getting into medical school with connections?

[premed2013]

I have family members who went to baylor medical school and ut southwestern. Could these connections help me get in? I am going to be a junior with a 3.64 GPA and will be taking the MCAT spring semester of my junior year.

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[KING3]

First of all your going to get flamed for asking this question. 2nd, from true personal experience, NO. it will not help you. sorry to burst your bubble. There are just too many qualified candidates these days for that. Just do awesome on your MCAT and have a strong app and you should do well on your own.

 

[NOsquid]

Don't count on it, work hard, hope for the best.

 

[akwizeguy]

even if people got accepted with their connections...you think they would talk about it on SDN?

 

[LossForWords]

"I know someone who went to your school one time" does not equal a "connection" at that school.


Having a blood relative on the board and/or admission committee would qualify as a "connection."

 

[Monocles]

I think "connections" tend to work better for undergrad than they do with graduate programs. In undergrad universities need donations from "prestige" families so they ask you to list your legacies, etc. But in graduate programs it's more merit based so you gotta work hard.

 

[alienshards]

It might help you for the "why baylor" question, but it would hurt you for the "why medicine" question.

Honestly, I'm asian and I feel like I had to defend my choice as my own and not because of parental pressure. I can't imagine if my parents were doctors what people would have thought.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

OP, you have 35 new thread starts under your belt in just 88 total posts. Including something like 10 with SMDEP and URGENT in the title. Simmer down, friend.

 

[gatorade848]

umm unless your dad was the pastor of dean of medical school and the admission coordinator had a huge crush on your grandpa when she was young, it is not "connection"

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Obviously school specific, but if it helps it will help you make the first cut; i.e., get an interview offer out of courtesy to your connection. From there it's all on you and your application.

 

[halethsonofhama]

I applid stupidly this cycle with a sub-par application. I thought I would need all the help I could get. I was supposed to have a connection with some guy at UCI; I met with him a few times and he was going to get me a personal interview with the dean (he has been at UCI for years and years so I assume he could have arranged that)

Unfortunately he ended up dying or something (He was already in bad health and eventually he stopped responding to my e-mails- maybe he just got sick of me). Fortunately I got in regardless and I feel a lot better about it, knowing I didn't need extra help to get it.

But your connections aren't connections- merely fun facts

 

[xanthomondo]

"I know someone who went to your school one time" does not equal a "connection" at that school.


Having a blood relative on the board and/or admission committee would qualify as a "connection."

Tell that to Jefferson.

 

[CurrySpice]

Penn's Vet Supplemental:

Question #1: What specialty do you want to go into?

Question #2: Which of your relatives are Penn alumni?

Question #3: Send us $75

...so it matters for some programs!

 

[patel2]

it definitely helps (sibling or parents, not necessarily cousin or someone distant), and at some schools more than others. Certainly not enough to get you in without the numbers, but it can play a positive role in an era where more applicants have competitive stats than there are seats available. Why else would numerous secondaries ask you?

 

[LizzyM]

I applid stupidly this cycle with a sub-par application. I thought I would need all the help I could get. I was supposed to have a connection with some guy at UCI; I met with him a few times and he was going to get me a personal interview with the dean (he has been at UCI for years and years so I assume he could have arranged that)

Unfortunately he ended up dying or something (He was already in bad health and eventually he stopped responding to my e-mails- maybe he just got sick of me). Fortunately I got in regardless and I feel a lot better about it, knowing I didn't need extra help to get it.But your connections aren't connections- merely fun facts

Don't be so sure your "connection" with a long-time faculty member didn't help. Sometimes a phone call to the dean by someone he (or she) knows and respects is as good (or better) than a LOR and will get you noticed.

However, this usually requires being in the ballpark for admissions -- it won't help an application that is significantly below average.

 

[toff4l]

I know three doctors right now who's children attend their alma mater.

Connections and networking is where it's at.


Just to clarify, these are top docs. Not just docs. I'm sure these docs have some connection with the adcom of these schools.

 

[LizzyM]

I know three doctors right now who's children attend their alma mater.

Connections and networking is where it's at.

That is often a matter of geography and familiarity. If the school is in your area and you grew up reading the alumni magazine and are familiar with the school's positives, you will have a good shot that is related to, but not due to, your legacy status. You'll be likely to write a good secondary and interview well because you know the school well and seem likely to matriculate in offered admission (that matters at schools that care about their yield -- proportion of admitted applicants who matriculate).

 

[BarcaBest23]

If legacy or "connections" do not count, then why does every school have this question on the secondary application? OBVIOUSLY, it will not get you in based solely on this (you need to be around the average MCAT/GPA of the school) but it certainly can't hurt. It probably means the difference between a rejection/waitlist or waitlist/acceptance. A friend of mine should be nowhere near medicine, however since her dad is a professor at the school, well you can figure out the rest.

Regardless of profession: business, medicine, law, non profit.. etc. many times its about WHO you know and not WHAT you know, and when you have both well damn $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!

 

[getdown]

It happens all the time and it's not gonna change. If it helps great, if it doesn't then well ****. Really no one knows but if it works you're in med school. Period.

 

[0919mmk]

I know a person who was on a waitlist for a med school, and got a powerful family friend with connections to that med school to call the dean. The school had said explicitly that they wouldn't be looking at the waitlist till a few months later. Literally a couple days later, the applicant got in off the waitlist. It's BS, but it's the way the world goes round. Can't hate on them for it - any of us would use that kind of connection if we had it.

 

[gatorade848]

hey its life, people try get ahead with connections all the time. I am personally in regular email contact with the deputy commander of the army medical corps; he went to my college for both undergrad and medical school and I meet him during one of the meet n greet sessions hosted by our premed club. I am interested in army medicine and have been inquiring about its various pros/cons of HPSP and army medical school. Is this connection gonna help me? I am not counting on it. but it could be the difference between waitlist/acceptance when the time comes, you just never know

 

[0919mmk]

hey its life, people try get ahead with connections all the time. I am personally in regular email contact with the deputy commander of the army medical corps; he went to my college for both undergrad and medical school and I meet him during one of the meet n greet sessions hosted by our premed club. I am interested in army medicine and have been inquiring about its various pros/cons of HPSP and army medical school. Is this connection gonna help me? I am not counting on it. but it could be the difference between waitlist/acceptance when the time comes, you just never know

It's true - whining about connections and networking is stupid because anybody can do it. It sucks for those of us who ended up on waitlists AND had no connections, and are now reapplying. It's easy to be bitter, but it would just be wiser to get networking. Good luck with the army gatorade - I almost went in last cycle (to usuhs) but didn't. It seems like a really good deal in some respects. Make sure you check out the military medicine forum on SDN - tons of good advice.

 

[djtiesto14]

even if people got accepted with their connections...you think they would talk about it on SDN?

So true.

 

[gatorade848]

So true.

lol yea thats like asking to get flammed

 

[gatorade848]

It's true - whining about connections and networking is stupid because anybody can do it. It sucks for those of us who ended up on waitlists AND had no connections, and are now reapplying. It's easy to be bitter, but it would just be wiser to get networking. Good luck with the army gatorade - I almost went in last cycle (to usuhs) but didn't. It seems like a really good deal in some respects. Make sure you check out the military medicine forum on SDN - tons of good advice.

lol did you get waitlisted at USUHS with no connections? I have been looking on the military medicine forum it does have a ton of good info; i think all the knowledge i gained on SDN might have made me sound more professional/serious about military medicine while I was talking with the alumni

 

[0919mmk]

lol did you get waitlisted at USUHS with no connections? I have been looking on the military medicine forum it does have a ton of good info; i think all the knowledge i gained on SDN might have made me sound more professional/serious about military medicine while I was talking with the alumni

No I actually got in! And then didn't end up going. Its a long story. But if I had had the choice, I'm still not sure if I would have done it or not. As you know, mil med can be a great deal or a really bad deal, depending on whom you ask.

 

[halethsonofhama]

Don't be so sure your "connection" with a long-time faculty member didn't help. Sometimes a phone call to the dean by someone he (or she) knows and respects is as good (or better) than a LOR and will get you noticed.

However, this usually requires being in the ballpark for admissions -- it won't help an application that is significantly below average.

Way to rain on my parade. Pretty sure the guy died though (not joking). not to mention he had a hard enough time remembering my name.

 

[WeAreNotRobots]

That is often a matter of geography and familiarity. If the school is in your area and you grew up reading the alumni magazine and are familiar with the school's positives, you will have a good shot that is related to, but not due to, your legacy status. You'll be likely to write a good secondary and interview well because you know the school well and seem likely to matriculate in offered admission (that matters at schools that care about their yield -- proportion of admitted applicants who matriculate).

I don't buy it.

If this were the case then schools shouldn't need to explicitly ask about legacy/employment connections in the secondaries. Those with connections should just naturally rise above the competition with their great secondaries and knowledge of the school displayed in the interview. I tend to think that adcoms are biased to think that certain aspects of an applicant look good when they see the connections.

 

[Ursa]

First of all....weak.....very weak.

Second of all, after applying to 20 schools I only found one that asked about relatives who had attended. Oddly enough, it was where the only doctor in my family went.

 

[LizzyM]

First of all....weak.....very weak.

Second of all, after applying to 20 schools I only found one that asked about relatives who had attended. Oddly enough, it was where the only doctor in my family went.

I love it!

My school has gone both ways over the years... sometimes because they don't want admissions influenced by information about legacies and the the pendulum swings the other way because someone who should have at least gotten a courtesy interview was rejected before word came from the alumni office that some very, very generous alumnus had a kid applying to the school this year. Oopsey!

Don't get me started on faculty kids (I am so glad my kids have no interest in medicine as a career). They are more likely to get an interview but after interview they are no more likely to get an offer (but more likely to generate a long discussion). Sometimes it can be pretty painful for all involved.

 

[0919mmk]

I love it!

My school has gone both ways over the years... sometimes because they don't want admissions influenced by information about legacies and the the pendulum swings the other way because someone who should have at least gotten a courtesy interview was rejected before word came from the alumni office that some very, very generous alumnus had a kid applying to the school this year. Oopsey!

Don't get me started on faculty kids (I am so glad my kids have no interest in medicine as a career). They are more likely to get an interview but after interview they are no more likely to get an offer (but more likely to generate a long discussion). Sometimes it can be pretty painful for all involved.

See I guess I shouldn't be irked by this, but I kind of am. Should this kid who would not have gotten an interview (and didn't) get an interview because of his genetic pedigree? I understand the way the world works etc, but you know, come on. Medicine seems to be a field where allowing competition to reign supreme is pretty important in terms of getting the best physicians out that we can. Better physicians = fewer lives lost. More alumni kids getting interviews because they are physicians kids = reduced average quality of physicians. Just my two cents.

 

[LizzyM]

See I guess I shouldn't be irked by this, but I kind of am. Should this kid who would not have gotten an interview (and didn't) get an interview because of his genetic pedigree? I understand the way the world works etc, but you know, come on. Medicine seems to be a field where allowing competition to reign supreme is pretty important in terms of getting the best physicians out that we can. Better physicians = fewer lives lost. More alumni kids getting interviews because they are physicians kids = reduced average quality of physicians. Just my two cents.

A courtesy interview is an interview slot over and above the number that would otherwise be available so it isn't taking away a slot from someone who would otherwise deserve it. It is given to someone who might otherwise not get an interview but who gets a courtesy because a family member is a big donor, the applicant is a family friend of college presidient, etc. It is less common for courtesy interviews to be given to doctor's kids. We graduate over 100 students per year.... That can translate into a lot of offspring!

In most cases, the courtesy interview provides an opportunity, at the interview or later, to give some career counseling and some suggestions for strengthening one's application. In rare instances, the person turns out to be a hidden gem who makes the most of the opportunity and winds up being among the best interviewed that year.

And, by the way, I don't necessarily believe that competition is the best way to get the best doctors. Collaboration and teamwork counts for as much or more than brilliance at some schools.

 

[djmcheme]

Connection, in my case, made all the difference in the world.