my semi-solicited advice

[adcomm]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

adcomm, risking redundancy, i just wanted to thank you for the "words of wisdom" you've been giving us. it really helps with peace of mind during this whole mess called application.

i just had a quick question. i received disciplinary action from the school for downloading copyrighted material over peer-to-peer networks (kazaa and such) using the school's internet (i live in the dorms). the first offense was in the first month of my freshman year, and i received a warning. the disciplinary action was taken for a second offense that occured in the first month of my sophmore year. as part of the action, i attended ethics seminars and my internet was suspended for a semester. I've finally learned my lesson, but what effect do you think this will have on my application process? should i dwell on it, or just state that i've learned my lesson and i won't do it again?

this is not a biggie (the offense in and of itself), the only issue is that you got cited for it twice. it's only on your record once, right? definitely not worth dwelling on. if they ask you about it, give the line about learning your lesson and the interview should move on.

 

[adcomm]

Adcomm


Can I be your Pimp/Manager, I will keep it neat for you, keep the bad guys away and my reward need only be 10%, huh, what do you say? 😉

5%.

 

[adcomm]

Hi adcom- thanks for all the advice. I have 2 qs for you:
1). Since we send in our secondaries during late summer/early fall, do adcoms still want us to send in our fall grades when they become available? I'm not worried about my gpa dropping next fall, but I just want to be DONE with the application as soon as possible and not have to keep updating it.
2). Do adcoms care about scholarships like Goldwater, Fulbright, etc...? I'm a Goldwater scholar and I know it won't hurt, but does it really help that much assuming all other parts of the application are decent?
Thanks again!!

1. you can certainly update your app with the grades if they're strong, but it's not mandatory. you can also make it personal correspondance (like when people talk about LOIs) directly to the school. doesn't have to be an official amcas update.

2. it carries some weight. I can't give you "it makes your application 10% better" or anything like that, but anytime you are regarded as being a unique and special snowflake by another professional committee, it carries weight in the subconscious of the people who are listening to that listed as one of your accomplishments.

 

[JimmyG]

Hi Adcomm...

I have been reading this thread consistently and have one question for you..

I am a non-trad whose undergrad and graduate GPA are fine (above 3.8 in both); however, I am back in school this semester taking a full load of science classes, one of them being Orgo II. I am doing fine in my 2 bio and 1 phys classes but I have a flat out C in Orgo II. I took Orgo I 8 years ago and in hindsight I should have audited Orgo I before I attemped this class. Since these are my most recent classes that med schools will look at, how much will this C in Orgo hurt me...or will it? A professor told me it will hurt me so that is why I'm so concerned...

Thanks for all your help--it is a tremendous asset to us all!!

JimmyG

 

[trustwomen]

Wow, adcomm, you're so patient.... 😀

Here's my contribution to the draining of your valuable time:

A volunteer group that I founded got some pretty neat press coverage (cover of the Village Voice, and lead article in the "ACLU Heroes of Freedom" special series in Salon.com). I brought copies of both to my interview (one-on-one interview with each of two adcomm members). I waited until they seemed supportive/complimentary (it's a controversial field - abortion rights activism) and then offered them the copies in case they wanted further information, as they had asked me about this activity which was in my PS (of course). They both accepted the articles. Is this as good a sign as I think it is? Both articles were complimentary to me personally (Village Voice was actually a bit over-the-top).

It's been three weeks since the interviews and I'm starting to freak out and convince myself they hated me.

Do adcomms REALLY get impressed by that stuff or would I be considered too "radical"?

 

[adcomm]

Hi Adcomm...

I have been reading this thread consistently and have one question for you..

I am a non-trad whose undergrad and graduate GPA are fine (above 3.8 in both); however, I am back in school this semester taking a full load of science classes, one of them being Orgo II. I am doing fine in my 2 bio and 1 phys classes but I have a flat out C in Orgo II. I took Orgo I 8 years ago and in hindsight I should have audited Orgo I before I attemped this class. Since these are my most recent classes that med schools will look at, how much will this C in Orgo hurt me...or will it? A professor told me it will hurt me so that is why I'm so concerned...

Thanks for all your help--it is a tremendous asset to us all!!

JimmyG

agh, yeah, in retrospect, auditing would have been the way to go. it's definitely the best course to get a C in out of the ones you listed. if you are getting As in the other classes I think that will be OK for a non-trad friendly school. is it just one semester worth of grades? if there is another semester recently that you did well, I'd let your blood pressure drop a bit. that alone won't hurt you too much.

 

[tikiman]

I see this guys posts all over the place. Chill out dude. You're always writing long, incoherent, crazy things that break the flow of otherwise nice threads, like this one.

OOPS! got carried away... sry 😳

 

[tikiman]

Hi adcomm, on the forums i have read that if u want to shadow a doc, u should do it for like a month or something... but the hospital that im looking to shadows docs at only let u do for like one day and maybe four to five days but that's abt the max i can do there. As u have said before that ppl should preferably shadow docs for more than one day, is shadowing them for like a week OK?
...So i plan to shadow two or three docs for like a week each. Do u think that those are good ideas or should i just wait until i can find some doc who will let me shadow him/her for a longer (> month) period of time?

Thx for ur help
tikiman

 

[adcomm]

Wow, adcomm, you're so patient.... 😀

Here's my contribution to the draining of your valuable time:

A volunteer group that I founded got some pretty neat press coverage (cover of the Village Voice, and lead article in the "ACLU Heroes of Freedom" special series in Salon.com). I brought copies of both to my interview (one-on-one interview with each of two adcomm members). I waited until they seemed supportive/complimentary (it's a controversial field - abortion rights activism) and then offered them the copies in case they wanted further information, as they had asked me about this activity which was in my PS (of course). They both accepted the articles. Is this as good a sign as I think it is? Both articles were complimentary to me personally (Village Voice was actually a bit over-the-top).

It's been three weeks since the interviews and I'm starting to freak out and convince myself they hated me.

Do adcomms REALLY get impressed by that stuff or would I be considered too "radical"?

we actually had a bit of this discussion with someone who was an activist with a less controversial field but kind of aggressive tactics. there are a couple issues at play here. they all kind of center around the fact that they are picking people a) they want to be students and will be good students at the school (academically and socially) and b) they want as collegues, that would make good doctors (which is also about more than academics). having a strong committment to women's health issues is a positive thing, and I have seen involvement with contraversial advocacy groups be included in an argument FOR a candidate.

what you don't want is to let it dominate the interview (even though it's something you're passionate about) because they need to see that you are able to fully put it down if you need to for a particular patient. to this end I have no idea if it was a good thing or not because I have no idea how perceptive you are. discussing a strong positition on a controversial topic is dicey in any interview, simply because interviews are ALL about interpersonal dynamics and gut feelings. some people feel strongly enough about their position that they are willing to take the risk discussing it/offering literature inherently carries. as pro-choice as I am, if I got the feeling that you wanted your degree to use as leverage in a fight other than the traditional fights of patients versus disease/suffering, I would be uncomfortable.

I think it probably went over more favorably if the conversation was centered around your role as a leader. they are definitely cool accomplishments, and hopefully when you left you'd convinced them not only do you make a great activist, you'd make a great physician for women as well.

I hope I ended up saying what I wanted to say somewhere in all that mess. three weeks is nothing- this time of year my committee isn't meeting every week because of second looks and open houses, etc. our decisions are definitely taking time. sorry to anyone who applied here.

 

[adcomm]

Hi adcomm, on the forums i have read that if u want to shadow a doc, u should do it for like a month or something... but the hospital that im looking to shadows docs at only let u do for like one day and maybe four to five days but that's abt the max i can do there. As u have said before that ppl should preferably shadow docs for more than one day, is shadowing them for like a week OK?
...So i plan to shadow two or three docs for like a week each. Do u think that those are good ideas or should i just wait until i can find some doc who will let me shadow him/her for a longer (> month) period of time?

Thx for ur help
tikiman

four of five sessions is fine. two or three with the same person is fine as well. since you're early in the game, look for a volunteer position in some clinical area where you aren't following someone around all the time. nobody is going to have you shadow them for a month- after a certain point it will get very boring for you and tedious for them. you don't need to learn medicine on these visits, just get a feel for what the day is like. seeing how several people's days are is preferable to seeing one person's month.

 

[tikiman]

thank you, ur a life-saver 🙂

 

[trustwomen]

we actually had a bit of this discussion with someone who was an activist with a less controversial field but kind of aggressive tactics. there are a couple issues at play here. they all kind of center around the fact that they are picking people a) they want to be students and will be good students at the school (academically and socially) and b) they want as collegues, that would make good doctors (which is also about more than academics). having a strong committment to women's health issues is a positive thing, and I have seen involvement with contraversial advocacy groups be included in an argument FOR a candidate.

what you don't want is to let it dominate the interview (even though it's something you're passionate about) because they need to see that you are able to fully put it down if you need to for a particular patient. to this end I have no idea if it was a good thing or not because I have no idea how perceptive you are. discussing a strong positition on a controversial topic is dicey in any interview, simply because interviews are ALL about interpersonal dynamics and gut feelings. some people feel strongly enough about their position that they are willing to take the risk discussing it/offering literature inherently carries. as pro-choice as I am, if I got the feeling that you wanted your degree to use as leverage in a fight other than the traditional fights of patients versus disease/suffering, I would be uncomfortable.

I think it probably went over more favorably if the conversation was centered around your role as a leader. they are definitely cool accomplishments, and hopefully when you left you'd convinced them not only do you make a great activist, you'd make a great physician for women as well.

I hope I ended up saying what I wanted to say somewhere in all that mess. three weeks is nothing- this time of year my committee isn't meeting every week because of second looks and open houses, etc. our decisions are definitely taking time. sorry to anyone who applied here.

One interviewer did ask me how I felt about pro-life people applying to medical school, and I said that doing good is doing good, and there are certainly some pro-life people who do good. I also said that being passionate about something is a good quality for a doctor, and that I don't judge others because of their views. I did say that pro-choice might be somewhat more related to medicine, as it is about preserving access to a medical procedure rather than denying access to a medical procedure. The interviewer then made a comment about a controversy in his FP practice with some docs refusing to refer for abortion or emergency contraception, and he seemed to "shake his head" and be disappointed with these docs. (Yes, I have been picking apart every little detail). He also asked me about the other main thing in my PS, my current job (in a shelter for homeless young women) and we talked a while about universal healthcare (it was a Canadian school). So it wasn't "all about the baby-killing". 😉

So THAT's why he asked me what qualities I had that enabled me to start the group... I answered that one awkwardly I think (motivating others, thinking unconventionally, etc.). But more info on these "qualities" are definitely in the articles... Do you think they'll read them, adcomm? Do you? DO YOU? 😳 (I'm so pathetic)

I also told both interviewers that I was really determined to get into med school, that I would keep trying until it happened, and that whatever school let me in would be glad they did because I will shine. For the first guy it was in response to the "what will you do if you're not accepted anywhere" question, and for the second guy (the one mentioned above) it was when he asked if I wanted to say anything else, so I said, well, the first interviewer asked me about what I would do if rejected, and I wanted you to know too.... I don't usually come across as arrogant to people, and it was the end of otherwise good interviews, do you think this might have been a turnoff? (I like to think it was "confident").

 

[faluri]

Hey adcomm!

1. A couple of questions for you in regards to courseload. I am wondering how the adcomms evaluate the 'rigor' of an applicant's academic courseload. I will be applying soon and in terms of my past semesters and for my senior year, I am a bit concerned with the 'impression' it gives off. I have semesters where I completed 21-23 credit hours and others where I completed 14-15- not technically an underload at my school but not traditional 4 courses--> 16 credits. Does this seem inconsistent to an admissions committee - does it cast doubt as to the capabilities of the applicant. In retrospect, I am not sure why I chose my courseloads in this way, except that one semester it would have been crazy for me to handle more than that (Orgo, Orgo Lab, Physics, Physics Lab, Neuro and Neuro lab) and another semester (spring of junior year) - I thought I would be taking the mcats but did not.

2. Can research experience HURT an applicant? i.e. If a student has spent a lot of their extracurricular time in basic science research experience- does the committee question whether the student is appropriate for an M.D. path as opposed to Ph.D.?

3. Has your school ever discussed the candidacy of students applying to your program out of combined medical programs? How are these students viewed- is their discussion as to why the student wants to apply out, the motivations, etc.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Gerrymandering]

Hey adcomm,

I dont know too much about adcomms other than they are responsible for choosing students to fill up seats at medical schools.

I would like to know...
1) What kind of training does an adcom go through...are most of them MDs or DOs?
2) Can you be an adcom member and practice as a physician?
3) How much time do you dedicate to being an adcom member?

I'm just curious as to what you will say here...Who knows maybe someday i might consider the adcom route?

thanks for you time!

 

[adcomm]

One interviewer did ask me how I felt about pro-life people applying to medical school, and I said that doing good is doing good, and there are certainly some pro-life people who do good. I also said that being passionate about something is a good quality for a doctor, and that I don't judge others because of their views. I did say that pro-choice might be somewhat more related to medicine, as it is about preserving access to a medical procedure rather than denying access to a medical procedure. The interviewer then made a comment about a controversy in his FP practice with some docs refusing to refer for abortion or emergency contraception, and he seemed to "shake his head" and be disappointed with these docs. (Yes, I have been picking apart every little detail). He also asked me about the other main thing in my PS, my current job (in a shelter for homeless young women) and we talked a while about universal healthcare (it was a Canadian school). So it wasn't "all about the baby-killing". 😉

So THAT's why he asked me what qualities I had that enabled me to start the group... I answered that one awkwardly I think (motivating others, thinking unconventionally, etc.). But more info on these "qualities" are definitely in the articles... Do you think they'll read them, adcomm? Do you? DO YOU? 😳 (I'm so pathetic)

I also told both interviewers that I was really determined to get into med school, that I would keep trying until it happened, and that whatever school let me in would be glad they did because I will shine. For the first guy it was in response to the "what will you do if you're not accepted anywhere" question, and for the second guy (the one mentioned above) it was when he asked if I wanted to say anything else, so I said, well, the first interviewer asked me about what I would do if rejected, and I wanted you to know too.... I don't usually come across as arrogant to people, and it was the end of otherwise good interviews, do you think this might have been a turnoff? (I like to think it was "confident").

these are all things that have way too much to do with the individual person for me to answer 🙂 hang in there. go to the gym or bake cookies or something. it's sunday.

 

[adcomm]

Hey adcomm!

1. A couple of questions for you in regards to courseload. I am wondering how the adcomms evaluate the 'rigor' of an applicant's academic courseload. I will be applying soon and in terms of my past semesters and for my senior year, I am a bit concerned with the 'impression' it gives off. I have semesters where I completed 21-23 credit hours and others where I completed 14-15- not technically an underload at my school but not traditional 4 courses--> 16 credits. Does this seem inconsistent to an admissions committee - does it cast doubt as to the capabilities of the applicant. In retrospect, I am not sure why I chose my courseloads in this way, except that one semester it would have been crazy for me to handle more than that (Orgo, Orgo Lab, Physics, Physics Lab, Neuro and Neuro lab) and another semester (spring of junior year) - I thought I would be taking the mcats but did not.

2. Can research experience HURT an applicant? i.e. If a student has spent a lot of their extracurricular time in basic science research experience- does the committee question whether the student is appropriate for an M.D. path as opposed to Ph.D.?

3. Has your school ever discussed the candidacy of students applying to your program out of combined medical programs? How are these students viewed- is their discussion as to why the student wants to apply out, the motivations, etc.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

1. haven't seen that really analyzed. if it would come in to play for some reason I think it would only matter if you never held a course load over 12 credits. you're fine.

2. as long as you have a strong answer to "why an MD" and didn't sacrifice having some clinical exposure because of lab time, it's cool. make sure you update your CV with all your publications/presentations because it's a pain to go back and compile it when you're applying for residency.

3. I'm not totally sure I understand. you mean, when we evaluate the MD application of the MD/PhD apps? we know they are applying to the dual degree but defer to the md/phd committee for the rest of the decision. it's usually not a hard call because they tend to be good applicants.

 

[adcomm]

Hey adcomm,

I dont know too much about adcomms other than they are responsible for choosing students to fill up seats at medical schools.

I would like to know...
1) What kind of training does an adcom go through...are most of them MDs or DOs?
2) Can you be an adcom member and practice as a physician?
3) How much time do you dedicate to being an adcom member?

I'm just curious as to what you will say here...Who knows maybe someday i might consider the adcom route?

thanks for you time!

it's just an adminstrative duty that gets tacked onto a regular academic MD position. most are MDs or PhDs at my school (which is an MD school). there is no "training" beyond knowing the school and the atmosphere and the expectations of the dean. they get asked to be on the committee because the dean of admissions trusts their judgment. they all practice as regular physicians or researchers unless they happen to be in a full-time administrative position (ie, dean of student affairs). they conduct around 0-4 interviews a week and the meeting itself is 2-3 hours once a week.

 

[faluri]

Sorry for the ambiguity -- I mean combined medical progams that are BA/BS MD programs that students apply to when in high school. Some of the progams allow students to apply to other medical schools or the undergrad drops the program to apply to other schools. I am sure this is rare but was wondering if its something you have seen.

 

[alphaholic06]

I've seen spouse/sibling connections to the same school or other allied health schools in the same university be a positive thing. They know you are likely to come here, so in the cases I saw it helped them not get waitlisted. ie, it will make a strong application stronger. the natural way to bring it up is "I became interested in the school because my husband..." or "I really want to come here because I feel like I'd be a great fit. I've seen the experiences my wife had..." not those cheesy words but you get the point. you've heard good things, etc.

Thanks for the reply

 

[adcomm]

Sorry for the ambiguity -- I mean combined medical progams that are BA/BS MD programs that students apply to when in high school. Some of the progams allow students to apply to other medical schools or the undergrad drops the program to apply to other schools. I am sure this is rare but was wondering if its something you have seen.

haven't seen it.

 

[adcomm]

Thanks for the reply

no problem 👍

 

[CoNfUsEdPrEmEd]

It is really nice of you to take out time and answer everyones questions.

1) I did my high school outside US and started my college life here at a community college and did really well. I transffered to a public university after 2 years and ended uo having 2 horrible semesters. I had issues adjusting to the place and stuff. I moved to a differant university and am doing allright. My GPA is around 3.4. I am a biochemistry major.
I am taking my MCATs in august I have done quite a bit of non-medical volunteering work. I have been doing 10 hrs of medical volunteering since last month. I have been doing some research work too. I have not taken part in a lot of EC activities ( I have been working 25 hrs every week throughout the last 4 years to support myself). I am graduating in december.

My million dollar question is : Do I have any chance of getting an interview considering that I do well on the MCATs. Or do you think I should do more course work and volunteering to strengthen my application?
( Medical school is where I want to be and now that I know what I want to do in life I am ready to do what it takes to get there and do well)
I really appreciate any help.

 

[adcomm]

It is really nice of you to take out time and answer everyones questions.

1) I did my high school outside US and started my college life here at a community college and did really well. I transffered to a public university after 2 years and ended uo having 2 horrible semesters. I had issues adjusting to the place and stuff. I moved to a differant university and am doing allright. My GPA is around 3.4. I am a biochemistry major.
I am taking my MCATs in august I have done quite a bit of non-medical volunteering work. I have been doing 10 hrs of medical volunteering since last month. I have been doing some research work too. I have not taken part in a lot of EC activities ( I have been working 25 hrs every week throughout the last 4 years to support myself). I am graduating in december.

My million dollar question is : Do I have any chance of getting an interview considering that I do well on the MCATs. Or do you think I should do more course work and volunteering to strengthen my application?
( Medical school is where I want to be and now that I know what I want to do in life I am ready to do what it takes to get there and do well)
I really appreciate any help.

I would think you have a shot at an interview if you do well on the MCAT and apply to a bunch of schools. So the question do you have "any" chance, the answer is yes. It is especially yes if any of these experiences/volunteering/work are unique or interesting or otherwise would make you an asset to a diverse group of people (at schools that value diversity).

Equally, if you'd rather have a shot at more schools, you sound like a good candidate for a post bacc year- get a great GPA and your 3.4 will be forgiven much quicker. The August MCAT for this year's application cycle is not the greatest- you are someone who will benefit from applying earlier.

 

[CoNfUsEdPrEmEd]

I would think you have a shot at an interview if you do well on the MCAT and apply to a bunch of schools. So the question do you have "any" chance, the answer is yes. It is especially yes if any of these experiences/volunteering/work are unique or interesting or otherwise would make you an asset to a diverse group of people (at schools that value diversity).

Equally, if you'd rather have a shot at more schools, you sound like a good candidate for a post bacc year- get a great GPA and your 3.4 will be forgiven much quicker. The August MCAT for this year's application cycle is not the greatest- you are someone who will benefit from applying earlier.

Oh my God, your reply makes me so much more confident and I feel more positive about the whole process. Thank you so much for responding. I worked daily for a couple of months with a pre-schooler with autism, also volunteered for the middle school/high school cafeteria for a couple of months and also for their elementary school library. All this was done when I could not attend college the first year I moved to US and in an extremely small town in minnesota. I've also been a volunteer tutor and alo volunteered shortly for global literacy project. I'll be working for an AIDs awareness and treatment clinic in India this coming christmas.
Should I put down the various paid jobs that I have had in the last 4 years on the AAMC Prelim application since you can put down upto 15 experiences?

 

[adcomm]

Oh my God, your reply makes me so much more confident and I feel more positive about the whole process. Thank you so much for responding. I worked daily for a couple of months with a pre-schooler with autism, also volunteered for the middle school/high school cafeteria for a couple of months and also for their elementary school library. All this was done when I could not attend college the first year I moved to US and in an extremely small town in minnesota. I've also been a volunteer tutor and alo volunteered shortly for global literacy project. I'll be working for an AIDs awareness and treatment clinic in India this coming christmas.
Should I put down the various paid jobs that I have had in the last 4 years on the AAMC Prelim application since you can put down upto 15 experiences?

they are going to wonder what you've been doing for the last 4 years, so you need to cover it one way or another.

 

[MySillyum]

Hi adcomm: BIG thanks for your help. It's much appreciated.

I interviewed at my first choice SOM last week. My two bosses (I work 1/2 time and volunteer on an underfunded research project 1/2 time) have written letters of support that are tailored to that particular school. Because of spring break and travel delays, I wasn't able to send both letters to the ad. comm. prior to my interview as I had hoped. I DID physically turn one of them the day prior to my interview though

Question: Would it be ok to send the second letter with a note from me that says:
a) this is what I do now (as in update: i volunteer now), and please see the enclosed LOR from my supervisor
b) I had hoped to send the LORs to you earlier, but Spring break/ travel delays slowed down my letter writers
c) I currently hold acceptances to 2 other schools, but love you and will immediately withdraw this and all other pending apps if you accept me...

Let me know what you think. I'm hoping that since I interviewed only 3 days ago, that if I rush the second LOR + my LOI to them by Mon, they'll be ok with it.

Thanks in advance for your help! 😀 😉

 

[adcomm]

Hi adcomm: BIG thanks for your help. It's much appreciated.

I interviewed at my first choice SOM last week. My two bosses (I work 1/2 time and volunteer on an underfunded research project 1/2 time) have written letters of support that are tailored to that particular school. Because of spring break and travel delays, I wasn't able to send both letters to the ad. comm. prior to my interview as I had hoped. I DID physically turn one of them the day prior to my interview though

Question: Would it be ok to send the second letter with a note from me that says:
a) this is what I do now (as in update: i volunteer now), and please see the enclosed LOR from my supervisor
b) I had hoped to send the LORs to you earlier, but Spring break/ travel delays slowed down my letter writers
c) I currently hold acceptances to 2 other schools, but love you and will immediately withdraw this and all other pending apps if you accept me...

Let me know what you think. I'm hoping that since I interviewed only 3 days ago, that if I rush the second LOR + my LOI to them by Mon, they'll be ok with it.

Thanks in advance for your help! 😀 😉

I'd stick with getting the letter to your admissions office with a short LOI, ccing your interviewer. Something like apolgize that I didn't have this sooner but if you could include this in my application file I would greatly appreciate it thanks. really impressed with the school and hope to be part of the class in the fall. *something LIKE that, not that*

 

[tikiman]

Dear adcomm,
hi, i know this is very reduntant of me but i still very much need ur professional opinion on abt my calc class. As i have dropped my calc I class two times (both times with a W on transcript in my freshmen yr), i would apreciate ur feedback on wat should i do next as this is an issue that i will have to face sooner or later. From my perspective, i see the following options infront of me:
option 1: take it again in a 4 yr univ
option 2: take it again in a comm college
option 3: FORGET ABT IT (as a pre-med advisor told me so) cuz u can always substitute statistics for calc.

Tikiman

 

[Gerrymandering]

Dear adcomm,
hi, i know this is very reduntant of me but i still very much need ur professional opinion on abt my calc class. As i have dropped my calc I class two times (both times with a W on transcript in my freshmen yr), i would apreciate ur feedback on wat should i do next as this is an issue that i will have to face sooner or later. From my perspective, i see the following options infront of me:
option 1: take it again in a 4 yr univ
option 2: take it again in a comm college
option 3: FORGET ABT IT (as a pre-med advisor told me so) cuz u can always substitute statistics for calc.

Tikiman

If you can't pass calculus, then how are you going to pass medical school? In this circumstance, take statistics!!! it's a fun and interesting class that you'll enjoy. Don't bother adcomm with these questions because i'm sure he's had enough as it is, right adcomm??? 🙂 LOL sorry couldn't help restraining myself, yet i know this is the internet.

 

[tikiman]

If you can't pass calculus, then how are you going to pass medical school? In this circumstance, take statistics!!! it's a fun and interesting class that you'll enjoy. Don't bother adcomm with these questions because i'm sure he's had enough as it is, right adcomm??? 🙂 LOL sorry couldn't help restraining myself, yet i know this is the internet.

1. I've always heard that Med schools don't require high lvl of math proficiancy. ...i KNOW that physicians don't.

2. thx for the input but i would rather get the answer from a professional like the adcomm.

 

[Gerrymandering]

1. I've always heard that Med schools don't require high lvl of math proficiancy. ...i KNOW that physicians don't.

2. thx for the input but i would rather get the answer from a professional like the adcomm.

who says you don't need enough math?? you need all the math you can feed your brain...it's good for you!! haha...most med schools these days are "suggesting" (more like requiring) calculus I and II, so just a heads up!!

 

[tikiman]

If you can't pass calculus, then how are you going to pass medical school? In this circumstance, take statistics!!! it's a fun and interesting class that you'll enjoy. Don't bother adcomm with these questions because i'm sure he's had enough as it is, right adcomm??? 🙂 LOL sorry couldn't help restraining myself, yet i know this is the internet.

you are probably right... the adcomm probably had enough as it has been a pretty long thread but he is most likely doing it cuz of the goodness of his own heart so we should all just be thankful to him and seize the oppertunity while its there... can u plz answer my question, adcomm 🙂
tikiman

 

[tikiman]

who says you don't need enough math?? you need all the math you can feed your brain...it's good for you!! haha...most med schools these days are "suggesting" (more like requiring) calculus I and II, so just a heads up!!

you are right ... most schools do not REQUIRE calc, (only a few top notch schools do) they only want like a year of math and many ppl i know are just taking non-calc math to complete the requirement so... thx for the input again but plz let the adcomm shed his opinion on this matter.


tikiman

 

[tennisguy896]

Sorry for butting in. Many med schools specifically require at least one semester of college calclulus, and many will not allow you to substitute calc with stats b/c stats is much easier than advanced calculus. Statistics is a completely different field than calculus (it's not techinically mathematics). Ask any statisticians and they get all huffy that people think stats is math 🙂. You just need to keep in mind that the many applicants will have completed calculus, and adcoms may wonder why you dropped it twice and didn't try to overcome the challenge. Just my 2 cents before adcomm gives you the final word. Sorry again 🙂 .

 

[Gerrymandering]

you are right ... most schools do not REQUIRE calc, (only a few top notch schools do) they only want like a year of math and many ppl i know are just taking non-calc math to complete the requirement so... thx for the input again but plz let the adcomm shed his opinion on this matter.


tikiman

🙂 who's adcomm?

 

[tikiman]

🙂 who's adcomm?

i don't know.. that' his screenname "ADCOMM"...

 

[tikiman]

Sorry for butting in. Many med schools specifically require at least one semester of college calclulus, and many will not allow you to substitute calc with stats b/c stats is much easier than advanced calculus. Statistics is a completely different field than calculus (it's not techinically mathematics). Ask any statisticians and they get all huffy that people think stats is math 🙂. You just need to keep in mind that the many applicants will have completed calculus, and adcoms may wonder why you dropped it twice and didn't try to overcome the challenge. Just my 2 cents before adcomm gives you the final word. Sorry again 🙂 .

aaiiee, that's must be the ten millionth time that i have heard two arguing opinions on this matter.. some say calc isn't required... some say calc is required... some say calc I AND 2 is required... 😕 😕 😕 😕 sry, i don't mean to be rude but i really think its time to get the truth from someone who i know will be the most informed like the adcomm. but anyway, thx for the input. Now i am even more confused

 

[tennisguy896]

The reason you hear the opposing arguments is that both are absolutely true, depending on where you are applying. Adcomm is a really great resource, but this is one of those topics that is specific to each school you are applying to. As you know, different schools have different takes on the math/calc requirement so you'll have to adapt your decision to where you want to attend. Sorry for butting in 2x.

 

[tikiman]

The reason you hear the opposing arguments is that both are absolutely true, depending on where you are applying. Adcomm is a really great resource, but this is one of those topics that is specific to each school you are applying to. As you know, different schools have different takes on the math/calc requirement so you'll have to adapt your decision to where you want to attend. Sorry for butting in 2x.

im sry, i must not have been clear... wat i meant to say was that many ppl say that "MAJORITY of med schools don't require calc".. others say that "MAJORITY of med schools do require some sort of calc class" ... while some more ppl think that "MAJORITY of med school (like a pre-med advisor i talked to) don't care if u take calc or stat to fullfill ur math requirement".. so u see how those are conflicting issues...i have not yet looked at many med schools as i am only a freshmen in undergrad right now hence worrying abt wat specific med schools i want to go to would seem a little premature.

tikiman

 

[doublehh03]

adcomm,

i'm volunteering for the 2007 year

a) for ECs, are these good?
1) work as lab assistant for 3 years (14 hrs a week)
2) temple (study Vietnamese & Buddhism; but i also am like a "teacher" teaching young kids who don't know Vietnamese pronunciation & spelling) i have been doing this since HS and still doing it (6 hrs a week)
3) hospital volunteer (right now around 60 hrs; i plan on getting more b4)
4) Vietnamese student association (but only a member)
5) Nursing home (2 years of high school up to the summer b4 going to college; around 80 hours)

do i really need to shadow? how many hours of shadowing should i need?


b) i'm taking the August MCAT. people say it's a huge disadvantage but due to some circumstances, i can't take the April. is it a HUGE disadvantage? i plan on applying to mostly the UCs (my GPA is a 3.8 right now though, and like 3.85 for science)

thanks a lot

 

[adcomm]

Sorry for butting in. Many med schools specifically require at least one semester of college calclulus, and many will not allow you to substitute calc with stats b/c stats is much easier than advanced calculus. Statistics is a completely different field than calculus (it's not techinically mathematics). Ask any statisticians and they get all huffy that people think stats is math 🙂. You just need to keep in mind that the many applicants will have completed calculus, and adcoms may wonder why you dropped it twice and didn't try to overcome the challenge. Just my 2 cents before adcomm gives you the final word. Sorry again 🙂 .

what he said. maybe you don't use the math per se, but it's part of proving that you can handle difficult academic material... anyone can get a 3.9 taking all psych classes.

 

[adcomm]

I think we've only had one appliant from a school like this. It was nice to have a very personal look at the person, but the MCAT did carry a bit more weight, becuase we need some universal standard to get an idea of where people are at. for other schools, we can consider the GPA and grade inflation/deflation by the GPAs and MCAT correlation of their previous students. without a GPA, you can see where you'll have to have a solid showing on the MCAT.

 

[tikiman]

what he said. maybe you don't use the math per se, but it's part of proving that you can handle difficult academic material... anyone can get a 3.9 taking all psych classes.

k, so i get the pt that i gotta go for calc again but seeing my scenario, should i do it at a comm college or 4 yr univ?
tikiman

 

[adcomm]

k, so i get the pt that i gotta go for calc again but seeing my scenario, should i do it at a comm college or 4 yr univ?
tikiman

tikiman, honestly, I think you need to lay off the SDN and concentrate on the studying. I don't know where you should do calculus and honestly I'm more concerned with you inability to spell "what" when you're talking to someone who I'd imagine you'd like to give you the benefit of the doubt. concentrate on passing your basic science and math courses (defined as those which will allow you to apply broadly to medical schools, so calculus is included since it is a requirement at many schools). I'll be happy to answer your questions if I'm around in a year. but at this point in the game I think you should worry less about med school admissions.

 

[trustwomen]

duplicate

 

[trustwomen]

One more question, that has gone unanswered...

If somebody you were interviewing offered you articles etc. about one of their activities (let's say you accepted), would you read them or would it just be from politeness that you would say yes?

Thanks so much!


p.s. I did take your advice to heart and have done much more "normal" things over the past few days...

 

[adcomm]

One more question, that has gone unanswered...

If somebody you were interviewing offered you articles etc. about one of their activities (let's say you accepted), would you read them or would it just be from politeness that you would say yes?

Thanks so much!


p.s. I did take your advice to heart and have done much more "normal" things over the past few days...

I'd skim them, and if I found them interesting, I'd read them.

Remember, I don't interview applicants.

 

[registered user]

Wow, this thread has blown up.

For adcomm, REL, anyone in the know, and for general discussion:

I am not currently in this position, but could be at a later date and someone else out there might be. I have been admitted to one school so far and am waiting to hear from others. One that I haven't yet heard from is instate and the cheapest tuition in the nation. My concern is that the school in question does not have a residency program in a specialty I may decide to pursue. I wanted to get your take on whether this matters for residency placement in the future.
I know that a good chunk of each med school class matches to programs at their instituiton. Also, I would lose the networking opportunity if their weren't any docs working in that specialty at the school. So, are these concerns big enough to pay $150,000+ more for med school? Thanks.

 

[adcomm]

Wow, this thread has blown up.

For adcomm, REL, anyone in the know, and for general discussion:

I am not currently in this position, but could be at a later date and someone else out there might be. I have been admitted to one school so far and am waiting to hear from others. One that I haven't yet heard from is instate and the cheapest tuition in the nation. My concern is that the school in question does not have a residency program in a specialty I may decide to pursue. I wanted to get your take on whether this matters for residency placement in the future.
I know that a good chunk of each med school class matches to programs at their instituiton. Also, I would lose the networking opportunity if their weren't any docs working in that specialty at the school. So, are these concerns big enough to pay $150,000+ more for med school? Thanks.

not enough to justify 150K 😱

 

[SandManxx]

hi, can you tell me how a non-ranked waitlist work?