Feel miserable after reading this forum...

[Mkif586]

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Hi. After reading this forum for a while and seeing tons of hyper competitive people (non profit founders, 3.9/520+ students, people with 1000s of hours of scribing/cna/emt) I feel that I will never make it to medical school. Seems that almost everyone here has a degree from top school with years of research and publications (not to mention military service). I am only a junior but my stats are very far from those listed above (though I have very good grades), I am just scared and feel that I will be somewhere near the bottom among other applicants when I will be applying...

 

[sm96]

the people who post frequently on sdn are not a good representation of the overall applicant pool

for the love of data: https://www.aamc.org/download/321508/data/factstablea23.pdf

 

[Bonne Nuit]

Hi. After reading this forum for a while and seeing tons of hyper competitive people (non profit founders, 3.9/520+ students, people with 1000s of hours of scribing/cna/emt) I feel that I will never make it to medical school. Seems that almost everyone here has a degree from top school with years of research and publications (not to mention military service). I am only a junior but my stats are very far from those listed above (though I have very good grades), I am just scared and feel that I will be somewhere near the bottom among other applicants when I will be applying...

I am nowhere near a 4.0/520 and I already have interviews from my top choice schools. Superstar candidates appear to be overrepresented on SDN vs. the general premed population. Look around at the premeds or current medical students you know in your offline life. How many of them have 520+ MCAT scores? Not many, I'd wager.

If you're comfortable, share some of your stats and ECs and we can provide peace of mind and/or ways you can improve your app. That's what SDN is best for; get out of the trap of comparing yourself to others on here. It's just going to make you miserable.

 

[Goro]

Hi. After reading this forum for a while and seeing tons of hyper competitive people (non profit founders, 3.9/520+ students, people with 1000s of hours of scribing/cna/emt) I feel that I will never make it to medical school. Seems that almost everyone here has a degree from top school with years of research and publications (not to mention military service). I am only a junior but my stats are very far from those listed above (though I have very good grades), I am just scared and feel that I will be somewhere near the bottom among other applicants when I will be applying...

Do not believe for a second that SDNers are reflective of the pre-med population in the US, and that you need a 520 and 4.0 GPA to get into med school.

The median GPA for MD acceptees nation-wide is 3.7, and MCAT is 511.

 

[Mkif586]

I am nowhere near a 4.0/520 and I already have interviews from my top choice schools. Superstar candidates appear to be overrepresented on SDN vs. the general premed population. Look around at the premeds or current medical students you know in your offline life. How many of them have 520+ MCAT scores? Not many, I'd wager.

If you're comfortable, share some of your stats and ECs and we can provide peace of mind and/or ways you can improve your app. That's what SDN is best for; get out of the trap of comparing yourself to others on here. It's just going to make you miserable.

Thank you! I am junior with 3.87 GPA. I have been volunteering at hospital for 2 years already (have around 300 hours). I also volunteer at hospice (150 hours so far). And I also volunteer at a soup kitchen (about 200 hours) and homeless shelter (hours are the same). I just joined a lab to do some research. That is all 🙁

 

[himalayansaltlamp]

Thank you! I am junior with 3.87 GPA. I have been volunteering at hospital for 2 years already (have around 300 hours). I also volunteer at hospice (150 hours so far). And I also volunteer at a soup kitchen (about 200 hours) and homeless shelter (hours are the same). I just joined a lab to do some research. That is all 🙁

I think you have a lot of solid, diverse volunteer experiences! You definitely show a commitment to community service (clinical and otherwise).
When doing research, just remember that you should try to find what you enjoy, tbh! For example, based off your experience volunteering in hospice, maybe look into research in geriatrics or end-of-life care. Or if you enjoy working with underserved populations, maybe find research in public health/social determinants!

 

[sm96]

Thank you! I am junior with 3.87 GPA. I have been volunteering at hospital for 2 years already (have around 300 hours). I also volunteer at hospice (150 hours so far). And I also volunteer at a soup kitchen (about 200 hours) and homeless shelter (hours are the same). I just joined a lab to do some research. That is all 🙁

You're fine! kill the MCAT

 

[Goro]

Thank you! I am junior with 3.87 GPA. I have been volunteering at hospital for 2 years already (have around 300 hours). I also volunteer at hospice (150 hours so far). And I also volunteer at a soup kitchen (about 200 hours) and homeless shelter (hours are the same). I just joined a lab to do some research. That is all 🙁

WHAT do you mean "that is all"???? Your ECs are great!!!

 

[Bonne Nuit]

Thank you! I am junior with 3.87 GPA. I have been volunteering at hospital for 2 years already (have around 300 hours). I also volunteer at hospice (150 hours so far). And I also volunteer at a soup kitchen (about 200 hours) and homeless shelter (hours are the same). I just joined a lab to do some research. That is all 🙁

Awesome start. Keep it up, crush your MCAT and you stand an excellent chance at becoming a doctor, right alongside all the 3.99/525 Rhodes scholars. You'll do it, I believe in you.

 

[deleted850921]

Thank you! I am junior with 3.87 GPA. I have been volunteering at hospital for 2 years already (have around 300 hours). I also volunteer at hospice (150 hours so far). And I also volunteer at a soup kitchen (about 200 hours) and homeless shelter (hours are the same). I just joined a lab to do some research. That is all 🙁

SDN is a place for information, not for comparison.

Keep comparing yourself to the people here, and you're setting yourself up for a lot of neuroticism and unnecessary stress.

I went on here mainly to learn about what to do, what not to do, and how to get into medical school. Look at the advice here, improve yourself, and get on route to where you want to be on. Do NOT start comparing yourself to others. It's just not worth it.

 

[Mkif586]

WHAT do you mean "that is all"???? Your ECs are great!!!

Really? Thank you so much. I have read your post about employment on other thread. I didn’t think it is important, but I have been working at Starbucks for 2 year, is it worth for something?

 

[Goro]

Really? Thank you so much. I have read your post about employment on other thread. I didn’t think it is important, but I have been working at Starbucks for 2 year, is it worth for something?

Working in a service industry means that you have gained people skills. You're the type of applicant I want at my school.

The only person you should be comparing yourself to is yourself.

Now work on the self-esteem already, will ya?

 

[907914]

SDN is a place for information, not for comparison.

Keep comparing yourself to the people here, and you're setting yourself up for a lot of neuroticism and unnecessary stress.

Even the people who feel they are competitive will start to stress after comparing themselves too much to others on SDN. I think @google12 put it perfectly with the bolded.

It is stressful regardless of who are if you get sucked into the SDN comparison trap (coming from someone slowly trying to climb out of it). You got this, OP.

 

[Mkif586]

Working in a service industry means that you have gained people skills. You're the type of applicant I want at my school.

The only person you should be comparing yourself to is yourself.

Now work on the self-esteem already, will ya?

Thank you!!! I have learned the lesson and I am starting working on my self esteem!

 

[u_raptor]

Hi. After reading this forum for a while and seeing tons of hyper competitive people (non profit founders, 3.9/520+ students, people with 1000s of hours of scribing/cna/emt) I feel that I will never make it to medical school. Seems that almost everyone here has a degree from top school with years of research and publications (not to mention military service). I am only a junior but my stats are very far from those listed above (though I have very good grades), I am just scared and feel that I will be somewhere near the bottom among other applicants when I will be applying...

Disclaimer: I am one of those with "competitive" stats. Even with my GPA/MCAT, I felt extremely bad about my chances compared to those on here. I felt my ECs were extremely "cookie cutter" and I would be lucky to get an II. All that to say, we often feel less of our-self compared to others, even when we are in actuality, very competitive ourselves. I have problems with my own self esteem and confidence, and looking back, I realize that I was better prepared for applying than I thought I was. You mentioned in a later post you have a 3.87 or so GPA and several ECs. Both of these, to me, are great! *Especially* that hospice volunteering. You don't need to have founded a non-profit or published a first author paper to get into med school or to get an II. Don't under sell yourself because of who you see on here, or you will end up like me, having spent an inordinate amount of money when, in hindsight, it might not have been necessary You don't need to be a child prodigy or a nobel laureate to get in, just show a passion for medicine and work hard(which you obviously have done and are working towards 🙂)

If anything, use those people you have compared yourself to as a motivator to work harder towards your goal. Seeing all those 527 or 528 MCATs made me want to study even more so, and ended up reaping the benefits of that mindset.

 

[Moko]

As others have said, SDN is not reflective of the general pool of applicants and matriculants. Those with hypercompetitive apps are more likely to post their stats, leading to heavily biased perceptions of the "average" application.

 

[LizzyM]

You are in good shape if you have a good MCAT but do keep in mind that no subgroup is 100% with regard to admissions and overall < 42% of applicants become matriculants.

https://www.aamc.org/download/321508/data/factstablea23.pdf

We can help you improve the odds.

 

[proudofmykids]

Thank you! I am junior with 3.87 GPA. I have been volunteering at hospital for 2 years already (have around 300 hours). I also volunteer at hospice (150 hours so far). And I also volunteer at a soup kitchen (about 200 hours) and homeless shelter (hours are the same). I just joined a lab to do some research. That is all 🙁

Remember there is a big difference in hours documented between traditional and non traditional applicants. Your hours are shaping up very nicely. Good luck.

 

[jurassicpark]

Hi. After reading this forum for a while and seeing tons of hyper competitive people (non profit founders, 3.9/520+ students, people with 1000s of hours of scribing/cna/emt) I feel that I will never make it to medical school. Seems that almost everyone here has a degree from top school with years of research and publications (not to mention military service). I am only a junior but my stats are very far from those listed above (though I have very good grades), I am just scared and feel that I will be somewhere near the bottom among other applicants when I will be applying...

Do NOT use SDN as means to compare yourself. The people who share their scores are often those with higher scores, or the few desperate folks looking for advice. I was nowhere near the scores posted, trundled through medical school, steps and boards and doing very well ie Got the job, got the car, got the babe. The end.

 

[diasterdream]

Hi. After reading this forum for a while and seeing tons of hyper competitive people (non profit founders, 3.9/520+ students, people with 1000s of hours of scribing/cna/emt) I feel that I will never make it to medical school. Seems that almost everyone here has a degree from top school with years of research and publications (not to mention military service). I am only a junior but my stats are very far from those listed above (though I have very good grades), I am just scared and feel that I will be somewhere near the bottom among other applicants when I will be applying...

Dude, imposter syndrome and feeling inadequate are tough beasts to conquer. I wish I could give you the magic words to feel better about your application. Even right now, as I am applying, I still question my competitiveness and whether I am aiming too high.

Breathe and remember that you are competing with yourself and for yourself. Stay focused on your lane so you don't crash. Continue seeking experiences you enjoy and push you to grow. You got this, and you are as worthy to become a doctor as those with 4.0/528.

If you ever need to be reminded of that fact, pm me.

 

[strappysandals]

My goodness, this is one wholesome thread. Love is in the air.

 

[calipremed5768]

Instead of channeling it into feelings of misery use it as motivation to study hard for MCAt

 

[DNAJB6]

As others have said, SDN is not reflective of the general pool of applicants and matriculants. Those with hypercompetitive apps are more likely to post their stats, leading to heavily biased perceptions of the "average" application.

The data is also self report, and I can think of more than a few that made up stats over the years (when I lurked). There are super stars here to be sure, but the number of 3.9+, 99th+ percentile MCAT posters seems awfully high.

 

[Wolvvs]

The data is also self report, and I can think of more than a few that made up stats over the years (when I lurked). There are super stars here to be sure, but the number of 3.9+, 99th+ percentile MCAT posters seems awfully high.

According to AAMC, in the 2017 and 2018 cycles there were 4,743 applicants with a 3.8+ and 518+ (out of 95K total applicants). So about 2,400 per cycle. It's not surprising that applicants with higher stats end up here at a greater rate, using online resources is probably a big part of why those applicants have high stats in the first place! But yeah as there's no verification I don't doubt some people are overstating things a bit

 

[CaptainWEMT]

Impostor syndrome is a real issue when it comes to medical school applications. No matter how good your stats are, it is normal to feel this way. What I recommend you do is scale back on the SDN- only check it like 1-2 times a week, and use the rest of the time that you used fro SDN to do stuff that you like, or stuff that makes you a better applicant. That's what I ended up doing last year and it really reduced my stress about this process.

 

[harmony14]

the perfect example of a humble brag doesnt exi...

 

[hungrydoc710]

If you flop on your MCAT, you can always go DO !

 

[DNAJB6]

If you flop on your MCAT, you can always go DO !

It depends on how badly you score. A MCAT score below 500 is pretty much dead on arrival at any U.S. medical school.

 

[diasterdream]

It depends on how badly you score. A MCAT score below 500 is pretty much dead on arrival at any U.S. medical school.

Not all med schools. They may be able to get into a DO school.

 

[Mkif586]

Thank you everyone!