2020 Cycle Waitlist Support Thread

[wayne_bruce]

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Has anyone here emailed schools that they were rejected from for advice on their application and where to improve on when reapplying? I am not sure if it is too early to be doing this but the next application cycle opens in a week and a half....

I emailed most of the schools I was rejected from asking for advice on my application, and most of them said they don't provide any feedback because of the sheer volume of applications they get. It's probably fine to call/email them now given that the next cycle opens up pretty soon like you said. Your best bet is probably asking your state school. They will also be busy in the coming months trying to prepare for the incoming class while preparing the admissions committee for the 2020-2021 cycle. Hope this helps!

 

[54321boom]

I emailed most of the schools I was rejected from asking for advice on my application, and most of them said they don't provide any feedback because of the sheer volume of applications they get. It's probably fine to call/email them now given that the next cycle opens up pretty soon like you said. Your best bet is probably asking your state school. They will also be busy in the coming months trying to prepare for the incoming class while preparing the admissions committee for the 2020-2021 cycle. Hope this helps!

Thank you! I will reach out to my state school today!

 

[damon99]

Is anyone on a bunch of WL's with no A? I'm on 4! I'm nervous cause I really don't want to reapply, but come May 1st, I'm just gonna have to face reality I guess.

I am also on 4 with no As. I know there is a possibility of reapplying so I’m trying to prepare for that while also staying optimistic that hopefully one of them pulls through!

 

[Alexander Brosef]

Is anyone on a bunch of WL's with no A? I'm on 4! I'm nervous cause I really don't want to reapply, but come May 1st, I'm just gonna have to face reality I guess.

I am also on 4 with no As. I know there is a possibility of reapplying so I’m trying to prepare for that while also staying optimistic that hopefully one of them pulls through!

+1. Hang in there fam

 

[kittytower]

+1. Hang in there fam

+2, the struggle is real.

 

[BCB153]

On a bunch of waitlists too! I can’t believe how many their are on 3+ waitlists with no As this year. It didn’t seem like the case in last years thread


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[BeingForItself]

Also in the multiple-WL, no-A crew. 4 waitlists here and counting down the days to traffic day!

 

[Superelephantt]

Also 4 WL with no A. Let’s all join hands and pray the waitlist gods for that sweet sweet A in the coming weeks!

 

[openstage]

Funny thing about Fridays is that you’re excited because a lot of schools make contact this day, but also depressed because it means a weekend of no emails is just about here!

 

[Jhepp23]

+2, the struggle is real.

+3, anxiety is at an all time high

 

[Largoboy]

On 2 waitlists :/ Anxious is an understatement

 

[CatDad26]

also 4 WL with no acceptance crew... good to see i’m not alone out here, best of luck to us all!!

 

[FutureSawbones]

5 WLs no A's :,)

 

[thehumanamerica]

Just got my third WL after waiting 8 weeks post-interview, and each one has felt like a different stage of grief. Time for bargaining and (hopefully) acceptance I guess?

 

[GA_arYonkees_82]

Just got my third WL after waiting 8 weeks post-interview, and each one has felt like a different stage of grief. Time for bargaining and (hopefully) acceptance I guess?

hang in there. I said it before but I think schools are just going to wait until 5/1 or that week.

they’ve been unbelievably slow due to COVID/other factors. And I personally feel like there is a very high number of people on WL compared to previous years (this is completely from my own experience and not based facts/stats). But as a reapplicant and someone who’s been lurking on SDN for quite some time - this cycle has felt extremely slow.

 

[MindMed_123_A]

Waitlisted at 2 schools currently and its been just a rollercoaster of emotions . Also have noticed that the movement this cycle has been quite slow as compared to previous years which was more active , which is probably due to covid

Every week I anxiously wait until Thursday /Friday only to hear nothing lool and need to push it one more week . Haven’t lost hope yet but getting more anxious with the days passing .

I hope that they still accept many people off the waitlist like previous years and are just waiting to do that all at once ? (A girl can hope )

I just hope it’s not a matter of people holding on to acceptances or schools not accepting as many individuals due to unpredictability of the virus and people not knowing where they are going ? Not quite sure 100% how traffic rules go.

Hope the schools show us all some love soon .. we’re so close yet so far !


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[docrose]

adding to this thread... 5 WL and no A. sorry for the spam, i was excited to find this thread and couldn't help but react to comments as i read them lol. kinda scared tho because it seems it isn't normal for so many WL. but maybe that's a good thing and it'll mean a lot of movement? or does it mean more applicants and less spots? ugh, hoping for the best.

 

[hungry_african]

I’m on 3 WL with 0 A. Fingers crossed for all of us!!

 

[skrrss]

If we get an acceptance this week sometime before 4/30, do we still have to decide by the 30th? How much time do they give you

 

[GA_arYonkees_82]

It may be school specific. I would ask once you receive

 

[boo234]

If we get an acceptance this week sometime before 4/30, do we still have to decide by the 30th? How much time do they give you

if it's before the 30th, I think you still need to stick to the deadline. would def confirm with the school tho and start making pro/con lists for you WL schools bc u have a small window to make a decision after 4/30.

 

[rdyotz]

If we get an acceptance this week sometime before 4/30, do we still have to decide by the 30th? How much time do they give you

School-specific. Usually, you get a week or two. I am sure the acceptance packet will provide a timeframe though.

 

[FutureSawbones]

If we get an acceptance this week sometime before 4/30, do we still have to decide by the 30th? How much time do they give you

This is according to the AMCAS website on trafficking rules for med schools:

On or before April 30, permit ALL applicants (except for EDP applicants):

1. A minimum of two weeks to respond to their acceptance offer.

Application and Acceptance Protocols - Admission Officers

Recommendations to help ensure that all MD and MD-PhD applicants receive timely notification about the outcome of their AMCAS® application. These guidelines are not intended to supersede the policies, timelines, or discretion of individual schools or programs. Applicants are expected to become...

students-residents.aamc.org

 

[deleted1025690]

The amount of support on this thread truly makes me smile. I’ve heard some horror stories about how at times people feel very unsupported or alone when they’re in medical school and even as doctors. It gives me so much hope for the future to see such kind and openly supportive people in this difficult application process! I’m really excited for us you guys, the future of medicine looks so bright! Excuse the cheesiness lol and may we all hear some great news in the coming weeks!

 

[SweetBurger]

ngl just knowing im not alone has done ALOT for my mental health. appreciate all of you no matter what the outcome is. y'all are a wonderful group

 

[Trioxy]

just copped my 4th waitlist folks, let’s get it time to wait lol

Same here

 

[gyngyn]

This is according to the AMCAS website on trafficking rules for med schools:

On or before April 30, permit ALL applicants (except for EDP applicants):

1. A minimum of two weeks to respond to their acceptance offer.

Application and Acceptance Protocols - Admission Officers

Recommendations to help ensure that all MD and MD-PhD applicants receive timely notification about the outcome of their AMCAS® application. These guidelines are not intended to supersede the policies, timelines, or discretion of individual schools or programs. Applicants are expected to become...

students-residents.aamc.org

The AAMC has no intention of enforcing any "rules."
Follow what the school tells you.

 

[expressojoe]

Do regular decisions have to be out before schools start picking off waitlists? I have 2 WL and 1 early March interview that i still haven't heard back from. I'm wondering what the May 1st deadline will mean for that. Thoughts?

 

[rdyotz]

Do regular decisions have to be out before schools start picking off waitlists? I have 2 WL and 1 early March interview that i still haven't heard back from. I'm wondering what the May 1st deadline will mean for that. Thoughts?

No, will, more likely school specific. People come off waitlists while interviews are still being conducted. Every school is different and we can't guess when you'll hear back post interview.

Edit: typo

 

[amarandi]

What is your take on a school that initially stated that they would open their waitlist around mid-May, but unexpectedly opened up earlier this week? I'm thinking it's a good sign, but cautiously optimistic

 

[Med.School.Hopeful]

The amount of support on this thread truly makes me smile. I’ve heard some horror stories about how at times people feel very unsupported or alone when they’re in medical school and even as doctors. It gives me so much hope for the future to see such kind and openly supportive people in this difficult application process! I’m really excited for us you guys, the future of medicine looks so bright! Excuse the cheesiness lol and may we all hear some great news in the coming weeks!

Every doctor that I have shadowed and worked with talked fondly of the relationships they made with fellow students in medical school and have kept in touch with some them. Definitely some supportive people in the medical world! 🙂

 

[AcceptMePl0X]

april 30th cant come any faster , what are u guys doing to keep yourselves busy

 

[openstage]

Here's a game in self control: See if you can go 4 hours without checking here or email. Then when you have lots of notifications it's a bit of a treat! For those fans of Seinfeld, this might remind you of "The Contest." 😆

 

[silvershark3]

april 30th cant come any faster , what are u guys doing to keep yourselves busy

Cooking an absurd amount of lasagna

 

[yaa249]

This thread ... makes me so happy. Currently on 3 waitlists 0 As. Crossing fingers for some movement, anything, anytime. Please.

 

[MindMed_123_A]

april 30th cant come any faster , what are u guys doing to keep yourselves busy

I tried Learning a new hobby , or baking if you like cooking. Takes more focus, so it clears your mind. But with this lockdown, it also keeps you busy. I tried making pretzels at home and they turned out great !! I also tell myself that I won’t hear anything on the weekend , so there’s no point in stressing over a phone call or email . That helps me find peace on the weekends, kick back, and watch some Netflix .

Do what you like though , or what brings you peace ! It goes a long way to helping you relax.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BeingForItself]

april 30th cant come any faster , what are u guys doing to keep yourselves busy

Played Subnautica recently and I've been blown away by how fun
(yet somehow terrifying) it can be to explore a virtual world. Also language learning！

 

[Med.School.Hopeful]

april 30th cant come any faster , what are u guys doing to keep yourselves busy

Not working right now due to COVID-19 since my job is not essential so I've got a lot of free time. Been doing at home HIIT cardio workouts with Beach Body on Demand, reading some interesting books with a psychology perspective, playing a lot of video games on my Xbox, Netflix, learning to cook more with a cookbook my parents got me, and I've got myself some resistance bands for some upper body workouts since I can't go to the gym until who knows when. Also been reading over some SDN threads on preparation for medical school. I won't be studying at all but looking up resources for boards and the best ways to study for pre-clinical. I want to somewhat hit the ground running instead of going in without an idea of what I need to do.

I hope y'all are staying busy and enjoying your time!

 

[green0902]

Hi everyone, I am currently waitlisted at one school, so I am preparing for the very real possibility of another gap year. Does anyone have any recommendations for finding rewarding/relevant premedical jobs? I graduated college in the spring of 2019 and spent this past year working as a medical scribe for an orthopedic surgeon. I was recently furloughed and I am looking for a position to broaden my medical perspective.

im also WL at just one school too and I feel the job search is really hard rn!!

 

[skrrss]

Hi everyone, I am currently waitlisted at one school, so I am preparing for the very real possibility of another gap year. Does anyone have any recommendations for finding rewarding/relevant premedical jobs? I graduated college in the spring of 2019 and spent this past year working as a medical scribe for an orthopedic surgeon. I was recently furloughed and I am looking for a position to broaden my medical perspective.

I worked as an ER scribe during my gap year and loved it! Definitely would recommend for a more diverse clinical experience. You also get really close with some of the docs- especially during overnight shifts- that could turn into a great LOR. Also, I would recommend a community hospital over an academic center so that you will get to see more critical cases/ the docs reach further into different specialities.

 

[FutureSawbones]

april 30th cant come any faster , what are u guys doing to keep yourselves busy

I've been doing lots of baking, running, cleaning, and reading. If anyone is looking for a book recommendation I HIGHLY recommend Emperor of All Maladies by Siddartha Mukherjee if you haven't read it already. It's pretty well known in the medical world. It's about cancer and its super interesting to anyone who likes medicine (aka everyone in this thread).

 

[yerrrrrrrrrrrrr]

I've been doing lots of baking, running, cleaning, and reading. If anyone is looking for a book recommendation I HIGHLY recommend Emperor of All Maladies by Siddartha Mukherjee if you haven't read it already. It's pretty well known in the medical world. It's about cancer and its super interesting to anyone who likes medicine (aka everyone in this thread).

Yes! That, or his other book, The Gene. And also The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (which in my opinion should be required reading for all med students just for the sake of becoming familiar with a major case in empathy and ethics in medicine and research). I am trying to cram in all the reading I can these days, it’s a treat I don’t get to indulge in often 🙂

 

[seasalt99]

If I submit another update letter, do I write this building on previous letter(s) assuming they read these? Or do I need to offer the whole context each time? For example, Ive already said I want to do x activity which is one reason I am really excited about x student organizations/ opportunities. I don’t want the letter to be weaker without all those points, but I also don’t want to be redundant

 

[deleted1025690]

If I submit another update letter, do I write this building on previous letter(s) assuming they read these? Or do I need to offer the whole context each time? For example, Ive already said I want to do x activity which is one reason I am really excited about x student organizations/ opportunities. I don’t want the letter to be weaker without all those points, but I also don’t want to be redundant

The following is just what I did personally and is no way coming from knowing exactly what the right thing to do is haha. But honestly I think redundancy could be frowned upon so I did not repeat anything in my 2 letters to one of my schools. I also had the same concern with my 2nd one being weaker so I decided to make it both an update and letter of Intent as I would attend if Accepted. If that’s the case for you too I think that’s a good way to go! If not and you really think It would be much weaker standing alone then it honestly may not be a significant enough update. But go with what your gut tells you!

 

[KnightDoc]

If I submit another update letter, do I write this building on previous letter(s) assuming they read these? Or do I need to offer the whole context each time? For example, Ive already said I want to do x activity which is one reason I am really excited about x student organizations/ opportunities. I don’t want the letter to be weaker without all those points, but I also don’t want to be redundant

To the extent they look at them at all, I think it's safe to assume they will see all of them when they look, so I'm not sure there is anything to gain by being redundant. For context, it probably won't hurt to mention something you said in a previous letter. On the other hand, if you have nothing new to say, that will also be obvious if they look at two or three letters and they just repeat the same thing over and over. Remember, everything you send is added to a file, so don't assume any single thing you send will be reviewed in a vacuum.

 

[KnightDoc]

This isn’t accurate. Anyone holding more than one PTE after April 30 risks the school rescinding their Acceptance.

No, what you said isn't accurate. There is no such thing as multiple PTEs, there is only multiple As. @fatherofdragons is correct -- the seat isn't open until the applicant withdraws or the school rescinds, neither of which HAS to happen on 4/30, despite the risk of the school doing the latter if the student doesn't do the former.

Although anything is possible, LOTS of schools will reach out to accepted students after 4/30 to confirm their intentions before unilaterally rescinding them if they haven't formally withdrawn, and there cannot be WL movement with respect to these potentially vacant seats until this happens, which could be early on 5/1 or days later, depending on the school's policy and sense of urgency.

 

[proudofmykids]

No, what you said isn't accurate. There is no such thing as multiple PTEs, there is only multiple As. @fatherofdragons is correct -- the seat isn't open until the applicant withdraws or the school rescinds, neither of which HAS to happen on 4/30, despite the risk of the school doing the latter if the student doesn't do the former.

Although anything is possible, LOTS of schools will reach out to accepted students after 4/30 to confirm their intentions before unilaterally rescinding them if they haven't formally withdrawn, and there cannot be WL movement with respect to these potentially vacant seats until this happens, which could be early on 5/1 or days later, depending on the school's policy and sense of urgency.

You are correct, I had a typo, and should have said multiple Acceptances.
But, in reading the SDN, adcoms have cited samples of schools automatically rescinding multiple Acceptance candidates, thus one would be an idiot to risk keeping multiple As after April 30.

 

[KnightDoc]

You are correct, I had a typo, and should have said multiple Acceptances.
But, in reading the SDN, adcoms have cited samples of schools automatically rescinding multiple Acceptance candidates, thus one would be an idiot to risk keeping multiple As after April 30.

What happened to your prior post, and the post it was responding to???

 

[damon99]

To the extent they look at them at all, I think it's safe to assume they will see all of them when they look, so I'm not sure there is anything to gain by being redundant. For context, it probably won't hurt to mention something you said in a previous letter. On the other hand, if you have nothing new to say, that will also be obvious if they look at two or three letters and they just repeat the same thing over and over. Remember, everything you send is added to a file, so don't assume any single thing you send will be reviewed in a vacuum.

At a waitlist info session held by the adcom of one school someone asked this! He said know that they do read your past letters, but they won’t compare them line by line so it would be ok to include some of the same important ideas I’d just change the wording a bit.

 

[Jhepp23]

I worked as an ER scribe during my gap year and loved it! Definitely would recommend for a more diverse clinical experience. You also get really close with some of the docs- especially during overnight shifts- that could turn into a great LOR. Also, I would recommend a community hospital over an academic center so that you will get to see more critical cases/ the docs reach further into different specialities.

Holy crap. I couldn’t describe my experience as an ER scribe in a community hospital any better than this! It has been my most rewarding pre-medical experience by far!