HELP PLEASE

[IDK 3934]

Hello everyone,

I applied this cycle with hopes that I will be accepted by my state schools, but unfortunately so far I had no luck. I am 99% sure that i will have to reapply, so I have a question for you all.

First let me explain my situation. I have greats stats. 3.96 GPA and 513 MCAT. I got 2 intreviews. Got rejected by one school that interviewed me, and waitlisted by the second one. I am planning to call them and understand why I was not accepted, but I am sure that it is because of my subpar ECs. This problem can easily be fixed with more volunteering and clinical exposure, but the thing is I have a slightly bigger problem than that. Last fall I recieved my first B. I wouldn't worry about it that much, except that this B was in my capstone. I was at a lab that I wasn't comfortable at, I did not fit in and did not like my supervisor, so I eventually recieved a B because my supervisor thought that I did not "go above and beyond". Part of this was my mistake since I did not give my 100%, and part of it was the people at the lab for giving me only clerical duties that had nothig to do with the position's description. Anyways, my question is how do I explain this? And will it be a red flag for schools since it's my capstone?

P.S: I repeated the capstone class and is expecting to recieve an A, but instead I took a capstone class rather than actually being part of another lab.

Thanks for anyone who is willing to help.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Faha]

It should not matter. Work on obtaining more shadowing and clinical volunteering hours before you reapply.

 

[IDK 3934]

It should not matter. Work on obtaining more shadowing and clinical volunteering hours before you reapply.

Thanks for your reply. Do you think I should explain this in the secondary apps? Or just talk about it if asked during interviews? Thanks you so much for your help

 

[IDK 3934]

If anyone else could weigh on this, that would be great. More opinions is always better

 

[allanMED15]

No need to explain a B or even stress about it with your overall GPA and MCAT. I have several B's on my application and I was never asked about them. You should take a cycle off and focus on fixing your ECs. After that, I bet you could get into some great schools.

 

[IDK 3934]

No need to explain a B or even stress about it with your overall GPA and MCAT. I have several B's on my application and I was never asked about them. You should take a cycle off and focus on fixing your ECs. After that, I bet you could get into some great schools.

Even if that B was in my capstone class? See that is what worries me. I know that Bs are fine, but I feel like my situation can raise a red flag, and that is what I am afraid of. What do you think?

 

[LizzyM]

Even if that B was in my capstone class? See that is what worries me. I know that Bs are fine, but I feel like my situation can raise a red flag, and that is what I am afraid of. What do you think?

Just don't ask anyone in that lab for a LOR. Fix your ECs. Don't be half-a$$ in your work because you don't like someone in the work place. That's the way to be tagged as someone who is not a team player.

 

[allanMED15]

Even if that B was in my capstone class? See that is what worries me. I know that Bs are fine, but I feel like my situation can raise a red flag, and that is what I am afraid of. What do you think?

I would not worry about it. If you only had clerical duties, I doubt that even if you got an A in the course that an LOR from anyone in that lab would be effective anyways. Take LizzyM's advice. Put a lot into ECs, show that you are a team player and get a great clinical LOR. If you do those things, I think your 2nd cycle will be much more successful.

 

[IDK 3934]

Just don't ask anyone in that lab for a LOR. Fix your ECs. Don't be half-a$$ in your work because you don't like someone in the work place. That's the way to be tagged as someone who is not a team player.

I would not worry about it. If you only had clerical duties, I doubt that even if you got an A in the course that an LOR from anyone in that lab would be effective anyways. Take LizzyM's advice. Put a lot into ECs, show that you are a team player and get a great clinical LOR. If you do those things, I think your 2nd cycle will be much more successful.

Awesome! Thank you both for your help

 

[Goro]

I can't sugar coat this.

A B in a course isn't the reason you were rejected. An F wouldn't have been the reason either.

What immediately jumps off this page is how devastated you were by a B. The very idea that you would think a B in any course would be a red flag is, in itself, a red flag that goes beyond SDN's typical angst.

Thus, I suspect that your perfectionist attitude may have leaked into your essays or your interview performance, in addition to a possible poor LOR.

Hello everyone,

I applied this cycle with hopes that I will be accepted by my state schools, but unfortunately so far I had no luck. I am 99% sure that i will have to reapply, so I have a question for you all.

First let me explain my situation. I have greats stats. 3.96 GPA and 513 MCAT. I got 2 intreviews. Got rejected by one school that interviewed me, and waitlisted by the second one. I am planning to call them and understand why I was not accepted, but I am sure that it is because of my subpar ECs. This problem can easily be fixed with more volunteering and clinical exposure, but the thing is I have a slightly bigger problem than that. Last fall I recieved my first B. I wouldn't worry about it that much, except that this B was in my capstone. I was at a lab that I wasn't comfortable at, I did not fit in and did not like my supervisor, so I eventually recieved a B because my supervisor thought that I did not "go above and beyond". Part of this was my mistake since I did not give my 100%, and part of it was the people at the lab for giving me only clerical duties that had nothig to do with the position's description. Anyways, my question is how do I explain this? And will it be a red flag for schools since it's my capstone?

P.S: I repeated the capstone class and is expecting to recieve an A, but instead I took a capstone class rather than actually being part of another lab.

Thanks for anyone who is willing to help.

 

[IDK 3934]

I can't sugar coat this.

A B in a course isn't the reason you were rejected. An F wouldn't have been the reason either.

What immediately jumps off this page is how devastated you were by a B. The very idea that you would think a B in any course would be a red flag is, in itself, a red flag that goes beyond SDN's typical angst.

Thus, I suspect that your perfectionist attitude may have leaked into your essays or your interview performance, in addition to a possible poor LOR.

I would be fine with a B if it was in some other course, but the fact that I got this B in a research capstone class is what making me worry about this, so I thought I should ask people on SDN and see what they think about this. I am not ''devastated'', I am just worried haha

Thanks for your input though. Much appreciated

 

[allanMED15]

Goro is right it may have something to do with your writing. But it also could have to do with your interviewing. Does your school have a career counseling center? I would look into some mock interviews if you didn't this cycle. That may help your chances too.

 

[mwsapphire]

Goro is right. If you had adequate shadowing/volunteering both clinical and non clinical, it's likely you're overtly perfectionist attitude shone through in your essays/ LOR's/

 

[IDK 3934]

I honestly do not believe that that's the case at all. My writing skills are pretty good, and my interviewing skills are good as well. I honestly think it's just my ECs that ruined everything. Oh also, I forgot to mention that I technically only applied to 7 schools, so that might have played a factor as well.

Thank you all for your help though. If you have any more comments or suggestions please don't hesitate to leave them, I really appreciate all the help I got

I am going to call the school I got waitlisted at and see what's the reason I was put on a 2nd tier waitlist, and I'll keep you updated haha

 

[Goro]

No school that has waitlisted you is going to give you any feedback until the app cycle is over.

I honestly do not believe that that's the case at all. My writing skills are pretty good, and my interviewing skills are good as well. I honestly think it's just my ECs that ruined everything. Oh also, I forgot to mention that I technically only applied to 7 schools, so that might have played a factor as well.

Thank you all for your help though. If you have any more comments or suggestions please don't hesitate to leave them, I really appreciate all the help I got

I am going to call the school I got waitlisted at and see what's the reason I was put on a 2nd tier waitlist, and I'll keep you updated haha

 

[deleted820760]

I can't sugar coat this.

A B in a course isn't the reason you were rejected. An F wouldn't have been the reason either.

What immediately jumps off this page is how devastated you were by a B. The very idea that you would think a B in any course would be a red flag is, in itself, a red flag that goes beyond SDN's typical angst.

Thus, I suspect that your perfectionist attitude may have leaked into your essays or your interview performance, in addition to a possible poor LOR.

Just out of curiosity, shouldn't med schools want perfectionists? Doctors can kill someone with one mistake.

 

[gyngyn]

Just out of curiosity, shouldn't med schools want perfectionists? Doctors can kill someone with one mistake.

No we don't, nor should we.
Perfectionism results in poor outcomes.
Knowing when to stop, when efficacy serves one better, when more time invested achieves only incremental benefit are all more important than perfectionism.
Perfectionism breeds misery. No one can heal others who is himself miserable.
We actively strive to avoid the perfectionism so common in the applicant pool.

 

[Goro]

People who try to learn everything end up learning nothing.

They also constantly are in our offices pestering as to why their 96 on an exam isn't actually a 97.

And they take doing less than stellar personally, and are devastated by this. They treat it as a character flaw and/or a loss of face.

They also do not seek out help when they need to. See previous line.

Just out of curiosity, shouldn't med schools want perfectionists? Doctors can kill someone with one mistake.

 

[mwsapphire]

No we don't, nor should we.
Perfectionism results in poor outcomes.
Knowing when to stop, when efficacy serves one better, when more time invested achieves only incremental benefit are all more important than perfectionism.
Perfectionism breeds misery. No one can heal others who is himself miserable.
We actively strive to avoid the perfectionism so common in the applicant pool.

* looks at a couple of B's and W on transcript*
Nice. That was good news :3

 

[Surgeongirl]

You're freaking out over a B? Gtfo here. Instead of obcessing over that one B spend more energy looking for ECs to improve your resume. Stats are nothing if you don't actually show commitment to the field and that you can be a team player. Nobody and I mean nobody cares about your one B. I'm sorry if I come off as mean but you need some tough love cause if this is still your attitude when you get to med school you're in for a miserable ride.

 

[deleted820760]

They also constantly are in our offices pestering as to why their 96 on an exam isn't actually a 97.

I'm ashamed to say that I may have done this a couple times in school. My professors got pissed off and I learned really fast not to do it again. The thing is, I meant well. I wasn't trying to necessarily get my score changed. I was disappointed that I failed on those questions, and I didn't want to fail on those topics once I graduated. I would be devastated if I made a mistake that harmed a patient. Do you think people should aim for zero errors as practicing physicians, pharmacists, RNs, etc? Is that any different?

 

[Surgeongirl]

I'm ashamed to say that I may have done this a couple times in school. My professors got pissed off and I learned really fast not to do it again. The thing is, I meant well. I wasn't trying to necessarily get my score changed. I was disappointed that I failed on those questions, and I didn't want to fail on those topics once I graduated. I would be devastated if I made a mistake that harmed a patient. Do you think people should aim for zero errors as practicing physicians, pharmacists, RNs, etc? Is that any different?

If you're aiming for zero errors you're bound to make a mistake because it usually means you're overthinking something. As much as doctors don't want to make mistakes they unfortunately will and most likely will never make them again.

 

[IDK 3934]

You're freaking out over a B? Gtfo here. Instead of obcessing over that one B spend more energy looking for ECs to improve your resume. Stats are nothing if you don't actually show commitment to the field and that you can be a team player. Nobody and I mean nobody cares about your one B. I'm sorry if I come off as mean but you need some tough love cause if this is still your attitude when you get to med school you're in for a miserable ride.

I am not freaking out over a B. Again, I am worried because that B was in what was supposed to be my capstone for one of my majors, and I was afraid that it will look really bad on my app. But it is fine, I understand what you are saying. I am focusing right now on my ECs. That is all what matters right now for me

 

[Goro]

While I agree that this is very important, it's also impossible, because we are human, and therefore, imperfect.

Perfect is also the enemy of good.

IDo you think people should aim for zero errors as practicing physicians, pharmacists, RNs, etc? Is that any different?