MD acceptances while in SMP... considering leaving the program.

[hokieMD2017]

Hello all! I was hoping I could get a little advice from some of you. I am currently enrolled in an SMP program and have finished the first semester. During the program I received 5 interview invites from allopathic schools. I was accepted back in November at Virginia Tech Carilion and have been waitlisted at 3 schools so far, and am still waiting to here back from one. There is a possibility that I will get an interview at the school I am doing my SMP at as well. However, I am a re-applicant and my application died on 4 waitlists last year, so I know better than to count an acceptances post-waitlist.

I am happy with the one acceptance that I have, so I am considering leaving the SMP program (my acceptance is not conditional on completing the program) and using the rest of my time before med school volunteering and pursing other hobbies. I would save myself a lot of money and a lot of stress. However, if I were to do this, I would be giving up any chance of getting into another med school. If you were in this situation, what would you do?

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[DrMidlife]

Check your VTC acceptance letter - every acceptance is conditional on something. You almost undoubtedly need to get VTC's permission to not complete your program. You also would be held accountable for your SMP at other schools that haven't decided on you yet.

You aren't saving yourself any money if your tuition refund deadline is past. It's mid-February. So go look that up - is the deadline for a full 2nd semester tuition refund already gone?

If you can't get your tuition back, then you probably should try to get the most out of the rest of the program. And then your 1st year of med school will be considerably easier, and you can plan to do a respectable project on the side.

My school's SMP has a couple people drop every year after they get acceptances elsewhere. They might get asked during residency/job interviews why they didn't finish their masters, but it's hard to imagine any real consequences of it.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Hemorrage]

Be really careful.. most acceptances are conditional upon successful completion of whatever degree you were working on prior or during the app process.

 

[hokieMD2017]

Check your VTC acceptance letter - every acceptance is conditional on something. You almost undoubtedly need to get VTC's permission to not complete your program. You also would be held accountable for your SMP at other schools that haven't decided on you yet.

You aren't saving yourself any money if your tuition refund deadline is past. It's mid-February. So go look that up - is the deadline for a full 2nd semester tuition refund already gone?

If you can't get your tuition back, then you probably should try to get the most out of the rest of the program. And then your 1st year of med school will be considerably easier, and you can plan to do a respectable project on the side.

My school's SMP has a couple people drop every year after they get acceptances elsewhere. They might get asked during residency/job interviews why they didn't finish their masters, but it's hard to imagine any real consequences of it.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks for your reply! I can still get my tuition back for this semester and I have been in contact with VTC and fortunately enough my acceptance is not conditional on my completion of the program. I have already taken 4 medical school classes so in that sense I already feel quite prepared for medical school, but a part of being prepared is also being in the right state of mind to start school... I am worried that I might be burnt out from this program before I even start at VTC!

 

[darklabel]

Thanks for your reply! I can still get my tuition back for this semester and I have been in contact with VTC and fortunately enough my acceptance is not conditional on my completion of the program. I have already taken 4 medical school classes so in that sense I already feel quite prepared for medical school, but a part of being prepared is also being in the right state of mind to start school... I am worried that I might be burnt out from this program before I even start at VTC!

If you called and asked about it and they said you can withdraw, then just go ahead and do so. As long as you're happy and you don't have a single doubt about attending VTC over any other school, then just withdraw, save money and enjoy your time off!

Now, if you prefer going into the program that your SMP is in, then I suggest you stay. But its up to you and I think its a question no one here can answer but you.

Congratulations on your success!

 

[petyr_baelish]

Make triple sure that your acceptance is not conditional!