Accepted into Drexel IMS, not sure what to do...

[rb121]

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Let's cut to the chase. I've a 3.44/3.55sgpa 31 MCAT and I've just been accepted into the Drexel IMS Sacramento program. I have applied twice. Last year I received three interviews and three wait lists. This year, I have received 0 interviews, probably due to reapplying too quickly and not doing enough in my gap year to have significant changes in my application. I've been volunteering in community service, in hospitals, and I've taken a science class to prove that I can do well, because the Assistant Dean at Temple told me to. I began this all (probably too late) and included all of this in updates and in my secondaries, but it seems that because I didn't include it in my AMCAS, my application is being overlooked.

I'm not sure what to do. While I'm glad that I have the Drexel IMS acceptance, I'm wary of the 26k price tag and there's always the worry that it won't make a difference in my application, even if I do well. If I applied again with all of these changes on my AMCAS, will I be fine? Do I HAVE to do this SMP? I am not concerned about doing badly in the SMP, I'm just worried that this will be a huge, expensive waste of time.

 

[loltopsy]

If you can do as well as you say in that SMP, you will get into med school likely at Drexel, but that won't be your only option.

 

[rb121]

Yes, but do I need it?

 

[baconshrimps]

Yes, but do I need it?

It sounds like it.
Your GPA and MCAT are borderline acceptable. You are likely getting edged out by people with much better MCAT and/or GPA with stronger EC's.
EC's will only carry you so far in this process.
If you want to be taken more seriously by the ADCOMS, doing well in an SMP/Post-bacc/Masters will likely make the splash that gets their attention.
$26K is nothing in comparison to the debt you will accrue as a medical student anyway, and I wish the Master's program I did only cost me that much.

 

[darklabel]

People with your stats or higher pay ~50k tuition at the one in Georgetown so yeah, sounds like the price tag is worth it.

I would suggest not applying while going through it though. Let your AMCAS application fill up by having more ECs and the grades from the Drexel program. Applying right away and going through it will probably not get you any acceptances since just going through a masters program won't really get you accepted.

Good luck!

 

[rb121]

I can't wait another year. My MCAT will expire and I've no desire to study and take classes for the new MCAT.

 

[baconshrimps]

I can't wait another year. My MCAT will expire and I've no desire to study and take classes for the new MCAT.

Have fun in nursing, dental, or PA school then.

 

[Drakeyboo]

I can't wait another year. My MCAT will expire and I've no desire to study and take classes for the new MCAT.

Maybe talk to drexel adcoms about how many people they automatically admit into their medical school that have completed the SMP in their medical school? Maybe it's like the top 20% of the SMP class or something get automatically admitted? Just research it and ask adcoms

 

[Escape_Goat]

Apply DO. Problem solved.

 

[TreadLightly]

Apply DO. Problem solved.

Not really. He said his mcat will expire before the next cycle and it's already way too late for applications anywhere right now.

 

[rb121]

Nope. Won't go DO. Or nursing, dental, etc. Also I'm a she. The SMP guide thing says to apply while you're in the SMP program, but people here say different so I don't know who to believe.

 

[darklabel]

Nope. Won't go DO. Or nursing, dental, etc. Also I'm a she. The SMP guide thing says to apply while you're in the SMP program, but people here say different so I don't know who to believe.

Any reason as to why?

So you want to apply a 3rd time straight away and the only new thing on your application is that you're in Drexel IMS? If you don't get in anywhere then what will you do? Be forced to retake the MCAT and apply straight away a 4th time?

 

[loltopsy]

Nope. Won't go DO. Or nursing, dental, etc. Also I'm a she. The SMP guide thing says to apply while you're in the SMP program, but people here say different so I don't know who to believe.

For Drexel IMS, you can apply the same year and get a guaranteed interview provided you meet certain academic conditions. You should apply unless there is something seriously significant barring you from even have a slight chance of acceptance, ie no volunteering at all. That is a fact.

Any reason as to why?

It's usually arrogance combined with ignorance.

 

[rb121]

No, it won't be the only new thing. I've been tutoring high-school dropouts in English every week at a community center thing, also I've been volunteering in a hospital since September. So it would be three new things. If I don't get in after the third time, I'm done. I'm 26 already.

 

[loltopsy]

No, it won't be the only new thing. I've been tutoring high-school dropouts in English every week at a community center thing, also I've been volunteering in a hospital since September. So it would be three new things. If I don't get in after the third time, I'm done. I'm 26 already.

Yeah, med school isn't for you if you think that's a lot.

 

[rb121]

Did I say it was a lot? I'm working full-time and I volunteer. I have bills to pay, y'know. I could do without the condescending comments. As for why I won't go to the other things, I've considered DO but I don't want to deal with that kind of prejudice for my whole career. Nursing and dental school do not appeal to me.

 

[darklabel]

For Drexel IMS, you can apply the same year and get a guaranteed interview provided you meet certain academic conditions. You should apply unless there is something seriously significant barring you from even have a slight chance of acceptance, ie no volunteering at all. That is a fact.

Do you know off-hand how many post-interview acceptances there are for Drexel IMS? I usually read that its slightly different from the regular applicant pool (as in higher) but I could be wrong.

Did I say it was a lot? I'm working full-time and I volunteer. I have bills to pay, y'know. I could do without the condescending comments. As for why I won't go to the other things, I've considered DO but I don't want to deal with that kind of prejudice for my whole career. Nursing and dental school do not appeal to me.

Condescending tones aside, many DO residents and attendings say that it is overblown and no one care's. Only thing DO school holds you back is from competitive specialties in the ACGME (like Ortho).

All I'm saying is, throw in an app through AACOMAs as you apply for MD. You can litterally just copy a paste everything and its only 50$ for one DO school in your area. If you'd rather give up your dream of being a physician because of premed mentalities then just don't go to the interview and forget about it. Or just give up like you said.

As for what else you should do, well there's not much else to say. Do Drexel IMS and apply same year and cast a wide net of low - mid tier schools. Research heavily and see how many people from IMS get into an MD school same year.

Good luck!

 

[loltopsy]

Did I say it was a lot? I'm working full-time and I volunteer. I have bills to pay, y'know. I could do without the condescending comments.

I'm not trying to be condescending. I'm telling you that if you don't want to go to med school to the point of it being an irrational obsession, I don't understand why anyone would bother. The amount of bull you have to put up with on a weekly basis is shocking, and I'm not just talking about application cycles. I have classmates who are married with 3 kids. People who drop careers they've been in for over a decade to start over. I have classmates who started at 30. Average age for entry to med school is 24, and you hear lots of stories about 40-50 year olds graduating med school. As someone who's been through IMS, I'm sure it would eat you alive. It is significantly more stressful than any med school can ever be. Knowing that any point you miss on a quiz or exam could cost you admission is torturous.


Boo ****ing hoo.

 

[loltopsy]

Do you know off-hand how many post-interview acceptances there are for Drexel IMS? I usually read that its slightly different from the regular applicant pool (as in higher) but I could be wrong.

Drexel favors their own as heavily as they can. They have cut offs for the guaranteed interview, and it's usually between 15-30 who make the cut every year out of ~140 (only half apply usually for that app cycle). They usually also interview people who didn't make the cut to fill the class out if they need to, so it's not the end of the world if you get a C. Also, a few who make the cut end up going to different med schools usually closer to home.

 

[rb121]

By make the cut, do you mean that they get over a 30 MCAT and a 3.0 GPA? So roughly half of the half that apply make the cut. That's not too terrible.

 

[rb121]

Condescending tones aside, many DO residents and attendings say that it is overblown and no one care's. Only thing DO school holds you back is from competitive specialties in the ACGME (like Ortho).

All I'm saying is, throw in an app through AACOMAs as you apply for MD. You can litterally just copy a paste everything and its only 50$ for one DO school in your area. If you'd rather give up your dream of being a physician because of premed mentalities then just don't go to the interview and forget about it. Or just give up like you said.

As for what else you should do, well there's not much else to say. Do Drexel IMS and apply same year and cast a wide net of low - mid tier schools. Research heavily and see how many people from IMS get into an MD school same year.

Good luck!

But then there are a lot of posts in the DO forums about how clinical education at their schools is terrible...I don't know. Well, I'll think about it. Thanks!

 

[baconshrimps]

For some reason, re-applicants are typically at a disadvantage - in fact, a number of schools do not accept more than 2 applications from the same person.

Heed the words of everyone who has posted in this thread. You have applied twice to no consequence - DO will be a good option for you when you reapply.

I have volunteered in 3 hospitals over the course of 4 years...and not because I am passionate about making pillows and being able to serve in a limited role to help patients that have much bigger problems than my role in the hospital allows me to help. If you think 3 months of volunteering is even so much as a blip on a medical schools radar, you have somehow been misguided through two applications.

Consider applying DO when you reapply, if you want to.....ever become a physician.

 

[rb121]

Well, yes. I've already said that reapplying with my application was a mistake. By the time I apply again, I'll have over a year of experience in each of these volunteering things. I might apply DO, I might not. We'll see.

 

[baconshrimps]

Just keep in mind, improved EC's will only get you so far.

26K is chump change.