2013-2014 The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

[beems901]

The company. But it's the first one I've received (I'm sitting only on wait lists) so I'm trying to figure out if it means anything or where it came from.

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[RocDiva4040]

The company. But it's the first one I've received (I'm sitting only on wait lists) so I'm trying to figure out if it means anything or where it came from.

Well congrats! I feel like that definitely indicates good news, but I'm not sure if it's from Brown. It could be though.

 

[beems901]

Well congrats! I feel like that definitely indicates good news, but I'm not sure if it's from Brown. It could be though.

Haha, thanks... *grasping at straws*

Anyone else think it's unexpected that the wait list has been so quiet?

 

[Statefan13]

Hopefully that's a good sign! And yes -- I always thought that Brown had a decent wait list movement?

Hopefully they are just letting the dust settle for a few days before making the selections...

 

[ccreate]

Those who are waitlisted: when you sent in a letter of update/interest/intent, did you hear from any admin staff about the receipt of the letter??

 

[ksyhe]

A friend of mine got off the waitlist yesterday, so there's at least some movement happening!

 

[beems901]

A friend of mine got off the waitlist yesterday, so there's at least some movement happening!

Thanks for the update! D'you know how s/he was notified?

 

[ksyhe]

It was a little hard to decipher the jarble of joy, but I think it was via email.

 

[RocDiva4040]

Those who are waitlisted: when you sent in a letter of update/interest/intent, did you hear from any admin staff about the receipt of the letter??

Yes I got a confirmation email that my letter had been added to my file.

 

[beems901]

Those who are waitlisted: when you sent in a letter of update/interest/intent, did you hear from any admin staff about the receipt of the letter??

Yep, I heard back pretty quickly (within a couple of days) that it had been received.

 

[winterchill]

@beems901 A number of medical schools signed up with Certiphi Screening, Inc. and will background check you once they've accepted you. The official info I received from AMCAS about it was:

"Background checks will begin after January 1 for all conditionally accepted applicants, except for Early Decision Program (EDP) applicants. If you were conditionally accepted under the Early Decision Program, your background check will begin immediately upon your conditional acceptance."

I am fairly certain that you can celebrate. Congratulations!

 

[Azimuthal431]

.

 

[beems901]

Apparently I am still on the waitlist but the background check was sent to expedite the process of approval if and when an offer of admission is made (I checked with admissions this week when I didn't hear anything further from anyone). Have any other WL-ers received the background check request but no other communication from Brown?

 

[RocDiva4040]

Idk if anyone would receive the background check if they've already been accepted into medical school. I got a background request months ago. I only got it once although I got multiple acceptances.

 

[DermViser]

The PLME program sends about 50 students into the med school each year and they are supposedly looking to make it smaller other the upcoming years (word of mouth from a med student at Brown).

Why make it smaller?

 

[Azimuthal431]

Why make it smaller?

I think it has something to do with the new med school building and the new Dean's mission. I'm assuming it will raise the profile of the school even more. By the way, what are your thoughts on Brown/Rhode Island Hospital's derm department? Is it well regarded?

 

[DermViser]

I think it has something to do with the new med school building and the new Dean's mission. I'm assuming it will raise the profile of the school even more. By the way, what are your thoughts on Brown/Rhode Island Hospital's derm department? Is it well regarded?

I think Brown previously didn't even have their own building. I think they've now switched to Pass/Fail grading in the first 2 years. Don't know if it's "true" P/F. They were essentially known as a med school that just happened to have an Ivy League name. Their average board score was at the average - 2010 - was like a 226.

Their Derm program is probably mid-tier. Being Derm alone get's it higher caliber applicants than if it was another specialty. I think they just recruited a Chairman who was an attending at Harvard, likely to try to further build up it's program. If it's any indication - if you look at the people who matched Derm on their match list - none of them matched at Brown.

 

[CyberMaxx]

Apparently I am still on the waitlist but the background check was sent to expedite the process of approval if and when an offer of admission is made (I checked with admissions this week when I didn't hear anything further from anyone). Have any other WL-ers received the background check request but no other communication from Brown?

Wow, this is a bummer for me. I haven't gotten a background check yet (the school that I'm accepted to doesn't do them) so I guess I'm pretty low on their waitlist.

 

[Azimuthal431]

I think Brown previously didn't even have their own building. I think they've now switched to Pass/Fail grading in the first 2 years. Don't know if it's "true" P/F. They were essentially known as a med school that just happened to have an Ivy League name. Their average board score was at the average - 2010 - was like a 226.

Their Derm program is probably mid-tier. Being Derm alone get's it higher caliber applicants than if it was another specialty. I think they just recruited a Chairman who was an attending at Harvard, likely to try to further build up it's program. If it's any indication - if you look at the people who matched Derm on their match list - none of them matched at Brown.

Thanks for your reply. I believe it is true pass/fail first two years, with AOA being primarily determined by STEP 1 and clinical grades. Brown med students were by far the least competitive from what I saw on the interview trail. Many med students I met there were content with going into non-competitive specialties.

You're right about the Derm Chariman they got from Harvard: http://www.lifespan.org/Newsroom/Ne...-Abrar-A-Qureshi-MD-MPH-Chief-of-Dermatology/

It seems like many students match into big name academic hospitals for residency (although I am aware that name does not always correlate with strength of residency programs). How can you explain in light of the fact the avg board score is around 226?

 

[DermViser]

Yes that avg. board score was from here: https://www.rimed.org/medhealthri/2012-10/2012-10-317.pdf

Matching is much more than just a board score, there are other things that factor in, rank in class, AOA, research, etc. I think the Brown name definitely helped (as it's still an Ivy) esp. for those wanting to match in the Northeast. Also there were those that matched at top institutions, even in non-competitive specialties. Overall - their match list seems to be quite strong this year: http://www.brown.edu/academics/medical/about/facts-and-figures/md-14-match-list

 

[CyberMaxx]

Has anyone had any luck with asking admissions about waitlist movement? I've tried calling but it just goes to voicemail. Even though they have always replied to my update letters they have yet to respond to my email inquiring about the waitlist. Have you guys had a different experience?

 

[RocDiva4040]

Every time I've asked about the wait list they just say it's all "very unpredictable". And they never responded to my updates or emails until i sent a third one. I guess by then they were annoyed lol. Yea idk it doesn't seem good for me.

 

[beems901]

Every time I've asked about the wait list they just say it's all "very unpredictable". And they never responded to my updates or emails until i sent a third one. I guess by then they were annoyed lol. Yea idk it doesn't seem good for me.

Same. Any contact I've had has been vaguely hopeful ("hang in there!") but I think at this point they really don't know how many (if any) open spots they're going to be dealing with week to week. I wonder if they usually send out post-waitlist rejections as the summer progresses?

Good thing I have my re-app to keep my mind off of all this

 

[RocDiva4040]

Emailed Barbara today because I need to put a deposit on an apartment soon and wanted to know my chances. She said honestly it's not looking good and that this year wait list movement is unusually slow and she doesn't know why. So I guess that's it. Giving up on Brown. Just sharing in case anyone else is still holding out.

 

[nyork]

I have a 3.8 gpa but I have recieved a D in a college bio class I took in high school. I took the course in college and got an A+. I also retook genchem I and went from a D to a B+. How would medical schools interpret this?

 

[buckoh24]

Im thinking about applying here next cycle. I have meh stats (505-->511/3.61) and I heard 1/3 of the class comes from Brown undergrad. Is it worth applying? I feel like I fit their mission well.