Is the current cycle moving faster than normal or is this business as usual?

[DocSherman]

Hello.

I don’t know if this is just me catastrophizing because I currently have no IIs (just Rs and silence), but it seems like the application cycle is moving faster.

I mean…interviews are being scheduled in January of next year, according to some schools. We’re supposedly early in the whole application cycle, so this is setting off alarm bells in my head.

Is this business as usual? Is the application cycle moving at relative light speed when compared to the past? Is this still early in the application cycle or are we getting closer to the middle/late stage of the whole affair?

Thanks.

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[Goro]

Patience is a virtue, the need fir instant gratification is not

 

[DocSherman]

Patience is a virtue, the need fir instant gratification is not

Yeah. That is true…and you already know my record.

It is definitely hard, though this whole journey is a test of delayed gratification. If it succeeds, that is nice. If it doesn’t, then…well…try again or move onto a Plan B.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

You have a 3.3 and a 499. Multiple retakes and a lot of grade repair. You also have experience in eye care. This doesn't mean you can't get into medical school, but you are lower on the priority list than many other applicants. Once they get enough attrition and loss of candidates with strong scores and experience, applications like yours will get a second look. Be patient

 

[DocSherman]

You have a 3.3 and a 499. Multiple retakes and a lot of grade repair. You also have experience in eye care. This doesn't mean you can't get into medical school, but you are lower on the priority list than many other applicants. Once they get enough attrition and loss of candidates with strong scores and experience, applications like yours will get a second look. Be patient

That is a fair assessment. A lot of these problems are self-inflicted, so that is a fair examination of my record - pretty damaged overall.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

That is a fair assessment. A lot of these problems are self-inflicted, so that is a fair examination of my record - pretty damaged overall.

You're not damaged. You're a human being that has had a life and has done their best to improve. You just need to be more patient. You'll get some interviews, which will be more strongly "make or break" than for the average candidate, but you can definitely get in. If you don't, I would strongly suggest looking into podiatry. It's honestly quite surprising that podiatry continues to be a field with low competitiveness. You get to do surgery, clinic and wound care. If I hadn't gotten into medicine, I'd be in podiatry now

 

[Mr.Smile12]

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[DocSherman]

You're not damaged. You're a human being that has had a life and has done their best to improve. You just need to be more patient. You'll get some interviews, which will be more strongly "make or break" than for the average candidate, but you can definitely get in. If you don't, I would strongly suggest looking into podiatry. It's honestly quite surprising that podiatry continues to be a field with low competitiveness. You get to do surgery, clinic and wound care. If I hadn't gotten into medicine, I'd be in podiatry now

Thank you for your message.

I'll definitely dig around podiatry since it is pretty medical adjacent (concluded that eye stuff might not be up my alley). Don't you need surgical skills though to get through the schooling?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Thank you for your message.

I'll definitely dig around podiatry since it is pretty medical adjacent (concluded that eye stuff might not be up my alley). Don't you need surgical skills though to get through the schooling?

You will learn surgical skills. Pod school is virtually identical to medical school. I had pod classmates in 90% of classes

 

[DocSherman]

You will learn surgical skills. Pod school is virtually identical to medical school. I had pod classmates in 90% of classes

Ah. Okay. The clinical side of eye school is what really threw me into a loop, especially it came to examining stuff with…well…my own eyes.

I do hope I place somewhere though in this app cycle. Then again, I know the mountain I’m climbing against though.

 

[Faha]

Which DO schools did you apply to ?

 

[DocSherman]

Which DO schools did you apply to ?

PMed a response.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Don't discount Podiatry if things don't work out. They are very successful. My wife and I are overpriced specialists and if my Pod buddy dropped his checkbook in the parking lot, I'd burn mine. Gotta like surgery though. Good luck and best wishes!

 

[Angus Avagadro]

How extensive is the surgery side of things? I think I'm done with eyes (at least for the near future) and I think my progress in my SMP hopefully restored some confidence in folks concerning my academics.

Thanks for the best wishes though. I do hope I get some IIs in the near future, though its silence so far.

From what I understand, you can limit your practice to bread and butter bunion and foot surgery, and lots of wound care for people with poor circulation. Or you can do more extensive foot and ankle surgery with Achilles repairs, fusions, tendon transpositions, amputations, etc.. A lot of it is up to you.

 

[DocSherman]

From what I understand, you can limit your practice to bread and butter bunion and foot surgery, and lots of wound care for people with poor circulation. Or you can do more extensive foot and ankle surgery with Achilles repairs, fusions, tendon transpositions, amputations, etc.. A lot of it is up to you.

Thank you very much for your response. How extensive is this in school itself? I'm being a bit more cautious with Plan Bs after my ridiculous journey that earned me academic ire.

I'll obviously stop by the Podiatry part of this forum as well. Still though, it would be nice to get a med school A somewhere. MD or DO - I'll be happy for the opportunity to engage and work with this world, though I'm aware it is such a chaotic admissions process overall.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Thank you very much for your response. How extensive is this in school itself? I'm being a bit more cautious with Plan Bs after my ridiculous journey that earned me academic ire.

I'll obviously stop by the Podiatry part of this forum as well. Still though, it would be nice to get a med school A somewhere. MD or DO - I'll be happy for the opportunity to engage and work with this world, though I'm aware it is such a chaotic admissions process overall.

Podiatry is nearly identical to medicine. 90%+ of courses are the same with supplemental foot mechanics and kinesiology. You will rotate in almost all the same specialties as a regular MS3. You do a 3 year residency. Guaranteed match because more residencies than applicants. In the end, you can forgo all surgery if you want and do clinic only or wound care. The opposite is also true

 

[DocSherman]

Podiatry is nearly identical to medicine. 90%+ of courses are the same with supplemental foot mechanics and kinesiology. You do a 3 year residency. Guaranteed match because more residencies than applicants. In the end, you can forgo all surgery if you want and do clinic only or wound care. The opposite is also true

Ah. Okay. Thanks for chiming in.

Guess I gotta wait till Thanksgiving before thinking extensively about a Plan B. Knock on wood, of course - hopefully I'll get lucky before then.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Ah. Okay. Thanks for chiming in.

Guess I gotta wait till Thanksgiving before thinking extensively about a Plan B. Knock on wood, of course - hopefully I'll get lucky before then.

Don't wait. Go shadow a podiatrist. I did and had a letter from one. Once i got invites from DO, i didn't submit the pod application, but i was ready to rumble. You should too

 

[DocSherman]

Don't wait. Go shadow a podiatrist. I did and had a letter from one. Once i got invites from DO, i didn't submit the pod application, but i was ready to rumble. You should too

Okay! So shadowing is definitely a requirement then?

Out of curiosity, how long should I shadow to show the schools that I have some interest in the career?

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Okay! So shadowing is definitely a requirement then?

Out of curiosity, how long should I shadow to show the schools that I have some interest in the career?

50 hours is the standard. Spin it as you never knew you liked it until you shadowed. Their average MCAT is like 494, so you'll get to pick anywhere to go

 

[DocSherman]

50 hours is the standard. Spin it as you never knew you liked it until you shadowed. Their average MCAT is like 494, so you'll get to pick anywhere to go

Hmmmmmm...okay. I'll get some shadowing on the docket then. Its definitely good to keep in one's back pocket, I guess.

 

[DocSherman]

50 hours is the standard. Spin it as you never knew you liked it until you shadowed. Their average MCAT is like 494, so you'll get to pick anywhere to go

Oh. I might have to retake my MCAT since 2020 may be too old

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

Not to dissuade from podiatry, but the forums around here for pod are bleak, so it's worth hearing some of the challenges new students /grads face. At the end of the day though, you will be a physician and a surgeon.

 

[DocSherman]

Not to dissuade from podiatry, but the forums around here for pod are bleak, so it's worth hearing some of the challenges new students /grads face. At the end of the day though, you will be a physician and a surgeon.

Ah. Fair point. It’s bleak around other fields as well - birds of a feather, I guess.

I truly hope my app cycle this year turns out fine. I’m just looking at other options now in case things truly go belly up.