should expect at the interview. Would anybody care to share their experience interviewing here? Thanks!
Click to expand...

The Mercer interview is pretty laid back. When I interviewed at Macon, I had one interviewer who talked to me about extracurriculars and what it means to be a doctor, etc. The other interviewer was an MS-4 who asked me stuff based on my GPA and MCAT scores. Both guys were really nice though and they actually told me they are instructed to make the interview as stress free as possible. You also eat lunch with some med students and that is a great time to ask about the curriculum and everything. I also heard that they are listening to everything you say and could possibly write an evaluation on it. I'm not sure this is true (my friend who is a second year there told me this so I believed her haha), but I guess it's possible. I would just suggest being yourself and not go into lunch talking about being a neurosurgeon or anything in Atlanta or some other well off area while you think nobody important is listening because that would certainly hurt you...if you know their mission statement then you know why it would.

It might be interesting to note that that interview was an open file one but the one I had in Savannah this year was closed file. Either way though, just know all about their mission statement and know everything about your own application and why you are doing what you're doing and you should be fine...Hope that helps!
 
airjavaid said:
No one get a call yet? Surprising; but mostly disheartening. 🙁
Anyone know when the next adcom meeting is or how many slots are left?
Click to expand...
Two weeks ago they told a friend of mine that there were only 20 slots left and that they accepted to many people during early decision :/
 
I heard this "20 slots left" rumor myself last week from one of my students. I can't speak to the truth of it, because it's only hearsay, but it would explain why very few people on here are getting acceptances to Mercer the last two AdCom meetings.

Also, gabem, if you're interviewing in Macon, it's possible that you might have to drive back and forth between the on-campus Medical School building and the annex they have at MCCG (a mile or 2 away), so you might want to have your GPS handy. The interviews themselves will be pretty relaxed and collegial, and it's definitely good to have a mission-compliant vision for your future. Ask questions about the program and extracurricular opportunities. Ideally, your interview will demonstrate that you've done the research to know Mercer and you will help each other accomplish your mutual goals.
 
doctorjo said:
Two weeks ago they told a friend of mine that there were only 20 slots left and that they accepted to many people during early decision :/
Click to expand...

Gonna go ahead and call BS on that. There very well may be ~20 spots left (and I would venture to guess that there are even less than that), but Mercer did and would not say that "they accepted too many people during edp." If anything they encourage applicants to apply EDP if they know they want to attend MUSOM. Also, less were accepted edp this year as opposed to last year. It's probably more so the fact that applications are up across the board and it has been a very competitive cycle.

/twocents
 
Just called Mrs. Pedrick in Savannah and she confirmed that they have about 16-18 spots left 🙁
They will have two more meetings--one in February and one in March. Also they will be interviewing until the first week in March.
 
docsk said:
Just called Mrs. Pedrick in Savannah and she confirmed that they have about 16-18 spots left 🙁
They will have two more meetings--one in February and one in March. Also they will be interviewing until the first week in March.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't get too down about it as that is a little under 20% of the class that is yet to be filled. There is still hope and a decent chance of getting accepted. Also, there is always movement on the waitlist as financial aid starts to be due. I personally know 3 people that have gotten in this way so keep the faith!
 
UGAdoc said:
. You also eat lunch with some med students and that is a great time to ask about the curriculum and everything. I also heard that they are listening to everything you say and could possibly write an evaluation on it.
Click to expand...


Yeah I remember that lunch during my interview. The mercer medical students at lunch (who were spitting out their scripted lines worst that a porn star trying to act) just kept screaming out "RADIOLOGY! RADIOLOGY!!" the whole lunch while childishly grinning at one another.
I wanted to say something but I knew that would blow my interview, I guess it's kinda like "the emperors new cloths". Everyone sees what's going on, but nobody wants to say the obvious because of fear of harming your own self. :laugh: Lol. I guess they were poking a carrot in my face to try to get me to hop into the cage. Lol.
 
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I interviewed near the end of January and was informed that a decision on my application would not be made until February fiftenth! So maybe some of you guys are in the same boat.
 
As it comes down to the wire, just wanted to remind everyone both silently and actively following this post that life is about perseverance. If you feel strongly called to be a physician and don't get in this time around...don't give up. God has a plan for us all and that plan is timed perfectly for those who obediently hunger for Him. This is my second time applying, and can assure you I will be reapplying for a third time if the decision does not go in my favor. Hope to see some of you next Fall and if not...may God bless your earnest efforts.
 
Peabody30110 said:
As it comes down to the wire, just wanted to remind everyone both silently and actively following this post that life is about perseverance. If you feel strongly called to be a physician and don't get in this time around...don't give up. God has a plan for us all and that plan is timed perfectly for those who obediently hunger for Him. This is my second time applying, and can assure you I will be reapplying for a third time if the decision does not go in my favor. Hope to see some of you next Fall and if not...may God bless your earnest efforts.
Click to expand...

Hey man, I enjoyed this post! I pray that God leads you where you are supposed to be and hopefully it is to Medical School!:xf: Good Luck!
 
I post on Mercer threads from time to time just to remind people I'm still a willing resource - I graduated from Mercer in May and I'm now in Ohio doing my residency in orthopaedic surgery. I loved every second of my time at Mercer - I now have the experince as an intern of working with med students from all over and I would put Mercer students up against the biggest name schools out there - especially in terms of our clinical readiness.

I'm from Georgia and I attended Mercer as an undergrad and loved that too (I'm a true Mercarian). It took me two failed attempts before I finally was accepted - so those of you who are on my second or third try, keep the faith.

Last year, I was one of the MS4 members of the admissions committee - while the committee changes from year to year in terms of their procedures I can probably help answer some BASIC questions. Believe me, I have no "ins" with any of the current members that would allow me to give you your rank.

I do want to confirm that as of last year, your lunch with 3rd and 4th year students IS part of your official evaluation and the evaluations are often brought up at committee meetings. I have no idea how many spots are left in the class, but Mercer does have a policy that they will not fill all spots while they are still interviewing. Also, Mercer doesn't overbook its class like some schools do. That means the wait-list will see a LOT of movement as people get accepted to other schools. So, consider it a good thing if you get wait-listed.

Mercer does place a lot of emphasis on it's mission, especially the "serving the underserved" part. You don't necessarily have to want to do primary care but you NEED some experience in your application that proves you would be committed to Georgia, and particularly the underserved areas. Having family ties to such areas can also help. With that said, we still have lots of students from the metro area and other larger areas.

Mercer does take quite a few from EDP, so if any of you KNOW you want to be at Mercer and you aren't accepted this year, please consider that for next year.

Hang in there and if anyone has anymore questions, please pm me - that works best since I don't check this thread often.
 
I still think the medical school faculty members are posting on threads pretending to be medical students from their school / applicants to their school as a marketing ploy for their wonderful schools.

Thats my story and I'm sticking to it!! 😎 😎 😎
 
HtcpKFC said:
I still think the medical school faculty members are posting on threads pretending to be medical students from their school / applicants to their school as a marketing ploy for their wonderful schools.

Thats my story and I'm sticking to it!! 😎 😎 😎
Click to expand...

PM me and I'll give you my name and the web-site for my residency program where you can find my picture, med school, and date of graduation...
 
Voting day this week. I would like to stay in the Peach State! here is to good news:xf:
 
Does anyone know the exact date they will let us know our status, either waitlisted or accepted?
 
Last year they sent out an email around the last week of March if you made the waitlist. I know that isn't an exact date but I imagine it will be about the same time this year.
 
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tomorrow is ad com meeting..lets hope we get some good news...sit tight everyone... GOOD NEWS is in the air..i can feel it......
 
Hey everyone, I talked with Gail Coleman today, and she told me that many professors are very busy with their other responsibilities just now, and they've canceled tonight's meeting. I was told they won't be meeting again until March, but I don't know whether or not that means the next meeting is where they make the waitlist or not. However, I was told that "around" March 1st was the last interview.

Moral of the story: Don't stress if you don't get a call tonight! No one did!
 
Hey I just interviewed at Mercer and they told us that they have already accepted 80 so only about 20 spots left. Also the next voting date will be the final one on March 21, 2012. Good luck!
 
I'm wondering how many people they have interviewed this year.
 
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While you guys are mulling over your application to med school and specifically to Mercer I want to give you all a couple more things to think about. Some of you inevitably will find yourself where I found myself (twice) - rejected or wait-listed. It takes guts to stick it out, get on with life, and re-apply, but I can tell you now it's worth it. Mercer trains EXCELLENT physicians - just look at our match list year after year. If you want to be at Mercer, do NOT give up. I always recommend calling the admissions office, asking for ways to improve your file - they will tell you honestly. Persistence is crucial.

One thing I always forget to talk about as a HUGE strength of Mercer is our clinical years. There is NO way to express how awesome it is to have MCCG (in Macon), or Memorial (in Savannah). When I started my 4th year sub-Is I quickly realized how much more competent I was clinically than students from other schools. I rotated with guys who were FAR more intelligent then me, but clinically, I was way ahead. Why is this? Several reasons. First, you will work HARD in your 3rd year at Mercer. We took call with the interns from every service we were on. I rotated as a 4th year with med students from other programs who had never even taken call! Not only did I learn a lot (and get to do a lot), but I had the opportunity to hang out in the ED when I wasn't busy and snap up simple procedures (suturing, central lines, chest tubes, etc).

Why is this possible at Mercer? A couple reasons. Both MCCG and Memorial are Level 1 trauma centers, yet the only students are from Mercer and the only residencies are in primary care (except for radiology in Savannah). That means there is PLENTY of trauma with nobody to pawn it off on - neither program have residencies in ortho, ER, plastic surgery, ENT, etc. You'll be treated like an intern more than a medical student - especially if you work hard and are proactive. Plus, it's really nice to complete all of your third year at ONE hospital instead of being farmed out to other places.

I know this is a stressful time, but I can promise Mercer is worth it. Good luck.
 
GAdoc said:
While you guys are mulling over your application to med school and specifically to Mercer I want to give you all a couple more things to think about. Some of you inevitably will find yourself where I found myself (twice) - rejected or wait-listed. It takes guts to stick it out, get on with life, and re-apply, but I can tell you now it's worth it. Mercer trains EXCELLENT physicians - just look at our match list year after year. If you want to be at Mercer, do NOT give up. I always recommend calling the admissions office, asking for ways to improve your file - they will tell you honestly. Persistence is crucial.

One thing I always forget to talk about as a HUGE strength of Mercer is our clinical years. There is NO way to express how awesome it is to have MCCG (in Macon), or Memorial (in Savannah). When I started my 4th year sub-Is I quickly realized how much more competent I was clinically than students from other schools. I rotated with guys who were FAR more intelligent then me, but clinically, I was way ahead. Why is this? Several reasons. First, you will work HARD in your 3rd year at Mercer. We took call with the interns from every service we were on. I rotated as a 4th year with med students from other programs who had never even taken call! Not only did I learn a lot (and get to do a lot), but I had the opportunity to hang out in the ED when I wasn't busy and snap up simple procedures (suturing, central lines, chest tubes, etc).

Why is this possible at Mercer? A couple reasons. Both MCCG and Memorial are Level 1 trauma centers, yet the only students are from Mercer and the only residencies are in primary care (except for radiology in Savannah). That means there is PLENTY of trauma with nobody to pawn it off on - neither program have residencies in ortho, ER, plastic surgery, ENT, etc. You'll be treated like an intern more than a medical student - especially if you work hard and are proactive. Plus, it's really nice to complete all of your third year at ONE hospital instead of being farmed out to other places.

I know this is a stressful time, but I can promise Mercer is worth it. Good luck.
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😍

I'm all :bartscottcan'twait: about making it to the clinical years. I saw that you're an ortho pgy-1, and it's definitely encouraging that MUSM matched a solid number of ortho residents last year considering that's what I want to do.
 
4thQTHailMary said:
😍

I'm all :bartscottcan'twait: about making it to the clinical years. I saw that you're an ortho pgy-1, and it's definitely encouraging that MUSM matched a solid number of ortho residents last year considering that's what I want to do.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm interested in ortho also, the only scary part is that what if I get into med school shooting for ortho and I flunk into family practice??? That's a whole lot of loans to try and pay off while working primary care! If I do the DNP . I'll have much lower tuition while still a good paycheck and having good hours.

Those dang student loans just scare me! Just ask any lawyer who takes years to pay them off, those loans never go away until you pay them off or die. Could do the military scholarship but I have a feeling I'll be sent overseas as a fabulous GMO and I don't think my boyfriend would stick by me through that.
 
I'm interested in ortho as well and, yes, the amount of debt I'm going to be in scares the crap out of me but I know it'll be worth it in the end.

Speaking of ortho, about 10% of Mercer's class last year placed in an ortho residency which is remarkable. I spent some time a month ago crunching some numbers comparing Mercer and MCG in terms of 2011 residency placements. Take a look at the *percent of Mercer students that go into certain fields! (see attached). All the data was from the 2011 match list which can be found here: http://medapps.mercer.edu/index.php...mednet/news/2011/&file_name=MatchData2011.pdf

Some interesting facts:

19% of the class did Emergency Med
16% did Internal Med (14% for MCG)
MCG actually had a higher percentage of students go into family medicine (~6% vs 3%)
11% did general surgery
 

Attachments

dr octagon said:
I'm interested in ortho as well and, yes, the amount of debt I'm going to be in scares the crap out of me but I know it'll be worth it in the end.

Speaking of ortho, about 10% of Mercer's class last year placed in an ortho residency which is remarkable. I spent some time a month ago crunching some numbers comparing Mercer and MCG in terms of 2011 residency placements. Take a look at the *percent of Mercer students that go into certain fields! (see attached). All the data was from the 2011 match list which can be found here: http://medapps.mercer.edu/index.php...mednet/news/2011/&file_name=MatchData2011.pdf

Some interesting facts:

19% of the class did Emergency Med
16% did Internal Med (14% for MCG)
MCG actually had a higher percentage of students go into family medicine (~6% vs 3%)
11% did general surgery
Click to expand...

Yeah - don't expect Mercer to brag about those numbers! They're very supportive of us, and in fact the mission has changed to encourage students to pursue whatever specialty they like. However, there are still the old hold-outs who will show obvious favortism to those wishing to enter primary care.

Match Day last year was funny - our class did VERY well - 7/8 matched into ortho, we had one person do ENT, one person do rad-onc, and a whole host of radiology, anesthesiology, Gen Surg, EM, etc. Only ONE person did Family Med - and I doubt the school was too happy about that.

Don't worry about loans. Despite falling reimbursements it still won't take that long to pay off your loans on a physician's salary. Do the math - if you net even $240,000 a year (low for most specialties) that's $20,000 per month. How much do you live on now? I have a wife and two kids and I support them on $3,000 per month. I could put $10,000 a month towards loans, live on $10,000 a month, and pay off my loans in 2.5 years. That's not bad.
 
GAdoc said:
Yeah - don't expect Mercer to brag about those numbers! They're very supportive of us, and in fact the mission has changed to encourage students to pursue whatever specialty they like. However, there are still the old hold-outs who will show obvious favortism to those wishing to enter primary care.

Match Day last year was funny - our class did VERY well - 7/8 matched into ortho, we had one person do ENT, one person do rad-onc, and a whole host of radiology, anesthesiology, Gen Surg, EM, etc. Only ONE person did Family Med - and I doubt the school was too happy about that.

Don't worry about loans. Despite falling reimbursements it still won't take that long to pay off your loans on a physician's salary. Do the math - if you net even $240,000 a year (low for most specialties) that's $20,000 per month. How much do you live on now? I have a wife and two kids and I support them on $3,000 per month. I could put $10,000 a month towards loans, live on $10,000 a month, and pay off my loans in 2.5 years. That's not bad.
Click to expand...

Isint that salary a bit high of an estimate?
 
dr octagon said:
Not for ortho-surgery. But for most other specialties, probably at the high end.
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Salary is more a function of where you're willing to work and how hard you want to work than what specialty. It is true that certain specialties reimburse more, but you can find primary care docs making $500k-1M a year given the right circumstances.

For instance, if you're an FP who goes somewhere rural where you have a corner on the market, you are willing to be on call all the time, you do simple procedures/ob, etc you could make that kind of money.

It's all about practice decisions and work ethic. In general, academics pays less than private practice. Big cities usually mean less pay because of a more saturated market and more sub-specialty coverage (i.e. no family physician is going to be doing ob in Atlanta). Being a hospital-employed physician usually reimburses less as well (but hours and benefits are generally better and there's no overhead/malpractice).

Nowadays, what seems to drive competition among medical students is the ratio of work to income. Med students want to make the salaries of guys who work 100 hours per week in 50-60 hours a week of work.

Reimbursement will change for all of us, but it shouldn't drive your decision to become a physician. My point in stating the scenario in my last post was just to illustrate that paying off loans in a reasonable time AND living comfortably are both possible on any doctor's salary.
 
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