Career Advice

[applicantfailur]

Hey I applied recently to M.D. schools. Applied to about 20 schools(and tried to apply to the least selective schools) and got rejected by all of them. I had 1 interview and just got my rejection letter. I originally had interest in military medicine. I am still interested in medicine but I do not intend to reapply next fall. I would consider D.O. schools if it's not too late now(i checked their deadlines but not sure if they would consider people applying so late). Though I didnt apply to D.O. schools because I have no interest in any "osteopathy". My stats are 37mcat and 3.40gpa.

Right now I am strongly considering just taking time off and going into the army as an infantry officer for 4yrs(and then see if I am still interested in medicine). But if I had been accepted to med school, I would most likely do navy hpsp and then 4yrs as a gmo. In either case I would like to move to europe(i am originally from europe). and i am definitely not interested in becoming a family physician.

So I would like to ask advice on whether (assuming thats possible at all) I could get into D.O. school right now, get my navy sign-on bonus, go to school there in california, and then just stay in the military for 5yrs+ as a dr? And then maybe move to europe and open up a hostel or something?

If i were to do infantry right now, I would pursue business school later on, but I am afraid I could get rejected by business schools also.

thank you for any advice.

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[applicantfailur]

also I have a question about lifestyle, now that I've gotten rejected and really shouldnt be asking this, but i feel it is still important:
could you as a hpsp student, get a private pilot license and just rent and fly a 1 motor plane on the weekends? i feel that as a junior infantry officer you wouldnt be able to do that because you always work during the day(so you wouldnt even have time to get the license) and your salary sucks so you wouldnt really afford to rent a plane as you wish. so do you have it much better as a student with that stipend?

 

[BigNavyPedsGuy]

Wow, you can't be serious about all of this.

If you want to quit medicine after 5 years and open up a hostel, why not just go and open up a hostel right now?
If you want to fly during the day while you're in med school, how would you go to class?
If you don't want practice medicine, why go to med school? I've been there. It's pretty tough. I wouldn't do it if my goal was to quit in five years, move to Europe and open up a hostel.

To everyone else: I'm aware that I just responded to a troll.

 

[dwb8p]

hilarious.

 

[applicantfailur]

Wow, you can't be serious about all of this.

If you want to quit medicine after 5 years and open up a hostel, why not just go and open up a hostel right now?
If you want to fly during the day while you're in med school, how would you go to class?
If you don't want practice medicine, why go to med school? I've been there. It's pretty tough. I wouldn't do it if my goal was to quit in five years, move to Europe and open up a hostel.

To everyone else: I'm aware that I just responded to a troll.

first of all, i can prove to you that i am not a troll. i can take a printscreen of my mcat score and i can take digital camera pics of some of my rejection letters(most ive thrown out but the most recent ones are on my table next to all my books,etc). you really have no reason to ridicule me. make fun of those people who sit on welfare or whatever. so to answer your questions:

1. I do not have the money now to open a hostel. I am an unemployed biology grad. During 5yrs of ~$100k/yr salary as a GMO i could possibly save something. Obviously, I am not dead set on opening a hostel. But I am very serious about moving to Europe eventually. Are you saying that with a medical degree it is absolutely required to get a residency and to work at a hospital in usa? Perhaps. Thats why I was so saddened to have gotten rejected by this med school. I would have considered a residency or medical consulting.
2. Obviously I would not afford to fly every day. But most basic science classes are audio recorded. Some schools (i.e. Buffalo) let their students out at 12pm! I would only need to take the minimum amount of hours to get my private pilot license. My goal would be to take trips somewhere for Thanksgiving, perhaps split the gas with my classmates. Still I asked whether such things are affordable/feasible as a medical student or as a resident? Or do you really lead a spartan lifestyle? How about getting a season pass on some ski resort? I know as an infantry officer, I'll be pretty occupied even while in the garrison.

3. I do want to get a medical education. I did get flat out rejected at the only school that gave me the interview. I certainly would look forward to learning more about physiology/anatomy/etc. 5yrs of practicing medicine(internship+gmo) counts for something,no? Certainly my friends would treat me as a dr after those years, so the education would not go to waste. I think all jobs get boring after 5yrs. But perhaps I would continue beyond those 5yrs. If I go into infantry instead I will also look into reapplying to med schools or business schools after my contract is up. But med schools will look less and less attractive. I am 25years old now.

So please advice.

 

[itsmymango]

Please understand this: DO's are fully licensed physicians, and DO Medical schools are still very competitive to get into, and have admission standards, as well as thousands of applicants who are actually interested in attending their respective universities. It is now almost February, they are not stupid, they will know that this is your "back-up" this LATE in the cycle.

 

[notdeadyet]

All this advice is meant to be constructive....

I am still interested in medicine but I do not intend to reapply next fall. I would consider D.O. schools if it's not too late now(i checked their deadlines but not sure if they would consider people applying so late).

If you are so ho-hum about entering medicine that you wouldn't apply a second time, I wouldn't waste time with a DO degree now, even if they'd let you.

Right now I am strongly considering just taking time off and going into the army as an infantry officer for 4yrs(and then see if I am still interested in medicine).

If you're not sure of medicine as a career, do not pursue it. It takes a lot out of you even if you're certain its your career path. If you're not entirely convinced, it's not going to be a fun path to go eown.

So I would like to ask advice on whether (assuming thats possible at all) I could get into D.O. school right now, get my navy sign-on bonus, go to school there in california, and then just stay in the military for 5yrs+ as a dr? And then maybe move to europe and open up a hostel or something?

Going to medical school with the intention of a five year career would be a monstrously stupid waste of time. Don't do it.

If i were to do infantry right now, I would pursue business school later on, but I am afraid I could get rejected by business schools also.

Highly likely. American MBA programs are different from many European ones in that most of the good ones require significant business experience or absolutely top marks in a related field from a top 10 school. If you have neither of these, you'll probably only be accepted to a mediocre business school. And all the studies I've read have repeatedly confirmed that anything other than top MBA is not worth the financial investment in the end.

 

[notdeadyet]

first of all, i can prove to you that i am not a troll. i can take a printscreen of my mcat score and i can take digital camera pics of some of my rejection letters(most ive thrown out but the most recent ones are on my table next to all my books,etc).

I think I can speak for most of us here by saying "please don't". It's not important.

During 5yrs of ~$100k/yr salary as a GMO i could possibly save something.

Spending five years of training that will occupy about 60-90 hours of your life each week for a job you will only keep for five years working over 40 hours each week for a salary of $100k/year is an absurdly bad business decision. This doesn't bode well for the hostel.

Are you saying that with a medical degree it is absolutely required to get a residency and to work at a hospital in usa?

Yes, you need a residency to work in the hospital in the U.S. Some places will hire you with an internship, but these jobs are so few (and unattractive) as to not be a realistic career path.

My goal would be to take trips somewhere for Thanksgiving, perhaps split the gas with my classmates.

By the time you add in the rental fee for the plane, your classmates would have been much better off flying Southwest. Incidentally, your classmates would be pretty insane to fly cross-country (from one airport to a different airport) with a newly minted pilot they don't know.

Still I asked whether such things are affordable/feasible as a medical student or as a resident? Or do you really lead a spartan lifestyle? How about getting a season pass on some ski resort?

You could squeeze in the time to learn to fly in medical school. You couldn't afford it on financial aid, but if you have mom and dad foot the bill, sure. How spartan your lifestyle is depends on if you're living on financial aid. If you are, and you know how to live cheap, it's fine, but not overly comfortable. You can pop for a season pass if you skip out on a few nights on the town. It's a matter of priorities.

5yrs of practicing medicine(internship+gmo) counts for something,no? Certainly my friends would treat me as a dr after those years, so the education would not go to waste.

Personally, I think most people would view you as a washout, but even if they didn't, going to med school for the sake of impressing your friends is not a good idea. And sad.

I am 25years old now.

You are confused. You seem to be pulled between going to med school, going to business school, or joining the Army as an infantry officer. Your long term life goals are very vague, but seem to involve owning a hostel in Europe.

My advice: avoid any decisions right now involving committing yourself to a course of action for several years, as judging from where your head is at, your plans are likely to change. This DEFINITELY would rule out medicine. It should also probably rule out committing to the Army. I would avoid B-school as well, unless you have the chops to get in to a good one.

Work whatever job you can, live frugally, squirrel your money away, then do a good 2 month trip somewhere cheap while you navel gaze. Travelling has a good way of adjusting your priorities and figuring out what you want to do with your life. Best of luck...

 

[applicantfailur]

Notdeadyet, thank you very much for the advice! I've thought over it and I've decided that military is the best option for me for now. I see no reason to reapply to medical schools now because I was rejected fair and square. Maybe in 3yrs I will reapply to medical schools. But I would not discount mba schools because on wallstreetoasis forum I've read numerous posts which indicated that combat officer experience+good gmat would get you into a top10 mba(or insead).
I still think if I had gotten into med school, I would try my luck at education->gmo->retire. But as it is now, i think it is either army->education->residency->work or army->mba->work->work in europe

 

[orbitsurgMD]

first of all, i can prove to you that i am not a troll. i can take a printscreen of my mcat score and i can take digital camera pics of some of my rejection letters(most ive thrown out but the most recent ones are on my table next to all my books,etc). you really have no reason to ridicule me. make fun of those people who sit on welfare or whatever. so to answer your questions:

1. I do not have the money now to open a hostel. I am an unemployed biology grad. During 5yrs of ~$100k/yr salary as a GMO i could possibly save something. Obviously, I am not dead set on opening a hostel. But I am very serious about moving to Europe eventually. Are you saying that with a medical degree it is absolutely required to get a residency and to work at a hospital in usa? Perhaps. Thats why I was so saddened to have gotten rejected by this med school. I would have considered a residency or medical consulting.
2. Obviously I would not afford to fly every day. But most basic science classes are audio recorded. Some schools (i.e. Buffalo) let their students out at 12pm! I would only need to take the minimum amount of hours to get my private pilot license. My goal would be to take trips somewhere for Thanksgiving, perhaps split the gas with my classmates. Still I asked whether such things are affordable/feasible as a medical student or as a resident? Or do you really lead a spartan lifestyle? How about getting a season pass on some ski resort? I know as an infantry officer, I'll be pretty occupied even while in the garrison.

3. I do want to get a medical education. I did get flat out rejected at the only school that gave me the interview. I certainly would look forward to learning more about physiology/anatomy/etc. 5yrs of practicing medicine(internship+gmo) counts for something,no? Certainly my friends would treat me as a dr after those years, so the education would not go to waste. I think all jobs get boring after 5yrs. But perhaps I would continue beyond those 5yrs. If I go into infantry instead I will also look into reapplying to med schools or business schools after my contract is up. But med schools will look less and less attractive. I am 25years old now.

So please advice.

If you aren't already a comedy writer, it isn't too late to start. Crazy hours and deadlines, but great money, much better than doing medicine, which it seems you aren't interested in anyway.

 

[BigNavyPedsGuy]

first of all, i can prove to you that i am not a troll. i can take a printscreen of my mcat score and i can take digital camera pics of some of my rejection letters(most ive thrown out but the most recent ones are on my table next to all my books,etc). you really have no reason to ridicule me. If you really have a 37 on your MCAT and didn't get into school (or even more than 1 interview), you likely have some giant red flag on your application make fun of those people who sit on welfare or whatever. so to answer your questions:

1. I do not have the money now to open a hostel. I am an unemployed biology grad. During 5yrs of ~$100k/yr salary as a GMO i could possibly save something. I'm a GMO. I didn't make 100K last year. Not even close. Try ~64K with an area with high BAH (with dependants). Obviously, I am not dead set on opening a hostel. But I am very serious about moving to Europe eventually. Are you saying that with a medical degree it is absolutely required to get a residency and to work at a hospital in usa? If you want be doctor that actually practices like a doctor and not an insurance admin guy Perhaps. Thats why I was so saddened to have gotten rejected by this med school. I would have considered a residency or medical consulting.

2. Obviously I would not afford to fly every day. But most basic science classes are audio recorded. Some schools (i.e. Buffalo) let their students out at 12pm! You have to study a LOT as well. I would only need to take the minimum amount of hours to get my private pilot license. My goal would be to take trips somewhere for Thanksgiving, perhaps split the gas with my classmates. Still I asked whether such things are affordable/feasible as a medical student or as a resident? Or do you really lead a spartan lifestyle? If I'm not mistaken, the stipend is still less than 2K a month. In most places that's pretty Spartan. How about getting a season pass on some ski resort? I know as an infantry officer, I'll be pretty occupied even while in the garrison. I worked a line officer schedule as a GMO and they have WAAAY more time off than residents or medical students.

3. I do want to get a medical education. Why? You have no plan to use it I did get flat out rejected at the only school that gave me the interview. I certainly would look forward to learning more about physiology/anatomy/etc. 5yrs of practicing medicine(internship+gmo) counts for something,no? Nothing transferrable to a civilian job - other than a residency. Certainly my friends would treat me as a dr after those years, so the education would not go to waste. Good reason to go into medicine: so my friends will treat me like a doctor. That makes all of those late nighters studying worth while. I think all jobs get boring after 5yrs. But perhaps I would continue beyond those 5yrs. If I go into infantry instead I will also look into reapplying to med schools or business schools after my contract is up. But med schools will look less and less attractive. I am 25years old now.

So please advice.

To quote my wife "This guy thinks all of that stuff about medicine that people that don't know anything about medicine think".

It really sounds like you have no idea 1) what you're getting into and 2) what you want.

If you sat in front of me at a med school interview and gave answers like those above, I wouldn't let you into my school. There are lots of people wanting to get into medicine for the right reasons (to help people, serve their country). We don't need people that are trying to do it to impress their friends and make enough money to finance ski trips and flying lessons.

 

[notdeadyet]

.

 

[Jolie South]

2. Obviously I would not afford to fly every day. But most basic science classes are audio recorded. Some schools (i.e. Buffalo) let their students out at 12pm! I would only need to take the minimum amount of hours to get my private pilot license. My goal would be to take trips somewhere for Thanksgiving, perhaps split the gas with my classmates. Still I asked whether such things are affordable/feasible as a medical student or as a resident? Or do you really lead a spartan lifestyle? How about getting a season pass on some ski resort? I know as an infantry officer, I'll be pretty occupied even while in the garrison.

I go to a school that has class until noon and I can assure you that when I get out every day I'm not sitting on my ass looking for things to do.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

My faith in admissions committees has been renewed. And this is coming from a guy who had a season ski pass for 3 of the 4 years in med school.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

first of all, i can prove to you that i am not a troll. . . . I am an unemployed biology grad . . . . But I am very serious about moving to Europe eventually. . . . . Are you saying that with a medical degree it is absolutely required to get a residency and to work at a hospital in usa? Perhaps. . . . Thats why I was so saddened to have gotten rejected by this med school. I would have considered a residency or medical consulting.

. . . I would only need to take the minimum amount of hours to get my private pilot license. . . . My goal would be to take trips somewhere for Thanksgiving, perhaps split the gas with my classmates. . . . such things are affordable/feasible as a medical student or as a resident? Or do you really lead a spartan lifestyle? How about getting a season pass on some ski resort? I know as an infantry officer, I'll be pretty occupied even while in the garrison.

3. I do want to get a medical education. . . . .I did get flat out rejected at the only school that gave me the interview. I certainly would look forward to learning more about physiology/anatomy/etc. . . . .5yrs of practicing medicine(internship+gmo) counts for something,no? Certainly my friends would treat me as a dr after those years, so the education would not go to waste. I think all jobs get boring after 5yrs. But perhaps I would continue beyond those 5yrs. If I go into infantry instead I will also look into reapplying to med schools or business schools after my contract is up. But med schools will look less and less attractive. I am 25years old now. . . .

This is great. But don't do that cross-country flight thing at Thanksgiving on your minimal-hours license, comedic gifts like this shouldn't be wasted.

 

[applicantfailur]

To quote my wife "This guy thinks all of that stuff about medicine that people that don't know anything about medicine think".

It really sounds like you have no idea 1) what you're getting into and 2) what you want.

If you sat in front of me at a med school interview and gave answers like those above, I wouldn't let you into my school. There are lots of people wanting to get into medicine for the right reasons (to help people, serve their country). We don't need people that are trying to do it to impress their friends and make enough money to finance ski trips and flying lessons.

Thank you for the info. Isn't my gpa a "huge red flag"? Most people who get in with a 3.40 have either a very uneven gpa trend, like 2.8,2.8,4.0,4.0 or are urm or have some exceptional essays/ec's. i read my essay after i had submitted and i thought it was lame, but i let a former adcom read it and he said that it was average. meaning that it wasn't a red flag or anything, but there is room for improvement. meaning if i had a 3.7 i wouldnt have any problems.
I've been dead set on doing army yesterday. But my parents were so dismissive and insulted me to such an extent that I no longer feel motivated. Most people who go into the military are supported by their parents (just check any military forum or talk to any kids in the south). Since my parents are this way, maybe i'll just go skiing for the rest of the winter and attend a smp program and reapply to med school. They'll put up the bill.

 

[dwb8p]

I really want to meet this guy.

 

[notdeadyet]

I've been dead set on doing army yesterday. But my parents were so dismissive and insulted me to such an extent that I no longer feel motivated. Most people who go into the military are supported by their parents (just check any military forum or talk to any kids in the south). Since my parents are this way, maybe i'll just go skiing for the rest of the winter and attend a smp program and reapply to med school. They'll put up the bill.

I'm speechless. And that is rare.

 

[PROFIS62B]

To the OP:

Whatever you decide, please keep us up to date with what you're doing and your rationale behind those decisions.

I suggest you start up a blog (if you haven't already!) as you go about all your endeavors. I would be a faithful reader.

 

[applicantfailur]

To the OP:

Whatever you decide, please keep us up to date with what you're doing and your rationale behind those decisions.

I suggest you start up a blog (if you haven't already!) as you go about all your endeavors. I would be a faithful reader.

i think i'm almost done with my "emotions" for now. I still havent had a real conversation with my parents since i got rejected last week. But I'll be in command when we do have the conversation tomorrow or on monday. i dont expect there to be anything interesting. if i do end up in the army, i'll be no different from any other officer unless i manage to **** that up also. and if i am not going to be an officer, i am probably going to be a smp student next fall. but really what can you do when your parents tell you that "only stupids who want a new life join the army" while most people on the army officer forums report how proud their parents are of their choices.

i guess the only other thing i wanted to ask on this forum for now was whether hpsp or the army reserve scholarship students get access to the usaa banking account? it's important to me because that account allows a $30k loan at 1.9% and i would definitely use 10k to support my lifestyle and 20k to invest on the stock market.

 

[dwb8p]

it's important to me because that account allows a $30k loan at 1.9% and i would definitely use 10k to support my lifestyle and 20k to invest on the stock market.

I would edit this part out. It's a little less believable than the rest of your material.

 

[dwb8p]

I'm speechless. And that is rare.

The best part of this thread is your 12-part response to his story.

 

[spicedmanna]

I like you, OP, so I'm going to be nice. Don't bother with the medical school thing until you've figured out what's involved in attending medical school and becoming a physician. Once you've figured that out, check to see if it's something you really want to go through (it doesn't sound like it from your previous posts), because the process will pretty much skin you alive if it's not a path with heart for you (something you want to do). You seriously want to invest all the sweat, blood, time, loss of sleep, and tears it takes to become a physician even though you have no real interest in practicing medicine for any significant length of time? Medical school has taken my life hostage and strong-arm's me regularly. Honestly, if I didn't truly want to be a physician, I think I'd run very hard and fast, like a crazy man, as far away from medicine as I possibly could. Indeed, there are days I feel like that, anyway, even though I truly want to become a physician. You obviously have no clue how much sacrifice and work is involved in this process.

Go... Just go... Become a ski instructor for a few years or something. Go see the world, or whatever. Take some time to figure things out and what you want. If you happen to land on medicine as a career path for real, it's still going to be out there for you to pursue, especially if you've found the heart for it.

BTW, SMP's are no joke. They are meant to show that you can handle medical school material. Like medical school, it's not something you can take in a lackadaisical manner and expect to do well (or even pass).

 

[darkosbunny]

Hey I applied recently to M.D. schools. Applied to about 20 schools(and tried to apply to the least selective schools) and got rejected by all of them. I had 1 interview and just got my rejection letter. I originally had interest in military medicine. I am still interested in medicine but I do not intend to reapply next fall. I would consider D.O. schools if it's not too late now(i checked their deadlines but not sure if they would consider people applying so late). Though I didnt apply to D.O. schools because I have no interest in any "osteopathy". My stats are 37mcat and 3.40gpa.

Right now I am strongly considering just taking time off and going into the army as an infantry officer for 4yrs(and then see if I am still interested in medicine). But if I had been accepted to med school, I would most likely do navy hpsp and then 4yrs as a gmo. In either case I would like to move to europe(i am originally from europe). and i am definitely not interested in becoming a family physician.

So I would like to ask advice on whether (assuming thats possible at all) I could get into D.O. school right now, get my navy sign-on bonus, go to school there in california, and then just stay in the military for 5yrs+ as a dr? And then maybe move to europe and open up a hostel or something?

If i were to do infantry right now, I would pursue business school later on, but I am afraid I could get rejected by business schools also.

thank you for any advice.

Why the hell would you go from wanting to be a doctor, to signing up to be an Infantry officer in the Army? It is not glamorous. It is true that some like it, but don't expect to find your salvation in life by being a grunt in the Army. 12 month deployments, roadside bombs, poor morale, walking around with 70+ lbs of gear, "endless" training exercises, crappy duty stations (unless El Paso, TX or Fayetteville, NC are your ideas of utopia). You may and should find pride in your service, and in the end you will be glad you served because it is something that very few do and it is a great sacrifice to make. However, it is FOUR years of your life.

I have seen this song and dance in my 5 years in the Marine Corps. Most that reenlist in the Marine Corps do so because they're not getting any younger, they have a family, they feel "obligated" to keep getting their benefits and paycheck, etc. Rarely do I see someone that reenlists simply because they love what they do or they love being deployed. Some do, but they are the vast minority.

It seems like you have that stats to go to med school. I don't know why you weren't able to get in to a school, but I'm guessing maybe you don't have enough clinical experience or you didn't demonstrate your love and passion for medicine on your app. If you don't to be a doctor, that's fine, but I'm warning you about the pitfalls of becoming a grunt. There's a reason why the Army has a captain and major shortage, especially in the grunts -- they get the **** out.

 

[darkosbunny]

Are you freakin kidding me?

Most parents are NOT supportive of their kid going into the military. Take it from someone who's been in the service for 5 years, not some internet forum.

 

[Sarg's kid]

i guess the only other thing i wanted to ask on this forum for now was whether hpsp or the army reserve scholarship students get access to the usaa banking account? it's important to me because that account allows a $30k loan at 1.9% and i would definitely use 10k to support my lifestyle and 20k to invest on the stock market.

If you are in medical school, you cannot get the "Career Starter" loan from USAA until midway through your 3rd year of medical school. AND, it's $25000 at 2.99% interest as of yesterday.

As for the rest, why not wait a few months, get a small business loan from the new administration and open up some sort of trendy internet cafe or whatever the hell kids are into these days? I wouldn't jump into medicine OR the army if I wasn't dead set on doing either. If your parents can talk you out of it in an afternoon, then maybe you're not as committed as you need to be.

 

[BigNavyPedsGuy]

I've been dead set on doing army yesterday. But my parents were so dismissive and insulted me to such an extent that I no longer feel motivated. Most people who go into the military are supported by their parents (just check any military forum or talk to any kids in the south). Since my parents are this way, maybe i'll just go skiing for the rest of the winter and attend a smp program and reapply to med school. They'll put up the bill.

Again, wow.

Aren't you a grown-up? Do you need your parents permission?

Hey, I'm a kid from the South and guess what: By the time your old enough to finish college, your old enough to make your own career choices.

Clearly, your heart isn't in medicine, and you don't really know what you want to do. That tells me that you should not make any big career decisions that would result in any sort of long term commitment (medicine or army). I agree with the above poster: just get some kind of fun job and think about it for a while.

 

[Perrotfish]

Originally Posted by applicantfailur
I've been dead set on doing army yesterday. But my parents were so dismissive and insulted me to such an extent that I no longer feel motivated. Most people who go into the military are supported by their parents (just check any military forum or talk to any kids in the south). Since my parents are this way, maybe i'll just go skiing for the rest of the winter and attend a smp program and reapply to med school. They'll put up the bill.

If you're going the SMP route feel free to ask me if you have any questions. I've been through it.

 

[NavyFlightDoc]

Axis II anyone? Or deferred at this time?

 

[orbitsurgMD]

Axis II anyone? Or deferred at this time?

I hadn't given up on Axis I, yet. Flight of ideas. Grandiosity. Maybe something for low molecular weight metals?

 

[applicantfailur]

hey, thank you for the responses. i know i am a pathetic piss of ****. I dont know if i should ask about smp. I guess out of general curiousity I might ask: do they write you some kind of letter of recommendation before you even enroll (like you submit amcas on june1 and start in august, but you can get them to write you something on june1?) or how do they help your application? i mean how would they help u get more interviews? can you take out fafsa loans to cover the entire cost of attendance or my parents would have to cough up some $$? and another question, might applying early make much of a difference? i was complete in mid october to mid november at all the schools this year, but many of them had rejected me before christmas. a few are still sending out rejections. the only one that gave me an interview responded within 2wks of completion. so i dont feel that the lateness of application significantly affected me... otherwise, of course smp and revising my essay can do something, but it doesnt change the essence of my file. so perhaps instead of smp i could just work somewhere. maybe work from now till 12months from now and if rejected again, go in the army then?

this brings me to another point. i am a total failure. talked to my parents yesterday. i gave them a deal "either i go in the army or you pay for my vacation trip to europe and then i go to smp and reapply". they said "sure, but you will apply to d.o. schools as a backup?" and i said no. then they said "so if you dont get in again, you'll go in the army" -"yes". then they said "so you just wanted to join the army anyway. then it's a waste of time. go on in the army. so i havent talked to them since. i went to the gym today but they think i might have gone to a recruiter. i didnt. the recruiter building is on the same road as the gym. and i just decided to stop by there. and then i thought hard and i wasnt ready to commit to the army today. i am unemployed now. and it feels nice to ride my bike(though some fat bitch almost ran me over. i wish i had killed her, but i only gave her a dirty look, didnt even give her a middle finger, though she stopped at her intersection waiting for me to go berserk) for 1/2 hour, then do some aerobics at the gym and head home. i am not used to working full day... But i really want to go back to Europe and to make something of myself. You know if i go in the army there is a small chance that i might get stationed in germany and be able to make weekly trips to Praha. But it's not the same as owning a mansion in Zermatt(

 

[NishikiCycles]

Axis II anyone? Or deferred at this time?

I agree...slightly Axis II.

To the OP: If you are trying to decide between a career in medicine, infantry, and moving to Europe to open a hostel, I would seriously recommend taking a year off after college to figure out your options. Medicine and a stint in the military as an infantry officer both require an immense commitment, and the decision to undertake either should not me made without a great deal of thought and self-searching. If you don't want to get stuck in a crappy job for a year or two while you figure these things out, join the Peace Corps or Teach for America. That way, you could take a break and do something good for humanity at the same time.

What the world doesn't need is another doctor or infantry officer who isn't really committed to what they're doing.

Verbum sap sat.

 

[NishikiCycles]

hey, thank you for the responses. i know i am a pathetic piss of ****. I dont know if i should ask about smp. I guess out of general curiousity I might ask: do they write you some kind of letter of recommendation before you even enroll (like you submit amcas on june1 and start in august, but you can get them to write you something on june1?) or how do they help your application? i mean how would they help u get more interviews? can you take out fafsa loans to cover the entire cost of attendance or my parents would have to cough up some $$? and another question, might applying early make much of a difference? i was complete in mid october to mid november at all the schools this year, but many of them had rejected me before christmas. a few are still sending out rejections. the only one that gave me an interview responded within 2wks of completion. so i dont feel that the lateness of application significantly affected me... otherwise, of course smp and revising my essay can do something, but it doesnt change the essence of my file. so perhaps instead of smp i could just work somewhere. maybe work from now till 12months from now and if rejected again, go in the army then?

this brings me to another point. i am a total failure. talked to my parents yesterday. i gave them a deal "either i go in the army or you pay for my vacation trip to europe and then i go to smp and reapply". they said "sure, but you will apply to d.o. schools as a backup?" and i said no. then they said "so if you dont get in again, you'll go in the army" -"yes". then they said "so you just wanted to join the army anyway. then it's a waste of time. go on in the army. so i havent talked to them since. i went to the gym today but they think i might have gone to a recruiter. i didnt. the recruiter building is on the same road as the gym. and i just decided to stop by there. and then i thought hard and i wasnt ready to commit to the army today. i am unemployed now. and it feels nice to ride my bike(though some fat bitch almost ran me over. i wish i had killed her, but i only gave her a dirty look, didnt even give her a middle finger, though she stopped at her intersection waiting for me to go berserk) for 1/2 hour, then do some aerobics at the gym and head home. i am not used to working full day... But i really want to go back to Europe and to make something of myself. You know if i go in the army there is a small chance that i might get stationed in germany and be able to make weekly trips to Praha. But it's not the same as owning a mansion in Zermatt(

It sounds like you have some serious family issues to sort out. You're old enough by now to be able to make choices without parental involvement. First of all, getting rejected does not mean you're a failure. Lots of people get rejected from medical school. Ever thought that it might not be for you? Secondly, like I wrote above, DO NOT join the military on a whim. If you aren't 100% committed, you probably won't last 1 week at OCS/ODS. Third, if you do make it through basic training, the chance of being stationed in Germany as your first tour as a new 2LT is remarkably low. You won't even go to your first permanent duty station immediately. For example, a USMC Infantry Officer goes to several weeks of Platoon Leader's School/OCS, then 6 months of TBS, then 6 months at IOC, and then finally to their first duty station as a platoon commander. And there's also the time spent waiting between schools. Some of my Marine classmates spent 2 years in training before they got to their unit.

Finally, it really sounds like you have a lot of issues--family problems, and personal problems from what you're writing. I'd recommend seeing a therapist.

Good luck.

 

[atomi]

2. Obviously I would not afford to fly every day. But most basic science classes are audio recorded. Some schools (i.e. Buffalo) let their students out at 12pm! I would only need to take the minimum amount of hours to get my private pilot license. My goal would be to take trips somewhere for Thanksgiving, perhaps split the gas with my classmates. Still I asked whether such things are affordable/feasible as a medical student or as a resident? Or do you really lead a spartan lifestyle? How about getting a season pass on some ski resort? I know as an infantry officer, I'll be pretty occupied even while in the garrison.

I have to comment on the insanity of what you just wrote. If you think you can obtain a private pilot's license with only the FAA required 141 bare minimum of 35 hours - you are mistaken. It won't happen - ever. It took me 50 hours, and that was a VERY low number. Most pilots are in the 60-70 range. 60 hours may not sound like a lot (only a few days right!!!), but the truth is - that is engine running time. For every one hour of engine running, you will have about 8 on the ground. Furthermore, you can only fly on days when the weather is PERFECT. No wind, no rain, no low clouds. This is why there are so many flight schools in Florida - you can get in morning flights every day there. Good luck trying to fly at all in Seattle in the Spring. In all, it took me about one year to complete 50 hours and pass the checkride. Furthermore, a very high percentage of people who start flight school wash out. You either have it or you don't. Luckily if you don't, you're smart enough not to let an instructor drag you along for 100 hours and drain you of your cash. Next, there is the issue of money. I spent 7 thousand dollars in the process using the cheapest Cessna 152 available. It was a rinky-dink plane that could barely hold 2 people. If you want to step up to a more reasonable 172 (most schools don't even use 152s anymore), you will be looking at 10 thousand dollars MINIMUM to earn your PPL, more likely about 13-14k.

Next is the issue of wanting to fly for recreation or on trips with friends to save money. With less than a hundred hours of flight time and no instrument rating, it's pretty much impossible to land an insurance policy, so you will be renting a plane. A 172 will cost between $150-$250/hr to rent with fuel. If you keep the plane overnight, you will usually be charged an additional $500 per night. These planes are small and slow and will take a long time to get wherever you are trying to go to. Additionally, if you plan on doing any cross country flying, you will NEED to get an instrument rating, which will cost you another $15,000 and another 6-12 mos. Without an instrument rating, you are likely to get stuck due to weather and likely to die because you ended up in a weather situation you didn't know how to handle. If you want to do serious cross-country flying, you will need to get a bigger plane. Something like a Piper Saratoga, which can carry 6 people and usually costs around $500k. A newer, decent king air would be better for cross country and run you around $1 million, and would require multi-engine ratings and high performance ratings. Such planes will cost between $250-$1000/hr to rent, which when taking into account maintenance, is almost always a better deal than purchasing them. Also, to legally carry passengers who are paying you (such as your friends), you will need a commercial license, which requires 200 hours and will cost about $100k.

Additionally, you can't just hop in a plane and carry passengers after a semester of not flying. You need to stay current, and to be safe, you need to fly at least a few times each month.

Now, I don't mean to discourage you from flying, because it is one of the greatest things I've ever done, but you just need to realize the scenario you have presented is totally unrealistic. If you go into this, go into it with your eyes wide open knowing full well what's it's about. The quickest way to make a small fortune in aviation is to start with a large one. There is no way you will be able to afford to fly your friends on trips during med school on a med student's income. There is just no way it's going to happen. With the HPSP stipend, you might be able to fly once every few months for a couple of hours in a 150, but that's about it.

Sorry to have to bring you back down to earth like this. If you want to be a pilot, then go to pilot school, not med school. That being said, plenty of brain surgeons make enough money to fly recreationally. Unfortunately, they are so often times busy that they don't stay current and end up killing themselves in their brand new Cirrus'es.

 

[manucelt]

hey, thank you for the responses. i know i am a pathetic piss of ****. I dont know if i should ask about smp. I guess out of general curiousity I might ask: do they write you some kind of letter of recommendation before you even enroll (like you submit amcas on june1 and start in august, but you can get them to write you something on june1?) or how do they help your application? i mean how would they help u get more interviews? can you take out fafsa loans to cover the entire cost of attendance or my parents would have to cough up some $$? and another question, might applying early make much of a difference? i was complete in mid october to mid november at all the schools this year, but many of them had rejected me before christmas. a few are still sending out rejections. the only one that gave me an interview responded within 2wks of completion. so i dont feel that the lateness of application significantly affected me... otherwise, of course smp and revising my essay can do something, but it doesnt change the essence of my file. so perhaps instead of smp i could just work somewhere. maybe work from now till 12months from now and if rejected again, go in the army then?

this brings me to another point. i am a total failure. talked to my parents yesterday. i gave them a deal "either i go in the army or you pay for my vacation trip to europe and then i go to smp and reapply". they said "sure, but you will apply to d.o. schools as a backup?" and i said no. then they said "so if you dont get in again, you'll go in the army" -"yes". then they said "so you just wanted to join the army anyway. then it's a waste of time. go on in the army. so i havent talked to them since. i went to the gym today but they think i might have gone to a recruiter. i didnt. the recruiter building is on the same road as the gym. and i just decided to stop by there. and then i thought hard and i wasnt ready to commit to the army today. i am unemployed now. and it feels nice to ride my bike(though some fat bitch almost ran me over. i wish i had killed her, but i only gave her a dirty look, didnt even give her a middle finger, though she stopped at her intersection waiting for me to go berserk) for 1/2 hour, then do some aerobics at the gym and head home. i am not used to working full day... But i really want to go back to Europe and to make something of myself. You know if i go in the army there is a small chance that i might get stationed in germany and be able to make weekly trips to Praha. But it's not the same as owning a mansion in Zermatt(

This is without a doubt the most enjoyable thread I've read through on this forum in quite some time. It reads somewhat like Comedy Central's montage of stand up comedians you've never heard of all on at 4 am. Just continuously spouting out every little thought that enters their mind with absolutely no filter.

As a non-medical active duty army officer, trust me our life is not for you.