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I've recently been accepted to medical school.
I wanted to write this for a few reasons. I know that there are talented and dedicated people right on my heels fighting for their spot in medical school. Also, it has been a long journey and I want my struggles to have meaning by providing some encouragement and reminding applicants and re-applicants that there is hope. It can be yours if you want it. Believe it. It's true.
My story:
I took an MCAT prep course to prepare myself for an application (this will be my first) in summer/fall '07 which was leading into my senior year in undergrad. I had no idea at this point what I was getting in to.
I thought choosing a difficult science major while at the same time opting for all the AP credit I earned was the best thing. Well I immersed myself in more advanced courses before I was ready. Consequently, my GPA was alright by normal standards but well below where I needed to be for medical school. My first crack at the MCAT was fine. While I did have an undergraduate research summer job, I misguidedly thought I was much more competitive an applicant than I actually was, even after applying late. Of course I got many secondary applications and filled them out, also late but on time. And of course, time passed without any interview invites. And of course, the rejections started trickling in. Other than learning the application process was going to be a bigger part of my life than I ever wanted it to be; this cycle was entirely fruitless. It was discouraging but I also knew that re-application was not abnormal.
I finished my senior year with a double major (biochem and genetics) but only an ok average (again, well below what is normal for medical school admissions). Over the course of the summer I consulted with a former admissions committee member. He advised that, primarily, I needed to raise my GPA. Well, with all that AP credit, I graduated with 150 some credits, so my undergrad GPA was pretty much level-locked were it was. It became clear that I needed to distance myself from my undergraduate studies by showing strong clear academic growth (i.e. a new me). I chose a master's degree in laboratory science; because it was interesting but also because I thought I needed to prove academic success with "hard" science courses. Whether that was actually necessary, I don't know for sure.
I hurried in the GRE and an application to the program in the summer after graduation and was accepted and started that fall ('08). At this same time I began working part-time in a hospital in-patient pharmacy, shadowing a primary care physician and volunteering at a free medical clinic. These were busy days. They are the kind where you forget what day it is; where you're busy enough that you aren't sure if that one thing happened yesterday or 10 days ago. I guess this was good conditioning.
By the second year, I initiated my thesis project which turned out to be inappropriately large in scope.
I wanted to try and have one more application with my first MCAT score but I was not far enough in my master's program. I would have to re-take the MCAT (2nd attempt). I didn't take a prep course this time. I had taken the test before and I still had the materials. This was a mistake. I studied, but not as effectively and subsequently performed atrociously on test day (05/'10). At the end of the test, I was debating about not even having the test scored, but I thought "you never know". Well, sometimes while you may not know, you still have a pretty good idea. I just decided to forgo that whole cycle rather than try to jam in another MCAT date before AMCAS opened.
I kept up with all my activities and schoolwork. I scheduled another well-timed prep course and another MCAT date (3rd attempt). Going through the course again, I felt like I really screwed up; like I actually lost ground. There was no real end in sight at this point. I began to see that I was going to have to gain that ground back only one inch at a time. During review, I went through every question, marking notes on all questions I guessed on and every question I got wrong. I took the test (04/'11) and did well.
I had completed all the requisite coursework for my master's at this point and was unconsciously stalling my research, partially because I was focused on my medical school application and activities, but also because I think I was scared to finish my master's and not be accepted to medical school. From all my clinical experience that I had, I knew at this point without a doubt that a career in research was not what I wanted. I would do a PhD if I had to but I knew that was not what I wanted. I went ahead with my application (06/'11) and new MCAT score.
Out of 8 schools I got two IIs. I was waitlisted at both and eventually rejected. This was discouraging but overall, I was making advances (small and very slow). I kept up with my activities and kept moving through my research. I decided I would apply again right away in the next cycle. My score was still good, my grades were good and I was on pace to have completed my master's by AMCAS opening.
I completed my master's in June ('12) and submitted AMCAS right away. I chose about 8 schools. I filled in and submitted all secondaries same-day or next-day. I got two IIs again (so far; this cycle is going on as I write this). I made to both interviews despite a hurricane (gonna have to bring a little more than that to stop me).
About four weeks after my first II, I got a call and I had been selected.
After all of it, the re-taken undergrad courses, the time, the money, OMG the money, the MCAT, the second MCAT; falling out of touch with friends because I was too busy all the time; missing holidays with the family because I worked in a hospital (never closes); answering "Oh, I'm not sure" for years when people asked what I wanted to do because I never wanted to be someone who says they want medicine, I wanted to just do it; constantly being so close to what I wanted every day at work and at the clinic and still being so far away, the doubts, the anxiety; all that. Done.
I wanted to share my story for people just getting started or who are still fighting for their spot. If it is what you really want, then don't give up. I'm declining to share all my GPAs and MCAT scores because ultimately, they don't matter. I'm not going to intentionally or unintentionally suggest anything shouldn't or can't be done. If you want something, go get it. It is possible and it can be done.
I am going to face challenges ahead, no question. But in one very big way; the hardest part is over.
I'm back at square one, my slate is clear...
"Continuous, unflagging effort, persistence and determination will win. Let not the man be discouraged who has these." -James Whitcomb Riley
I'd love to help any way I can....
I wanted to write this for a few reasons. I know that there are talented and dedicated people right on my heels fighting for their spot in medical school. Also, it has been a long journey and I want my struggles to have meaning by providing some encouragement and reminding applicants and re-applicants that there is hope. It can be yours if you want it. Believe it. It's true.
My story:
I took an MCAT prep course to prepare myself for an application (this will be my first) in summer/fall '07 which was leading into my senior year in undergrad. I had no idea at this point what I was getting in to.
I thought choosing a difficult science major while at the same time opting for all the AP credit I earned was the best thing. Well I immersed myself in more advanced courses before I was ready. Consequently, my GPA was alright by normal standards but well below where I needed to be for medical school. My first crack at the MCAT was fine. While I did have an undergraduate research summer job, I misguidedly thought I was much more competitive an applicant than I actually was, even after applying late. Of course I got many secondary applications and filled them out, also late but on time. And of course, time passed without any interview invites. And of course, the rejections started trickling in. Other than learning the application process was going to be a bigger part of my life than I ever wanted it to be; this cycle was entirely fruitless. It was discouraging but I also knew that re-application was not abnormal.
I finished my senior year with a double major (biochem and genetics) but only an ok average (again, well below what is normal for medical school admissions). Over the course of the summer I consulted with a former admissions committee member. He advised that, primarily, I needed to raise my GPA. Well, with all that AP credit, I graduated with 150 some credits, so my undergrad GPA was pretty much level-locked were it was. It became clear that I needed to distance myself from my undergraduate studies by showing strong clear academic growth (i.e. a new me). I chose a master's degree in laboratory science; because it was interesting but also because I thought I needed to prove academic success with "hard" science courses. Whether that was actually necessary, I don't know for sure.
I hurried in the GRE and an application to the program in the summer after graduation and was accepted and started that fall ('08). At this same time I began working part-time in a hospital in-patient pharmacy, shadowing a primary care physician and volunteering at a free medical clinic. These were busy days. They are the kind where you forget what day it is; where you're busy enough that you aren't sure if that one thing happened yesterday or 10 days ago. I guess this was good conditioning.
By the second year, I initiated my thesis project which turned out to be inappropriately large in scope.I wanted to try and have one more application with my first MCAT score but I was not far enough in my master's program. I would have to re-take the MCAT (2nd attempt). I didn't take a prep course this time. I had taken the test before and I still had the materials. This was a mistake. I studied, but not as effectively and subsequently performed atrociously on test day (05/'10). At the end of the test, I was debating about not even having the test scored, but I thought "you never know". Well, sometimes while you may not know, you still have a pretty good idea. I just decided to forgo that whole cycle rather than try to jam in another MCAT date before AMCAS opened.
I kept up with all my activities and schoolwork. I scheduled another well-timed prep course and another MCAT date (3rd attempt). Going through the course again, I felt like I really screwed up; like I actually lost ground. There was no real end in sight at this point. I began to see that I was going to have to gain that ground back only one inch at a time. During review, I went through every question, marking notes on all questions I guessed on and every question I got wrong. I took the test (04/'11) and did well.
I had completed all the requisite coursework for my master's at this point and was unconsciously stalling my research, partially because I was focused on my medical school application and activities, but also because I think I was scared to finish my master's and not be accepted to medical school. From all my clinical experience that I had, I knew at this point without a doubt that a career in research was not what I wanted. I would do a PhD if I had to but I knew that was not what I wanted. I went ahead with my application (06/'11) and new MCAT score.
Out of 8 schools I got two IIs. I was waitlisted at both and eventually rejected. This was discouraging but overall, I was making advances (small and very slow). I kept up with my activities and kept moving through my research. I decided I would apply again right away in the next cycle. My score was still good, my grades were good and I was on pace to have completed my master's by AMCAS opening.
I completed my master's in June ('12) and submitted AMCAS right away. I chose about 8 schools. I filled in and submitted all secondaries same-day or next-day. I got two IIs again (so far; this cycle is going on as I write this). I made to both interviews despite a hurricane (gonna have to bring a little more than that to stop me).
About four weeks after my first II, I got a call and I had been selected.
After all of it, the re-taken undergrad courses, the time, the money, OMG the money, the MCAT, the second MCAT; falling out of touch with friends because I was too busy all the time; missing holidays with the family because I worked in a hospital (never closes); answering "Oh, I'm not sure" for years when people asked what I wanted to do because I never wanted to be someone who says they want medicine, I wanted to just do it; constantly being so close to what I wanted every day at work and at the clinic and still being so far away, the doubts, the anxiety; all that. Done.
I wanted to share my story for people just getting started or who are still fighting for their spot. If it is what you really want, then don't give up. I'm declining to share all my GPAs and MCAT scores because ultimately, they don't matter. I'm not going to intentionally or unintentionally suggest anything shouldn't or can't be done. If you want something, go get it. It is possible and it can be done.
I am going to face challenges ahead, no question. But in one very big way; the hardest part is over.
I'm back at square one, my slate is clear...
"Continuous, unflagging effort, persistence and determination will win. Let not the man be discouraged who has these." -James Whitcomb Riley
I'd love to help any way I can....
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