Applicant rarity/ x factor for t20s

[thorntonjr]

Are these all x factors that common within top 20 classes? Are there really 2 orphanage founders in HMS, ceos of companys, national charity founders, nba athlete?!?

1–2 Applicants (Ultra-rare)​

1. Navy SEAL: 1–2
2. Silver Star Recipient: 1–2
3. Olympian: 1–2
4. NBA Athlete: 0–1
5. Rhodes Scholar: 1–2
6. Famous Actor: 1–2
7. Famous Artist: 1–2
8. Orphanage Founder: 1–2

---

5–15 Applicants (Very rare)​

1. CEO of Biotech Company: 5–10
2. Hedge Fund Founder: 5–10
3. First Author in Nature Publication: 10–20
4. Started International News Outlet Featured by Government Officials: 5–10
5. Funded an African Village with Oil Paintings of Community Members: 5–10
6. 60+ Publications in NJEM, JAMA, Nature, et al.: 5–15
7. Forbes 30 Under 30: 5–10
8. Carnegie Hall Musician: 5–10
9. Founder of International Lit Publication That Has Published Famous Writers: 5–10
10. Goldwater and Churchill Scholar: 5–10
11. Truman and Goldwater Scholar: 5–10

---

10–20 Applicants (Rare)​

1. Started National Charity: 10–20
2. Started Substantial Nonprofit for Impoverished Village Kids: 15–30
3. Hospice Care Founder for Elderly: 10–20

---

15–30 Applicants (Rare)​

1. Firefighter for a Decade+: 15–25
2. Yearly Boston Marathon Qualifier: 15–25
3. Professional Dancer: 15–25
4. Large Nonprofit Co-director of 3 Nonprofits Total: 15–25

---

30–50 Applicants (Rare)​

1. Veteran: 30–50
2. Consulted for Several Top Companies (e.g., Bain, McKinsey): 30–50
3. Worked at CDC for 3 Years: 20–30
4. Veteran with Multiple Middle East Tours: 20–30

---

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[thorntonjr]

Anyone at top 5s can confirm if true?

 

[LunaOri]

We get those sorts of applicants at all schools. What’s your question?

 

[AJS59]

I think you're overestimating things. What even is your question???

Also worry about yourself first and foremost

 

[Chickenpotpiesoup]

Just a heads up: I have NONE of these things and got ~12 T20 interviews, including Harvard, and have gotten into NYU Grossman. Having great stats, lot of interesting experiences, leadership, and research can get you into a top school without having a traditional “X” factor! Just saying to provide hope haha

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Are you looking for history lessons? Is this a game?

1 and 2.

Med School grad to trade scrubs for space suit

Jonny Kim, a Harvard Medical School graduate and former Navy SEAL, has been selected to join NASA’s next astronaut class.

news.harvard.edu

A Silver Star and a Monument for “Super Doc” - Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A.

Alas – not every Jewish mother’s dream! He was unmarried. He was a skydiver and a hunter. And, he turned down that job offer in California to join the Navy at

www.jwv.org

3. Olympians

Medical-student Olympians

A handful of current medical students are either competing in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris — or competed in the Olympic trials. Here are their stories.

www.aamc.org

There are plenty of athletes who get into medical school.

Supporting Prehealth Athlete Applicants: A Conversation with 2024 Advisor of the Year James Wasco, MD - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

4. NBA

Former South Bay Lakers point guard shooting for medical school gets an assist from USC Dornsife

Professional basketball player Marcus Allen looked to an innovative pre-med program designed for students with little or no science background to further his dream of becoming a physician.

dornsife.usc.edu

5. Rhodes. I think it was awarded after matriculation.

Medical Student Named Rhodes Scholar

An HMS student is among the four Harvard students and 32 American men and women named as Rhodes Scholars on Nov. 20. Each will begin study next fall at the University of Oxford in England. HMS first-year Aakash Shah was chosen from among 837 students nominated by 309 colleges and universities...

hms.harvard.edu

6. Actors
Ken Jeong, dude.

Others

14 Super Smart Celebrities Who Studied Law, Medicine, Or Dentistry

Disney Channel star Bridgit Mendler recently graduated from Harvard Law!

www.buzzfeed.com

7. Artists (I don't know what you mean by this, but)

Portrait of the Artist as a Medical Student - InventUM

Medical student Sneha Akurati says her work as an award-winning artist has proven beneficial to her studies at the Miller School.

news.med.miami.edu

Future Proof

From performers to politicians and dancers to doctors, alums attest to the transferable power of Conservatory training.

bostonconservatory.berklee.edu

8. Orphanages... before or after medical school?
If you founded an orphanage while an undergrad, you better have a good plan to transition control without selling out to a v-cap.

The Orphan Doctor: An Interview with Dr. Jane Aronson of Worldwide…

Cooper Pillot sat down with Dr. Jane Aronson, the inspiring Founder of WWO.

www.awmrealestate.com

9. Nature pubs (C/S too). Yawn... common but not impressive actually. Most have no pubs, but one who believes a CNS gets you into medical school is highly misguided. We don't even see that for +PhD programs. Probably the only ones that could carry CNS pubs are postdoc PhDs who want to jump to medicine, and among that group, CNS can be common. But honestly, once you get a CNS authorship, medicine is not really attractive.

[OP is apparently editing on the fly like I do.]
I also notice no one asks about whether they get authorship in journals like JAMA, NEJM, or Lancet. Why is that?

And if you have 60 such pubs, why the heck would you ever denigrate yourself and go to medical school?

There is a lot of politicking to be "first author" of any publication, let alone CNS/JAMA/NEJM/Lancet. It clearly tells us you are an academic-minded person and should have (gotten) a Ph.D. Also, not all Nature pubs are the same: you're telling me someone who discovered a new astronomical anomaly should have an easy time getting into medical school?

10. CEO. "Large company" is relative, but one of the most notable who returned to medical school. Very chill person.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I covered this topic for you. Read. Until you are in admissions, your rankings are completely your value judgment, not the adcoms. This isn't undergrad admissions where shiny objects make the undergrad admissions staff's cats do zoomies. Basically, you're falling prey to the pubcom/influencer marketing machine and not adcom experts.

None of the things listed in the OP are that common or SHOULD be common in the brand name schools, but neither is it common to see low SES individuals in those medical schools. I leave that to the next thread from the OP.

Finding Your Greatest Common Factors with Successful Students - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

If the OP just wants confirmation that they are "not worthy" of being a physician because they don't have any of the above "X factors..."
If the OP believes one should get a free pass at medical school by being a unicorn...
If the OP believes we're all freakin' unicorns having a fun time in medical school...

 

[pierty]

I don't understand the questions asked by this post, or the basic point of it. It should be closed.

9. Nature pubs (C/S too). Yawn... common but not impressive actually. Most have no pubs, but one who believes a CNS gets you into medical school is highly misguided. We don't even see that for +PhD programs. Probably the only ones that could carry CNS pubs are postdoc PhDs who want to jump to medicine, and among that group, CNS can be common. But honestly, once you get a CNS authorship, medicine is not really attractive.

And if you have 60 such pubs, why the heck would you ever denigrate yourself and go to medical school?

There is a lot of politicking to be "first author" of any publication, let alone CNS/JAMA/NEJM/Lancet. It clearly tells us you are an academic-minded person and should have (gotten) a Ph.D. Also, not all Nature pubs are the same: you're telling me someone who discovered a new astronomical anomaly should have an easy time getting into medical school?

I think there are some misunderstandings of the publishing industry and glamour journals, expectations of "post-docs," and what careers people follow after graduate school here. The arrogance and snideness doesn't help.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I don't understand the questions asked by this post, or the basic point of it. It should be closed.

I don't understand the point of this reply. It's riddled with a fundamental lack of understanding of the publishing industry and glamour journals, expectations of "post-docs," and what careers people follow after graduate school. I'm dumbfounded by the arrogance and snideness.

I'll agree that the current topic really doesn't help anyone. 🙂

I am speaking from the adcom desk and my own experiences with it. I agree, the academic publishing industry is totally messed up. We can argue our perspectives in the Ph.D./postdoc career trajectory elsewhere, having a ton of experience there. But these are some of the perspectives one contends with on med school adcoms. Biomed postdocs are being encouraged to go into industry, not medicine.

But the inference is that OP believes having dozens of pubs is rare enough to gain strong consideration for medical school. I mean, why ask if you think having any of the above is a barrier?

 

[pierty]

I'll agree that the current topic really doesn't help anyone. 🙂

I am speaking from the adcom desk and my own experiences with it. I agree, the academic publishing industry is totally messed up. We can argue our perspectives in the Ph.D./postdoc career trajectory elsewhere, having a ton of experience there. But these are some of the perspectives one contends with on med school adcoms.

That's fair. The original post is ambiguous, it's easy to elicit extreme reactionary thinking if it's taken the wrong way.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

That's fair. The original post is ambiguous, it's easy to elicit extreme reactionary thinking.

Thanks. It didn't feel like the OP would be interested in a serious discussion on publishing (or the X factors). I also enjoy the exercise of reacting extremely like it's an improv sketch. 🙂

P.S. Adding to "actors", check out

Medical Improv

Medical Improv is the adaptation of improvisational theater principles and training techniques to improve communication, cognition, and teamwork in the field of medicine.

www.medicalimprov.org

 

[Goro]

Oh Gawd, Walt is back

 

[thorntonjr]

Just a heads up: I have NONE of these things and got ~12 T20 interviews, including Harvard, and have gotten into NYU Grossman. Having great stats, lot of interesting experiences, leadership, and research can get you into a top school without having a traditional “X” factor! Just saying to provide hope haha

what did u have stat reseearch wise?

 

[thorntonjr]

if u had 12/20 top20 interviews im not buying u didnt have something insanely standout on ur app

 

[thorntonjr]

Oh Gawd, Walt is back

im a disciple of walt, but not him

 

[Chickenpotpiesoup]

if u had 12/20 top20 interviews im not buying u didnt have something insanely standout on ur app

Idk what to tell you, I had 2000 research hours in undergrad + fourth author pub,took two gap years to do research, 3.99/522 from a top undergrad. Led two clubs and put a ton of time into them. Won an on-campus award for service/leadership. Have a feeling my rec letters were really good. Maybe I had something super standout and I just don’t realize, but nothing particularly unusual.

 

[thorntonjr]

Idk what to tell you, I had 2000 research hours in undergrad + fourth author pub,took two gap years to do research, 3.99/522 from a top undergrad. Led two clubs and put a ton of time into them. Won an on-campus award for service/leadership. Have a feeling my rec letters were really good. Maybe I had something super standout and I just don’t realize, but nothing particularly unusual.

interesting yeah seems pretty cookie cutter for t20s but good, makes me relieved thanks

 

[Chickenpotpiesoup]

interesting yeah seems pretty cookie cutter for t20s but good, makes me relieved thanks

Write well. I think my writing helped a lot.

 

[thorntonjr]

Write well. I think my writing helped a lot.

will do, thanks

 

[thorntonjr]

That's fair. The original post is ambiguous, it's easy to elicit extreme reactionary thinking if it's taken the wrong way.

what do u mean?

 

[thorntonjr]

Are you looking for history lessons? Is this a game?

1 and 2.

Med School grad to trade scrubs for space suit

Jonny Kim, a Harvard Medical School graduate and former Navy SEAL, has been selected to join NASA’s next astronaut class.

news.harvard.edu

A Silver Star and a Monument for “Super Doc” - Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A.

Alas – not every Jewish mother’s dream! He was unmarried. He was a skydiver and a hunter. And, he turned down that job offer in California to join the Navy at

www.jwv.org

3. Olympians

Medical-student Olympians

A handful of current medical students are either competing in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris — or competed in the Olympic trials. Here are their stories.

www.aamc.org

There are plenty of athletes who get into medical school.

Supporting Prehealth Athlete Applicants: A Conversation with 2024 Advisor of the Year James Wasco, MD - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

4. NBA

Former South Bay Lakers point guard shooting for medical school gets an assist from USC Dornsife

Professional basketball player Marcus Allen looked to an innovative pre-med program designed for students with little or no science background to further his dream of becoming a physician.

dornsife.usc.edu

5. Rhodes. I think it was awarded after matriculation.

Medical Student Named Rhodes Scholar

An HMS student is among the four Harvard students and 32 American men and women named as Rhodes Scholars on Nov. 20. Each will begin study next fall at the University of Oxford in England. HMS first-year Aakash Shah was chosen from among 837 students nominated by 309 colleges and universities...

hms.harvard.edu

6. Actors
Ken Jeong, dude.

Others

14 Super Smart Celebrities Who Studied Law, Medicine, Or Dentistry

Disney Channel star Bridgit Mendler recently graduated from Harvard Law!

www.buzzfeed.com

7. Artists (I don't know what you mean by this, but)

Portrait of the Artist as a Medical Student - InventUM

Medical student Sneha Akurati says her work as an award-winning artist has proven beneficial to her studies at the Miller School.

news.med.miami.edu

Future Proof

From performers to politicians and dancers to doctors, alums attest to the transferable power of Conservatory training.

bostonconservatory.berklee.edu

8. Orphanages... before or after medical school?
If you founded an orphanage while an undergrad, you better have a good plan to transition control without selling out to a v-cap.

The Orphan Doctor: An Interview with Dr. Jane Aronson of Worldwide…

Cooper Pillot sat down with Dr. Jane Aronson, the inspiring Founder of WWO.

www.awmrealestate.com

9. Nature pubs (C/S too). Yawn... common but not impressive actually. Most have no pubs, but one who believes a CNS gets you into medical school is highly misguided. We don't even see that for +PhD programs. Probably the only ones that could carry CNS pubs are postdoc PhDs who want to jump to medicine, and among that group, CNS can be common. But honestly, once you get a CNS authorship, medicine is not really attractive.

[OP is apparently editing on the fly like I do.]
I also notice no one asks about whether they get authorship in journals like JAMA, NEJM, or Lancet. Why is that?

And if you have 60 such pubs, why the heck would you ever denigrate yourself and go to medical school?

There is a lot of politicking to be "first author" of any publication, let alone CNS/JAMA/NEJM/Lancet. It clearly tells us you are an academic-minded person and should have (gotten) a Ph.D. Also, not all Nature pubs are the same: you're telling me someone who discovered a new astronomical anomaly should have an easy time getting into medical school?

10. CEO. "Large company" is relative, but one of the most notable who returned to medical school. Very chill person.

If you founded an orphanage while an undergrad, you better have a good plan to transition control without selling out to a v-cap.
What does that mean lol?

 

[thorntonjr]

I think you're overestimating things. What even is your question???

Also worry about yourself first and foremost

is it worth to apply w no x facta

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If you founded an orphanage while an undergrad, you better have a good plan to transition control without selling out to a v-cap.
What does that mean lol?

AI Google Gemini to the rescue... for entertainment purposes only. Please enjoy the break.

The concept of "orphanages sold to venture capitalists" is not a common practice and is generally considered ethically problematic, as it involves the potential for profit-making from vulnerable children in need of care; there is no widespread scenario where venture capitalists would directly purchase and operate orphanages with the goal of generating financial returns.

Key points to consider:

Ethical Concerns:
Selling an orphanage to a venture capitalist would raise significant ethical issues due to the potential for prioritizing financial gains over the well-being of children in care.

Regulatory Barriers:
Most jurisdictions have strict regulations governing child welfare organizations, making it highly difficult to sell an orphanage to a private entity with the intention of generating profit.

Alternative Models:
If a venture capitalist wants to contribute to child welfare, they might invest in non-profit organizations focused on improving orphanage conditions or developing innovative solutions for child care, rather than directly buying an orphanage.

TL/DR: Seriously?

 

[thorntonjr]

AI Google Gemini to the rescue... for entertainment purposes only. Please enjoy the break.

The concept of "orphanages sold to venture capitalists" is not a common practice and is generally considered ethically problematic, as it involves the potential for profit-making from vulnerable children in need of care; there is no widespread scenario where venture capitalists would directly purchase and operate orphanages with the goal of generating financial returns.

Key points to consider:

Ethical Concerns:
Selling an orphanage to a venture capitalist would raise significant ethical issues due to the potential for prioritizing financial gains over the well-being of children in care.

Regulatory Barriers:
Most jurisdictions have strict regulations governing child welfare organizations, making it highly difficult to sell an orphanage to a private entity with the intention of generating profit.

Alternative Models:
If a venture capitalist wants to contribute to child welfare, they might invest in non-profit organizations focused on improving orphanage conditions or developing innovative solutions for child care, rather than directly buying an orphanage.

TL/DR: Seriously?

oh dang lol i meant just founding one as part of an org or something, i knew someone in previous cycle who did this and got into hms so was wondering

 

[LizzyM]

I knew of a guy, back in the last century, who paid for four years of med school with just the salary he earned playing in the super bowl. Now waiting for Travis Kelce to apply next cycle. 😊

 

[thorntonjr]

I knew of a guy, back in the last century, who paid for four years of med school with just the salary he earned playing in the super bowl. Now waiting for Travis Kelce to apply next cycle. 😊

would football be a red flag, due to brain damage inhibiting their success in med school?

 

[Moko]

Moderator note:

I think this thread has run its course. Locking.

For everyone else, here is a random picture for your time