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2012-2013 Mayo Medical School Application Thread
Started by gettheleadout
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wannadoctor, I think your previous two posts appeared far more accurate. Your first one just seemed a bit exaggerated and almost bitter, though not necessarily untrue. Text can be misleading in tone and implication.
I did the comparisons because I was genuinely interested in how deep the gene pool was at Mayo compared to elsewhere. Since I was already turned down I am looking elsewhere, but it doesn't seem that the inheritance here is drastically more prevalent than elsewhere.
Then again, as you said, Mayo is a unique place with unique interests (especially in training 'Mayo Physicians') so I would almost expect them to pull people that traditionally would choose Mayo over elsewhere.
Thanks for the insight though, I am sure it will help those applying here in their decisions later on. Committing to 4+ years at an institution is a daunting task if you have multiple acceptances.
Edit: And by no means was my intention to flame you, there's just always two sides 🙂
I've heard that undergraduate acceptances are also heavily weighted towards alumni's children, so that just makes the whole issue run deeper. Also, as you said before, if Mayo's intention is to make a Mayo physician, wouldn't the best training be to be raised by a dad on Mayo's board of governors? I don't believe AdComs care whether something is 'earned' versus 'inherited'.
I'm not saying it's true or false, nor am I saying it's the right or wrong thing to do, I'm just saying that it very likely does happen, but I think this is a pretty broad attribute of all medical programs, and as bumble said, of life in general.
I did the comparisons because I was genuinely interested in how deep the gene pool was at Mayo compared to elsewhere. Since I was already turned down I am looking elsewhere, but it doesn't seem that the inheritance here is drastically more prevalent than elsewhere.
Then again, as you said, Mayo is a unique place with unique interests (especially in training 'Mayo Physicians') so I would almost expect them to pull people that traditionally would choose Mayo over elsewhere.
Thanks for the insight though, I am sure it will help those applying here in their decisions later on. Committing to 4+ years at an institution is a daunting task if you have multiple acceptances.
Edit: And by no means was my intention to flame you, there's just always two sides 🙂
I've heard that undergraduate acceptances are also heavily weighted towards alumni's children, so that just makes the whole issue run deeper. Also, as you said before, if Mayo's intention is to make a Mayo physician, wouldn't the best training be to be raised by a dad on Mayo's board of governors? I don't believe AdComs care whether something is 'earned' versus 'inherited'.
I'm not saying it's true or false, nor am I saying it's the right or wrong thing to do, I'm just saying that it very likely does happen, but I think this is a pretty broad attribute of all medical programs, and as bumble said, of life in general.
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I agree with everything, but I am still a bit skeptical on this one, just because how are we to determine this factually? I am almost certain the feeling of this is amplified given the small environment, but is Harvard/Stanford/etc really much different? I recall similar criticisms of bias at these institutions as well, and I certainly hope you didn't attend multiple medical schools to find out 😛
wannadoctor, I definitely appreciate your input...trust me, I really do...but
your posts are increasingly becoming moving targets.
I don't really want to write out a huge spiel but are you surprised at the nepotism? You concede that nepotism exists, yes? (P.s. I'm not being a cynical, just a realist who hopes to change status quos) Well, I'm sure there are 10-12 kids at every medical school that get into every medical school b/c of connections. I know of 2 kids that went to my undergrad who wouldn't have gotten to medical school if it wasn't for their daddy's friends. I think this point is being addressed, by the faculty so there's really not much more we can do about that. I trust their decision to do right by their recruitment of medical students as they do right by their patients day in and day out--it's in their best interest because as you said earlier, they're training you to become a mayo physician.
What I do want to ask you is....
Can you elaborate on why Mayo would not be a good place for health policy/development of technology?
Also, can any of the other medical students that roam this thread tell us what you think about the patient mix concerns that wannadoctor brings up? I'm honestly skeptical mainly because as I understand it the most complex cases and people from around the world will show up to places like Mayo to be treated...I'm going to assume that the threshold to admission is low as wannadoctor says until proven otherwise, but I don't necessarily see it as a crippling thing.
your posts are increasingly becoming moving targets.
I don't really want to write out a huge spiel but are you surprised at the nepotism? You concede that nepotism exists, yes? (P.s. I'm not being a cynical, just a realist who hopes to change status quos) Well, I'm sure there are 10-12 kids at every medical school that get into every medical school b/c of connections. I know of 2 kids that went to my undergrad who wouldn't have gotten to medical school if it wasn't for their daddy's friends. I think this point is being addressed, by the faculty so there's really not much more we can do about that. I trust their decision to do right by their recruitment of medical students as they do right by their patients day in and day out--it's in their best interest because as you said earlier, they're training you to become a mayo physician.
What I do want to ask you is....
Can you elaborate on why Mayo would not be a good place for health policy/development of technology?
Also, can any of the other medical students that roam this thread tell us what you think about the patient mix concerns that wannadoctor brings up? I'm honestly skeptical mainly because as I understand it the most complex cases and people from around the world will show up to places like Mayo to be treated...I'm going to assume that the threshold to admission is low as wannadoctor says until proven otherwise, but I don't necessarily see it as a crippling thing.
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I am actually pretty surprised, with SDN's rather rampant praising of Mayo, that there isn't more commentary going back and forth on the subject. I feel almost out of place just stating things (not necessarily in Mayo's defense), which is odd given the thread.
I'll escort myself out...
I don't have enough time (perhaps another day) to get into a lengthy discussion about this, but this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Search Mayo Center for Innovation or Transform 2012 on Google.
Global Health? I know of MANY mission trips that Mayo students, residents, and consultants are involved in many times a year. There are Mayo professorships built around global health and serving underserved populations. I personally by the end of the year will have gone on two of these trips, to Honduras and Dominican Republic, and there are colleagues of mine who have and will go again to Panama.
In regards to the discussion on nepotism, I have heard from a few sources that it has been an issue in the past. There was reportedly even some issues raised with the LCME. However, this is no longer as large of an issue as it supposedly was in the past. There are four of my classmates who have Mayo physician parents. However, they are no different than any of the rest of us and all equivalent in accomplishments. In this year's incoming class, I have heard there is about the same number 3-5. There is no whopping number like 10 or 12 in any recent years.
This is the first time I've posted on SDN, but reading the last couple of pages I thought I would give my honest perspective as a current student.
In the recent past MMS has become a much more nationally visible medical school, with the number of applications increasing by about 20% each year. I think enough has been said about the nepotism, but in the last couple years there has been a huge drop in the number of admitted students who have Mayo physician parents, with four in my class. Furthermore, Mayo makes a strong and earnest attempt to recruit top students from around the country, and many of the students in my class from the Midwest only made it in through the waitlist (and almost all the students with Mayo ties.)
In terms of the training, those who come out of Mayo will come out as Mayo Doctors, and will be very proud of it, but it comes with specifications. Mayo teaches you how to spot the "zebra" cases and deal with them, but you'll never have the type of volume you would experience at hospitals in major cities. A medical student coming out of a midwest state school will be able to spot and diagnose routine issues faster than a Mayo student, but that isn't what Mayo trains its students to do. I knew this coming in, and this was exactly what I wanted from my education, something I am very proud of.
In terms of residencies, I had this conversation with numerous physicians before I made my first medical school choice, but unless you're talking about some ridiculous difference in quality of medical education and facilities, your residency placement and success depends on YOUR motivation and hard work. Mayo has all the resources that HMS has, but the class isn't made up of students with stellar medical school applications who were always hoping to match into an ultra-competitive residency. We certainly have these students, and they will find themselves at elite residencies because they performed in the classroom and pursued research, shadowing, leadership and service the same way they would have in any other school, not because they were in some magical portion of our medical school class.
But I think it all does get at an important point. There are over 5000 applicants who for one reason or other like, love (or maybe dislike) Mayo, but the truth is that what Mayo offers is not for everyone, and the admissions committee approaches applications that way. If applications really are read by a non-medical person (I don't have any specific knowledge on this issue) it would be no surprise because the single defining characteristic of Mayo is that the "patient comes first." So why not use the perspective of a patient?
Don't be offended if you are rejected. Don't feel cocky if you get an interview. Your scores and grades stopped mattering when you got that e-mail. And if I tour or eat lunch with you during interview day I promise I will give you honest answers to all your questions.
P.S. The politicization of the nepotism at Mayo was likely at least partially responsible for much of the recent administrative turnover.
In the recent past MMS has become a much more nationally visible medical school, with the number of applications increasing by about 20% each year. I think enough has been said about the nepotism, but in the last couple years there has been a huge drop in the number of admitted students who have Mayo physician parents, with four in my class. Furthermore, Mayo makes a strong and earnest attempt to recruit top students from around the country, and many of the students in my class from the Midwest only made it in through the waitlist (and almost all the students with Mayo ties.)
In terms of the training, those who come out of Mayo will come out as Mayo Doctors, and will be very proud of it, but it comes with specifications. Mayo teaches you how to spot the "zebra" cases and deal with them, but you'll never have the type of volume you would experience at hospitals in major cities. A medical student coming out of a midwest state school will be able to spot and diagnose routine issues faster than a Mayo student, but that isn't what Mayo trains its students to do. I knew this coming in, and this was exactly what I wanted from my education, something I am very proud of.
In terms of residencies, I had this conversation with numerous physicians before I made my first medical school choice, but unless you're talking about some ridiculous difference in quality of medical education and facilities, your residency placement and success depends on YOUR motivation and hard work. Mayo has all the resources that HMS has, but the class isn't made up of students with stellar medical school applications who were always hoping to match into an ultra-competitive residency. We certainly have these students, and they will find themselves at elite residencies because they performed in the classroom and pursued research, shadowing, leadership and service the same way they would have in any other school, not because they were in some magical portion of our medical school class.
But I think it all does get at an important point. There are over 5000 applicants who for one reason or other like, love (or maybe dislike) Mayo, but the truth is that what Mayo offers is not for everyone, and the admissions committee approaches applications that way. If applications really are read by a non-medical person (I don't have any specific knowledge on this issue) it would be no surprise because the single defining characteristic of Mayo is that the "patient comes first." So why not use the perspective of a patient?
Don't be offended if you are rejected. Don't feel cocky if you get an interview. Your scores and grades stopped mattering when you got that e-mail. And if I tour or eat lunch with you during interview day I promise I will give you honest answers to all your questions.
P.S. The politicization of the nepotism at Mayo was likely at least partially responsible for much of the recent administrative turnover.
I'.
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This thread is starting to get disheartening, not because the minute flaws of Mayo are starting to come out, but because it doesn't seem as friendly an environment as it used to be..
Can we all just agree that nepotism exists everywhere, including Mayo, but that the issue is at least being addressed and slowly resolved at Mayo? And the students who are admitted who have ties to the faculty there, they are just as qualified as any other student fortunate enough to be there. Yes?
I miss the good ol' days of haikus and pizza rolls..
Can we all just agree that nepotism exists everywhere, including Mayo, but that the issue is at least being addressed and slowly resolved at Mayo? And the students who are admitted who have ties to the faculty there, they are just as qualified as any other student fortunate enough to be there. Yes?
I miss the good ol' days of haikus and pizza rolls..
haha fair enough Dextor. I'm sorry I brought down morale on this thread. Again, I was just trying to provide honest insight. I'm taking down my old posts down (fair warning) so this isn't immortalized. Best of luck with this tedious, tedious process!
👍
The last time I heard the world "nepotism" so frequently was studying medieval Europe...
No I completely understand where you're coming from. I'm actually a big proponent of honesty (I'm often brutally honest myself), but I slowly learned that sometimes it's best to just let the person know once and then let it go. No point starting an argument..
But I really do appreciate all your honest feedback. I wish you hadn't taken down your posts so future applicants could actually have a broader perspective of what Mayo is/used to be like, but oh well. Thanks for all your input 🙂
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You know, some people have actually started classes already (namely those in Medical School) and might have other priorities.
I haven't heard this but will check with admissions office.
And ours has 2-3. Definitely over-inflated.
We have 2-3 Mayo offspring and maybe a total of 8-9 from Minnesota (not sure on the exact number). Being from Cali, it is much different here; however, we do have a lot of diversity - I can name people from both coasts of US, students who were born in at least five different countries, as well as people with diverse stories.
Like wisco said (and I corroborate), there is not that many. Maybe there is 12-16 throughout the 4 years of students, but definitely not in one year.
Congratz on the new interview invites! Adcom is reading through lots of applications as of today and there will be a new wave in the near future.
I guess I never really understood, is there a particular reason as to why pizza rolls began overwhelming this thread?
Haha, speaking of which, this may be a dumb question, but how are the food services at Mayo? Do students mainly buy groceries and cook their own meals, eat out, eat at Mayo's cafeteria, etc.? Does Mayo offer any meal plans for its med students?
Again, I back up that there are 3 or 4 students who have parents as physicians. Of them, I can easily say that they work very hard and their accomplishments are greater than mine; one of these individuals also got in off of the waitlist.
As for the other stuff, the center for innovation is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen in my life. It is the future of medicine with programs (I can't say as I might get sued for giving away trade secrets or something) that are awesome! Also, as wisco mentioned there are tons of trips to foreign nations and medical missions.
This is a great summary. 👍
HE'S ALIVE!
Yes, got swallowed by the first two weeks of histo + biochem and genetics. Midterm next week
A lot of my classmates cook for themselves. I live in a place minutes from campus downtown so I eat out a lot as I can't cook 🙄
We have a cafeteria next to the school that has decent food for a good price. Plus, with Thursdays on First (kind of like a street fair) I have been eating really well for the past few weeks. Lastly, we have free lunches all the time (got Jimmy John's today from AMA) so I would say we eat well.
The quantity of pizza roll-related tabs and windows open that are in addition to the email that were likely not part of the joke make it far funnier than it should have been.
👍
the quantity of pizza roll-related tabs and windows open that are in addition to the email that were likely not part of the joke make it far funnier than it should have been.
+1
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MCAT Range, 10th Percentile - 90th Percentile (Median): 29 - 37 (33)
GPA Range, 10th Percentile - 90th Percentile (Median): 3.54 - 3.99 (3.83)
Mayo is far more forgiving than most top schools.
GPA Range, 10th Percentile - 90th Percentile (Median): 3.54 - 3.99 (3.83)
Mayo is far more forgiving than most top schools.
According to the MSAR, last year's 10th percentile was a 29, so I guess the lowest could be a 28 or even 27?
Interesting how we answered the same question differently haha
The "lowest possible" acceptance is a question only the admissions committee knows the answer to. While the 10th percentile may be a representable sample, the 0th percentile could be anything, really. Considering a disadvantaged URM with an exceptional history/story but a poorer education, the possible bottom MCAT could easily be in the low 20s, but is not a number you should pay any attention to.
Haha I wasn't insinuating you didn't answer his question. I just thought this as a small example of diversity and differences in interpretation
Careful, or your email inbox will start getting spammed by Howard!
yaay interview invite 🙂
Congrats 🙂
When were your LOR received if you don't mind me asking?
I was complete 7/24
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No, its been a month. They are still offering interviews and rejecting people for them 7/6 group. You will hear from them when they are ready to tell you where you stand. Until then, just be patient.
No essay!
Good luck to everyone applying!
I just got accepted !!!!! I was going to Mayo, but turned them down- hate cold weather so I'm heading South of The Border !!! I'm SO stoked !!!!!
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