2015 Nontrad Applicants' Progress Thread

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Just submitted UCSF. Hoping to finish UCSD tomorrow or day after.

I'm slightly disappointed with how my secondary essays were for UCSF. I don't think I did their essay prompts for the JMP justice. I spent a lot of time trying to think of what to write and how to write it and just couldn't do it any longer, so I finished what I had, edited it, and called it a day.

Secondary burnout is real...I can't believe I held it together for so long though.
Members don't see this ad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Inygma said:
Hi all! I am a non-trad, went to law school straight from college (left after 1.5 years to pursue medicine) went straight into a self-made post-bacc, and just finished the May 8th MCAT!

I will be applying June 10th (the day my MCAT score is released). I am hoping the leaving law school thing won't cripple my applications. I am only applying in Southern California, which is scary...but I would be more than happy to attend a D.O. or M.D. progam (I just want to be a doctor!) I have requested all transcripts (as of today), have notified all letter writers of the deadline, and just really need to write my PS now.

Applying: UCR, UCI, UCSD, UCLA, USC, Loma Linda, Western-UCOMP (pomona), and MAYBE Touro- Henderson (if the wife wouldbe willing to move there)

3.73 Cgpa, 3.83 Sgpa; MCAT coming June 10th (I am guessing anywhere between 27-33), which obviously will hurt/help my application at most of the M.D. schools.

MY ECs are kind of weak - 6 months research (no publish); 150 hours in ER volunteer, 50+ hours of shadowing; but I am hoping that it is understandable since I was pursuing a different career originally.

LoR's from Research, work, volunteer, teacher, and shadowing.

Best of luck everyone!
Click to expand...
:thumbup:
 
ConsultantMD said:
Hope everyone had a chill day off! I had lots of out of town guests which was energizing. Also college football is back. So much better that I can have my teams to worry about now too!
Click to expand...
That's funny about the football. I don't like it personally but I can completely appreciate how it's nice to have a distraction!
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Dear Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery,

Thank you for accepting my 3rd author paper. I am glad that I submitted it around Christmas and you finally accepted it now, missing my letter deadline by 3 weeks.

On the other hand, 'my' first paper just got accepted. Certainly helps the motivation for submitting these three completed manuscripts!

(YAYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
ridethecliche said:
Dear Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery,

Thank you for accepting my 3rd author paper. I am glad that I submitted it around Christmas and you finally accepted it now, missing my letter deadline by 3 weeks.

On the other hand, 'my' first paper just got accepted. Certainly helps the motivation for submitting these three completed manuscripts!

(YAYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Click to expand...
congrats!!!
 
Has anyone else had doctors strongly discourage your med school dream?
I work with a BUNCH of MDs and have several doctor friends.
About half are really unhappy with medicine and have this 'you have no idea what you are getting sucked into' mentality.
I'm not discouraged, but I am curious.

Anybody else have Doctor Downers telling you to do, literally, ANYTHING else?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I've got a couple in the family that are like that.
 
GameOfBones said:
Has anyone else had doctors strongly discourage your med school dream?
I work with a BUNCH of MDs and have several doctor friends.
About half are really unhappy with medicine and have this 'you have no idea what you are getting sucked into' mentality.
I'm not discouraged, but I am curious.

Anybody else have Doctor Downers telling you to do, literally, ANYTHING else?
Click to expand...

Coming from law I have got the same "general" answers:

Lawyers: Get out now, I regret this decision (moneys good, lifestyle isnt), I don't like being an attorney

Doctors: I Would never do medical school again, medicine is turning for the worse, but I wouldn't do anything else (other than a different specialty).

Just what I've heard on average
 
GameOfBones said:
Has anyone else had doctors strongly discourage your med school dream?
I work with a BUNCH of MDs and have several doctor friends.
About half are really unhappy with medicine and have this 'you have no idea what you are getting sucked into' mentality.
I'm not discouraged, but I am curious.

Anybody else have Doctor Downers telling you to do, literally, ANYTHING else?
Click to expand...

Was told to consider dentistry by a couple of different docs. Their arguments were purely financial. They said dentists hold up their own independent practices easily, lots of autonomy, and in a country with a downward economy, a "new mouth" is easier to access and afford than any other medical procedure.

doubt any of them would actually do it if they were to do it again, though.
 
The majority of my time has been in the ED, some at a largish hospital in downtown and some at a rural hospital. The docs at the downtown hospital generally disliked their jobs and were rather discouraging while the docs at the rural hospital have all been extremely positive and encouraging.

It is what you make of it.
 
GameOfBones said:
Has anyone else had doctors strongly discourage your med school dream?
I work with a BUNCH of MDs and have several doctor friends.
About half are really unhappy with medicine and have this 'you have no idea what you are getting sucked into' mentality.
I'm not discouraged, but I am curious.

Anybody else have Doctor Downers telling you to do, literally, ANYTHING else?
Click to expand...

YES!!!! One hospitalist where I work went on and on about not becoming a doctor....except maybe derm. Haha
 
Generally work sucks. I've met people from a variety of careers who don't recommend following the same path as them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
GameOfBones said:
Has anyone else had doctors strongly discourage your med school dream?
I work with a BUNCH of MDs and have several doctor friends.
About half are really unhappy with medicine and have this 'you have no idea what you are getting sucked into' mentality.
I'm not discouraged, but I am curious.

Anybody else have Doctor Downers telling you to do, literally, ANYTHING else?
Click to expand...
Yes, I have been advised. Teachers warn would-be teachers; lawyers discourage law school aspirants; physicians feel it incumbent upon them to give the "not what you think and not what it used to be" speech. Lots of changes in the profession--the frustration is understandable and the counsel is well-meant. We may do something like this someday! (In the meantime, hands over ears and "la la la" still works!)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Members don't see this ad :)
Every profession you're gonna find people who like it and people that don't. I've found that the people who went into medicine to follow the "family business" and went it right after undergrad aren't loving it. At the same time the people that decided on their own to follow this path (like us nontrads) enjoy the work. Also side note, haven't met an unhappy dermatologist for whatever that's worth, in fact the derm guy I shadowed told me to go into derm too. I know I wouldn't be happy in any other profession personally, since I worked in other fields before going down this path.
 
IL Pre Med said:
Every profession you're gonna find people who like it and people that don't. I've found that the people who went into medicine to follow the "family business" and went it right after undergrad aren't loving it. At the same time the people that decided on their own to follow this path (like us nontrads) enjoy the work. Also side note, haven't met an unhappy dermatologist for whatever that's worth, in fact the derm guy I shadowed told me to go into derm too. I know I wouldn't be happy in any other profession personally, since I worked in other fields before going down this path.
Click to expand...
Sorry I didn't mean to disparage derm! I just meant that it is known to be a good specialty and that's why it is so competitive.
 
Got a rejection from a school this morning where I thought I fit the mission and spent considerable time on the essays. An hour later I got an interview from my top choice! I'm so thrilled, and it's my first MD interview! I read the email like 15 times and forwarded it to my boyfriend, just because I thought it might have been an accident. Now I have to pretend to work for another 5 hours at my day job. This process is soooooo random.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 8 users
I have an interesting view for this since I'm an academic center that has a few private practice surgeon grandfathered in here. One of them is very vocal about his dislike for the changes in the system, but he's also quite money oriented and doesn't want to give up his quality of life (hah). There's another doctor here that is not happy with the way the system is changing, but much of that is because he sees the changes as forcing him to see many more patients for less pay. The others definitely say that there are challenges, but say they wouldn't trade their job for the world.

I have had a resident tell me to do dentistry instead, whereas another won't stop talking about how cool everything is even though he's a chief resident this year and has been doing this for a while.

I think that research definitely adds a focus to the job and seems to give some of the providers a 'deeper meaning' to their work. They genuinely care about making things better for their patients.

Much like some of the residents and attendings on this board, sometimes the providers don't get along with some of the patients (unreasonable demands, or just stupidly not following simple instructions), but that doesn't change the way they treat them.

I think this really depends on how long providers have been practicing, how those practices were set up, and where they were based. If you're used to everything being a certain way, it sucks when that model becomes unsustainable. It's not unlike other things in the economy though, but they can advocate and change the system as well.

I'm hoping that there are more medical school and residency spots over time, so that case load and volume drops. I think I'd be happier in the long run with a more regular schedule even if that meant lower pay. I think cost of medical school would have to drop for that as well though. It's a bit ridiculous and astronomical especially for people whose parents aren't willing to throw it up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
arainyday said:
Got a rejection from a school this morning where I thought I fit the mission and spent considerable time on the essays. An hour later I got an interview from my top choice! I'm so thrilled, and it's my first MD interview! I read the email like 15 times and forwarded it to my boyfriend, just because I thought it might have been an accident. Now I have to pretend to work for another 5 hours at my day job. This process is soooooo random.
Click to expand...

That seems to be the way it goes! It happened to me as well with my top choice. Congrats!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
kraskadva said:
meh, I'm sure the truly obnoxious ones are mostly avoidable in med school, just like they are on SDN and IRL. Just find the other non-trads and sensible people once you get there.
I had one adcom (from UF) tell me that the non-trads there call themselves 'the circle of elders' and all work together to study and dispense advice to the clueless. Sounded pretty reassuring to me.
Click to expand...

Hahaha this is totally random, but reminds me of my post-bac. We nontrads are in classes with the undergrads, and traditionally are the ones who get the highest scores (we also ask the most questions and facilitate discussion). I think it pisses a lot of the undergrads off cause they sort of just stay away from us, even though we're perfectly friendly and totally willing to work with them. Anyway...at our farewell get-together with some of our younger professors, one of the professors told us that he overhears the undergrads calling us "post-bac nation".
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
arainyday said:
Got a rejection from a school this morning where I thought I fit the mission and spent considerable time on the essays. An hour later I got an interview from my top choice! I'm so thrilled, and it's my first MD interview! I read the email like 15 times and forwarded it to my boyfriend, just because I thought it might have been an accident. Now I have to pretend to work for another 5 hours at my day job. This process is soooooo random.
Click to expand...
Congratulations! I did that with my MCAT score. I printed it out to make sure I wasn't misreading it. Had my husband read it as well. LOL
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
musicalfeet said:
Hahaha this is totally random, but reminds me of my post-bac. We nontrads are in classes with the undergrads, and traditionally are the ones who get the highest scores (we also ask the most questions and facilitate discussion). I think it pisses a lot of the undergrads off cause they sort of just stay away from us, even though we're perfectly friendly and totally willing to work with them. Anyway...at our farewell get-together with some of our younger professors, one of the professors told us that he overhears the undergrads calling us "post-bac nation".
Click to expand...

As a frosh in college, I definitely made fun of two 'old people' that used to ask so many questions in class as I was trying to take a nap. I had a fro, it was super comfy to doze on.

INSTA-PILLOW!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
First rejection today from Pritzker. It was definitely high up on my list.
On the bright side, this means that schools are starting to review my applications.

I'm not too crushed to be honest. I still have to hear back from over 40 places :p
 
ridethecliche said:
First rejection today from Pritzker. It was definitely high up on my list.
On the bright side, this means that schools are starting to review my applications.

I'm not too crushed to be honest. I still have to hear back from over 40 places :p
Click to expand...
Join the club! Looks like they just want stat superstars.
 
Coworker last year was accepted there (and went to JHU) and had a 3.9 or 4.0 with pubs and a 35-37 MCAT.

No hard feelings haha.
 
Yep, it was ~2 weeks from complete to rejected for me at Pritzker.
And I just found out today that I've met the new director of admissions... Guess we didn't hit it off as well as I thought /shrug
At least they process quickly.
 
Atleast this means that my cycle has officially started.

*gong sound*

Or this

 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
ridethecliche said:
Atleast this means that my cycle has officially started.

*gong sound*

Or this

Click to expand...


Sorry to hear that! That's crazy. When i read your secondary (for a different school mind you) i was so impressed. I'm sure a phenomenal school will want you! Pritzker is just going to miss out on all you had to offer. On a side note...based on anecdotal evidence your first II should be arriving soon from your top school!
 
ConsultantMD said:
Join the club! Looks like they just want stat superstars.
Click to expand...

It always amazes me that schools put so much weight on stats vs accomplishments. Especially considering that they all want "leaders" in medicine. Granted they can't have just anybody entering into this profession but seriously... the difference in success (strong class work, completion of medical school, USMLE scores, etc) between 3.7 and a 4.0 and 30-35 students are pretty small right?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Overanxious said:
It always amazes me that schools put so much weight on stats vs accomplishments. Especially considering that they all want "leaders" in medicine. Granted they can't have just anybody entering into this profession but seriously... the difference in success (strong class work, completion of medical school, USMLE scores, etc) between 3.7 and a 4.0 and 30-35 students are pretty small right?
Click to expand...

Agreed! And maybe even a lower gpa haha. For me lol. Silly undergrad.
 
Eh. That's why schools all do it differently. To each their own.
 
Just got an interview invite for USUHS! I got an invite quite a while after others who submitted later than me so keep your head up if you're still awaiting news from your schools!

Edit: also I've been out of the country for a month not checking anything and there are over 300 posts in this thread to catch up on. Woah!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: 13 users
Glycereine said:
Just got an interview invite for USUHS! I got an invite quite a while after others who submitted later than me so keep your head up if you're still awaiting news from your schools!

Edit: also I've been out of the country for a month not checking anything and there are over 300 posts in this thread to catch up on. Woah!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Congrats, I think I remember USUHS being a top choice for you!
 
Currently active duty navy and don't have any desire to get out just want to be a doctor still in. Also some significant pay differences between USUHS and HPSP during school.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Huge shoutout to @Overanxious for helping me finish my last secondary. I'm now done, unless I get drexel, UCLA, and vanderbilt. Thank you so much for the final push as I combated burnout.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Glycereine said:
Just got an interview invite for USUHS! I got an invite quite a while after others who submitted later than me so keep your head up if you're still awaiting news from your schools!

Edit: also I've been out of the country for a month not checking anything and there are over 300 posts in this thread to catch up on. Woah!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

So exciting!! I remembered that it was your only school, so happy you got that interview!
 
Anyone else back in school this week? It is rough! I think I have senioritis yet again.

The class is being held in the same lecture hall where I took my first post-bacc science class wayyyyyy back in Fall 2011. Weird to think how much has changed since then! Glad to not be filled with the self-doubt I had starting down this path.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
threesparrows said:
Anyone else back in school this week? It is rough! I think I have senioritis yet again.

The class is being held in the same lecture hall where I took my first post-bacc science class wayyyyyy back in Fall 2011. Weird to think how much has changed since then! Glad to not be filled with the self-doubt I had starting down this path.
Click to expand...

I have something similar. I feel totally burnt out at work. I'm finally done secondaries though and I'm getting away this weekend. Hoping that I'll be able to get back to the grind and enjoy it.

There are so many awesome things I have left to do that will help me out big time (i.e. need to finish some research to submit for pubs), but I just can't make myself do it right now.

How do you guys deal with that situation?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
threesparrows said:
Anyone else back in school this week? It is rough! I think I have senioritis yet again.

The class is being held in the same lecture hall where I took my first post-bacc science class wayyyyyy back in Fall 2011. Weird to think how much has changed since then! Glad to not be filled with the self-doubt I had starting down this path.
Click to expand...
Yep. Mad senioritis here too. Though at least we've got a shiny new science building...

Mam.Phys.- Don't care & seen all the info before. Been answering questions the prof doesn't know.
Applied Spectroscopy- super easy
PChem- FML
"Senior Seminar"- OMG. you mean I have to watch 15 people give a public presentation for the 1st time. :poke:
Cell Bio lab- easy & pretty pictures, but +1 dumb@ss lab partner
Research- the PI says maybe a pub by spring :)rolleyes: we'll see...) but is cracking the whip in the meantime.

Also asked today to be on 2 committees - 1 to help redesign the Biochem curriculum to get more people to complete it (by my PI/the biochem dir.) and 1 to design a med school/MCAT prep course (by the pre-health advisor who just told somebody who hasn't taken the MCAT to submit their primary this week :eek: )
:cool: apparently some people think I'm competent.
Hopefully the adcoms will get around to reading those LORs soon...
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
ridethecliche said:
How do you guys deal with that situation?
Click to expand...

I have one last publication and a thesis to write up/defend before interviews in 15 days and zero motivation to do so. However, i have massive panic going on. I combat this lack of motivation by structuring every part of my day to ensure i at least accomplish certain tasks on a daily basis.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Yeah I try doing that but I end wasting tine instead. I need to get my schedule back together again and start getting to work between 7-8. Not having to work on secondaries after getting home past 10 will probably help with things. Going to start taking more time for myself during the week instead of staying super late doing research stuff.

I have a lot on my plate right now, so I'm probably going to start turning down new research projects. Currently have to finish a manuscript, do analysis and write a different one, and finalize the patient list for a third study. I've already done over a thousand chart reviews for the last one haha. Then there are two more econ related studies need to do.

That's in addition to day to day stuff.
 
Decided to bite the bullet today and submit my DO app. Just applying to a couple schools so not a huge cost, rounds the total out to 30 schools. Should be fun :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
This week has been nuts for me! New job, a rejection, and another II from the Midwest! Here's to a crazy fall season!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 9 users
GameOfBones said:
Has anyone else had doctors strongly discourage your med school dream?
I work with a BUNCH of MDs and have several doctor friends.
About half are really unhappy with medicine and have this 'you have no idea what you are getting sucked into' mentality.
I'm not discouraged, but I am curious.

Anybody else have Doctor Downers telling you to do, literally, ANYTHING else?
Click to expand...
Yep, I work with a ton of them. In fact, I had people tell me not to go into nursing also (a decade ago). In a way, they were right. The hospital seems to be in a continuous downward spiral of becoming a more and more bureaucratic place to work as government involvement increases, and management can be downright obnoxious at some places (but not all).

But on the other hand, they are wrong. Other jobs have sucked for a long time also. Just because you have an MBA friend who got lucky and is director of such and such and makes 150+ is no reason to downplay medicine. That guy probably took ten years to get to that level (with luck mind you), and he will be one of the first guys layed off when the economy goes the least bit down, and looking at jobs paying 50k a year.

When the recession hit, Doctors did fine, and had the capital and the job security to not only get through it, but take advantage of the awesome real estate deals that were available. Don't let the downers get to you. Nothing in healthcare is as good as it was 20-30 years ago, but that doesn't mean its bad (especially compared to other alternatives). If people would focus on getting to a happier place rather than looking at everyone around them and being jealous, they would feel alot better. There ARE good hospitals and/or practices to work for, you just got to find them. And if you really want to, you can hustle and start your own deal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

N
NonTrad advice needed
Replies
1
Views
522
wysdoc
wysdoc
N
Nontrad - finance to medicine... looking for advice
Replies
1
Views
146
DocJanItor
D
T
School List - Nontrad Veteran 3.2 cGPA, 3.4 sGPA, MCAT 5/10
Replies
4
Views
574
chssoccer7
C
H
Progress Check
Replies
0
Views
303
HopefulDave
H
H
Nontrad trans URM, not enrolled in pre-med yet, interested in plastics
Replies
26
Views
1K
AW125
A
Top