Treating this as a waitlist *emotional* support thread and venting a little. 3.95/521, studied biochemistry, with many research hours and a great LOR from my PI (though no publications), significant and very unique non-clinical work experience, 2000 hours of scribing in an ER with a good LOR from a doctor, very involved in music-related extracurriculars. Only about 60 hours of non-clinical volunteering but oh well. Hated my personal statement and the whole writing process, but then again I've hated every personal statement I've read and I think it got the job done. I knew med school apps were super competitive but I honestly assumed I was guaranteed at least 1 admission.
Applied to 15 schools (planned to do more but burnt out lol), interviewed at 5, and waitlisted at 3, including my top choice from the start. Thought my interviews went pretty well.
No acceptances yet and I feel like I'm going crazy. I've been miserable during my gap year without anything bigger to work towards. I absolutely hate being in this limbo, and I feel guilty for not doing better for everyone who's helped me so far. We are getting evicted from the apartment I grew up in at some undetermined point this year, which adds to the limbo and confusion. I love my ER job but feel like I plateaued w/r/t medical knowledge a while ago, and really want to move forward. It's even more confusing and stressful with the next application cycle approaching - I know I should get working on it, but doing that feels like defeat, and there's a big emotional/mental block stopping me. I also am not sure what I should change, besides minor things and updates, since whatever I did was enough to get me interviews at a third of the schools I applied to.
I also have a lot of shame regarding how I've been reacting to this. I'm having trouble taking it in stride and have been very depressed for a while, much worse over the past week. I know several wonderful doctors who were reapplicants and understand that in the long run, it's not that big of a deal. Still, I feel like I'm having an unusually strong psychological reaction, and am not sure whether it is "normal". I know that waitlists have only just begun to move and there is still a chance to get in, but the rapid mood swings between absolute dejection and "oh, I'll definitely get off at least one" are hard to tolerate. I don't really know what to do!
Anyway, I thought it might help to write all that down. Maybe it'll be of comfort or interest to someone going through something similar, Wishing you all good luck with your waitlists, unless we are on the same waitlist, in which case you are the only thing between me and happiness and I pray on your downfall.