AACOMAS FAQ 2014-2015 Application Cycle

[shim0shim]

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I understand your point, I am just wondering if my application will be discarded by MUCOM if it doesn't reflect my intent to take a sociology course. I know that I need to get the credits done, I don't know if I can register after sending in the primary.... make sense?

No, you'r application will not be discarded. Once, you get those credits done, you will update AACOMAS (if its done before interviews) or the schools (if its done after interviews) with your new transcripts. You cannot list planned courses in aacomas right now if it is not listed in your transcript. The schools just want to know you have done the courses before matriculation. Does that make sense?

 

[nwciowa]

No, you'r application will not be discarded. Once, you get those credits done, you will update AACOMAS (if its done before interviews) or the schools (if its done after interviews) with your new transcripts. You cannot list planned courses in aacomas right now if it is not listed in your transcript. The schools just want to know you have done the courses before matriculation. Does that make sense?

Yup yup. I'll check with the school as well, but I'm sure you are correct. Many thanks.

 

[TheCheerDoc]

For shadowing experiences...what exactly do we write about? Is it supposed to be short and concise? ie: I shadowed a ortho surgeon and observed many sports related and non-sports related injuries. Or do we elaborate even more? ie: looked at x-rays and various other scans with the doctor. Saw "x" surgical procedure.

Thanks!

This was listed on an AMCAS thread last year and I think it's a pretty good way of listing everything. It's the method I followed for both apps....

10. How should I list Physician Shadowing?

Some recommendations when listing physician shadowing: Group all of your shadowing together, giving a total hours for each physician. Additional relevant information such as their title ("MD" or "DO"), level of training if not an attending (resident, fellow, etc.), or other notes about the shadowing (i.e. shadowed only during office hours for a surgeon, only during image reading for a radiologist, etc.) can be included. There's no need to describe what shadowing is.

Here's an example of how shadowing can be listed:
Experience Type: Physician shadowing
Title: Physician Shadowing
Total Hours: Total hours shadowed
Contact info, organization name, and dates: Use the info for the first physician you want to list
Description:
800-000-0000
20 hours in June 2011

Jane Smith, M.D., General Surgeon
New York Surgical Associates
800-000-0000
13 hours in January and February 2011, during general and bariatric office hours

James Smith, M.D., Radiologist
New York Radiology Associates
800-000-0000
7 hours in May 2011, during image reading


Hope this helps! Good luck!

 

[csx]

This was listed on an AMCAS thread last year and I think it's a pretty good way of listing everything. It's the method I followed for both apps....

10. How should I list Physician Shadowing?

Some recommendations when listing physician shadowing: Group all of your shadowing together, giving a total hours for each physician. Additional relevant information such as their title ("MD" or "DO"), level of training if not an attending (resident, fellow, etc.), or other notes about the shadowing (i.e. shadowed only during office hours for a surgeon, only during image reading for a radiologist, etc.) can be included. There's no need to describe what shadowing is.

Here's an example of how shadowing can be listed:
Experience Type: Physician shadowing
Title: Physician Shadowing
Total Hours: Total hours shadowed
Contact info, organization name, and dates: Use the info for the first physician you want to list
Description:
800-000-0000
20 hours in June 2011

Jane Smith, M.D., General Surgeon
New York Surgical Associates
800-000-0000
13 hours in January and February 2011, during general and bariatric office hours

James Smith, M.D., Radiologist
New York Radiology Associates
800-000-0000
7 hours in May 2011, during image reading


Hope this helps! Good luck!

Does AMCAS ask for contact info though? No where on AACOMAS does it ask. I am not sure if this is info we are supposed to provide?

 

[TheCheerDoc]

They do. Overall, I think it's a good way of listing it since adcoms are already familiar with shadowing. However, you seem to have seen some really cool stuff so I don't think it would hurt to describe what you viewed.

 

[shim0shim]

Does AMCAS ask for contact info though? No where on AACOMAS does it ask. I am not sure if this is info we are supposed to provide?

You dont need to add contact info in aacomas.

 

[shim0shim]

When sending requests to recommenders via interfolio, there is an options to "This request is for a confidential letter or evaluation." Are you guys putting a check mark beside it? What difference does it make for the schools?

 

[ah24moosavi]

You dont need to add contact info in aacomas.

How do they verify activities then, if at all?

 

[shim0shim]

How do they verify activities then, if at all?

They may ask for contact information in secondaries or during/after interviews.

 

[WesternRedCedar]

When sending requests to recommenders via interfolio, there is an options to "This request is for a confidential letter or evaluation." Are you guys putting a check mark beside it? What difference does it make for the schools?

You have to click that, if you don't schools won't accept it.

 

[desdes]

When sending requests to recommenders via interfolio, there is an options to "This request is for a confidential letter or evaluation." Are you guys putting a check mark beside it? What difference does it make for the schools?

I know some schools will not accept a letter that is not confidential I had only 2 tell me they would accept one

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

Between my Freshman and Sophomore year I took Physics 1/2 and the lab at a university other than my own. I then had the credit transferred to my actual university (I got to MSU) and it shows up on that transcript as transfer credit. Should I list what it shows on the MSU transcript as transfer credit on the coursework section for MSU,? (there's no grade on the transcript, it just shows that this credit was transferred for equivalent courses at MSU plus I've already listed the courses with their grades in the section for the university where i did take it)
Also how would I categorize those courses (exempted, deferred, etc.)?

You get transcripts for both places where you took classes. Write in the course exactly as it shows on the transcript from the institution that you took it from (not the place you transferred to). You also need to send them transcripts from all places that you took courses.

 

[csx]

How in depth should our shadowing entries be?

Is that all we write and that its assumed adcomms know what shadowing is. Or do we go further in depth on our primaries about what we saw/did/experienced etc? @Goro

 

[Goro]

What I typically see is
Shadowed Dr Franks Jones MD, neurologist for 6 days
Dr Sarah Smith, DO for 3 days, Family Practice.

Something like that. Just who and how long.

How in depth should our shadowing entries be? Also, does shadowing all get listed in one entry or a separate entry for each experience?

For example (short and concise):
"Shadowed doctor and gained insight into the field of neurology."

Is that all we write and that its assumed adcomms know what shadowing is. Or do we go further in depth on our primaries about what we saw/did/experienced etc? @Goro

 

[csx]

does shadowing all get listed in one entry or a separate entry for each experience?

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

does shadowing all get listed in one entry or a separate entry for each experience?

One

 

[csx]

One

What do we put for organization then since it was through multiple practices?

 

[shim0shim]

does shadowing all get listed in one entry or a separate entry for each experience?

I had 2 shadowing experiences and put them as separate entries. The reason for this is that both shadowing experiences contained different activities and different lessons that I learned. While one lasted for years, the other was just one day. One was DO, one was MD.

 

[shim0shim]

I know some schools will not accept a letter that is not confidential I had only 2 tell me they would accept one

Got it, Thanks.

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

What do we put for organization then since it was through multiple practices?

In the description name the hours, the physicians, and the organization for all of your shadowing.

 

[csx]

In the description name the hours, the physicians, and the organization for all of your shadowing.

What do I write in the organization box above the description box?

 

[csx]

I had 2 shadowing experiences and put them as separate entries. The reason for this is that both shadowing experiences contained different activities and different lessons that I learned. While one lasted for years, the other was just one day. One was DO, one was MD.

Goro said this (a few replies up):
What I typically see is
Shadowed Dr Franks Jones MD, neurologist for 6 days
Dr Sarah Smith, DO for 3 days, Family Practice.

Something like that. Just who and how long.

That looks like it's just listed under one entry.

 

[shim0shim]

Goro said this (a few replies up):
What I typically see is
Shadowed Dr Franks Jones MD, neurologist for 6 days
Dr Sarah Smith, DO for 3 days, Family Practice.

Something like that. Just who and how long.

That looks like it's just listed under one entry.

Yes, but there were some unique experiences and lessons that I learned in each experience that I thought will help my application if they are noted in the descriptions. If it is just a few days of typical shadowing than I would note it as Goro suggested.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

You have to click that, if you don't schools won't accept it.

On my Interfolio, it a few of my letters say "LOR from so and so" and 2 of
Mine say "confidential letter from
So and so".

 

[csx]

.

 

[shim0shim]

Hi Guys, I submitted my primaries to bunch of schools june 3. The DO that I shadowed just sent me an e-mail telling me that he will not write me a LOR until my MCAT results come in. The score will not come in until the first week of August. I was sad to hear this because I thought some schools may send me secondaries before receiving my mcat results, and I wanted to submit those right away. But, now that I dont have a DO LOR, I will have to wait until the mcat results come in, so he writes me the letter then submit secondaries. What do you guys think I should do? Is it likely that schools send out secondaries before they receive mcat results?

 

[shim0shim]

Does anyone know whether we can send schools further letters of recommendation after submitting secondaries?

 

[TopTomato]

Hi Guys, I submitted my primaries to bunch of schools june 3. The DO that I shadowed just sent me an e-mail telling me that he will not write me a LOR until my MCAT results come in. The score will not come in until the first week of August. I was sad to hear this because I thought some schools may send me secondaries before receiving my mcat results, and I wanted to submit those right away. But, now that I dont have a DO LOR, I will have to wait until the mcat results come in, so he writes me the letter then submit secondaries. What do you guys think I should do? Is it likely that schools send out secondaries before they receive mcat results?

Some schools will send you secondaries without an MCAT. Check the CIB it'll say which schools. Some only send secondaries to "qualified applicants".

 

[shim0shim]

Some schools will send you secondaries without an MCAT. Check the CIB it'll say which schools. Some only send secondaries to "qualified applicants".

🙁 and without a DO letter, I cannot send secondaries to those schools.. I'd have to wait for my mcat to come in, then for the DO to write the letter before I can submit the secondaries.

 

[shim0shim]

Some schools will send you secondaries without an MCAT. Check the CIB it'll say which schools. Some only send secondaries to "qualified applicants".

Where in the CIB does it give this information?

 

[TopTomato]

Where in the CIB does it give this information?

There should be a part where it says when secondaries are given out. I know some schools give them out to everyone. You can send your secondaries in without a DO letter, however your file will not be considered complete. I'd still send everything in without the letter, and then just tell your letter writer that you're waiting on them for your file to be considered complete.

 

[shim0shim]

Can you change information of the EC descriptions after submitting your application and while it is still in process?

 

[reapplicanthelpme2014]

What are the odds of getting screened out with a subsection score of 6 (verbal)?

 

[ananasmed]

Can you change information of the EC descriptions after submitting your application and while it is still in process?

I have the same question! I stupidly didn't include anything about the types of doctors I shadowed, just the bulk number of hours and a general description of what I did (I was fortunate to participate in a more hands-on way than I had anticipated) and learned. Now I'm panicked because I didn't even mention that I shadowed both MD and DO doctors. I'm getting a LOR from one DO and one MD, so maybe this won't be an issue when those letters accompany my secondaries and the schools will see that I have that experience?

 

[shim0shim]

I have the same question! I stupidly didn't include anything about the types of doctors I shadowed, just the bulk number of hours and a general description of what I did (I was fortunate to participate in a more hands-on way than I had anticipated) and learned. Now I'm panicked because I didn't even mention that I shadowed both MD and DO doctors. I'm getting a LOR from one DO and one MD, so maybe this won't be an issue when those letters accompany my secondaries and the schools will see that I have that experience?

I have emailed aacomas, and I will let you know what they say. In the meantime, I went ahead and made the necessary changes.

 

[ananasmed]

I have emailed aacomas, and I will let you know what they say. In the meantime, I went ahead and made the necessary changes.

Great, thank you. I'm sure the info will be helpful to many applicants.

 

[ortnakas]

Can you change information of the EC descriptions after submitting your application and while it is still in process?

I know from last year that you can change it after it processes (you can add activities too), but I'm not sure if you can edit while it's verifying.

 

[TheCheerDoc]

Sorry if this is a repetitive question. However, I just logged on to AACOMAS and it says my app is verified (transcripts have been in since early may) but I haven't submitted yet. Is this possible or is this a glitch on their part? I also can't edit my grades anymore.

 

[TheCheerDoc]

Also is there any way to see my GPA once my app is verified? I can't find it anywhere....

 

[desdes]

Also is there any way to see my GPA once my app is verified? I can't find it anywhere....

You can see when it is sent to schools

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I forget, what schools other than lecom are uninterested in your letters until after the interview?

 

[Omppu27]

Should I list a publication as it's own EC so that i can list the reference (AMCAS has a space for publications but AACOMAS doesn't...)? I won't have room to include it in my research assistant activity description.

 

[Omppu27]

Other quick Q:

Retook mcat this past thursday and i plan on submitting application on tomorrow. Since AACOMAS already has my ID number from my first MCAT, will the retake automatically be added in? Or will i need to inform schools/AACOMAS when i get the score?

Thanks.

 

[Groggy]

I've been verified but I do not have a release date yet. Should I start bugging the AACOMAS people or wait?

 

[JDMcNugent]

Other quick Q:

Retook mcat this past thursday and i plan on submitting application on tomorrow. Since AACOMAS already has my ID number from my first MCAT, will the retake automatically be added in? Or will i need to inform schools/AACOMAS when i get the score?

Thanks.

You'll have to log into your MCAT THx account and manually request to send to AACOMAS. I believe only AMCAS gets them automatically.

 

[trs88]

I've been verified but I do not have a release date yet. Should I start bugging the AACOMAS people or wait?

They aren't releasing applications until the 3rd week in June but some schools may download it themselves, that usually happens on Tuesdays and would show up on our end on Wednesdays or Thursdays each week. I'm quoting a few others users who said it; they received an e-mail from aacomas saying so, but I didn't get that e-mail.

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

Should I list a publication as it's own EC so that i can list the reference (AMCAS has a space for publications but AACOMAS doesn't...)? I won't have room to include it in my research assistant activity description.

Totes
Make a separate thing, its a big deal.

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

So did yall receive an email or anything after you submitted your application? Or did you only get an email once it was verified? I did not get anything at all (I also checked my spam folder), so I am just double checking that everything looks good.

 

[ALF85]

So did yall receive an email or anything after you submitted your application? Or did you only get an email once it was verified? I did not get anything at all (I also checked my spam folder), so I am just double checking that everything looks good.

I received an e-mail to say that I submitted my application, but did not receive a verification e-mail. This is probably because they had me listed as verified before I submitted my application on the 3rd.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Anyone in here get verified yet that submitted around 2:00am EsT on June 4th?