Is Applying to Medschools A Nightmare.

[notsureyet]

Hey guys:
Well I will hopefully have 75 credits in a few weeks once this semster ends. I will probably take the remaining 45 in a year. My Question is if I take the MCAT -no prep yet- this summer, and shadow with a few Docs this summer, should I apply during the Fall, or Wait for the Next Admission Cycle. Thinking about this stuff makes me . I never thought I would ever apply to Medschool, I just dont know why, maybe I was expecting to not live as long ;p.

But For Some Reason I feel Scared, I dont know Why...
& BTW I still have a sem each of bio, orgo Chem, and Physics remaining.

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[Dr.Inviz]

Hey guys:
Well I will hopefully have 75 credits in a few weeks once this semster ends. I will probably take the remaining 45 in a year. My Question is if I take the MCAT -no prep yet- this summer, and shadow with a few Docs this summer, should I apply during the Fall, or Wait for the Next Admission Cycle. Thinking about this stuff makes me . I never thought I would ever apply to Medschool, I just dont know why, maybe I was expecting to not live as long ;p.

But For Some Reason I feel Scared, I dont know Why...
& BTW I still have a sem each of bio, orgo Chem, and Physics remaining.

It's only the beginning ...

 

[MikeyLu2010]

yes.

 

[thanecyan]

A FP resident here in town said applying for residency is way, way, way, way worse than applying for medical school.

 

[MaximusD]

meh that's over three years away...

 

[toothless rufus]

It all sucks: from application to retirement, apparently, lol!

 

[nlax30]

So do you have just year left in college? If so and if you're looking to start med school right after you graduate then you'll have to apply this fall. BUT, it seems like you are a little unsure of the whole thing, or at least have more questions about the process and even about if you really want to pursue medicine. Also, if you plan on taking the MCAT this summer....what sort of prep work are you going to do? Not sure of your other stats (GPA, EC's, etc...) but realistically you should be looking to do as well as you can on the MCAT, don't just expect spend a few days reviewing stuff before walking into it.

If you're grades and experiences make you a really competitive applicant than by all means apply for this coming cycle. If you're there are some areas of your application lacking, or if you unsure then take a year off after you graduate and take some classes, get a health-related job, volunteer, etc... and then apply for the next cycle.

The whole application process IS a huge pain, so it really helps to focus on things step by step over a period of time. Make sure you have good letters of rec lined up early, start working on your personal statement and any other essays, start researching which schools you'd like to apply to.

 

[robertcpaulson]

This was my face before applying to medschool...

And this was after...

 

[poormansDO]

Hey guys:
Well I will hopefully have 75 credits in a few weeks once this semster ends. I will probably take the remaining 45 in a year. My Question is if I take the MCAT -no prep yet- this summer, and shadow with a few Docs this summer, should I apply during the Fall, or Wait for the Next Admission Cycle. Thinking about this stuff makes me . I never thought I would ever apply to Medschool, I just dont know why, maybe I was expecting to not live as long ;p.

But For Some Reason I feel Scared, I dont know Why...
& BTW I still have a sem each of bio, orgo Chem, and Physics remaining.

Yes, the admissions cylce is a nightmare as I was in your position last year. You are always anxious, submitting applications and always hoping for the best (unless you have great stats I suppose, which would mean its just a matter of time before you get in somewhere). I had many sleepless nights (seriously) but it is all worth it in the end. It's tough at times but hope wins out eventually and so it is possible to hang in there and make it through. I was accepted late (in March) so I know how waiting can be tough. Good luck

 

[fabu1ous]

Hey guys:
Well I will hopefully have 75 credits in a few weeks once this semster ends. I will probably take the remaining 45 in a year. My Question is if I take the MCAT -no prep yet- this summer, and shadow with a few Docs this summer, should I apply during the Fall, or Wait for the Next Admission Cycle. Thinking about this stuff makes me . I never thought I would ever apply to Medschool, I just dont know why, maybe I was expecting to not live as long ;p.

But For Some Reason I feel Scared, I dont know Why...
& BTW I still have a sem each of bio, orgo Chem, and Physics remaining.

Why are you in a rush to apply? It seems 45 c.h.'s in a year is alot, especially considering that you haven't begun to prepare for the MCAT. You still have 2nd semester of almost major science courses to take which also puts you at a disadvantage of doing as well as you could probably do on the MCAT (which is a nightmare by itself). Unless your GPA is totally fab and you test really really well, I would wait.

IMO, do as much shadowing and volunteering in places that interest you. Not only to get some good LOR's, but also to get you totally siked about applying to med school-- maybe you will figure out why you are scared or have apprehensions about applying. Do fab in your classes, boost or keep your GPA high, and rock the MCAT. If you don't class overload, you can finish school by Dec of 08, and take a semester off before you start med school... with your head clear and plenty of time to post all of your 's on SDN . Best of luck to you!

 

[group_theory]

A FP resident here in town said applying for residency is way, way, way, way worse than applying for medical school.

Nah, i would say it is the same, just a bit more complicated

ERAS is the common application. You submit your info, have your school load LORs, Deans Letter, transcript, USMLE/COMLEX scores to ERAS ... and apply to programs

Then come interviews

Then you submit a rank list to either AOA matching service, NRMP (MD) matching service, or both.

Then you wait to find out where you match.

Then you party

*military match and SF match have earlier deadline but is similar

 

[thanecyan]

SF match?

 

[group_theory]

SF match?

http://www.sfmatch.org/

*mainly the match for allopathic neurosurg, ophtho, plastic surgery, and a few advance positions programs and fellowships

 

[Lamont]

go read iserson's getting into a residency. just do it now, its amazing. it explains a lot of stuff. also...45 hours in 1 year = bad idea. do that over 3 semesters and get a job in a hospital or go be in charge of a club (or even 2...). Be sure you get extensive shadowing, start studying for the MCAT, write your personal statement, NEVER socialize, and read these forums for truth 24/7. OK so after I wrote about the PS I got slightly sarcastic. Do study, do write that PS, do socialize some (have a life, please, dont be ultracompetitive gunner), and read everything (even this) with a grain of salt...a lot of us are pre-meds and thus know absolutley nothing about medicine, maybe some off and on good advice about applications and interviews, but thats it. good luck.

 

[c0mpletec0ntrol]

This was my face before applying to medschool...

And this was after...

love it.

 

[TheNorthWaves]

yes it is a nightmare.

 

[Natatiap]

I think for me the cost to apply (primary secondary apps then getting to the interview hotel suit etc) that was a lot. Then the waiting to see if and where you get in!