2018-2019 Waitlist Support Thread

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Goro said:
This is a good as time as any to share that my 16 year old nephew "JR" is on on a 72 hour psych hold because he expressed suicidal ideations. He probably was indulging in impulsive behavior, but he sure is surprised that when you verbalize suicidal ideation, the wheels of active care start turning, and they don't stop.
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Sorry, hope he can get some help and that he can get past feeling so hopeless
 
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I read through much of this thread and I wanted to pop in and say, after a cycle of rejection and subsequent cycle of being left to rot on waitlists for >5 months: it’s worth waiting for.

In what feels like an instant I’m now three weeks from starting Fourth year, rotating at my dream program and building my residency application just like I did AMCAS eons ago.

Everyone stuck in this purgatory waiting to find out if they’ll be a doctor or not, it’s demoralizing and draining and it eats you every day. I remember that like it was yesterday and I feel your pain.

It gets better. If this cycle is not your turn to get accepted, there will always be another one. And the day you’re accepted, you will know you earned your place in that class. And once you’re in, it’s a clean slate for you to redefine yourself and crush it every step of the way.

Be good to each other here and remember why you’re doing this in the first place: The chance to learn the medicine you always wanted to understand, to find a person suffering and know how to fix them, to see and do with your own hands things that most people will never experience in their lifetime.

If these things are your goal, then there is no “too old” or “too late”. The in-between is merely an inconvenience. The waiting feels like forever I know, but you will look back on how far you’ve come since this struggle and it will always remind you how grateful you are to be where you are.

So ends the unsolicited ramblings of a bored soon-to-be-M4. If there’s anything I can help with or anyone who wants to blow off steam, feel free to PM.
 
Quantum Tunneling Effect said:
@Goro , do you think it is worth it to do a special master program if one has decent stats(3.9+/519) but has graduated from undergrad for a few years. Thanks!
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I can't recommend it. I think trying an app cycle, and perhaps simultaneously taking a few post-bac courses to show that your academic skills aren't rusty would be the best thing.
 
ReturnToMed said:
I did a master's in a nonmedical/science field so idk how it is viewed or if I can give advice. @Goro or @gyngyn how do you all view non science grad degrees?
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What, like art or music? How helpful for MD in showing that you can handle med school, but DO will count gGPOA. The problem is that Adcoms then discount the coursework. The only thing they're good for is Plan B.
 
ReturnToMed said:
Glad to know that this is true and that completing a masters actually counts as something.
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Speaking of biases, there's a fairly pervasive premed bias that Masters effectively count for nothing.

My Masters (non-SMP) has proven tremendously impactful in both med school applications and my career outside the premed realm.

Experience may vary on Masters, I suppose
 
Goro said:
I can't recommend it. I think trying an app cycle, and perhaps simultaneously taking a few post-bac courses to show that your academic skills aren't rusty would be the best thing.
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Do you think retaking the mcat and doing significantly better would also demonstrate this?
 
c_yang said:
One of the best docs I've worked with started med school at 35, and he's doing just fine as the medical director of a decent hospital in MA.
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This helps me a bit. Though as a man, I suspect that there may have been things he didn't have to worry about regarding starting a family. I know modern medicine has come a long way and it isn't as dangerous to have a kid at 40 as it was in the past, but it still makes me nervous since I don't know how the crazy stress of med school/residency (if I get in) will affect me physically.
 
Goro said:
This is a good as time as any to share that my 16 year old nephew "JR" is on on a 72 hour psych hold because he expressed suicidal ideations. He probably was indulging in impulsive behavior, but he sure is surprised that when you verbalize suicidal ideation, the wheels of active care start turning, and they don't stop.
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As someone who has a family member who has been committed for SI, my thoughts are with your family. Some of the best mental healthcare is in inpatient units--my family member found great support groups and was referred to a great psychologist after her predicament. She is doing better now. I hope the same happens for JR.

I hope our families enocurage people joke about SI less often.
 
Goro said:
What, like art or music? How helpful for MD in showing that you can handle med school, but DO will count gGPOA. The problem is that Adcoms then discount the coursework. The only thing they're good for is Plan B.
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a master's med schools usually couple with on their website.
@DilNyethescienceguy
 
ReturnToMed said:
a master's med schools usually couple with on their website.
@DilNyethescienceguy
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I was commenting from the applicant's perspective. All too often throughout SDN and reddit I've seen "non-SMP Masters don't hold much weight in the applicaiton evaluation, etc." I received comments and feedback - during interviews, pre-II R, post-II R- stating the opposite.
 
gyngyn said:
No, it would demonstrate something entirely different.
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When do you think it makes sense to take additional coursework if your gpa is already fine (3.7 +)? Do med schools expect us to take additional classes if we've been out of school for a certain period of time?
 
Gregor_Mendel said:
When do you think it makes sense to take additional coursework if your gpa is already fine (3.7 +)? Do med schools expect us to take additional classes if we've been out of school for a certain period of time?
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There are very few schools that put any type of expiration date on classes.
 
DilNyethescienceguy said:
I was commenting from the applicant's perspective. All too often throughout SDN and reddit I've seen "non-SMP Masters don't hold much weight in the applicaiton evaluation, etc." I received comments and feedback - during interviews, pre-II R, post-II R- stating the opposite.
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Getting a degree that interests you can make you more interesting and gives you more to say in your interview.
They are not a direct adjuvant to an MD application, though
 
gyngyn said:
Getting a degree that interests you can make you more interesting and gives you more to say in your interview.
They are not a direct adjuvant to an MD application, though
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Love the word choice - speaks directly to my Masters!

Thank you for sharing your insight. It's always nice to receive specific feedback from the admissions perspective on how the various components of an MD application are evaluated.
 
So if you send you haven't sent your primary to a school last cycle but you send it this cycle, are you still considered a reapplicant?
 
Pnomnomnom said:
So if you send you haven't sent your primary to a school last cycle but you send it this cycle, are you still considered a reapplicant?
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Some schools ask in their secondaries if you’ve every applied to medical school in the past
 
Gram1027 said:
Just got an email from one of my waitlist schools. At least I only have to worry about 3 waitlists now
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Hopefully the email was good news? If so, Congratz!! If not, it's okay. You still have 3 more chances!
 
pokemon9264 said:
Hopefully the email was good news? If so, Congratz!! If not, it's okay. You still have 3 more chances!
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Thanks! but unfortunately no, it was informing me that I am among those who did not receive an offer of admission from the waitlist this year. Hopefully one of the other 3 will work out.
 
Throwaway21234567 said:
I am happy that you can move on from that school, at least. That is transparency. Very respectable. Not all schools do this
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yea me too. I kinda figured it wasnt going to happen at this school since classes start on Monday, but I appreciate them sending me an email. This late in the cycle I would rather have closure than be kept hanging with the tiniest amount of hope.
 
This was me at the start of the cycle. I was such an optimistic fool back then lol

266111
 
c_yang said:
I’m pretty sure the year prior to last they still reached the bottom tier though. You would think they would at least dip down into the middle tier, but the waitlist has barely moved.
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I'm fairly certain they didn't but either way the point in me saying that, was to illustrate that last year's movement was more the exception than the rule. I don't mean to be a downer but if you are in the bottom 1/3 in Boonshoft's wl, it's better advice to plan like your not getting off and hope for the best... I'll be rooting for me to be wrong tho
 
FlyerScribe said:
I'm fairly certain they didn't but either way the point in me saying that, was to illustrate that last year's movement was more the exception than the rule. I don't mean to be a downer but if you are in the bottom 1/3 in Boonshoft's wl, it's better advice to plan like your not getting off and hope for the best... I'll be rooting for me to be wrong tho
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I understand, and I agree about the bottom third comment. I don't think you're being a downer-- I just think it's realistic with the way things are going at this point. I am curious though-- is there a way that BSOM (or any school) would choose someone that wasn't next in line if they were like "yeah, I can be there tomorrow for the start of classes?" or how does that work? do they still go through the list?
 
c_yang said:
I understand, and I agree about the bottom third comment. I don't think you're being a downer-- I just think it's realistic with the way things are going at this point. I am curious though-- is there a way that BSOM (or any school) would choose someone that wasn't next in line if they were like "yeah, I can be there tomorrow for the start of classes?" or how does that work? do they still go through the list?
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I could see them jumping maybe to balance out thier demographics. Which is probably why they give tiers instead of ranks. I did have Dayton area physician tell me last year Boonshoft was desperately trying to fill thier class. Idk if he was right but he was told me they didn't completely fill. If schools run into a situation this year (bc of new traffic guidelines) where they are scrambling to fill, I could see them jumping. But that probably wouldn't be till closer to orientation. The only thing I know for certain is these new traffic guidelines have got me all up in my feelings.
 
FlyerScribe said:
I could see them jumping maybe to balance out thier demographics. Which is probably why they give tiers instead of ranks. I did have Dayton area physician tell me last year Boonshoft was desperately trying to fill thier class. Idk if he was right but he was told me they didn't completely fill. If schools run into a situation this year (bc of new traffic guidelines) where they are scrambling to fill, I could see them jumping. But that probably wouldn't be till closer to orientation. The only thing I know for certain is these new traffic guidelines have got me all up in my feelings.
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The point of the tier is to "rank" just to clarify.
 
Re-applicant who just got accepted off the waitlist at one of my top choices, and boy does it feel good. I'll be committing to enroll there.

FYI - I think it's possible that there is still movement at higher ranked schools, which should cause a trickle down of acceptances - I was just admitted to a “top 20” - but since the movement seems so scarce, people don't want to post in the school specific threads for fear of their anonymity being exposed. I chose not to post in my school specific thread for that reason. Just something to consider. Best of luck, everyone!
 
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Harambe said:
Re-applicant who just got accepted off the waitlist at one of my top choices, and boy does it feel good. I'll be committing to enroll there.

FYI - I think it's possible that there is still movement at higher ranked schools, which should cause a trickle down of acceptances - I was just admitted to a top 20 - but since the movement seems so scarce, people don't want to post in the school specific threads for fear of their anonymity being exposed. I chose not to post in my school specific thread for that reason. Just something to consider. Best of luck, everyone!
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CONGRATS SHOUT OUT TO HARAMBE RIP
 
Harambe said:
Re-applicant who just got accepted off the waitlist at one of my top choices, and boy does it feel good. I'll be committing to enroll there.

FYI - I think it's possible that there is still movement at higher ranked schools, which should cause a trickle down of acceptances - I was just admitted to a top 20 - but since the movement seems so scarce, people don't want to post in the school specific threads for fear of their anonymity being exposed. I chose not to post in my school specific thread for that reason. Just something to consider. Best of luck, everyone!
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your photo is iconic
 
DoyourBest9 said:
The point of the tier is to "rank" just to clarify.
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I'm not sure the point of this comment but yes a tier is a general rank. But why do tiers instead of giving out numbered rankings? So you can jump around within those tiers if you see the need too. You get a better medical education if you're learning from and with a diverse group bc you get a wider range of view points. If pulling from the wl skews the schools demographics to any which way, that is not ideal. Hence if you do tiers instead of numbered ranks you can account for that. Just to clarify.
 
FlyerScribe said:
I'm not sure the point of this comment but yes a tier is a general rank. But why do tiers instead of giving out numbered rankings? So you can jump around within those tiers if you see the need too. You get a better medical education if you're learning from and with a diverse group bc you get a wider range of view points. If pulling from the wl skews the schools demographics to any which way, that is not ideal. Hence if you do tiers instead of numbered ranks you can account for that. Just to clarify.
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no one disagreed with your comment on diversity in a medical class... relax chief. Thank you for clarifying your point though wish you the best of luck apologize if I came off as rude.
 
Harambe said:
Re-applicant who just got accepted off the waitlist at one of my top choices, and boy does it feel good. I'll be committing to enroll there.

FYI - I think it's possible that there is still movement at higher ranked schools, which should cause a trickle down of acceptances - I was just admitted to a top 20 - but since the movement seems so scarce, people don't want to post in the school specific threads for fear of their anonymity being exposed. I chose not to post in my school specific thread for that reason. Just something to consider. Best of luck, everyone!
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Emory's still having movement?! I was going to call to ask what they'd recommend about reapplication.
 
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