2012-2013 Panic Thread

BU Medical Sciences
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This thread is scaring the living bejeezus out of me. It is really damn hard to get into med school... makes me wonder if the whole process is worth putting myself through.
 
SiriusA said:
This thread is scaring the living bejeezus out of me. It is really damn hard to get into med school... makes me wonder if the whole process is worth putting myself through.
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Keep in mind though that this thread is just a bunch of us kvetching about the process and is decidedly not an impartial representation of the process. Yes the waiting sucks. Yes the waiting gets worse with each step. Yes it is ridiculously expensive. Yes, for many of us here, we will very likely be applying again and hoping for some good news from waitlists. That being said, many people apply, interview, and get in right away. If you have ok stats and you apply early and broadly you will stand a good shot.


Whether it is worth it to you is an important question to ask, but don't let this thread (or any of pre-allo) sway you too much. Shadow some doctors and if that is what you want to do then go after it.
 
drscholls said:
Keep in mind though that this thread is just a bunch of us kvetching about the process and is decidedly not an impartial representation of the process. Yes the waiting sucks. Yes the waiting gets worse with each step. Yes it is ridiculously expensive. Yes, for many of us here, we will very likely be applying again and hoping for some good news from waitlists. That being said, many people apply, interview, and get in right away. If you have ok stats and you apply early and broadly you will stand a good shot.


Whether it is worth it to you is an important question to ask, but don't let this thread (or any of pre-allo) sway you too much. Shadow some doctors and if that is what you want to do then go after it.
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Yes, but stats-wise a lot of you guys are really qualified. I can't help but think that even getting stats like 3.5 and a 32 is gonna be a huge challenge for me... and after that, I will most likely be facing tons of waitlists and rejections even if I apply broadly like you guys have. 🙁
 
SiriusA said:
Yes, but stats-wise a lot of you guys are really qualified. I can't help but think that even getting stats like 3.5 and a 32 is gonna be a huge challenge for me... and after that, I will most likely be facing tons of waitlists and rejections even if I apply broadly like you guys have. 🙁
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It's tough, but give it your freaking best shot. This means missing out on cool fun things when you have to. It means sacrificing. This isn't a universal, but it largely boils down to how badly you want it. It can be done. Good luck!
 
SiriusA said:
Yes, but stats-wise a lot of you guys are really qualified. I can't help but think that even getting stats like 3.5 and a 32 is gonna be a huge challenge for me... and after that, I will most likely be facing tons of waitlists and rejections even if I apply broadly like you guys have. 🙁
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Sadly, you are right and stats are a very small hurdle. You need the stats but the other aspects matter a whole lot more. With that said, you have to try. If you really want it, you will regret not trying a hell of a lot more than getting rejected.
 
The waiting is bad but the fact that I can't lock up a real job because I have no clue where I will be this fall is even worse...
 
SiriusA said:
I'm actually really worried about my interview skills, too. I'm a sophomore right now and if everything goes well I will be applying next year. What advice do you guys have as to how to prepare?
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For now, just stay up to date on what is happening in the news. When you get an interview, do mock interviews to practice. Come up with basic answers to the main questions, like why medicine or "tell me about yourself." Make sure you research that school and have a bunch of reasons why you are a perfect fit and why you would attend there if given the option. You should also know your application like the back of your hand.

For the interview, I recommend being relaxed the whole time. If your interviewer goes off on a tangent then follow him/her on the trip. If you interrupt or try to take control then the interviewer may mark you down by saying you were interruptive or rude. Just be nice and be able to talk about yourself and you will do fine.
 
I'll be applying this upcoming cycle.
This thread makes me really scared...
omgomgomogmogmogmogmg
 
I like how interviewers tell you, 'Oh, don't worry about the interview, we're just here to make sure you aren't a psycho.' so by that definition, everyone who's rejected is a psycho? I guess arriving to my interviews carrying my chainsaws really gave me away.

Seriously, to the people not applying this cycle already panicking-- STOP. Relax, enjoy your sanity before the circus we call applying to med school begins for you. Many people are fortunate enough to get accepted fairly early on.
 
Anyone making back-up plans if they don't get in off the waitlist? It's hard to commit to a job or anything of the sort without really knowing......

However, I'm also afraid I won't be able to find the type of job I want if I wait till July.
 
photogeek said:
Anyone making back-up plans if they don't get in off the waitlist? It's hard to commit to a job or anything of the sort without really knowing......

However, I'm also afraid I won't be able to find the type of job I want if I wait till July.
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I lined up a paid position in the lab where I already do volunteer research, and I've secured a volunteer position at the hospital near my lab. Going through the process of getting this job has been one of the most sobering and depressing things I've done. I can only imagine how embarrassing it will feel to ask my letter writers for a second letter of recommendation because I wasn't good enough to get in the first time. Oh boy
 
Does the lab your in know you're on a waitlist? I wouldn't want to ditch my employer if I got in off the waitlist after they spent the time to hire me.
 
tarheel1408 said:
I can only imagine how embarrassing it will feel to ask my letter writers for a second letter of recommendation because I wasn't good enough to get in the first time. Oh boy
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Well, I'm about to ask a couple of my letter writers to submit recs for a few post-bac programs -- much worse imo! I'm on a couple waitlists, with a few post-interview decisions pending and 1 interview yet to go, but that first post-bac application deadline is fast approaching, so I need to cover my bases. Feels pretty horrible, though.
 
SilverCat said:
I like how interviewers tell you, 'Oh, don't worry about the interview, we're just here to make sure you aren't a psycho.' so by that definition, everyone who's rejected is a psycho? I guess arriving to my interviews carrying my chainsaws really gave me away.
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The best description I read on SDN about interviews came from LizzyM. She said that each school basically has people ranked on a ladder before the interviews... with a good interview you might be able to move up a rung, or alternatively a bad interview will knock you down a few rungs (or eliminate you entirely if you are socially awkward). The interview does not really ''make or break' your candidacy, and it's very rare for someone low on the ladder to get accepted based on the interview... maybe if you are the most interesting and compelling person your interviewer has ever met, but otherwise nope.
 
wizedw said:
I remember Jefferson told me to send an email every 2-3 weeks to keep expressing interest. Just make sure each letter has some sort of update or additional reason you wish to attend the school. Dont say the same thing over and over.
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That is just ridiculous. Sorry Jefferson, but you're not good enough of a school to expect students to stroke your **** as a part-time job.
 
LadyPengCat said:
Well, I'm about to ask a couple of my letter writers to submit recs for a few post-bac programs -- much worse imo! I'm on a couple waitlists, with a few post-interview decisions pending and 1 interview yet to go, but that first post-bac application deadline is fast approaching, so I need to cover my bases. Feels pretty horrible, though.
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I think that some postbacc programs accept MD letters from interfolio and your AMCAS app... I remember reading about BU's postbacc being like that. :luck: eitherway.
 
You need to look out for yourself and do so in a professional manner. Of all the jobs out there, labs understand what pre-meds are going through. Just apply for jobs and be honest about the process you are in. A good PI or employer probably won't care a whole lot.
 
cookiemonsters said:
The best description I read on SDN about interviews came from LizzyM. She said that each school basically has people ranked on a ladder before the interviews... with a good interview you might be able to move up a rung, or alternatively a bad interview will knock you down a few rungs (or eliminate you entirely if you are socially awkward). The interview does not really ''make or break' your candidacy, and it's very rare for someone low on the ladder to get accepted based on the interview... maybe if you are the most interesting and compelling person your interviewer has ever met, but otherwise nope.
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I feel like that description was very accurate for my interviews. I basically interviewed at two MD schools and two DO schools. If you look at my MDapps you will see that I was not competitive for MD schools mostly because of my GPA but my DO GPA was higher due to grade replacement and that made me a much more competitive DO applicant. So I ended up getting rejected at both MD schools and I was accepted and wait listed at the DO schools. I'm pretty sure I would have made it past the wait list at the second DO school if I had gotten my LORs in sooner but I was told going into the interview that the class was currently full.

Anyways, if you imagine that ladder I was near the bottom rung as an MD applicant so if they accept 50% even with a good interview but not an exceptional interview I would still be near the bottom of the ladder. At the DO schools I was closer to the top of the ladder so having a good interview at those schools was exactly what I needed to secure a spot.
 
Jas1360 said:
I feel like that description was very accurate for my interviews. I basically interviewed at two MD schools and two DO schools. If you look at my MDapps you will see that I was not competitive for MD schools mostly because of my GPA but my DO GPA was higher due to grade replacement and that made me a much more competitive DO applicant. So I ended up getting rejected at both MD schools and I was accepted and wait listed at the DO schools. I'm pretty sure I would have made it past the wait list at the second DO school if I had gotten my LORs in sooner but I was told going into the interview that the class was currently full.

Anyways, if you imagine that ladder I was near the bottom rung as an MD applicant so if they accept 50% even with a good interview but not an exceptional interview I would still be near the bottom of the ladder. At the DO schools I was closer to the top of the ladder so having a good interview at those schools was exactly what I needed to secure a spot.
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I had a different experience from this. I know stats aren't everything but, let's be honest, they carry a lot of weight. My GPA/MCAT are in the 90th percentile of two of the schools that I got waitlisted at and I don't think I blew the interviews so badly that it would knock me that far down the ladder. I don't know what goes on in there but I imagine that the interview has a pretty strong effect on the application overall.
 
TheShaker said:
I had a different experience from this. I know stats aren't everything but, let's be honest, they carry a lot of weight. My GPA/MCAT are in the 90th percentile of two of the schools that I got waitlisted at and I don't think I blew the interviews so badly that it would knock me that far down the ladder. I don't know what goes on in there but I imagine that the interview has a pretty strong effect on the application overall.
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I agree that it is going to vary a lot from school to school. Every school has their own way of ranking applications and they each value different parts of the application. Some schools may use the interview as 50% and some may only use it as 25%.

But you did make wait lists, if you had my stats and the same interview it would be reasonable to think maybe you would not have made the wait list.

All that said, I'm really pulling for you. I don't know you but I see you on the boards and I would love to see you get some good news soon.

Also, on top of interviews, timing is also a factor. Some schools hold open seats all the way through the cycle while other schools offer interviews for a spot on the wait list.
 
Reading this thread reminds me of a dark time in my life. As far as interviews go, my opinion is: **** interviews. Most of the serious research I've seen says that interviews are worthless for predicting professional performance, especially the unfocused, meandering type of interview that is typical of medical school admissions.

And **** a lot of interviewers too. If you're not gonna even bother to read that absurdly long application you made me fill out then don't waste my time with what ends up being the equivalent of a blind date. I've got other stuff I could be doing.

Stay strong guys.
 
there is a lot going behind the scenes. they have to take into demographics of everything into account. Age, race, location, sex, maybe a bunch of stuff lol. i think stats get you looked at, interview is to see if you are a weirdo, and then the decision is on demographics.
 
Really dig the blind date comparison! Never heard it put so well. You click with some, and with others, it's awkward any way you look at it.

My first interview pitted me against two interviewers who seemed more nervous than I was.

"We want you to feel relaxed so..." 😕

Result: rejected.
 
It's no secret that demographics play a large role. AMCAS actually produces a graph about it. @TheShaker Nothing against you, but being a white middle class cookie cutter male might drop you out of the 90%. I'm still surprised you don't have an acceptance, but people like us are a dime a dozen. I really thought my research at NIH and my background in snowboarding and things like that would be worth more than it has proven to be. This process is complete BS but it only takes one acceptance and I'm sure you'll get one. Probability is on your side my friend.
 
jlescher said:
It's no secret that demographics play a large role. AMCAS actually produces a graph about it. @TheShaker Nothing against you, but being a white middle class cookie cutter male might drop you out of the 90%. I'm still surprised you don't have an acceptance, but people like us are a dime a dozen. I really thought my research at NIH and my background in snowboarding and things like that would be worth more than it has proven to be. This process is complete BS but it only takes one acceptance and I'm sure you'll get one. Probability is on your side my friend.
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Lol 🙄.

White man's burden.

I'm a white middle class male applicant, and I don't have any acceptances yet, but seriously? It isn't URMs that are stealing my acceptances, it is the fact that 47,000 people applied to medical school this year.

:luck: For all of us waiting.
 
drscholls said:
Lol 🙄.

White man's burden.

I'm a white middle class male applicant, and I don't have any acceptances yet, but seriously? It isn't URMs that are stealing my acceptances, it is the fact that 47,000 people applied to medical school this year.

:luck: For all of us waiting.
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Yeah with the increase in applications and more people taking the advice of applying broadly, we are getting these type of results. Hoping waitlists move well enough at the end.
 
NCMED101 said:
Yeah with the increase in applications and more people taking the advice of applying broadly, we are getting these type of results. Hoping waitlists move well enough at the end.
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Serious question though, how does one support oneself if forced to re-apply. Getting a medically relevant job for the gap year that pays enough for rent, food and other necessities just doesn't seem like a viable option.
 
dnovikov said:
Serious question though, how does one support oneself if forced to re-apply. Getting a medically relevant job for the gap year that pays enough for rent, food and other necessities just doesn't seem like a viable option.
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Possible to live at home with your parents? That's what I did during this year... I work in the city about 30 miles away and just drive each day.
 
drscholls said:
Lol 🙄.

White man's burden.

I'm a white middle class male applicant, and I don't have any acceptances yet, but seriously? It isn't URMs that are stealing my acceptances, it is the fact that 47,000 people applied to medical school this year.

:luck: For all of us waiting.
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I know haha. I don't know if you read my MD apps but I took time off from school and moved to Colorado to pursue it. I'm not saying the fact that I snowboard is amazing. The fact that I pursued a pipe dream (most people are too afraid to do this), realized my dream wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and subsequently came back to academia and have been fairly successful is pretty unique. I figured people could infer something like that.

47k is only 2k more than last year. That increase isn't going to make a substantial difference in the likelihood of a well qualified applicant gaining admission to a school when they apply to 15-20 schools. That's an acceptance percentage of ~42 last year and ~40% this year. There were also 2-3 new programs opened this year (Riverside, Quinapec, and one in Michigan I believe) so the acceptance percentage probably won't drop at all this year.

And the numbers don't lie. A person that has average numbers on the whole who happens to be white, isn't average. They are below average. You misunderstood what I was saying. It's not that URM are stealing positions. It's that as a white applicant you have to compare your self to other white applicants, not a schools' overall numbers. I'm not complaining about that. It's just the way it is. The only argument against mine is that most med students are white so the stats probably do represent white applicants.
 
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dnovikov said:
Serious question though, how does one support oneself if forced to re-apply. Getting a medically relevant job for the gap year that pays enough for rent, food and other necessities just doesn't seem like a viable option.
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It is feasible. I supported myself and my now wife through two application cycles. Now at least I am making decent income to be able to have done so but at the start of my reapplication cycle I wasn't really. It is sad to say though credit cards will be your friends. If you really want it you can and will do it. PM me if you have any more questions.
 
dnovikov said:
Serious question though, how does one support oneself if forced to re-apply. Getting a medically relevant job for the gap year that pays enough for rent, food and other necessities just doesn't seem like a viable option.
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If you are single and in a small/average city, it is really easy to support yourself. I am working a lab tech job that pays little, but can easily make rent/food. I am also fortunate enough to live close to my parents, so I often get food and other necessities from them when I can. I also rely on them for insurance as well.

Job market is rough, but you should be able to support yourself with some type of tech job. If not try working some part time jobs. The job doesn't have to be medically relevant either. Showing that you are willing to work to support yourself is just as meaningful. Might even separate you from other applicants if you do something cool.
 
The other fact is, most people on here with multiple wait lists spots will get one acceptance by the end of the summer. It's just really stressful not knowing at the moment.
 
dnovikov said:
Serious question though, how does one support oneself if forced to re-apply. Getting a medically relevant job for the gap year that pays enough for rent, food and other necessities just doesn't seem like a viable option.
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If you want to land one of the tech jobs in a lab, you have to email PIs directly and try to make connections. Doing informational interviews helps a lot as well. A PI might not have funding for you but they may pass your CV through the department. Do not expect to apply through university job listings and get position. The odds of this happening are extremely small.
 
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jlescher said:
If you want to land one of the tech jobs in a lab, you have to email PIs directly and try to make connects. Doing informational interviews helps a lot as well. A PI might not have funding for you but they may pass your CV through the department. Do not expect to apply through university job listings and land a position.
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Listen to this man.
 
jlescher said:
It's no secret that demographics play a large role. AMCAS actually produces a graph about it. @TheShaker Nothing against you, but being a white middle class cookie cutter male might drop you out of the 90%. I'm still surprised you don't have an acceptance, but people like us are a dime a dozen. I really thought my research at NIH and my background in snowboarding and things like that would be worth more than it has proven to be. This process is complete BS but it only takes one acceptance and I'm sure you'll get one. Probability is on your side my friend.
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I'm actually a 22 year old Asian. 😉 I just messed around with my demographics a bit to throw people off in case someone tries to identify me. Still though, I think Asians are subject to the same standards as whites in applications and I agree, it might have dropped me down more than I expected.
 
TheShaker said:
I'm actually a 22 year old Asian. 😉 I just messed around with my demographics a bit to throw people off in case someone tries to identify me. Still though, I think Asians are subject to the same standards as whites in applications and I agree, it might have dropped me down more than I expected.
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Hahah classic. Yeah, very similar.
 
Some consolation for your "poor interviewers" out there:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/...iews-narcissism-self-promotion_n_1412206.html

The study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, included two parts. In the first part, 72 people were filmed as they participated in a fake job interview. The researchers found that the narcissistic people in the study promoted themselves more in the job interview than the non-narcissistic people.

When the job interviewer challenged the study participants, the non-narcissistic people backed down a little bit. But the narcissistic people actually became even more self-promotional, "as if they say 'Oh, you're going to challenge me? Then I'm not just great, I'm fantastic,'" study researcher Harms explained in the statement.
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According to the National Institutes of Health, people with narcissistic personality disorder tend to over-sell their achievements or skills, take advantage of others in order to further themselves, don't respond well to criticism or shame, and often disregard others' feelings.
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Another waitlist. And its looking like VTC is a waitlist as well. Grand total of 5 waitlists. Splendid

edit: VTC waitlist is confirmed 🙁
 
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NCMED101 said:
Another waitlist. And its looking like VTC is a waitlist as well. Grand total of 5 waitlists. Splendid

edit: VTC waitlist is confirmed 🙁
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Sorry to hear that. The silver lining is that you have 5! I only have 3.:scared:
 
NCMED101 said:
Another waitlist. And its looking like VTC is a waitlist as well. Grand total of 5 waitlists. Splendid

edit: VTC waitlist is confirmed 🙁
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Looks like we're in this same boat. Just keep updating, begging, pleading, crying on the phone to the admissions secretaries, and maybe something will play out. This is my hope.
 
Sorry about the waitlist guys. How this stuff even happens is beyond me.
 
Rooting for all of you :luck:

Do schools operate on Good Friday? I cannot possibly wait for another week to be rejected just because of that....🙁 heard some rejections already from my schools and yet nothing for me.

3 months wait and counting...
 
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