med school options help

[booa373]

Hello forum.

Since 2010 i was pretty much guaranteed a spot in a medical school due to a program in Texas as long as I met the minimum requirements: 3.25 gpa, and 23 mcat. Well either way,I interviewed at all the Medical schools in texas in fall 2012, and the day before i was supposed to find out what medical school I was getting into, I was kicked out. After much probing they finally told me the reason i was kicked out was because i showed little interest in medical school. So i was not kicked out because of grades or mcat, but supposed disinterest? I am very passionate about medicine. Needless to say I was left without a plan B and was pretty distraught. UAG comes to my school the same day I get kicked out. lol Either way fast forward and I graduate may. My mind is pretty set on UAG because I can start right away, but people convince me to stay in the states. I wanted to make myself more competitive so i was going to take my mcat for the third time but never did. Getting kicked out of the program made me loose lots of confidence, I end up applying to UAG spring 2014, and of course get accepted (no surprise). It is now summer 2014 and I am having second thoughts about going. Why? Although the students get matched to excellent schools, I am afraid of the Bilingual aspect. Medical terminology is tough enough, let alone add another language in the mix. I am hispanic, but i am not fluent in spanish. Reading past forums, I dont see why people feel like they only have two option: US schools or Foreign medical schools. There are plenty of other options. I am working at a good science job, so even staying in the states is a viable option. My stats: GPA: 3.5, mcat: 25 Here are the 4 options i see I can choose from: 1) Go to UAG this month 2) Apply to Caribbean's for a later entry date)Apply for a masters in medicine that medical school's offer, and then apply to a medical school 4) Take the mcat for the third time, see how I do and then either apply to foreign medical schools or U.S schools based off results. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Sorry if i provided too much details, or not enough. Any advice on which option to choose would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all.

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[Ace-Co-A]

My stats: GPA: 3.5, mcat: 25 Here are the 4 options i see I can choose from: 1) Go to UAG this month 2) Apply to Caribbean's for a later entry date)Apply for a masters in medicine that medical school's offer, and then apply to a medical school 4) Take the mcat for the third time, see how I do and then either apply to foreign medical schools or U.S schools based off results. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Sorry if i provided too much details, or not enough. Any advice on which option to choose would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all.

I think you should take the MCAT again and look into DO schools (you'll want it to be 26-27+ for DO programs).

 

[masaraksh]

I would talk to a lawyer. Was that program that you were in a BS/MD program? Or was that you just applying to your undergrad school and thinking you were set with your stats? If it was the former, and you did not fail on any of the BS/MD program requirements, then it seems reasonable to contest them kicking you out. However, we would need more details to really help you.

Going to foreign schools is going to *statistically* make it more difficult to practice in the states. period. But you should talk to people more familiar with those pathways.

Two more important points:
- if you think you can significantly improve MCAT (like 30+), then go ahead and do that.
- don't be afraid of gap years. its really not a race for who can become an attending the fastest (not to mention, being an attending can be pretty damn hard). No harm in enjoying your early 20s, working, making a living, putting together a stronger application, and growing a little more mature. my $0.02

 

[mvenus929]

If you want to be a physician in the US, do not go to a Caribbean med school. You do not sound like the type of person who will successfully land a competitive residency from there.

Otherwise, I agree with @masaraksh.

 

[booa373]

I think you should take the MCAT again and look into DO schools (you'll want it to be 26-27+ for DO programs).

valid option. thank you

 

[booa373]

I would talk to a lawyer. Was that program that you were in a BS/MD program? Or was that you just applying to your undergrad school and thinking you were set with your stats? If it was the former, and you did not fail on any of the BS/MD program requirements, then it seems reasonable to contest them kicking you out. However, we would need more details to really help you.

Going to foreign schools is going to *statistically* make it more difficult to practice in the states. period. But you should talk to people more familiar with those pathways.

Two more important points:
- if you think you can significantly improve MCAT (like 30+), then go ahead and do that.
- don't be afraid of gap years. its really not a race for who can become an attending the fastest (not to mention, being an attending can be pretty damn hard). No harm in enjoying your early 20s, working, making a living, putting together a stronger application, and growing a little more mature. my $0.02

Thank you for answering. I was in JAMP: Joint admissions medical program. Basically guaranteed accepted into medical school once admitted into the program as long as you meet the minimum requirements.

I know some caribbean schools provide phone numbers in which you can speak to current students.

Reason I am afraid of waiting too long is 2015 the mcat changes completely. Should 2014 be my deadline to take the mcat?

 

[Law2Doc]

Thank you for answering. I was in JAMP: Joint admissions medical program. Basically guaranteed accepted into medical school once admitted into the program as long as you meet the minimum requirements.

I know some caribbean schools provide phone numbers in which you can speak to current students.

Reason I am afraid of waiting too long is 2015 the mcat changes completely. Should 2014 be my deadline to take the mcat?

Take the new MCAT. You didn't exactly kill the old one, so longer time to study outweighs old format for you. Don't bother talking to current offshore students. If the school gives their numbers out they have agreed to promote the school. But more importantly the number of US grads will threaten to box out offshore grads in just a few years so someone about to start won't be similarly situated to someone in med school already.

 

[Psai]

Probably disinterest in their medical school not in medical school in general. It sounds like you had a seat in medical school but gave it away when you decided to apply to other schools. If that's how it is then you did it to yourself and no sympathy from me especially due to how you're twisting the facts

 

[booa373]

Probably disinterest in their medical school not in medical school in general. It sounds like you had a seat in medical school but gave it away when you decided to apply to other schools. If that's how it is then you did it to yourself and no sympathy from me especially due to how you're twisting the facts

Through jamp you are required to apply to all the medical schools in texas. I only applied to schools in the jamp program. They did not go in to details, but they said one of the 9 schools or more felt like I was not interested in medicine in general...

 

[booa373]

Take the new MCAT. You didn't exactly kill the old one, so longer time to study outweighs old format for you. Don't bother talking to current offshore students. If the school gives their numbers out they have agreed to promote the school. But more importantly the number of US grads will threaten to box out offshore grads in just a few years so someone about to start won't be similarly situated to someone in med school already.

Here is the bad part... I wont lie, being guaranteed a spot with such low requirements, I maybe didnt try as hard. You know? Had I never joined the program I maybe would have had more solid stats? Relying on this program to hard bit me in the butt. All my fault I know. I feel like I would do really well this time knowing that no such program covers me now. But you are right, with the new one I would have more time

 

[Doudline]

The few people I know whose medical school classes were taught in a foreign language claimed that after a short period of adaptation (2-3 months) there's basically no difference. Note that they already had a decent grasp of the language, however.

(I'm not advocating for you to go Caribbeans, btw.)

 

[Law2Doc]

Here is the bad part... I wont lie, being guaranteed a spot with such low requirements, I maybe didnt try as hard. You know? Had I never joined the program I maybe would have had more solid stats? Relying on this program to hard bit me in the butt. All my fault I know. I feel like I would do really well this time knowing that no such program covers me now. But you are right, with the new one I would have more time

You sound like someone who really should take the later MCAT for sure because you definitely need a bit of more time to reboot your mindset before med school. A lot of med school is self motivated, and you can often "graduate" without doing a lot of the things that keep doors open for yourself, so if you feel like you only do well under the gun now, you'll probably realize in third year that the field you ultimately like required a higher step 1 etc.

Also you should change your "status" on SDN to "premed" not "med student" -- you aren't a med student until you start first year orientation at one. It misleads people when you post and they presume you are further along in the process then you really are.

 

[Goro]

My BS meter is going off on this too.

Probably disinterest in their medical school not in medical school in general. It sounds like you had a seat in medical school but gave it away when you decided to apply to other schools. If that's how it is then you did it to yourself and no sympathy from me especially due to how you're twisting the facts

 

[booa373]

My BS meter is going off on this too.

No fact twisting intended. I had to apply to all 9 medical schools in texas through this program. I went to all 9 interviews. One or a few (the program did not specify) said i looked disinterested in medical school in general, which led to my dismissal.

 

[Goro]

I guess now you should remove "medical student" from your status?

Just clarify something for me. The JAMP is for one specific school? Let's call it UT-X. So you go for an interview at UT-Y, then X finds out about it, and dumps you from the program?

Or is the JAMP good for admission to all UT schools?

You have several bad interviews, and the program dumps you?

Did you interview at UT-X? I could see a bad performance at your own school leading to your dismissal.

So, reassess your motives, reassess your interview skills, and try TCOM and other DO programs.

No fact twisting intended. I had to apply to all 9 medical schools in texas through this program. I went to all 9 interviews. One or a few (the program did not specify) said i looked disinterested in medical school in general, which led to my dismissal.

 

[accueil]

I guess now you should remove "medical student" from your status?

Just clarify something for me. The JAMP is for one specific school? Let's call it UT-X. So you go for an interview at UT-Y, then X finds out about it, and dumps you from the program?

Or is the JAMP good for admission to all UT schools?

You have several bad interviews, and the program dumps you?

Did you interview at UT-X? I could see a bad performance at your own school leading to your dismissal.

So, reassess your motives, reassess your interview skills, and try TCOM and other DO programs.

JAMP is a program in TX that is a partnership of all public TX MD schools, TCOM, and Baylor. You apply as sophomore in college. When accepted to JAMP, you receive assured acceptance to a medical school seat. During senior year, you interview at all 9 schools and rank them in order of preference. After the schools make their list, you're matched to a school. It's a pretty sweet deal as you get a free Kaplan online class to prepare for the MCAT, summer internships at the medical schools, and a scholarship during medical school.

We def aren't getting all of the details as JAMP is a very reputable program in TX. You must have done something that was a much bigger red flag than just seeming "disinterested."

 

[allantois]

Here is the bad part... I wont lie, being guaranteed a spot with such low requirements, I maybe didnt try as hard. You know? Had I never joined the program I maybe would have had more solid stats? Relying on this program to hard bit me in the butt. All my fault I know. I feel like I would do really well this time knowing that no such program covers me now. But you are right, with the new one I would have more time

Quit denying that you have nothing to do with being kicked out of the program OP, I did some reading on this program and they have a ton of requirements from participants in the program (e.g. it's not just GPA and MCAT), and at no point should you have felt that you are guaranteed admission to a medical school unless you put a lot of effort on your part as well.

Now, tell us which of this provisions did you fail to meet? http://www.texasjamp.org/students/criteria-guidelines.htm
By the way the minimum MCAT required in the program was 25, not 23 as you said with no sub-score less than 7. What was your science GPA? What did you do to show that you are passionate about medicine?

 

[booa373]

Quit denying that you have nothing to do with being kicked out of the program OP, I did some reading on this program and they have a ton of requirements from participants in the program (e.g. it's not just GPA and MCAT), and at no point should you have felt that you are guaranteed admission to a medical school unless you put a lot of effort on your part as well.

Now, tell us which of this provisions did you fail to meet? http://www.texasjamp.org/students/criteria-guidelines.htm
By the way the minimum MCAT required in the program was 25, not 23 as you said with no sub-score less than 7. What was your science GPA? What did you do to show that you are passionate about medicine?

It was 23 back in 2012 when I was in the program. I did put a lot of effort. I think I could work on my interview skills. I have had a hard time giving eye contact to people in the past. Non academic factors is the provision i failed to meet. science gpa: 3.5, non science: 3.5, mcat 25. 8,8,9.

 

[booa373]

JAMP is a program in TX that is a partnership of all public TX MD schools, TCOM, and Baylor. You apply as sophomore in college. When accepted to JAMP, you receive assured acceptance to a medical school seat. During senior year, you interview at all 9 schools and rank them in order of preference. After the schools make their list, you're matched to a school. It's a pretty sweet deal as you get a free Kaplan online class to prepare for the MCAT, summer internships at the medical schools, and a scholarship during medical school.

We def aren't getting all of the details as JAMP is a very reputable program in TX. You must have done something that was a much bigger red flag than just seeming "disinterest
Who knows. they did not go into to many details why i got kicked out. they said it was confidential... I think i need to work on my interview skills.

 

[booa373]

would anyone like to see my dismissal letter to put the "fact twisting" part to rest. Lol.

 

[Psai]

It's not that we have anything against you in particular but the last person who came in here with a sob story about getting kicked out of medical school was totally full of it. He didn't show up to all of the sessions he was supposed to go to and then forged an attending's signature for the attendance sheets which are details that he conveniently left out when he was relating the story to us

 

[DermViser]

Hello forum.

Since 2010 i was pretty much guaranteed a spot in a medical school due to a program in Texas as long as I met the minimum requirements: 3.25 gpa, and 23 mcat. Well either way,I interviewed at all the Medical schools in texas in fall 2012, and the day before i was supposed to find out what medical school I was getting into, I was kicked out. After much probing they finally told me the reason i was kicked out was because i showed little interest in medical school. So i was not kicked out because of grades or mcat, but supposed disinterest?

Entrance into Medical School as JAMP student

1. Complete the following prescribed coursework:
   • two years of Biology (one with lab)
   • one year of General Chemistry (with lab)
   • one year of Organic Chemistry (with lab)
   • one year of Physics (with lab)
   • one year of English;
   • one semester of Statistics*

*The Statistics course should be taught in a Math or Statistics Department.

1. 
   All prerequisites must be passed with at least a “C” grade. With the exception of credit earned prior to the student’s initial enrollment in the home undergraduate school, all Medical School pre-requisite courses must be taken at the home institution.

b. Receive satisfactory evaluations through interviews and summer internships.

c. Receive satisfactory evaluations of additional factors including integrity and personal and emotional characteristics that are considered necessary for the student to become an effective physician.

d. Complete a bachelor’s degree as a full time (four year usual time frame) undergraduate student.

e. Maintain a minimum overall and BCPM GPA of 3.25 and attain a minimum MCAT* score of 25 with no section less than 7 to qualify for acceptance into Medical School. Students who do not meet the minimum GPA and MCAT requirements may be considered by the JAMP Council on an individual basis for admission into medical school through the JAMP match.

f. Participate in interviews at medical schools as directed by the JAMP Council.

g. Participate in a pre-matriculation internship, if required by the medical school to which the student will matriculate.

*Beginning with the 2013 entry year (application submissions beginning
May 1, 2012 and closing October 1, 2012), the minimum MCAT score that must
be achieved to qualify for Medical School will be a total score of 25 with no section score less than 7. Participants who fail to meet this requirement may be dismissed from the program.

In addition, only participants scoring a 17 or higher by the end of March of the second JAMP year will be allowed to attend a summer internship. Participants who fail to score at least a 17 on the MCAT will not be eligible to attend the second summer internship and may be dismissed from the program. JAMP students who score at least a 17, but less than the required 25 for medical school entry will have until August 31 to retake the MCAT and accomplish the required score of 25 or otherwise risk dismissal from the program.
​

 

[Law2Doc]

would anyone like to see my dismissal letter to put the "fact twisting" part to rest. Lol.

1. Remove med student from your status. You never started one.
2. I think we can accept that you were dismissed from your program. I think we question whether you are being truthful with us, and maybe yourself, as to the real reasons. "showing little interest" doesn't sound like the real reason, this sounds like what they might tell you in addition to a real reason.
3. if the dismissal letter clarifies the second point above, and you want to post it, then by all means.

 

[booa373]

letter says: lack of interest communicated to you, lack of professionalism during interview, and inability to exhibit appropiate interpersonal skills.

 

[mvenus929]

letter says: lack of interest communicated to you, lack of professionalism during interview, and inability to exhibit appropiate interpersonal skills.

What did you do at the interview?

 

[booa373]

What did you do at the interview?

interview well or so I thought.

 

[booa373]

1. Remove med student from your status. You never started one.
2. I think we can accept that you were dismissed from your program. I think we question whether you are being truthful with us, and maybe yourself, as to the real reasons. "showing little interest" doesn't sound like the real reason, this sounds like what they might tell you in addition to a real reason.
3. if the dismissal letter clarifies the second point above, and you want to post it, then by all means.

When i called they gave me little to no information. The only thing they said was lack of interest. When I demanded something more formal they sent me a letter letter says: lack of interest communicated to you, lack of professionalism during interview, and inability to exhibit appropiate interpersonal skills.

 

[Law2Doc]

When i called they gave me little to no information. The only thing they said was lack of interest. When I demanded something more formal they sent me a letter letter says: lack of interest communicated to you, lack of professionalism during interview, and inability to exhibit appropiate interpersonal skills.

They have some specific example of lack of professionalism and of lack of interpersonal skills in mind. They wouldn't have said it if they don't have something on file to support it. You probably know what they are referring to. You don't necessarily agree with it but I suspect you know what they have in your file. Or if you don't there's probably a willful ignorance/ lack of insight issue going on.

 

[booa373]

They have some specific example of lack of professionalism and of lack of interpersonal skills in mind. They wouldn't have said it if they don't have something on file to support it. You probably know what they are referring to. You don't necessarily agree with it but I suspect you know what they have in your file. Or if you don't there's probably a willful ignorance/ lack of insight issue goin
I dont, but i could work on my interview skills.

 

[Law2Doc]

It's not about interview skills if they focused in on a lack of professionalism. Think harder.

 

[Blizzard18]

With your current GPA and mcat, I would recommend going to DO school. If you don't have at least a really high GPA or a really high mcat with a minimum of a 3.65 and a 27 in one of the two (but not both!) you are very very unlikely to be competitive whatsoever for an MD. I'm not sure about this Texas sure thing med school program, I've heard Texas does things differently than the rest of the states so I can't help with any advice there.

 

[booa373]

It's not about interview skills if they focused in on a lack of professionalism. Think harder.

I just need to make sure to arrive on time, stay throughout the whole thing. Last time I only stayed for the interview, and left afterwards even though there was activities/presentations afterwards. Make sure I dress professionally and respond professionally. Also give professional responses.

 

[ace12345]

I just need to make sure to arrive on time, stay throughout the whole thing. Last time I only stayed for the interview, and left afterwards even though there was activities/presentations afterwards. Make sure I dress professionally and respond professionally. Also give professional responses.

Yeah leaving after the interview - and missing subsequent important activities - might be a problem.

 

[OneTwoThreeFour]

I just need to make sure to arrive on time, stay throughout the whole thing. Last time I only stayed for the interview, and left afterwards even though there was activities/presentations afterwards. Make sure I dress professionally and respond professionally. Also give professional responses.

Not staying for the whole thing definitely shows lack of interest in the medical school (and thus, to them, probably lack of interest in medicine altogether. Probably missed a tour of the hospital, history of the school, etc).