How bad is reapplying?

[linuxizer]

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The situation:
-Need to go to school in NYC or very close to it (fiancee will be in grad school there starting the year after next).
-Application is strong overall. Lowish GPA, highish MCAT, extremely strong research background, very strong recs, etc.
-The weak spot is clinical. I spent a whole day a week for four months shadowing some academic neurologists (outpatient), and can talk coherenly about the experience. That's it as far as clinical goes, though.
-I'm a finalist for a really incredible working fellowship for next year in global health. The fellowship is for one year, and then if they invite you stay on an extra year they will send you abroad on a research project and then you come back to crunch data for the second year. I feel like the interviews went really well, and this is my top choice for what to do next year.

All discussion from here on in assumes I am offered the fellowship.

The quandry:
In an ideal world (where you are not penalized for being a re-applicant), I'd apply to the NYC schools and then defer if the fellowship wanted me back another year. If I didn't get in, I would have been using the extra year to volunteer at a free clinic (which I'd do anyway just because it's interesting) which, combined with the research trip over the summer would make the clinical part of my application far stronger. Yet I have a sneaking suspicion that, given the general suckiness of the process, adcoms don't like to see that you applied and were rejected in a previous round ("why should we take you now when no one did last year" kind of skepticism).

The question:
If I were to apply to only the NYC schools this year and were rejected, how much of a disadvantage would that be applying to a wider range of NE seaboard schools the next year? I know a lot of schools ask if you've been accepted before, but do they ask if you've applied in a previous year?

Thanks.

 

[notdeadyet]

Linux- The general consensus that I've seen has been that reapplying is only negative if your application has not changed. If you manage to make yourself a better candidate in the year in between, I wouldn't hesitate to try it.

Keep in mind that some medical schools are hesitant to defer acceptances. You might call and check the policies of all the NYC medschools.

Best of luck...

 

[linuxizer]

Linux- The general consensus that I've seen has been that reapplying is only negative if your application has not changed. If you manage to make yourself a better candidate in the year in between, I wouldn't hesitate to try it.

I'd say that is almost certain. The fellowship itself is a great opportunity, and I will definitely be doing some sort of shadowing/clinic volunteering. So it looks like perhaps this is a viable option, then.

Keep in mind that some medical schools are hesitant to defer acceptances. You might call and check the policies of all the NYC medschools.

Good point. I'm new to this whole calling med schools thing. Do I call the dean's office, or...?

Best of luck...

Thanks. 🙂

 

[Law2Doc]

Yet I have a sneaking suspicion that, given the general suckiness of the process, adcoms don't like to see that you applied and were rejected in a previous round ("why should we take you now when no one did last year" kind of skepticism).

I've heard that a couple of the more competitive places take exactly the attitude you described, and that reapplicants tend to be in a "different pile" and need to show pretty substantial improvement from the prior cycle to get looked at. If possible, it is always safest to get all your ducks in a row and apply once.
Bear in mind that if you and your fiancee are not averse to a longish commute, the schools in Philly might be doable if you and your fiancee are willing to split the difference and live someplace in Jersey. There is probably a compromise location for the CT schools as well. Jersey schools work too if you can get past the in state preferences.

 

[linuxizer]

I've heard that a couple of the more competitive places take exactly the attitude you described, and that reapplicants tend to be in a "different pile" and need to show pretty substantial improvement from the prior cycle to get looked at. If possible, it is always safest to get all your ducks in a row and apply once.

That's my great fear if I don't apply the year after.

Bear in mind that if you and your fiancee are not averse to a longish commute, the schools in Philly might be doable if you and your fiancee are willing to split the difference and live someplace in Jersey. There is probably a compromise location for the CT schools as well. Jersey schools work too if you can get past the in state preferences.

We were definitely considering that. Thus the DC/Philly/CT second round. DC/Baltimore's probably too far; Boston definitely is. Pleeease let me in NYC schools 🙂

 

[slackerjock99]

The situation:
-Need to go to school in NYC or very close to it (fiancee will be in grad school there starting the year after next).
-Application is strong overall. Lowish GPA, highish MCAT, extremely strong research background, very strong recs, etc.
-The weak spot is clinical. I spent a whole day a week for four months shadowing some academic neurologists (outpatient), and can talk coherenly about the experience. That's it as far as clinical goes, though.
-I'm a finalist for a really incredible working fellowship for next year in global health. The fellowship is for one year, and then if they invite you stay on an extra year they will send you abroad on a research project and then you come back to crunch data for the second year. I feel like the interviews went really well, and this is my top choice for what to do next year.

All discussion from here on in assumes I am offered the fellowship.

The quandry:
In an ideal world (where you are not penalized for being a re-applicant), I'd apply to the NYC schools and then defer if the fellowship wanted me back another year. If I didn't get in, I would have been using the extra year to volunteer at a free clinic (which I'd do anyway just because it's interesting) which, combined with the research trip over the summer would make the clinical part of my application far stronger. Yet I have a sneaking suspicion that, given the general suckiness of the process, adcoms don't like to see that you applied and were rejected in a previous round ("why should we take you now when no one did last year" kind of skepticism).

The question:
If I were to apply to only the NYC schools this year and were rejected, how much of a disadvantage would that be applying to a wider range of NE seaboard schools the next year? I know a lot of schools ask if you've been accepted before, but do they ask if you've applied in a previous year?

Thanks.

If its an option, I'd suggest you apply to more medical schools. Having your fiance change grad programs (assuming its a PHD program) is a LOT easier than getting into one of 6 or 7 nyc medical schools. If you dont get in to one of these 7 schools, are you still only going to reapply the same 7 the following year? (oops misread ur post. fiance is not even in grad school yet...so why dont you apply to 20+ schools, assess ur options, and have your fiance apply to that city)

you get my drift?

secondly, i will assume that you will earn more income than your fiance as a doctor. deferring one year will result in a loss of approx 300-500k in future income for the year you were not a practicing physician.

thirdly, can you get into medical school without this fellowship? i'm sure it'd be a great experience, but as i mentioned, you'll lose about a quarter of a million dollars in future income by accepting this year long fellowship.

fourthly, is your fiance starting graduate school the year after next = 2008? It sounds like your fiance has time to apply to schools in cities that YOU were accepted to.

I dont get it. then again, i'm all about the money (i'm sure i'm the only one)

 

[Law2Doc]

secondly, i will assume that you will earn more income than your fiance as a doctor. deferring one year will result in a loss of approx 300-500k in future income for the year you were not a practicing physician.

This assumes an awful lot of things. Lots of medical specialties don't earn this much. And even in those that do, the 300-500k isn't a first year in practice type salary, it is something relevent 15+ years from now. And that's assuming salaries remain comparable that far in the future. I would focus on the more immediate issues.

 

[slackerjock99]

This assumes an awful lot of things. Lots of medical specialties don't earn this much. And even in those that do, the 300-500k isn't a first year in practice type salary, it is something relevent 15+ years from now. And that's assuming salaries remain comparable that far in the future. I would focus on the more immediate issues.

I wasnt even aware that US still churned out non-foreign, non-urban generalist doctors. Docs would rather burn in hell than see their salaries reduced even more than it already has over the last 15 yrz.

 

[linuxizer]

If its an option, I'd suggest you apply to more medical schools. Having your fiance change grad programs (assuming its a PHD program) is a LOT easier than getting into one of 6 or 7 nyc medical schools. If you dont get in to one of these 7 schools, are you still only going to reapply the same 7 the following year? (oops misread ur post. fiance is not even in grad school yet...so why dont you apply to 20+ schools, assess ur options, and have your fiance apply to that city)
you get my drift?

Acceptances to grad school with full funding can be much much more difficult than getting into med school. Much more difficult.

secondly, i will assume that you will earn more income than your fiance as a doctor. deferring one year will result in a loss of approx 300-500k in future income for the year you were not a practicing physician.

It ain't about the bucks.

thirdly, can you get into medical school without this fellowship? i'm sure it'd be a great experience, but as i mentioned, you'll lose about a quarter of a million dollars in future income by accepting this year long fellowship.

It ain't about the bucks.

fourthly, is your fiance starting graduate school the year after next = 2008? It sounds like your fiance has time to apply to schools in cities that YOU were accepted to.

This is her top choice program. She got in. She has worked her ass off for it and I will not take that away from her. Thanks for the "advice," but no thanks. I don't normally get testy about online posts, but geez.

 

[Law2Doc]

I wasnt even aware that US still churned out non-foreign, non-urban generalist doctors. Docs would rather burn in hell than see their salaries reduced even more than it already has over the last 15 yrz.

Huh? Currently a good chunk of physician earnings come from reimbursements from insurance companies. Under the reimbursement system, doctors tend to need to work longer hours to earn the same money they did a decade ago. The number of private patients from whom you can charge whatever they are willing to pay is dropping rapidly (with the exception of certain cosmetic surgery). This could worsen if the government pursues some form of universal healthcare. Additionally, due to public hostility to the high cost of medicine, it is pretty conceivable that the government and insurance companies may try and reduce the costs by reducing reimbursement amounts.

 

[slackerjock99]

Acceptances to grad school with full funding can be much much more difficult than getting into med school. Much more difficult.

Believe it or not, i was a former phd in bioengineering. to my knowledge i didnt know anyone who wasnt fully funded either by the department or an outside source, ie 20,000 / year stipend + free tuition.

I assumed you were a moneyhungry premed. Apologies

 

[Law2Doc]

I assumed you were a moneyhungry premed. Apologies

Dude -- you're the one whose posts and footers seem to be obsessed with money. For someone apparently focused on dentistry/orthodontia and what it earns you sure spend a lot of time on the premed and med boards talking smack about money hungry folks.

 

[slackerjock99]

Dude -- you're the one whose posts and footers seem to be obsessed with money. For someone apparently focused on dentistry/orthodontia and what it earns you sure spend a lot of time on the premed and med boards talking smack about money hungry folks.

I'm not smacktalking this guy. I actually respect him for being above money and respecting his fiance's achievements. I apologized for categorizing him in the general pool of 'ignorant 20 yr old premed'. People like him (and you) are beyond juvenile things like salary and prestige and focus on more important issues like lifestyle, interest, and family.

 

[63768]

I'm not smacktalking this guy. I actually respect him for being above money and respecting his fiance's achievements. I apologized for categorizing him in the general pool of 'ignorant 20 yr old premed'. People like him (and you) are beyond juvenile things like salary and prestige and focus on more important issues like lifestyle, interest, and family.

and who are you to sit there and judge people on what is right and wrong? what makes you so much better than the general pool of ignorant 20 yr old premeds?

back to the OP, i think that applying to more schools that may be out of your comfortable distance from nyc will be best for you. that way you have more choices and more flexibility. the vast majority of schools won't ask about where you applied the past year. i think all they care about in a reapplicant is whether or not large improvements have been made in the application.

 

[^=^]

Another thread that shows Slacker is a troll 👍

 

[mustangsally65]

I was a reapplicant for this application cycle (2005-2006) and I didn't get in any where again. So I'm reapplying again. In my case I need substantial improvement in more than one area, and I'm taking every step to remedy my shortcomings.

From my experience most schools look favorably on reapplicants as long as you're doing something to improve your application and showing your interest in medicine. I mean, some people would give up after not getting in, but reapplicants are taking the plunge again. Some schools also evaluate reapplicants slightly different than regular first-timers.

I applied to schools in the south, so I don't know much about the northeastern schools. But I'd also recommend you call the schools (or have your school's pre-med advisor call them) and find out what their policies are.

The one thing that I'd caution against is getting an acceptance and turning it down to reapply. From what I've heard that is looked upon very badly by admissions departments, because if you were really dedicated to being a physician you'd go anywhere and do anything to achieve your dream. So don't apply to schools you wouldn't consider going to because you just might get an acceptance and then be left with a difficult decision.

You're not the only one who has a spouse to think about when applying. It happens more often than you'd think in medicine. There is even the couples match for residency placement where two people apply to programs that are near each other and they usually are placed together. Just make sure that the schools are aware of your situation. Don't let them think you're choosing their school based soley on location, so be sure to be enthusiastic about their unique qualities. But definitely let them know that you are limited geographically by your situation.

Lots of luck!

 

[linuxizer]

The one thing that I'd caution against is getting an acceptance and turning it down to reapply.

That was the real motivation for only trying for NYC schools...no chance of getting accepted somewhere I'd not want to consider.

You're not the only one who has a spouse to think about when applying. It happens more often than you'd think in medicine. There is even the couples match for residency placement where two people apply to programs that are near each other and they usually are placed together. Just make sure that the schools are aware of your situation. Don't let them think you're choosing their school based soley on location, so be sure to be enthusiastic about their unique qualities. But definitely let them know that you are limited geographically by your situation.

Good advice. Thanks.

~~~

Believe it or not, i was a former phd in bioengineering. to my knowledge i didnt know anyone who wasnt fully funded either by the department or an outside source, ie 20,000 / year stipend + free tuition.

I've spent three years in labs now and believe me I know the funding's good in the sciences (well, unless you start dividing by the number of hours worked in a year and comparing the hourly to other professions requiring similar credentials 😛 ). She's in a humanities field, where funding is by no means guaranteed.

~~~

I'm still unsure about the reapplying idea. It seems like it will be a significant but not insurmountable disadvantage. I would normally just wait until next year to apply, but the second year continuation is not guaranteed (not sure how much I emphasized that in the first post).

One more question: Is it reapplying to any given school that is a disadvantage, or just being a reapplicant in general?

Thanks.

 

[linuxizer]

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