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moop said:
Many schools (including mine) use the LORs to construct a holistic letter while explaining personal circumstances, academic courseload rigor, etc., and then forward all the individual LORs along with the committee letter. Which makes me wonder if anyone actually reads all 4-5 individual pieces + committee letter lol
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True, I forgot that some schools do that. Mine just sends one letter out. So if you have 5 letter writers you send 6 letters through AMCAS?
 
moop said:
Only if they say anything substantial. I wouldn't really know what the physicians I shadowed would write about me ("Uh, he showed up on time, didn't get in my way, asked some questions that were cool to talk about, all of a sudden I know he'll make a great doc based on 30 hours of total interaction?") Always seemed like a last choice LOR because of how fluff it'd sound
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This is exactly why I am not so sure about having a physician I shadowed write an LOR

I'm No Superman said:
Very true. An average letter is damaging to your app.

However, if it's a doctor you have connections to (via work, parents, known him/her for a while), you go out of your way to show you care (ask good questions during appropriate times, act very professionally, treat everyone with respect, etc.), and if they say yes, it could be pretty helpful, especially if they have any pull at a school you're applying to.
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and this also applies to one of the physicians in particular - I have the connections, I had gone out of my way during shadowing to show I care, and they had graduated from a school I'm applying to

I had ended up writing a huge email to my advisor to see what her opinion would be, but I'm basically taking a poll by asking anyone with any knowledge in applying to medical school
 
moop said:
Only if they say anything substantial. I wouldn't really know what the physicians I shadowed would write about me ("Uh, he showed up on time, didn't get in my way, asked some questions that were cool to talk about, all of a sudden I know he'll make a great doc based on 30 hours of total interaction?") Always seemed like a last choice LOR because of how fluff it'd sound
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I guess it depends on the depth and breadth of your shadowing experience. The physician I shadow has pretty much been my sole mentor since junior year of high school. I probably have near 500+ hours of seeing patients and surgeries with him lol. I was then further employed at the clinic and have been working there throughout college. Soooooooo yeah I'll definitely be asking for a letter from him.
He also graduated from my state school back in the 70's and has close ties with the adcoms there... i would say the phrase "who you know" definitely applies to this field as any other.

Go out and make some connections!
 
Dr. Retractor said:
True, I forgot that some schools do that. Mine just sends one letter out. So if you have 5 letter writers you send 6 letters through AMCAS?
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I'll have 5 LORs, and I'll be sending 1 letter packet through AMCAS that has everything since my school will forward everything along.
 
Thoroughbred_Med said:
I guess it depends on the depth and breadth of your shadowing experience. The physician I shadow has pretty much been my sole mentor since junior year of high school. I probably have near 500+ hours of seeing patients and surgeries with him lol. I was then further employed at the clinic and have been working there throughout college. Soooooooo yeah I'll definitely be asking for a letter from him.
He also graduated from my state school back in the 70's and has close ties with the adcoms there... i would say the phrase "who you know" definitely applies to this field as any other.

Go out and make some connections!
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Yeah that makes sense, except I wouldn't just call that person a physician you "shadowed" haha. lol thanks man but I have connections, just not with the docs I shadowed b/c I never got that into shadowing. It's a waste of time past the 100th hour or something b/c I'd have gotten the point about what a doctor does and how a day on the job goes..
 
On the topic of shadowing, do you guys mind sharing how you came across your shadowing experiences? I have a minimal amount (< 30 hours) right now through a "shadowing program" I did awhile back, so I feel like this is a real weak spot in my application. I don't have any physician connections or physicians in my family/friends.
 
Wasted Energy said:
On the topic of shadowing, do you guys mind sharing how you came across your shadowing experiences? I have a minimal amount (< 30 hours) right now through a "shadowing program" I did awhile back, so I feel like this is a real weak spot in my application. I don't have any physician connections or physicians in my family/friends.
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1. Took a class with an MD/MBA, shadowed him and kept in contact as informal advisor in subject area of interest
2. Shadowing "matching" program by premed society at school.
3. Worked on a short-term research project with attendings/residents in a grad class, ended up shadowing a resident.

It seems like most adcoms on SDN recommend as much shadowing as you need to get a very good idea about what being a doctor is like and how the daily schedule goes, but it for admissions purposes, it sounds like a yes/no box to check to gauge serious interest in medicine. Personally, I don't think any hours past 50 is time well spent...you're just standing by and doing nothing at some point. I wouldn't worry about getting the ridiculous # of hours some SDNers have, but probably a good idea to have more than 30 for personal reasons.
 
moop said:
Yeah that makes sense, except I wouldn't just call that person a physician you "shadowed" haha. lol thanks man but I have connections, just not with the docs I shadowed b/c I never got that into shadowing. It's a waste of time past the 100th hour or something b/c I'd have gotten the point about what a doctor does and how a day on the job goes..
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oh, whoops. I wasn't telling you in specific to go out and make connections, moop. lol I'm sure you have bountiful connections at Princeton lol.
Yeah, I agree about the hours. I was just obligated to go shadow for a class block during high school so that's how I racked up a chunk of those hours.
 
Wasted Energy said:
On the topic of shadowing, do you guys mind sharing how you came across your shadowing experiences? I have a minimal amount (< 30 hours) right now through a "shadowing program" I did awhile back, so I feel like this is a real weak spot in my application. I don't have any physician connections or physicians in my family/friends.
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I agree with @moop. You are wasting valuable time after ~50 hrs of shadowing. I just got most of mine in high school when time wasn't the most valuable commodity to me lol

moop also pointed out some good outreach programs to get connected. I personally just showed up at a small private practice outpatient clinic in my home town and told them my sincere interests.
Opportunities are everywhere, just be persistent!
 
I also agree with @moop. I think shadowing is valuable to get an idea of what you are getting into, but past a certain point, it serves little purpose. The exception to that, just for personal reasons, would be to shadow various types of doctors, especially if what you saw at first wasn't exactly up your alley.

I think the question of overseas shadowing came up earlier. With only shadowing overseas without exposure to doctors here, the adcoms might ask you how do you know you want to be a doc in the us. I'm kind of a global health person, so for me, shadowing abroad in addition to shadowing in the US helps demonstrate that I am interested in different health structures.
 
moop said:
Personally, I don't think any hours past 50 is time well spent...you're just standing by and doing nothing at some point.
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I'd imagine you're correct; I mainly need some primary care hours as my previous experience is spread between 4-5 doctors, none of whom where primary care physicians. Those are some interesting connections that you used btw.

Thoroughbred_Med said:
I personally just showed up at a small private practice outpatient clinic in my home town and told them my sincere interests.
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This actually may be what I end up doing too. The thought of it just makes me a little uncomfortable for some reason.

Oh, and congrats on finally taking the MCAT, I'm sure you killed it. You know which thread you should really post your results in right? :laugh:

 
Wasted Energy said:

I'd imagine you're correct; I mainly need some primary care hours as my previous experience is spread between 4-5 doctors, none of whom where primary care physicians. Those are some interesting connections that you used btw.



This actually may be what I end up doing too. The thought of it just makes me a little uncomfortable for some reason.

Oh, and congrats on finally taking the MCAT, I'm sure you killed it. You know which thread you should really post your results in right? :laugh:
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Oh yeah bud, it is definitely uncomfortable going up to the front desk and inquiring to shadow instead of checking in for a visit.

For sure! I'll def come share my results as soon as I get them Feb. 18th. It isn't going to be as stellar of a score as @moops but I can fully say I gave it everything I had!
 
Thoroughbred_Med said:
Oh yeah bud, it is definitely uncomfortable going up to the front desk and inquiring to shadow instead of checking in for a visit.

For sure! I'll def come share my results as soon as I get them Feb. 18th. It isn't going to be as stellar of a score as @moops but I can fully say I gave it everything I had!
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haha thanks sometimes I forget the national percentiles because of the caliber of students at school lol...
 
Hi everyone! Glad to find this thread, I'll be applying to med school this summer with the rest of y'all.
I'm currently working on my school's internal committee application and think writing personal essays is one of the hardest things I've had to do yet...
 
Drvictoriafrankenstein said:
Hi everyone! Glad to find this thread, I'll be applying to med school this summer with the rest of y'all.
I'm currently working on my school's internal committee application and think writing personal essays is one of the hardest things I've had to do yet...
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INTROSPECTION IS NOT FOR THE WEAK

It's for strong ass mofos who can look back on their life and understand it well enough to present it coherently.
 
moop said:
INTROSPECTION IS NOT FOR THE WEAK

It's for strong ass mofos who can look back on their life and understand it well enough to present it coherently.
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Have you guys started your personal statements? I haven't even thought about it yet 😵
 
I'm No Superman said:
Have you guys started your personal statements? I haven't even thought about it yet 😵
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I also had to write a committee letter app/profile thing a couple of weeks ago, so I have 500 words of a possible PS written already for that haha. Haven't packaged it yet though. That's the plan for spring break. Some of the other questions will definitely be face lifted into secondaries, too.
 
A somewhat rough draft written, but at least I have about the right amount of words/characters 🙂. So hard to do this without resorting to cliche. Because honestly, while we may feel we are so unique, premeds have been having the same exact experiences for decades. If we stray too much from accepted tropes, it's received as gimmicky, if we don't, it's formulaic. I think I struck a balance, but who knows?
 
Talk to me, I'm sitting in lab waiting on a slow PCR machine, and trying to procrastinate.
 
Just found this thread, checking in! Taking the MCAT in May; voided the last old exam last Friday (went into it knowing I was going to void because I just wasn't at where I wanted to be). Aiming for a 36+ equivalent on the new MCAT...well see how that goes.

The nonscience letter is really killing me; I haven't taken a nonscience class since freshman year...and I sure did not think about approaching my professors and going to office hours that early. Not sure what to do.
 
linsanity17 said:
The nonscience letter is really killing me; I haven't taken a nonscience class since freshman year...and I sure did not think about approaching my professors and going to office hours that early. Not sure what to do.
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Well... you could take a spring class, apply slightly late, and suck up extra hard? That sucks man, I'm in a better but still ****ty boat with one of my science letters, I'm taking the class of the person I want it from now, and I'm just banking on her writing one for me.

Edit: Also hi!
 
I'm No Superman said:
Well... you could take a spring class, apply slightly late, and suck up extra hard? That sucks man, I'm in a better but still ****ty boat with one of my science letters, I'm taking the class of the person I want it from now, and I'm just banking on her writing one for me.

Edit: Also hi!
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Thanks for the reply. Yeah I really didn't look into the LOR requirements early enough so I am only in an excessive amount of science class right now; I did take a Marine Science class last Spring which I may be able to spin as nonscience since it's not included in the BCPM gpa (though it probably would be an average letter).

Any idea if there's a comprehensive list anywhere of schools that do and do not require nonscience letters? I hear that many surprisingly do not require it. Otherwise I'll just have to research requirements one school at a time
 
linsanity17 said:
Thanks for the reply. Yeah I really didn't look into the LOR requirements early enough so I am only in an excessive amount of science class right now; I did take a Marine Science class last Spring which I may be able to spin as nonscience since it's not included in the BCPM gpa (though it probably would be an average letter).

Any idea if there's a comprehensive list anywhere of schools that do and do not require nonscience letters? I hear that many surprisingly do not require it. Otherwise I'll just have to research requirements one school at a time
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What are you taking right now? Are they literally all science? If you'll have no problems graduating on time and your school's add - drop deadline hasn't passed, I'd consider possibly dropping one and taking an English course or something. I don't know of any schools that don't require one (although I haven't looked too hard).
 
Oh just something I learned recently and wanted to share just so it's not a problem for people later down the road: apparently all transcripts beyond HS, even the CC class you might have taken in high school, are required by AAMCAS. Just something I would prefer to know earlier rather than later.
 
Hey y'all, checking into this thread for the first time! Applying for 2016 start and starting up the process with my schools letter of evaluation application due in Feb. Dropped out of the app pool last year to take a longer work commitment (thank god). How's everyone doing with the PS? I've got one bad one that I submitted last year, but would definitely want a new one done for the AMCAS application... Let the writing begin... :bang:
 
pinstriped1992 said:
Hey y'all, checking into this thread for the first time! Applying for 2016 start and starting up the process with my schools letter of evaluation application due in Feb. Dropped out of the app pool last year to take a longer work commitment (thank god). How's everyone doing with the PS? I've got one bad one that I submitted last year, but would definitely want a new one done for the AMCAS application... Let the writing begin... :bang:
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I ain't worrying about no PS. Most do no good or hurt anyway, so I'll just write an honest answer to the question over spring break and be done with it.
 
moop said:
I ain't worrying about no PS. Most do no good or hurt anyway, so I'll just write an honest answer to the question over spring break and be done with it.
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I agree. The return on investment with personal statements is pretty low for most folks.
Unless you have one hell of a life story or something mindblowingly spectacular to share most PS's are just grazed through. No good, no harm.

I'll probably do the same as moop... just write something honest and personal.
 
Ditto!

Honestly the most worried about my probably "okay" LOR. Hope that doesn't stop anyone's chances at a reach med school!
 
Hupsty said:
Ditto!

Honestly the most worried about my probably "okay" LOR. Hope that doesn't stop anyone's chances at a reach med school!
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Yeah I agree with @Hupsty , the personal statement is something you can control, and you can make it good enough (although you want to be very sure that it isn't actively hurting you, i.e. no grammatical mistakes etc), although in an ideal world you would be one of the lucky 5% that it helps. However, I have almost no control over what people write about me. Should we just bank on that it would be an extremely mean thing to write something negative? My school does the committee letter, which is based on your overall app, and a short interview they have with you. (something I can't control, but I feel like it would be mean to write a bad one.)

And for instance, I have 4 solid recs but with no one who actually saw me in a medical context. Should I risk a 5th (potentially lukewarm letter although it could be positive) that can testify to medical aspirations? It's all a very vague process sometimes.
 
I'm finally getting around to finalizing everything for my letters of recommendation. I'm now beginning to think about my personal statement. There's so much I could include and due to having a limited amount of words, I am not sure what areas to hit and focus on. My journey to medicine has been one that has grown overtime due to several different factors.

I'm taking all science classes...have been ever since my second year of college...it's wonderful yet so so so stressful. I'm currently taking a break from studying physiology and biochemistry.
 
deoxyribonucleicacid said:
I'm finally getting around to finalizing everything for my letters of recommendation. I'm now beginning to think about my personal statement. There's so much I could include and due to having a limited amount of words, I am not sure what areas to hit and focus on. My journey to medicine has been one that has grown overtime due to several different factors.

I'm taking all science classes...have been ever since my second year of college...it's wonderful yet so so so stressful. I'm currently taking a break from studying physiology and biochemistry.
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All science classes sounds so bleh! I usually take 3 science classes and 1 core/elective/social science class. Haha it doesn't sound like it would make much of a difference but it does! This semester it's sociology, but I've also taken psychology, writing, and guitar class. It definitely helps keep my stress levels down.
 
dechristine said:
All science classes sounds so bleh! I usually take 3 science classes and 1 core/elective/social science class. Haha it doesn't sound like it would make much of a difference but it does! This semester it's sociology, but I've also taken psychology, writing, and guitar class. It definitely helps keep my stress levels down.
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I wish I would have done that but science is actually a huge passion for me. This last year of mine I only have three required science classes to complete and with the rest of my hours I fully plan on taking classes in music and culture and social sciences!

Just sent in my application to be president of my school's pre-med club! *EEEK!* Hopefully it will turn out well...🙂
 
deoxyribonucleicacid said:
I wish I would have done that but science is actually a huge passion for me. This last year of mine I only have three required science classes to complete and with the rest of my hours I fully plan on taking classes in music and culture and social sciences!

Just sent in my application to be president of my school's pre-med club! *EEEK!* Hopefully it will turn out well...🙂
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Good luck! 🙂 I love science but not enough to tear my hair out in stress, haha. I definitely try to keep it to one physics class a semester. Luckily, I'm done with the majority of the math sequence so I only have Prob & Stat left!
 
dechristine said:
Good luck! 🙂 I love science but not enough to tear my hair out in stress, haha. I definitely try to keep it to one physics class a semester. Luckily, I'm done with the majority of the math sequence so I only have Prob & Stat left!
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Thanks for your good luck!!! The good thing about taking all hard science classes at once is the fact that it allowed for me to be able to handle stressful situations in a much more calmer form. Say, if I have 4 exams in one week, I know exactly how to study and what to study in order to do well and I don't let it overwhelm me even though there's a greater chance of that happening. *shrug* It's just the way I work and some of my classes I take for fun 🙂
Stats for me was a breeze! Hopefully it will be for you as well!
 
What's up everyone? Looks like this is my class thread. Currently on a gap year, pretty excited to finally start applying. Are all of you basically traditional applicants (i.e., you're juniors in college)?
 
wowsers said:
What's up everyone? Looks like this is my class thread. Currently on a gap year, pretty excited to finally start applying. Are all of you basically traditional applicants (i.e., you're juniors in college)?
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I graduated 2014, so similar situation as you I think.
 
I'm going to be a traditional applicant but I'm spending 5 years in college due to our co-op schedule (for the last 3 years, we alternate between a semester of classes and 6 months of an internship). Does that make me a hybrid? Haha
 
dechristine said:
I'm going to be a traditional applicant but I'm spending 5 years in college due to our co-op schedule (for the last 3 years, we alternate between a semester of classes and 6 months of an internship). Does that make me a hybrid? Haha
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i.e., you go to Northeastern

I'd say you're basically a gap year student
 
Checking in Graduated Dec 2013, working as a scribe. Enjoying life after that Nov 7 MCAT. Have my PS in review. looking at the horror of secondaries already.
Going back to bed now.
 
Rainbow Zebra said:
Checking in Graduated Dec 2013, working as a scribe. Enjoying life after that Nov 7 MCAT. Have my PS in review. looking at the horror of secondaries already.
Going back to bed now.
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Nice! I am about to start studying for the MCAT — I'm taking it next year so I should technically be in the class of 2021, but I refuse to post in the silly thread with !'s and 1's in the title :cigar:
 
redfish5 said:
Graduated in 2013. Super excited to be finally applying!
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"yes, it starts off with the oohs and ahhs, then later the running and screaming" two points if you know the quote paraphrased. Watched my M1 brother go through this all last year. It is a lot of waiting and stressing followed by exhilaration and despair. We will all be bipolar in six months. Enjoy the anticipation while you can. Then buckle up for the ride. Good luck all.
 
Last edited:
I'm actually a senior and it's my third year; however, I'll be completing my degree next spring because I decided to double major halfway through
 
Ah I would be part of this class if I had not been a bad student freshman year lol. I'm applying after graduation!

Good luck to you juniors preparing for the upcoming cycle! It's too stressful to even attempt to apply this summer so I decided to wait.

Haha I look forward to the time off between graduation and medical school but sometimes I wish I had my **** together from day one lol.
 
senzen said:
Ah I would be part of this class if I had not been a bad student freshman year lol. I'm applying after graduation!

Good luck to you juniors preparing for the upcoming cycle! It's too stressful to even attempt to apply this summer so I decided to wait.

Haha I look forward to the time off between graduation and medical school but sometimes I wish I had my **** together from day one lol.
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I don't know, the idea of a gap year is really appealing! Having everything together from day one is great but it feels like endless planning and executing, and it would be nice to have a break from that 🙂
 
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