Chill. I get the app season is stressful, but realize that this is also your last year before hopping on the never-ending treadmill that is medicine. Even the absolute worst case scenario is you apply again next year. That's not a very terrible scenario. Even part of me wishes I would have taken a year before starting. You'll miss all the things you are able to do now, when you no longer are able to because of med school and you'll hate yourself.
I obviously didn't mean that the success of others is awful, haha. It's just discouraging to see those who were marked complete after you say that they have IIs or hear about acceptances while you're sitting there waiting for a II. By reading these stories I'm just adding unnecessary negative thoughts to my life, but I can't help it. I'm addicted to this placeIm in the same boat as you...... Sitting in front of a computer all day and filling out secondaries when I get a chance...... However, I dont think its awful but inspiring. I like to read about other people success. Makes me humble in a way. Til then......Imma keep telling everyone im a janitor
I obviously didn't mean that the success of others is awful, haha. It's just discouraging to see those who were marked complete after you say that they have IIs or hear about acceptances while you're sitting there waiting for a II. By reading these stories I'm just adding unnecessary negative thoughts to my life, but I can't help it. I'm addicted to this place
I finished a couple of weeks ago. Right around the time I was starting secondaries and everyone started complaining, someone posted about how some of us will miss the days when we were racking our brains trying to write essays because at least then you were playing an active role in the process and weren't just sitting there waiting for months. I never thought I would say it but yeah...they were right.
In my uneducated opinion, I'm being placed in the "We'll hold onto this for now, maybe offer a II later" pile due to my poor ECs. But thank you and good luck to you as well, I'm trying to remind myself on a regular basis to stop stressing and enjoy life or future me will hate present me for spending all of my energy stressing instead of enjoying my last year of nearly 0 responsibility. It really is just work that gives me trouble.
I was of the understanding that volunteering, for the sake of volunteering, was only valuable if you plan on reapplying or as a talking point for what you're doing during your time off. Is this incorrect? That being said, I do currently volunteer at a shelter but its more for fun than anything else, I don't get a lot of hours and no clinical exposure.
Maybe I didn't explain myself correctly, I am of the impression that, once you have applied, your experiences are complete. The only places continued hours could assist your chances are places that accept updates, which are not many. Any activities I do now will not improve my chances of receiving an interview. I'm not making any comment about the actual 'worth' of these experiences, just the direct value they would add to my chances of being interviewed.
From my understanding, hitting the "update" button on AACOMAS after adding new experiences sends an email to your schools (those you applied to) with the new information and it's not uncommon for admissions staff to reconsider sending an interview invite at that time.
Really?? I had no idea ha. Thank you
You should know that my statement wasn't 100% fact and based partially on conjecture. That said, much of the conjecture was based on past application threads.
Lol, I appreciate the disclaimer. Whether you are correct or not, you've still caused me to look further into it today
Chill. I get the app season is stressful, but realize that this is also your last year before hopping on the never-ending treadmill that is medicine. Even the absolute worst case scenario is you apply again next year. That's not a very terrible scenario. Even part of me wishes I would have taken a year before starting. You'll miss all the things you are able to do now, when you no longer are able to because of med school and you'll hate yourself.
Like I do.
It largely depends on your goals, but there is always a bit of free time if you're willing to budget for it. I'm just terrible at time management, and I also have a family at home so that takes up most of my time. I typically find myself scrambling to be ready for every test, and I'm not at the top of my class. That being said, I'm not gunning for anything competitive, so as long as I pass all my classes I'm fairly happy.
Not to be overly self-deprecating, but you probably don't want to follow my advice on too much in med school. I'm happy to try help where I can, however, so perhaps I'll lay out what I try to do and what successful students seem to do.
They're never offended, and most of them even joke about it. I may be mistaken here, but I'm pretty sure any relevant LORs for residency apps are going to come from physicians overseeing your clinical years, unless you are directly involved with research with one of the didactic professors.
