Can I apply to other medical schools after deferring my admission to one for a year?

[ese2]

I also didn’t enjoy my interview. My interviewer kept awkwardly bringing up my MCAT score and GPA. At one point he even said that he hoped I would choose the school. It made me very uncomfortable. It’s hard for me to want to go to a school that sees me as a way to bring up their stats and nothing more.

Then don't go. Take a gap year, dont get into med school, then regret your life decisions because you let the opportunity to be a doctor slip through your fingers. There's a reason why everyone is disagreeing with you.

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[MedScat]

I'm almost convinced s/he is a troll.

 

[mydogmolly]

I swear to God. If the thought of turning down a med school acceptance ever crosses my mind, I want one of you good people to find me irl and slap me.

 

[Toutie]

My reasons for not liking it are it’s not entirely P/F for the preclinical years, which med students at the other schools I interviewed at told me was a necessity. It has limited research opportunities. The patient population isn’t diverse. It’s in a very boring place that I don’t want to waste my youth in. And I don’t want to be at a disadvantage for residency because prestige plays a factor. I wish it didn’t, but I’ve been told by many that where you go for medical school determines where you’ll go for residency.

Then WHY didn't you just withdraw your application after your interview? You chose to apply to the school in the first place...and you chose to keep your application active after your interview and saw that you didn't like it. You had 2 opportunities to NOT attend this school.

 

[Toutie]

I also didn’t enjoy my interview. My interviewer kept awkwardly bringing up my MCAT score and GPA. At one point he even said that he hoped I would choose the school. It made me very uncomfortable. It’s hard for me to want to go to a school that sees me as a way to bring up their stats and nothing more.

Then WHY didn't you pull your application after your interview? It's really quite simple to do!

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

Not sure if an idiot or a troll. Maybe we should let the thread go on a little longer before the final verdict.

 

[21Rush12]

Either be a doctor, or decline this and we will be waiting to hear all about your reapplication cycle/change of heart/pursuit of MBA in June 2019.

Your attitude has me glad you mentioned it was a traditional interview, because my school does MMI and I’m glad you’re not accepted here.

 

[Gilakend]

After reading your posts I understand why you're waitlisted everywhere

 

[el_duderino]

I suspect OP is right out of college, and why I think most people should take some time for the real world before med school.

 

[Pool]

You shouldn't reapply after getting an MD acceptance. If it were a DO acceptance, that would be a different story. That being said, the sanctimonious posters invoking Godwin's Law and talking about how you'd be a terrible classmate sound pretty insufferable themselves.

 

[theKingLT]

You shouldn't reapply after getting an MD acceptance. If it were a DO acceptance, that would be a different story. That being said, the sanctimonious posters invoking Godwin's Law and talking about how you'd be a terrible classmate sound pretty insufferable themselves.

I think a few jokes were warranted for such a situation, but I would definitely agree the repeated personal attacks by experienced members of the community are unnecessary for someone obviously going through a huge life decision. With that said, the OP also needs to understand that what s/he has is an opportunity that the vast majority of people in the world will never have and even many pre-meds who work at it for years will never have. The implication that school X is a piece of **** is very disrespectful to all the people that have worked hard to get into medical school as well as those who have not been so lucky to get that one acceptance. The question of dropping acceptances in hopes of something better has been asked before and will be asked again, but that doesn't mean the OP can't show a little gratitude for the position s/he is in.

 

[Mr.Monster]

I've often heard that a med school does not define a doctor; a residency does. Keep that in mind before you make the worst decision of your life by turning down an MD acceptance. Remember, only 40% get accepted at all. Count the lucky stars you fell in the upper echelon of applicants.

 

[WingedOx]

You shouldn't reapply after getting an MD acceptance. If it were a DO acceptance, that would be a different story. That being said, the sanctimonious posters invoking Godwin's Law and talking about how you'd be a terrible classmate sound pretty insufferable themselves.

Though to be fair, I did have people with such attitudes in my classes, and they were indeed obnoxious.

 

[DBC03]

OP, I had a similar feeling about one of my schools earlier this year (as some people on SDN who I contacted can attest to). I almost withdrew from the only "throwaway" school I applied to (which I applied as a favor to someone). I thankfully have solid acceptances, but I feel like i can somewhat understand your feeling now. First, do not withdraw if you want any hope of getting off the waitlists. While it's possible that you could withdraw before April 1 and hope for the best with waitlists, if the schools you are waitlisted at get a whiff that you were accepted and backed out of your only MD acceptance, you will likely be barred from acceptance at those schools. It's a frustrating situation and your reasons may seem shallow to others, but may be very real and important to you. At this point you have two options: Continue with this cycle, pray you get off the waitlist, then attend the school you don't wish to go to if you are unsuccessful. Or you could withdraw and risk never attending medical school in the future. You could also apply to DO schools next year if you prefer those. Unfortunately it seems like there's no possibility of you rescinding this acceptance and reapplying with any kind of success next year. So it's a difficult decision to make and somewhat frustrating as you might have applied differently had you known what you know now.

I'll end with what my mentor told me - The medical school is not nearly as important as the medical student. If you have done a good enough job to get onto a few top 20 waitlists, you can likely rock it in medical school. So you must choose what to do at this point - choose wisely. This is the first in a series of difficult and disappointing decisions (just get ready for residency - I've seen a few stories from students at top 20 schools with AOA, honors in most classes, and >250 step scores who didn't match or matched at the bottom of their lists - there are no guarantees in the medical field). It's okay to feel disappointed, but the test of resilience is the ability to move forward in the face of disappointment and make the most of what you see as a less than stellar situation.

 

[TLR123]

Reading this thread made me a little worried about my situation.
Last cycle I was put on a DO waitlist since they had already offered all the seats in their class. Then once they started classes the school gave me an acceptance for this upcoming year. In the past year I reapplied to MD programs and am currently sitting pretty high (<10) on an ordered MD waitlist. Will the MD school be able to see that I have been offered a DO acceptance from last year? Does that effect if/when I get offered acceptance off on the MD waitlist?

 

[el_duderino]

Reading this thread made me a little worried about my situation.
Last cycle I was put on a DO waitlist since they had already offered all the seats in their class. Then once they started classes the school gave me an acceptance for this upcoming year. In the past year I reapplied to MD programs and am currently sitting pretty high (<10) on an ordered MD waitlist. Will the MD school be able to see that I have been offered a DO acceptance from last year? Does that effect if/when I get offered acceptance off on the MD waitlist?

No. You're fine.

 

[21Rush12]

Reading this thread made me a little worried about my situation.
Last cycle I was put on a DO waitlist since they had already offered all the seats in their class. Then once they started classes the school gave me an acceptance for this upcoming year. In the past year I reapplied to MD programs and am currently sitting pretty high (<10) on an ordered MD waitlist. Will the MD school be able to see that I have been offered a DO acceptance from last year? Does that effect if/when I get offered acceptance off on the MD waitlist?

Absolutely nothing to worry about. You should relax knowing you’re in somewhere for sure, you just find out where.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

It is an MD school, but I have my reasons for it not being a good fit for me. So my best bet would be to withdraw and reapply?

No, no, no

Withdrawing after an acceptance to a MD school and then reapplying next year would blacklist you for all the MD schools. They will all know that you had an acceptance, but declined it. They will not interview you. Their concern is that you might do that to them, too. And, imho, they think that if students do what you plan to do, then it will just mess up the system.

Unless you do no longer want to be a doctor, go to school x. Otherwise, you’ll have to try the DO route.


What is the reason that you think that school x won’t be a good fit for you? They’re all the same. The only thing i can imagine is that perhaps you got into one of the religious affiliated MD schools. If so, don’t worry about that at all.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Ok, now I see that you were accepted to your “safety” and you had hopes for Harvard or similar. You don’t like that you’d be the MCAT star at the SOM. You need to get over yourself. Don’t think that you’re going to have a bunch of *****s in your cohort. Yes, they probably do want your MCAT score in addition to them believing that you’re a qualified candidate. So what? Don’t you know that’s how these things work? Nearly all SOMs want to take some high MCAT students to help balance some of the lower MCAT students that they’re accepting.

I get that you had hopes for a big name SOM. Your accepted school is probably your instate public. Go, be a star. Get tippy top step scores and land a big name residency. That’s what will really count.

And don’t think that attending a lesser name school will keep you out of MGH, JHU, UCSF, etc, for residency.

Edited to ask: does some of this go beyond you? Are you in a social situation where your family and peers expect you to go to a Harvard Med-like SOM? Is that what’s also going on?

 

[nezpas]

Have you considered that you might be a used ford pinto of an applicant?

Did that burn come with some ice?

 

[nezpas]

I also didn’t enjoy my interview. My interviewer kept awkwardly bringing up my MCAT score and GPA. At one point he even said that he hoped I would choose the school. It made me very uncomfortable. It’s hard for me to want to go to a school that sees me as a way to bring up their stats and nothing more.

I would have been ECSTATIC if my interviewers gave me this kind of hope when I was interviewing. I guess one man's meat is another man's poison.

OP, please like most people have already said, if your waitlisted schools don't work out, please attend X school and make the best of it. When the cycle started for me, I wanted to go to my state school. After the interview, I already saw myself going there. But I got into an OOS school that I was not initially crazy about. I was grateful for the acceptance but I was still hoping my state school would accept me. However, I started to warm up to the OOS school and after interacting with some of my future classmates, I am very excited and I feel fortunate to be attending that school. Everything happens for a reason. If this acceptance is your ONLY one, take it and run.

 

[dnature4real]

It's human nature to think you can "do better" than what you have.

"Well if I got this, maybe if I try a little harder I can get something better..."

This is so true, my mcat score was average so I thought I wouldn't get into any school, but the moment I got into my lowest ranked school, I felt that I should be getting into my top ranked school

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I also didn’t enjoy my interview. My interviewer kept awkwardly bringing up my MCAT score and GPA. At one point he even said that he hoped I would choose the school. It made me very uncomfortable. It’s hard for me to want to go to a school that sees me as a way to bring up their stats and nothing more.

I would have been ECSTATIC if my interviewers gave me this kind of hope when I was interviewing. I guess one man's meat is another man's poison.

When one of my children was interviewing for PhD programs, she often heard comments about her phenomenal (old) 1590 GRE score. STEM programs are used to seeing perfect Quantative scores, but usually not accompanied with a 790 Verbal score. Did it likely help with admissions. Yep. Did that hurt her feelings? No.

 

[kellbell1995]

Ok, now I see that you were accepted to your “safety” and you had hopes for Harvard or similar. You don’t like that you’d be the MCAT star at the SOM. You need to get over yourself. Don’t think that you’re going to have a bunch of *****s in your cohort. Yes, they probably do want your MCAT score in addition to them believing that you’re a qualified candidate. So what? Don’t you know that’s how these things work? Nearly all SOMs want to take some high MCAT students to help balance some of the lower MCAT students that they’re accepting.

I get that you had hopes for a big name SOM. Your accepted school is probably your instate public. Go, be a star. Get tippy top step scores and land a big name residency. That’s what will really count.

And don’t think that attending a lesser name school will keep you out of MGH, JHU, UCSF, etc, for residency.

Edited to ask: does some of this go beyond you? Are you in a social situation where your family and peers expect you to go to a Harvard Med-like SOM? Is that what’s also going on?

I don’t think the students that attend School X are *****s at all. Some of my friends go there and they’re awesome people. I just said the school isn’t a good fit for me. I didn’t withdraw my app because I thought there was a chance I would receive a merit scholarship based on how my interviewer was acting. Also, I wasn’t hoping for Harvard. I’m still in shock that they ever decided to interview me. That never was and never will be a goal of mine. If I were confident that I could achieve a high STEP score and be the top of my class, then I’d feel better about attending School X. I’m just not sure that I can. I don’t consider myself that smart (apparently none of you do either). My high MCAT score was dumb luck and I was hoping that it would help get me into a top medical school so that I would at least have that to fall back on come time for residency applications. I don’t really have any outside pressure to attend a “prestigious” school. When I applied to School X, my dad told me I wasted my app fee because I would never go there. Now he feels awkward and is pretending to be proud of me but that’s not really a factor in my decision.

 

[Med Ed]

I don’t think the students that attend School X are *****s at all. Some of my friends go there and they’re awesome people. I just said the school isn’t a good fit for me. I didn’t withdraw my app because I thought there was a chance I would receive a merit scholarship based on how my interviewer was acting. Also, I wasn’t hoping for Harvard. I’m still in shock that they ever decided to interview me. That never was and never will be a goal of mine. If I were confident that I could achieve a high STEP score and be the top of my class, then I’d feel better about attending School X. I’m just not sure that I can. I don’t consider myself that smart (apparently none of you do either). My high MCAT score was dumb luck and I was hoping that it would help get me into a top medical school so that I would at least have that to fall back on come time for residency applications. I don’t really have any outside pressure to attend a “prestigious” school. When I applied to School X, my dad told me I wasted my app fee because I would never go there. Now he feels awkward and is pretending to be proud of me but that’s not really a factor in my decision.

If you haven't already, you should read through this allopathic thread: Not excited about my match results.

One of the dirty secrets in medical education and residency training is that presumptions of "fit" and future happiness/misery are largely illusory.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Some of my friends go there and they’re awesome people. I just said the school isn’t a good fit for me. I didn’t withdraw my app because I thought there was a chance I would receive a merit scholarship based on how my interviewer was acting. Also, I wasn’t hoping for Harvard. I’m still in shock that they ever decided to interview me. That never was and never will be a goal of mine. If I were confident that I could achieve a high STEP score and be the top of my class, then I’d feel better about attending School X.

Ok...so it is your state school.

What is this “fit” issue that you’re worried about? Weather? Mandatory class attendance? What? The interviewer shouldn’t be part of the fit concern at all.

Guessing that they withheld the merit offer to see if you were accepted elsewhere. You haven’t been, so they saved money.... Money Management 101

You should be confident that you’ll get a star step score if you put the effort in. While the material is obviously different, you’re an awesome standardized test-taker. You probably did very well on ACT/SAT as well. BUT, either way, even if you went to Harvard or Baylor and you didn’t get a high step score, you’d still be shut out off tippy-top residency programs anyway.

Why did your dad say that? Why was he against School X and believed that you’d never go there before you ever applied? Obviously he expected that your MCAT score would get you into a “better” SOM.

Ok...now that you’ve read all of the posts, do you understand that you must go to School X otherwise your only other options will be DO schools (unless you come off the WL at another)

 

[sss1219]

If I were confident that I could achieve a high STEP score and be the top of my class, then I’d feel better about attending School X. I’m just not sure that I can. I don’t consider myself that smart (apparently none of you do either). My high MCAT score was dumb luck and I was hoping that it would help get me into a top medical school so that I would at least have that to fall back on come time for residency applications. I don’t really have any outside pressure to attend a “prestigious” school. When I applied to School X, my dad told me I wasted my app fee because I would never go there. Now he feels awkward and is pretending to be proud of me but that’s not really a factor in my decision.

1) Think long and hard about whether you want to pursue this field, because the first part of that quote applies to any school you could attend, whether Harvard, School X, or Ross.

2) This is your life, don't let anyone else affect how you feel about your accomplishments. It's easy to think 'I've interviewed at much better schools, so I'm absolutely a higher tier candidate than School X deserves'. But, School X may also have as low as a 5% acceptance rate like many med schools do, so it is truly amazing that you are one of the few to be part of that group. So be proud of yourself!

 

[WingedOx]

I don’t think the students that attend School X are *****s at all. Some of my friends go there and they’re awesome people. I just said the school isn’t a good fit for me. I didn’t withdraw my app because I thought there was a chance I would receive a merit scholarship based on how my interviewer was acting. Also, I wasn’t hoping for Harvard. I’m still in shock that they ever decided to interview me. That never was and never will be a goal of mine. If I were confident that I could achieve a high STEP score and be the top of my class, then I’d feel better about attending School X. I’m just not sure that I can. I don’t consider myself that smart (apparently none of you do either). My high MCAT score was dumb luck and I was hoping that it would help get me into a top medical school so that I would at least have that to fall back on come time for residency applications. I don’t really have any outside pressure to attend a “prestigious” school. When I applied to School X, my dad told me I wasted my app fee because I would never go there. Now he feels awkward and is pretending to be proud of me but that’s not really a factor in my decision.

Name the school.

 

[kellbell1995]

Name the school.

Why

 

[libertyyne]

Why

so we can either acknowledge your fears or tell you that they are overblown.

 

[kellbell1995]

so we can either acknowledge your fears or tell you that they are overblown.

It’s at the bottom of the US News list for ranked med schools, near the unranked ones.

 

[SuaveCardigans]

It’s at the bottom of the US News list for ranked med schools, near the unranked ones.

Your fears are overblown

 

[kellbell1995]

Your fears are overblown

I wish they were. Their match results aren’t encouraging. Last year they didn’t send a single person to a Top 10 pediatrics residency, even though a lot of the class matches into Peds. Who am I to think that I could do it if students before me didn’t?

 

[SuaveCardigans]

I wish they were. Their match results aren’t encouraging. Last year they didn’t send a single person to a Top 10 pediatrics residency, even though a lot of the class matches into Peds. Who am I to think that I could do it if students before me didn’t?

I would be much more concerned about a defeatist attitude/low self confidence than where you go to school. Would that really change if you got into a higher ranked school?

 

[MedScat]

So you'd rather completely screw yourself by trying to defer a year, which would probably result in you not getting in to any other schools than suck it up, go to this school and become a doctor??? Sounds like you really need to reprioritize your life. Why do you even want to be a doctor, for the prestige? Because it doesn't really sound like you want to help anyone else but yourself.

EDIT: name the school

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I wish they were. Their match results aren’t encouraging. Last year they didn’t send a single person to a Top 10 pediatrics residency, even though a lot of the class matches into Peds. Who am I to think that I could do it if students before me didn’t?

Maybe because many people at a state school don't want to go into academics or do research and the top programs in any field gear their residents largely to academic based careers? Match lists are largely an indication of the interests of that class. A lack of "top 10 peds" (what criteria are you even using to determine that? Doximity? lol) doesn't mean there weren't any applicants that were "top ten peds" worthy.

Just name the stupid school already.

 

[kellbell1995]

I would be much more concerned about a defeatist attitude/low self confidence than where you go to school. Would that really change if you got into a higher ranked school?

I don’t have low self-confidence. I’m just a realist. It’s just stupid for me to think that I could do something that people at School X rarely do.

Maybe because many people at a state school don't want to go into academics or do research and the top programs in any field gear their residents largely to academic based careers? Match lists are largely an indication of the interests of that class. A lack of "top 10 peds" (what criteria are you even using to determine that? Doximity? lol) doesn't mean there weren't any applicants that were "top ten peds" worthy.

Just name the stupid school already.

My former research mentor was a clinical fellow. He told me that in order to specialize within Peds, I would need to come from a top 10 residency program. Then he gave me a list of the best programs. I don’t want to match into a top residency program so that I can feel prestigious. I just want to be able to achieve my goals in life.

 

[DocAdams]

My high MCAT score was dumb luck

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

He told me that in order to specialize within Peds

He lied to you. I go to a DO school where we have a home peds program (an AOA program, definitely not "top tier") and the residents specialize all the time. You won't be able to ever achieve your life goals if you turn down this acceptance as you likely will never get another one. I am amazed you are thinking this way. You are literally contemplating throwing your whole career away.

Name the school.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Name the school.

It’s at the bottom of the US News list for ranked med schools, near the unranked ones.

Just to refresh my memory, I looked over the rankings and “near the unranked ones” includes SOMs like Rutgers, Mich State, UTenn, and EVMS. Those are hardly schools that should make you feel that your future path options will be stunted.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

He told me that in order to specialize within Peds, I would need to come from a top 10 residency program.

lol wut?

 

[lpp06]

RE: Step scores - from what I'm told, most students at every school primarily rely on the same materials to study (First Aid, Pathoma, UWorld). There might be slight variations based on having access to NBME questions in lecture tests, but it seems that most students are on an equal playing field regarding STEP prep. Also, your school may not have the highest Step averages, but that could be because the students aren't gunning for 90%tile+.

RE: Residency - there's a lot of bias when it comes to match lists. Many individuals choose to go to schools because of regional preference, so when residency comes around - they'll stay in that area. It doesn't preclude one from moving west/east to get into Stanford/JHU residencies, it's a matter of preference. Remember that non-gunner mentality 2 sentences ago, same force is at play here. The top tier schools are filled with students who are gunners-since-birth, and these gunners are gonna keep gunning for top-tier residencies, likewise - there may not be as many gunners at lower tier schools who simply don't care about matching to a T10 peds program. They didn't get into those peds program because their school didn't prepare them well enough.

RE: Specializing only possible from top 10 peds residency: False Faculty Profiles | Pediatric & Congenital Heart Program : of 4 MD's - 1 did residency in Israel, 1 did residency at IU

Either way, before you decide to defer (DONT DO IT) - you need to ask yourself the following:

• What will I tell schools when they ask why I deferred an acceptance? Will this explanation sound reasonable and not raise any red flags?
• What have I done to further the quality of my application to not run into the same situation next year?

 

[theKingLT]

I don’t have low self-confidence. I’m just a realist. It’s just stupid for me to think that I could do something that people at School X rarely do.

My former research mentor was a clinical fellow. He told me that in order to specialize within Peds, I would need to come from a top 10 residency program. Then he gave me a list of the best programs. I don’t want to match into a top residency program so that I can feel prestigious. I just want to be able to achieve my goals in life.

As DocAdams nicely pointed out, you don't get a high MCAT score out of dumb luck. You are probably better at studying and/or a better standardized test taker than you give yourself credit so there's no reason you can't get great STEP scores. With this in mind you shouldn't be basing this decision on the fact that a previous year didn't match into top 10 peds residencies (which is likely more an indication of that class's career goals than quality of applicants). YouYes, you probably would have better chances at top residencies from a more prestigious school, but at this point you would be hurting your chances way more in declining by the simple fact that you likely will not get another acceptance and WILL NOT BE A DOCTOR. You can't match a top residency if you don't attend medical school. It's really that simple.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

My former research mentor was a clinical fellow. He told me that in order to specialize within Peds, I would need to come from a top 10 residency program. Then he gave me a list of the best programs. I don’t want to match into a top residency program so that I can feel prestigious. I just want to be able to achieve my goals in life.

I think that top 10 is realistic for you because of your ability to test highly and otherwise do very well, but it’s hardly a requirement to a fellowship later to further specialize in peds.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

As DocAdams nicely pointed out, you don't get a high MCAT score out of dumb luck.

True... how’d you do on the ACT/SAT (asking a question that I already know the answer to...)

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

As DocAdams nicely pointed out, you don't get a high MCAT score out of dumb luck. You are probably better at studying and/or a better standardized test score than you give yourself credit so there's no reason you can't get great STEP scores. With this in mind you shouldn't be basing this decision on the fact that a previous year didn't match into top 10 peds residencies (which is likely more an indication of that class's career goals than quality of applicants). YouYes, you probably would have better chances at top residencies from a more prestigious school, but at this point you would be hurting your chances way more in declining by the simple fact that you likely will not get another acceptance and WILL NOT BE A DOCTOR. You can't match a top residency if you don't attend medical school. It's really that simple.

I am reading everything you post in Peppa's voice. It's hilarious.

 

[hebrewBAMmer]

I'm amazed this thread has blown up to nearly 100 posts of people trying to convince someone not to turn down an MD acceptance. You would think that it would be pretty obvious not to do that

 

[siliso]

You cannot defer and reapply. Deferring is -accepting- the offer of a place but delaying your entry for a solid reason. It is not in any way compatible with reapplying anywhere for anything.

I just checked the fellowship match list of my local midwestern State U peds residency. 65% going to subspecialty fellowship. You have been misled.

 

[WingedOx]

so we can either acknowledge your fears or tell you that they are overblown.

My guess is that @kellbell1995 is looking more for validation of her misery than actual advice.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

My guess is that @kellbell1995 is looking more for validation of her misery than actual advice.

What misery? She’s just concerned that a modestly-ranked med school will hurt her residency choices. Hopefully, we’ve convinced her that her residency path is largely determined by her....her step scores, how well she does at her med school, her LORs, and her research.

Obviously, she’d be blacklisted if she tried a do-over. If this ends up being her only acceptance, she must go. Once there, she needs to involve herself with peds docs who are doing research.

Many of her posts have just been from a stance of naïveté....really nothing more.