2011-2012 Mercer Application Thread

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VirtualMorgan said:
Me too. Did you mention anything about religion/church either in the interview or on your application. I did not. They're kind of churchy I guess. Maybe that's why. Who interviewed you? My interview at Georgia was great but my interviews at Mercer were kind of weird. One was just really awkward, the interviewer would ask me a question, then interrupt me tell a story and then give me that uncomfortable silent stare thing. The other interview felt more like an interrogation. I felt like the interviewer was trying to set me up to see if I'd be honest, and later flat out accused me of saying something I didn't say. It was just uncomfortable, and I've been told I interview well so I'm not used to that.
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I am very active in my church, and much of my volunteer work on my application was church related. I didn't really discuss it in my interview though. I guess I am mostly just surprised because I felt very good about my interview at mercer. Both my interviewers made me feel comfortable, and I felt like I spoke well because I was comfortable. I was also very impressed with the school and felt like it would be a good fit for me. I felt much more awkward at my interview at mcg, so when I got wait list there, I thought I would at least get wait list at mercer. So everyone out there,please don't think I am trying to dis mercer by saying I am surprised. I want to practice in Georgia, and thought that the speciality I wanted to go into was needed. Apparently not. Too bad, because I would have really liked to have gone to mercer.
 
els818 said:
I am very active in my church, and much of my volunteer work on my application was church related. I didn't really discuss it in my interview though. I guess I am mostly just surprised because I felt very good about my interview at mercer. Both my interviewers made me feel comfortable, and I felt like I spoke well because I was comfortable. I was also very impressed with the school and felt like it would be a good fit for me. I felt much more awkward at my interview at mcg, so when I got wait list there, I thought I would at least get wait list at mercer. So everyone out there,please don't think I am trying to dis mercer by saying I am surprised. I want to practice in Georgia, and thought that the speciality I wanted to go into was needed. Apparently not. Too bad, because I would have really liked to have gone to mercer.
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So don't give up - if you get accepted somewhere this year, great - but if not, don't rule Mercer out. I got rejected my first time. I was wait-listed the second time. Finally I was accepted on my third try. It stinks, but you get through it. Now, I'm thankful for the perspective that those two years between undergrad and med school provided me.
 
Any news for the waitlistee's? Movement of any sort or any idea when it will begin and any idea of how long down the line one gives up for this cycle barring a miracle? Thanks a lot.
 
Have you guys heard or seen of the new pre-clinical science program that is starting in the Fall? I just got accepted 🙂soexcited🙂 and thought I would share it with the SDN world. I don't think they have many applicants from what I can tell
http://medapps.mercer.edu/Academics/Degree Programs/preclinicalsciences

Highlights:
1 years masters program
Take the first year med school classes
No MCAT requirement!
 
I was accepted off the wait list for the Macon campus last Tuesday. Hopefully it will continue to move for everyone!
 
Does anyone know when orientation and the first day of classes are?
 
dawg12 said:
I was accepted off the wait list for the Macon campus last Tuesday. Hopefully it will continue to move for everyone!
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Congrats!! That must feel great! I'm still hoping to get in....


Has anyone else been accepted off the waitlist? Does anybody know how many students are definitely matriculating so far this year?
 
VirtualMorgan said:
My interview at Georgia was great but my interviews at Mercer were kind of weird. One was just really awkward, the interviewer would ask me a question, then interrupt me tell a story and then give me that uncomfortable silent stare thing. The other interview felt more like an interrogation. I felt like the interviewer was trying to set me up to see if I'd be honest, and later flat out accused me of saying something I didn't say. It was just uncomfortable, and I've been told I interview well so I'm not used to that.
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Do you remember the names of who at Mercer interviewed you?
 
dr octagon said:
Does anyone know when orientation and the first day of classes are?
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I'm pretty sure orientation starts August 6th and runs that whole week, then class starts the following week on August 13th.
 
Doobey Doob said:
Have you guys heard or seen of the new pre-clinical science program that is starting in the Fall? I just got accepted 🙂soexcited🙂 and thought I would share it with the SDN world. I don't think they have many applicants from what I can tell
http://medapps.mercer.edu/Academics/Degree Programs/preclinicalsciences

Highlights:
1 years masters program
Take the first year med school classes
No MCAT requirement!
Click to expand...
Oh that's cool. Did they send you info on that program or did you find out about it yourself?
 
grandescaves said:
Please tell!! I'm applying to a bunch of schools in June and I need a heads up for when I interview at Mercer! It sounds like you had a bad experience at Mercer.
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I don't want to be unprofessional. It wasn't terrible, just a little uncomfortable. Both of my interviewers were kind people. One was just a little aggressive, and the other was a little awkward. Neither were nasty or anything. I'm sure other people have had way worse experiences at other schools. I think I might have just gotten very lucky at my interview at MCG.
 
VirtualMorgan said:
I don't want to be unprofessional. It wasn't terrible, just a little uncomfortable. Both of my interviewers were kind people. One was just a little aggressive, and the other was a little awkward. Neither were nasty or anything. I'm sure other people have had way worse experiences at other schools. I think I might have just gotten very lucky at my interview at MCG.
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...also the office personnel were very warm. I think they do a good job of making people feel welcome. My interviewers were warm as well, there were just some awkward moments during my interview. And I probably wasn't my best that day either. I was a little sick and I think I probably felt a little hesitant about the school due to their religious affiliation and my secular beliefs.
 
Please don't blame your unrelated temporary illness for their bad behavior during your interview. You deserved to be treated better as a guest visiting their campus.

When I hear about troublesome behavior such as what you saw so early on (you were not even a student yet!!:scared:) that makes me worried of what other behaviors will show up if I became a student there.

Just brainstorming! 😎
 
any one got the match list 2012 for mercer?

comparatively speaking, how "good" is it compared to other schools.

Also, don't people at mercer make on average higher Step 1 board scores than people at MCG?

Thanks y'all!
 
save123 said:
any one got the match list 2012 for mercer?

comparatively speaking, how "good" is it compared to other schools.

Also, don't people at mercer make on average higher Step 1 board scores than people at MCG?

Thanks y'all!
Click to expand...

I posted the match list a couple pages back but here the lsit is again to save you some time and searching, lol. I don't know if you could really make a blanket statement like that as far as step 1 scores. I will say that I did around average on the MCAT and got 250+on step 1 and attribute that to Mercer's PBL curriculum. We do have a history of improving percentiles when one compares what percentile you did on the MCAT vs. Step 1, so for example if you got 40th percentile for the MCAT you could theoretically get 60th percentile for step 1 (those numbers are just a generalizations). So I think the safe statement to make is that Mercer can take a below average or average medical school applicant and give them the tools to become an average to above average residency applicant. How this compares to MCG though I am not sure.

Anesthesiology x7
Emory
UAB x3
Georgia Health Sciences Univ.
Rush
Wake Forest

ER x 7
Emory
Denver Health Medical Center
NY Hospital Medical Center Queens
Palmetto Health Richland
UVA
Pitt County Memorial Hospital/Brody
Virginia Tech

General Surgery x 12
Memorial x2
Spartanburg Regional-prelim
Greenville Hospital System/USC
Mount Sinai/UIC
Wake Forest
Virginia Commonwealth-prelim
Emory-prelim
Emory
Baylor-prelim
Baptist health-Al-prelim
Madigan Army Medical Center

Internal Medicine x 16
MUSC
Army Eisenhower Army Medical
UT Chattanooga
Albany Medical Center
Barnes-Jewish Hospital Center/Washington University
George Washington University
Univ of Utah
UAB x2
Oshsner Clinic
Huntington Memorial
MCCG
Memorial-prelim x2
Pennsylvania Hospital
Emory


Neuro
University Hospital-Cincinnati

Pediatrics x 17
INOVA Fairfax Hospital-Va
Palmetto Health x2
University of Kentucky- Peds/Psych/Child Psych
Greenville Hospital/USC x2
UAB
UVA
Children’s Mercy Hospital-Mo
Georgia Health Sciences Univ
DuPont Childrens/Jefferson Medical College-Peds/PM&R
Brown Univ.
Carolinas Medical Center
UT Memphis
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Children’s National
Harvard/Boston Children’s -Peds/Urban Health and Advocacy

Urology x2
Univ of Arkansas
UT Memphis

Ortho x3
Atlanta Medical Center x2
Georgia Health Sciences University

Radiology x3
MUSC
Univ. of Missouri
Virginia Commonwealth

OB/GYN x5
Emory
UT Knoxville
MCCG
Memorial
UT Houston

Family Medicine x3
Anderson Area Medical Center
St. Vincent Hospital-Indiana- combined Medicine/Family Medicine
UT Chattanooga

Transitional x3
Medical Center of Columbus
Providence Sacred Heart
UT Memphis

Ophthalmology x2
Univ. of Florida
UT Memphis

Pathology
Emory

PM&R
Emory

Neurosurgery
UT Memphis

Psych
UT Memphis

ENT
Univ. of Nevada
 
I would really encourage you guys to think of med school admissions like this:

1. When I apply, will I apply to U.S. allopthic schools only, or include osteopathic and Caribbean schools? This involves learning all you can about all three pathways. Obviously, U.S. M.D. programs are the most competitive but they leave the most doors open for residency. Certain D.O. programs are also becoming more competitive and as they expand their post-graduate training slots this is becoming a better alternative to the M.D. Caribbean schools may be a great option if you ABSOLUTELY know you'd be happy doing primary care. Ever so often, some "success" story loves to brag about how they matched into ENT from a Caribbean school, but you need to understand what a long-shot that is. You cannot count on it. If you start at a Caribbean school and decide to do something competitive, you're probably better off trying to transfer in to a U.S. med school for 3rd and 4th year.

2. I've applied at X number of schools and I've been accepted at only 1...what do you think about that school? ANSWER: It's the best med school in the country because it's the one that accepted you!!!! Don't ask other people's opinions and don't read any further in this post. Make up your mind to dig in and work your tail off because you've got your admission - the rest is up to you

3. I've applied at X number of schools and I've been accepted to more than 1....which should I go to? ANSWER: here are just a few of the things to think about: location (espcially if you have a family), cost, cost of living, prestige, match lists from previous years, class size, curriculum style that fits you. At the end of the day, the BEST option is the one that prepares you for the next step - residency.

How does Mercer stack up if it's on your list of "schools to consider" or "one of several schools I'm accepted at"? Though I've posted this information a dozen times, let me review a few things:
a. I love Georgia and I love Macon - it grew on me after doing undergrad at Mercer. Spring is unbelieveable, it's got a small-town feel but with all the entertainment you could need and you can be at the beach or the mountains in 3 hours. The town is relatively safe, especially if you pick the right area. There are ample jobs for significant others.
b. Mercer is one of the most expensive schools in the state - that sucks, but you get what you pay for. You get a curriculum that is designed to provide as much faculty contact as possible. "Class" sizes (if you can call them classes) are 8 students and 1 faculty. Your first two years you have a faculty mentor to meet with as often as needed. All faculty are willing to meet with you at any time for additional help. The school is tight-knit and people work together and play together well.
c. Mercer is not one of the more prestigous schools in the state, but stop a minute and ask yourself why....aside from PCOM, it is the youngest med school in the state (1982). The focus is on medical education as opposed to research so there is not a lot of NIH money (something U.S. News and World Report uses to rank the "prestige" of med schools). What you SHOULD pay attention to is our match list. We consistently place students into EVERY medical specialty there is (including ortho, ENT, derm, radiology, rad-onc). As Whatayear commented, what Mercer does REALLY well is take below-average or average pre-med students and prepare them for some of the most competitive residencies out there.
d. Curriculum - ultimately, I chose not to attend the Caribbean schools I applied to. I also chose not to attend the DO school where I applied. Both would've been fine options, but in the end I loved Mercer and wanted to keep my options open. Mercer was the only U.S. med school I was accepted at so I really fall into that 2nd group I wrote about. However, there is NO question in my mind that Mercer forced more work out of me than any other school in the state. The result - a below-par pre-med (undergrad: Mercer, GPA=3.56 with MCAT=24, 22, 27) who ended up doing well in med school and matching into orthopaedic surgery.
 
I am applying this year (2013) with a 3.67 GPA and taking the MCAT in mid-June. I am trying to decide to apply EDP to Mercer and am wondering what my chances are like...what is the lowest MCAT they have taken for EDP and is the GPA ok? Also, my MCAT scores don't come in til 5 days before Aug 1, which is the deadline so how will that affect me for EDP? Thanks in advance!
 
Are you of white ethnicity? If so, the lowest has been a 24 and a 3.6 gpa. you should be fine. where are you from?
 
I am Asian (India) and from Savannah and thank you for the information!
 
ACCEPTED!! I was accepted off the waitlist on Friday and will be heading to the Macon campus!
 
gapremed17 said:
ACCEPTED!! I was accepted off the waitlist on Friday and will be heading to the Macon campus!
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That's awesome news, congratulations! It had to be a grueling wait, that's for sure. Do you mind sharing your stats?
 
Hopeful02 said:
That's awesome news, congratulations! It had to be a grueling wait, that's for sure. Do you mind sharing your stats?
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the wait was AWFUL lol! 3.78GPA, 27O MCAT (8PS, 9VR, 10BS). Over 300 shadowing hours. Interviewed in January.
 
so when did you apply to mercer? Interviewing in January is pretty late right?
 
when do you plan on applying sp91? why not try MCG with your stats? how are you scoring on your practice tests?
 
sp91 said:
so when did you apply to mercer? Interviewing in January is pretty late right?
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I applied in october, regular decision cycle, which was later than I wanted to but interviewing in January isn't that late. I'm pretty sure they conduct interviews all the way through March.
 
save123 said:
Are you of white ethnicity? If so, the lowest has been a 24 and a 3.6 gpa. you should be fine. where are you from?
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That's not correct - I have a friend (a white male) who was in my class who was accepted with a 22. That's not common, but it happens. And my friend did very well in med school. He's finishing his intern prelim year at one of the most prestigous hospitals in the country and is on to his anesthesiology residency in July.
 
So I hear today is the day when applicants who were accepted into more than one school must make a decision? I guess we should start seeing some waitlist movement? Fingers crossed!
 
I was referring to more recent stats because Mercer has gotten a lot more comp. in the recent years
 
save123 said:
when do you plan on applying sp91? why not try MCG with your stats? how are you scoring on your practice tests?
Click to expand...

I plan on applying this summer...my practice test scores are not as high 24-27, but I've only taken 3 kaplan and 2 aamc, aamc being the higher scores. I will not be able to make a definitive decision until I get my real MCAT scores back which is july 25, and will only have 5 days left to make the decision. Only reason I want to do early for mercer is because my resume is filled with primary care shadowing and two associate professors from mercer being the people I shadowed. Also the fact that I am from savannah might make a difference...
 
gapremed17 said:
I applied in october, regular decision cycle, which was later than I wanted to but interviewing in January isn't that late. I'm pretty sure they conduct interviews all the way through March.
Click to expand...

Ok! Thanks for the input! Yeah, I am scared to do early because getting rejected would mean that I would be applying elsewhere in October, and I've heard that decreases your chances of getting into any medical school.
 
Has there been any recent waitlist movement? (Especially given May 15th has passed and this thread hasn't seen much activity.)
 
Great question. I am wait-listed and haven't heard of any movement....Good Luck!
 
What are your stats? Including native city and GPA/MCAT
 
Accepted about an hour ago! Stats are cGPA 3.57, sGPA 3.47 (Undergrad). Also took postbacc classes cGPA and sGPA 4.00. MCAT 30O. Feel free to message me if you have any questions about anything.
 
newyorker41789 said:
Accepted about an hour ago! Stats are cGPA 3.57, sGPA 3.47 (Undergrad). Also took postbacc classes cGPA and sGPA 4.00. MCAT 30O. Feel free to message me if you have any questions about anything.
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Yayayayay for you! I have a special place in my heart for people that are in the position you were in (i.e. May! waiting for news), so sorry if my excitement comes off creepy, lol. But way to go, I know it wasn't an easy wait.👍😀
 
I do not expect this to be normal at all and quite frankly, I'm not sure it ever happens other than the specific event I heard of. My roommate and fellow MS-1 was actually rejected from Mercer last year. How can it be that he was rejected last year but is currently a MS-1? He didn't give up. He actually came down to the school personally and spoke with several administrative personel (I don't recall exactly who at the moment) and his decision was actually reversed and he was accepted into the program. At that point it was already June and he had about a month to prepare for beginning medical school.

I cannot say for sure if he is at the top of the class, but he is very likely, as I know his grades thus far.

Again, I know this is certainly not the norm, but the take home is to not lose confidence. He knew he belonged and he continues to prove to everyone that he was correct. I was in the same boat of being rejected from Mercer and wait-listed by MCG my first cycle. I spoke with Ms. Jackson and she encouraged EDP, and so I went with that and here I am.

My interviewer (who would later give me my acceptance phone call) leaned close and told me, "I don't tell everyone this, but we're really good at telling who wants to be here. And those who want to be here the most, find a place here, eventually."
 
Jmoosec2 said:
My interviewer (who would later give me my acceptance phone call) leaned close and told me, "I don't tell everyone this, but we're really good at telling who wants to be here. And those who want to be here the most, find a place here, eventually."
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The faculty leaned close to you and starting talking during the interview?? :whoa:
That sounds more like you were being invited to join some weird mob rather than a medical school.
 
Jmoosec2 said:
I do not expect this to be normal at all and quite frankly, I'm not sure it ever happens other than the specific event I heard of. My roommate and fellow MS-1 was actually rejected from Mercer last year. How can it be that he was rejected last year but is currently a MS-1? He didn't give up. He actually came down to the school personally and spoke with several administrative personel (I don't recall exactly who at the moment) and his decision was actually reversed and he was accepted into the program. At that point it was already June and he had about a month to prepare for beginning medical school.

I cannot say for sure if he is at the top of the class, but he is very likely, as I know his grades thus far.

Again, I know this is certainly not the norm, but the take home is to not lose confidence. He knew he belonged and he continues to prove to everyone that he was correct. I was in the same boat of being rejected from Mercer and wait-listed by MCG my first cycle. I spoke with Ms. Jackson and she encouraged EDP, and so I went with that and here I am.

My interviewer (who would later give me my acceptance phone call) leaned close and told me, "I don't tell everyone this, but we're really good at telling who wants to be here. And those who want to be here the most, find a place here, eventually."
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What were your MCAt/GPA?
 
Did anyone get the most recent email about orientation?
 
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I received an informal one from a student yesterday around 6pm.
 
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