2011 Nontrad Applicants' Progress Thread

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Congrats, eab. When do you go? Best of luck!

My interview is 9/10. I am so nervous about ethical questions. I'm not sure what they want to hear, and most of my family doesn't have (read can't afford) health insurance, so I'm afraid my background will skew my answers the wrong way. I'm going to have to get to researching! 🙂
 
My interview is 9/10. I am so nervous about ethical questions. I'm not sure what they want to hear, and most of my family doesn't have (read can't afford) health insurance, so I'm afraid my background will skew my answers the wrong way. I'm going to have to get to researching! 🙂

Congratulations. Your conversational skills are apparently superior, so it was just the numbers hurdle you needed to get through - which you now have.

I don't quite understand what you mean by ethical questions or how your family's insurance needs are related.
 
Congratulations to everyone with interviews!

As for me, I am happy to report that I am FINALLY officially AMCAS-verified!

And my GPAs even went up from what I expected! BCMP jumped a significant.26 points! (I took a microbiology class as Pass/NoPass way back in 1990 and didn't pass. I thought for sure AMCAS would calculate it as an F. Fortunately not!) :clap
 
Congratulations to everyone with interviews!

As for me, I am happy to report that I am FINALLY officially AMCAS-verified!

And my GPAs even went up from what I expected! BCMP jumped a significant.26 points! (I took a microbiology class as Pass/NoPass way back in 1990 and didn't pass. I thought for sure AMCAS would calculate it as an F. Fortunately not!) :clap


Dude! That's awesome. Usually it is the opposite🙂 Congrats on being verified, it is such a relief, isn't it!


I've mostly been lurking in this thread, but I will finally speak🙂

Schools applied to: 25
Secondaries done: 23
Verified as complete: 23
Interviews: 7 🙂eek🙂
Rejections: 2
Acceptances: 0

Assessment: Schools are actually READING my app!

Non-trads ftw🙂
 
I just got an interview at TCOM!!
 
Last edited:
I would like to officially and formally eat my naysaying words from a few pages back for breakfast (negativity goes down great with some Kona coffee!). Two interviews this week; things are looking up! Also, thanks fellow forum-ites for not ripping me too big of a new one for being so whiny and mopey. Again, sorry for that. 😛

PS Congrats wrigley!!!
 
Schools applied to: 25
Secondaries done: 23
Verified as complete: 23
Interviews: 7 🙂eek🙂
Rejections: 2
Acceptances: 0

Assessment: Schools are actually READING my app!

Non-trads ftw🙂

Awesome numbers! 7 interview invites at this stage of the game is amazing. Glad to see that adcoms are showing us nontrads some love.
 
I would like to officially and formally eat my naysaying words from a few pages back for breakfast (negativity goes down great with some Kona coffee!). Two interviews this week; things are looking up! Also, thanks fellow forum-ites for not ripping me too big of a new one for being so whiny and mopey. Again, sorry for that. 😛

PS Congrats wrigley!!!

Yay Teddy Bear Doc! TWO in one week? Rock-star.
 
Primary Apps: 28
Secondaries: 25
Interviews (so far): 6
Interviews Attended (so far):1
Acceptances: Haven't heard back yet.....Eeeeeeek!
 
My interview is 9/10. I am so nervous about ethical questions. I'm not sure what they want to hear, and most of my family doesn't have (read can't afford) health insurance, so I'm afraid my background will skew my answers the wrong way. I'm going to have to get to researching! 🙂

think along the lines of the mcat dreaded essay

answer with your view and reasons for your view

acknowledge the other side and the reasons why it is valid to argue in the other way

and resolve by doing what is best for the patient as that is the most crucial in this case.

sometimes this is in line with what youthink and sometimes it is not

mine was a vaccine refusal question and i ultimately deferred to parental decision after i presented them with all the information i could to convince them that a vaccination was in the best interest for their child.
i however did get a follow up on whether i would report the parents in question for neglect. i answered that it would depend on the criteria for neglect in my state as to whether refusing a vaccine would fall into a neglect category as well as if i felt there was a consistent pattern of neglect vs this one issue. and that if i could not reach a decision that i would talk with a trusted colleague who had more experience in the area to help give me guidance as to what direction to go.

hth some and :luck:
 
I submitted my residency app. Still waiting on one LOR from my away rotation last month. One invite so far, to my home school program. Next away in a couple of weeks. And so it starts....

It's a little frightening but very exciting too.
 
I submitted my residency app. Still waiting on one LOR from my away rotation last month. One invite so far, to my home school program. Next away in a couple of weeks. And so it starts....

It's a little frightening but very exciting too.

dusting off my pom poms to cheer you on!!!

:luck:
 
dusting off my pom poms to cheer you on!!!

:luck:
Thanks. 🙂

As if I thought things couldn't possibly make me any more OCD than they did during the med school app process, it turns out that actually, they can. ERAS has a separate site called ADTS, which is the application document tracking system. On it, you can see for each program you've applied to which items are available in the ERAS post office (LORs, PS, USMLE scores, etc.) and when the programs have downloaded them. As in, the exact date and time each item is downloaded, down to the minute. Being able to watch my documents get downloaded minute-by-minute may not be as great as it sounds. It's just so hard to resist the urge to keep refreshing my program statuses. :d
 
Thanks. 🙂

As if I thought things couldn't possibly make me any more OCD than they did during the med school app process, it turns out that actually, they can. ERAS has a separate site called ADTS, which is the application document tracking system. On it, you can see for each program you've applied to which items are available in the ERAS post office (LORs, PS, USMLE scores, etc.) and when the programs have downloaded them. As in, the exact date and time each item is downloaded, down to the minute. Being able to watch my documents get downloaded minute-by-minute may not be as great as it sounds. It's just so hard to resist the urge to keep refreshing my program statuses. :d

I remember waiting for the MCAT scores. Click..... Click....... Click..... Click.Click.ClickClickClickClickCliCliCLiCliCLi
 
I've been a bit late to get all my applications in, and was starting to worry. This morning I woke up to get a LOR request from Mayo and a pre-secondary interview invite from Michigan! I'm so relieved. I guess they're actually reading my application!
 
I remember waiting for the MCAT scores. Click..... Click....... Click..... Click.Click.ClickClickClickClickCliCliCLiCliCLi
This is much, much worse than waiting for the MCAT score was. It's also worse than waiting for my board scores. For all those exams, you pretty much know what day your results will come out, and even the approximate time. The same cannot be said for when Program X is going to download your app! Speaking of which, I've had radio silence for the rest of this week other than one program emailing to say they had my app (which I already knew! 😛) and they were considering it.

I've been a bit late to get all my applications in, and was starting to worry. This morning I woke up to get a LOR request from Mayo and a pre-secondary interview invite from Michigan! I'm so relieved. I guess they're actually reading my application!
Awesome, congrats! I really liked U Mich.
 
I got the invitation for the first round interviews for my state school. This is done on a purely mathematical basis. In order to get this automatic interview, we just had to be complete before 9/30. The vast majority of people in the first-round interviews get accepted.

Last night I spoke to a local fellow applicant. He hadn't yet filled out his secondary because the optional essays for one of the secondary tracks were difficult to write.

So this guy has gone to school for 4 or more years, is taking difficult upper-level biology courses and misses his best chance to get into medical school BECAUSE HE CAN'T BEAR TO WRITE 3 STINKING, SHORT ESSAYS ON TIME.

!!

!!

!!

I desperately hope that this guy doesn't get in and then end up in my assigned PBL group.
 
This is much, much worse than waiting for the MCAT score was. It's also worse than waiting for my board scores. For all those exams, you pretty much know what day your results will come out, and even the approximate time.
I dunno, my MCAT scores didn't post until almost midnight on the day they were supposedly going to get posted by 6pm. I got absolutely nothing done all day!
 
This is much, much worse than waiting for the MCAT score was. It's also worse than waiting for my board scores. For all those exams, you pretty much know what day your results will come out, and even the approximate time. The same cannot be said for when Program X is going to download your app! Speaking of which, I've had radio silence for the rest of this week other than one program emailing to say they had my app (which I already knew! 😛) and they were considering it.

That sounds maddening.
 
I'm going to be a doctor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:biglove::banana::woot::woot::whoa::claps::soexcited:
 
I'm going to be a doctor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:biglove::banana::woot::woot::whoa::claps::soexcited:


OneTyme! Details! Now! Sooooooooooo happy for you.

And of course,

4/10 FOR LIIIIIIIIIFE!
 
I was accepted 7 days after my first interview by Des Moines University. It is one of my top choices and to add to it I am being considered for a full tuition scholarship!!! I'm super excited. I'm withdrawing from some of my other interviews and only attending ones that I could see liking as much as DMU. I'm so excited I keep accidentally peeing my pants!!!!!
 
Awesome news OneTyme! Raising a glass of [INSERT ADULT BEVERAGE HERE] in your honor! 😀
 
I was accepted 7 days after my first interview by Des Moines University. It is one of my top choices and to add to it I am being considered for a full tuition scholarship!!! I'm super excited. I'm withdrawing from some of my other interviews and only attending ones that I could see liking as much as DMU. I'm so excited I keep accidentally peeing my pants!!!!!
Hey, congrats! My dad went to DMU. Of course, this was like 50 years ago, so things have probably changed a bit. 😛
 
Hey, congrats! My dad went to DMU. Of course, this was like 50 years ago, so things have probably changed a bit. 😛

So you're saying he probably wasn't issued an iTouch and a touch screen notebook during orientation? But how did he check facebook and SDN??!!
 
OMG Onetyme that is AWESOME!! Congrats!! 👍👍👍

It's so great that you don't have to bite your nails for the next 6+ months! I knew back in the 4/10 thread that you were meant to be a doctor 🙂

I just had my first interview yesterday at FIU. It was AWESOME. The school was all new. My interviewers were so nice and they at least acted impressed with me. One of them was a NICU doc and we spent a long time talking about how we might be able to create some adaptation for me to work at a standing level.

Anyway, sorry for the ramble. I find out yay or nay on October 15th.

Good luck everyone, and congrats again to OneTyme! 😀
 
So you're saying he probably wasn't issued an iTouch and a touch screen notebook during orientation? But how did he check facebook and SDN??!!
He doesn't even know how to use email, so he has no idea what he's missing when it comes to online networking. What I wonder though is how he managed to carry those stone tablets on his back for so many years. But more importantly, was his chiseling as messy as his handwriting is?

I find out yay or nay on October 15th.
:luck:
 
He doesn't even know how to use email, so he has no idea what he's missing when it comes to online networking. What I wonder though is how he managed to carry those stone tablets on his back for so many years. But more importantly, was his chiseling as messy as his handwriting is?


:luck:


When they ask me why I want to be a doctor I'm going to say because I have messy handwritng. Classic!
 
OMG Onetyme that is AWESOME!! Congrats!! 👍👍👍

It's so great that you don't have to bite your nails for the next 6+ months! I knew back in the 4/10 thread that you were meant to be a doctor 🙂

I just had my first interview yesterday at FIU. It was AWESOME. The school was all new. My interviewers were so nice and they at least acted impressed with me. One of them was a NICU doc and we spent a long time talking about how we might be able to create some adaptation for me to work at a standing level.

Anyway, sorry for the ramble. I find out yay or nay on October 15th.

Good luck everyone, and congrats again to OneTyme! 😀

I know you are going to get in too!!!
 
Last edited:
I was accepted 7 days after my first interview by Des Moines University. It is one of my top choices and to add to it I am being considered for a full tuition scholarship!!! I'm super excited. I'm withdrawing from some of my other interviews and only attending ones that I could see liking as much as DMU. I'm so excited I keep accidentally peeing my pants!!!!!


That's amazing. Congratulations! I just hope that I hear some good news soon to. My first interview was on Aug 27, so hopefully I'll know in the next few weeks. :xf:
 
That's amazing. Congratulations! I just hope that I hear some good news soon to. My first interview was on Aug 27, so hopefully I'll know in the next few weeks. :xf:

Judging from past years' threads, Oct. 15th is going to be pretty busy in here. 😉
 
Got an invite today from a program where I haven't rotated. I can't believe that invites are starting this early; everyone kept saying that a lot of programs wouldn't invite people before the Dean's Letter goes out in six weeks. But I'm not complaining. 😀
 
Got an invite today from a program where I haven't rotated. I can't believe that invites are starting this early; everyone kept saying that a lot of programs wouldn't invite people before the Dean's Letter goes out in six weeks. But I'm not complaining. 😀

Wowza! Congrats, Q!
 
Got an invite today from a program where I haven't rotated. I can't believe that invites are starting this early; everyone kept saying that a lot of programs wouldn't invite people before the Dean's Letter goes out in six weeks. But I'm not complaining. 😀

What is your target number of interviews that you would like to go to? 10, 20, 30, more?
 
What is your target number of interviews that you would like to go to? 10, 20, 30, more?
Theoretically or practically? Since our interview season is so much more compressed than yours is (Nov-Jan versus Aug-Mar), I don't think I could go on 20 or 30 interviews even if I really wanted to. 😛

All kidding aside, I was advised to go on 8-12 interviews, so that's my target. Based on previous app statistics, it seems like ranking around that many programs is about the point where your percent chances of matching are in the high 90s.
 
Got an invite today from a program where I haven't rotated. I can't believe that invites are starting this early; everyone kept saying that a lot of programs wouldn't invite people before the Dean's Letter goes out in six weeks. But I'm not complaining. 😀

Congrats! Beasting it up already w/ invites! Good luck!
 
Q,

They told my girlfriend the same thing and she is on her sixth interview invite thus far. 😀
 
late mcat. 3.8 34S
just submitted most of the secondaries.
I'm not sure what got into me lately, should not have been incapacitated while waiting for score.
oh well, everything is my fault.
 
late mcat. 3.8 34S
just submitted most of the secondaries.
I'm not sure what got into me lately, should not have been incapacitated while waiting for score.
oh well, everything is my fault.

Congrats! Looks like you did well! Don't sweat the delay - you're not early now, but you're not appallingly late either. It's a tough, stressful process. Everything isn't your fault. If you keep beating yourself up, you're just going to burn out and lose your focus.

Your secondaries are in! You should celebrate! Go out, have a few beers with some friends!
 
One interview down, one to go! (Fingers crossed for more... 🙂)

Not much else to report....is it just me or has it been "all quiet on the Western front" for a looooong time???
 
Definitely felt a lull around Labor Day. Seems like things are slowly picking back up though. I've heard from current MS1's that last year a lot of schools didn't seem to look at their apps until after Labor Day. Movement picked up after that.
 
Not much else to report....is it just me or has it been "all quiet on the Western front" for a looooong time???
Same here.

OHSU took a few weeks to mark me as complete once I'd submitted the secondary, but they've always been notoriously slow. Hoping to get an interview invite soon from them. Also hoping to get a secondary from UCSF, after appealing rejection. :xf: :xf: :xf:
 
Getting nervous now, I have five interview invites (just went on my third interview today), but now my last interview invite was on the 9/10. Haven't heard a peep from other schools.... just making me anxious that I had one interview invite after another it seemed like for a couple of weeks then.... silence.... no wonder this process makes people crazy! 🙂
 
Top