New Guy with a HUGE PROBLEM- already!!

[bond007md]

Hello Everyone, I am sort of new here to the forums. But yesterday was a nightmare that created a HUGE PROBLEM. It started when for the first time I went to my JERK OF A PRE-MED advisor, who without a word told me to take a hike and apply to post-bacc only. I am applying this summer after taking the August MCATs. He is notorious for hating his job and always discouraging people from applying. I was so distraught and furious that now I want NO committee letter from the jerk and want to fly SOLO- and show him that I can and will go to a medical school!

So my question is that can I fly solo? What do medical schools think of students who ignore the Pre-med office? Who basically take care of the Rec Letters, so can I just send the letters through my career center directly to the schools? Any advice and tips on how the Pre-med office can impact my application.

Moreover, for people wondering how bad I am, well I have a GPA above 3.8 and some decent volunteer works abroad- plus I am people's person. The only thing wrong is that I have a few W's and a drop semester for I was sick. Also, it is just that I dont put up with bossy people because I am not a pushover- as you can see I could not sleep well last night!!!

Thanks everyone!!! And wow what a start to interacting with you guys- sorry to start on a negative.

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[detm78]

I don't know how important it is to have the support of a pre-medical advisor because we didn't have one at my school. I always thought it was a given that one should get a letter from such an advisor or committee if one existed at one's school, but I don't think it is mandatory. So I hope someone who's had this experience will reply to you about that.

Aside from those logistics, I think you should be able to apply if you want to. If your numbers and essays get you to the interview stage, you can explain everything else.

A friend of mine was discouraged by some people from applying this year. They encouraged her to wait, but she persisted. She got a number of interviews, including one to quite a prestigious school, and is currently on waitlists, though I believe she is quite close to being pulled off of one.

So I say, follow your heart. Lots of people wouldn't be where they are today if they had listened to everything that others told them. Be your own authority.

Good luck!

 

[Explosivo]

If he is really such a prick, I say screw him. I went to a major public university that had NO pre-med committee but did have a career center where one would send his or her recommendation letters. There are a lot of people that go this route because of this so it shouldn't hurt you very much.

If you are going to go it alone with the rec letters here is a good rule of thumb. Get 3 letters. 2 science 1 non-science. Perhaps try and a get a 4th letter from someone that supervised your volunteer activities or perhaps if you did research you may want to get one from your P.I.

Try to get them from profs but TAs are o.k. so long as not all of them are from TAs and the letter is co-signed by your prof. Some schools are pickier than others (like Jefferson) so check the specific letter requirements for each school you want to apply to.

Good Luck!

 

[TommyGunn04]

If your school does the "committee letter" thing, then applying against the advice of your advisor might be extremely difficult. Because if he/she's discouraging you from applying, I wouldn't expect that he/she'd write the greatest letter about you. Do you know how it works at your school? Would you mind telling us what school you're talking about...maybe someone here has particular knowledge about your advisor.

 

[panda01]

Hey Tommy--this advisor sounds like "Rip"--he told me I would never get in, and to think about other careers. As of today, 7 acceptances, 4 waitlists, no post-interview rejections. What's up now?

Bond--if this guy is *going* to send a committee letter, it would be best to not burn your bridges. But if he is strictly advisory, then I would go it alone and not even worry about it.

 

[none]

The schools I applied to REQUIRED you to use the pre-medical committee if you had one. Please consider at least getting a committee letter. It may be harmful to you later on if you don't.

 

[locitamd]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by panda01:
•Hey Tommy--this advisor sounds like "Rip"--he told me I would never get in, and to think about other careers. As of today, 7 acceptances, 4 waitlists, no post-interview rejections. What's up now?

•••••I was going to write the same thing!!! Only I wasn't going to truncate at "Rip," I would have disclosed all; you are a much more tactful person than I am. Congrats on your acceptances, way to prove him wrong!

 

[brickmanli]

I agree with none, just bear with him unless he's totally out to get you and only you. For my school, the committee sends both the composite letter and the bunch of recommendations from individial professors, so the extra letter could only do you good. It's not like the premed advisior is writing that letter.

FYI, I only went to my premed advisor once in my four years of college. Just swallow your pride a little bit. You won't be seeing him again in a few months.

Furthermore, do you realize how much extra work is for you and the professors if you choose to bypass the committee?

 

[TommyGunn04]

brickmanli, what some of us are saying is that at our school, it IS the pre-med advisor that writes the letter; he and he alone can single-handedly change the quality of your application. That's why I was wondering where the original poster here goes to school.

 

[souljah1]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by none:
•The schools I applied to REQUIRED you to use the pre-medical committee if you had one. Please consider at least getting a committee letter. It may be harmful to you later on if you don't.•••••Yup. Many secondaries specifically asked for committee letters from those schools who have committees. Not using it could arouse suspicion, as well as show your ability to not follow requirements.

 

[Maple]

Hi,

I had a simmilar experience with my pre-med advisor, and I decided to pull my file from her. Then, I asked another professor, whom I know very well, to be my advisor. All he really had to do was to send a packet of my letter everytime a school asked me to. I ended up with 7 interviews, and no one questioned the validity of my recs. Some schools do require a committee letter if you have that service, but on the 2ndary app, it also give you a chance to explain yourself if you are not using that service.

In my opinion..it won't cause any problems. Schools get thousands of applications..and from having talked to a lot of them it seems that their goal is to get an applicant's file complete with primary, 2ndary and letters. They don't care which box you checked and letter method you are using. It would be a good idea to discuss this with a school that requires a letter from such a service and see what they suggest. I am sure they will be understanding about your situation. Honestly...one thing I have learned over the past year is that 99% of the things that we pre-meds freak out about are inconsequential to adcoms/schools!

No matter what...put your best foot forward and make your file as competitive as possible. if that means getting rid of that loser advisor..then give him/her the boot!

Good Luck!

 

[shorrin]

some applications ask if you have a pre-med office and whether or not you used them. If you didn't use them they ask you explain why....

this is what pritzker says:
My school has a premedical committee or Health Professions Advisor who writes a summary letter and I am electing NOT to use this option. I do so for the following reason(s).

So, I guess I would either have a good reason, or not apply to those schools that ask this dumb question.

 

[FoxyDoc]

According to med school admissions committee members, it is a big red flag if an applicant comes from a school that has a preprofessional committee and doesn't use them. In most cases, even if you have a valid reason for doing so, they will not give you the chance to explain because you probably will not be granted an interview. If you know someone else who is a member of the preprofessinal committee you may want to speak with him/her about your situation. In most cases it is not only the premed advisor who determines what your committee letter will say. Good Luck!

 

[CosciHasher]

I agree with the above - you need the committee letter or at least someone other than yourself sending in your stuff.

A thought - you will be challenged by jerks like this through out your career in every setting: school, hospital, clinic, wherever really. Take this opportunity to be the mature one, deal with your frustrations somehow, and figure out how make HIM work for YOU. He may be the first jerk, but rest assured he won't be the last.

 

[TommyGunn04]

so bond, what's the verdict?

 

[bond007md]

Hey Tommy, I was just going to reply. Yesterday I was away from my computer all day- and was surprised and thankful for all of your responses!

So my verdict is I that am definitely going to fly solo. I have always been that kind of person anyways. I have learned from my parents that never take anyone's bossy attitude (DO NOT BE A FAKE PUSHOVER)- so I am not about to change right now for a jaded pre-med guy. Also I would much rather not go to med school on my own than take his help and actually go- as you can see I feel very strongly about this situation. This decision just came down to the question that am I going to be "me" or not.

So no taking in my pride here - I am applying on my own and will explain the medical schools my situation in a more euphamistic way.

ps- I am sort laughing at way someone can get portrayed just through their writing :wink:

 

[Old Yeller]

I went to a state university that had a pre-med committee and I was even assigned to a pre-med advisor. I never went to visit him, asked him questions, or asked the committee to send in a letter of rec. I went solo all the way. Although, it was a little bit tougher, it is very possible to still get into med school. I'm going to start my first year as a DO in KC. There are some schools that ask for a composite letter from the committee, but if that is not possible, it usually asks for 2 or 3 letters of rec from different professors you've had (2 science, and 1 non-science. Loyola's Stritch SOM does this). You may have to explain why you did not use the school's pre-med committee on the secondary apps though. Hope that this helps.

 

[bond007md]

Hey Old Yeller, thanks for the encouragement. My question for you is that I am just about to start the slow AMCAS application process, so did you encounter anywhere in the application where they had have the Pre-med advisor info. or like a letter or any other hypothetical situation where you needed the assistance of the pre-med com.? I would not think so but I was just asking for I dont want to see any surprises. Thanks....

 

[Sm00th13]

After hearing your post bond, you got shafted. Med school admission expects you to have a premed committee letter if one exist at your school. The premed committee letter consist of all comments coming from various professors (e.g. biol. chemist., and physic, etc). So it would be a great thing if a premed committee letter is available on your behalf. There are cases where people have gone solo to apply to med school without a premed committee letter. I know a kid who's at NYU now (he was also accepted to columbia)who apply without the premed committee letters last year and he explain (e.g. the truth) at the interview why he did not use the services of the premed office. YOu should make one final attempt with your premed advisor about the premed committee letter and explain why you should receive a premed committee letter. Who knows, maybe he/she was testing your committment to becoming a doctor. Bottom line, it's possible to get accepted to med school without a premed committee letter, but it looks more favorable with it in your file. Good Luck!!!

 

[bond007md]

Wow sacrament, that is a huge difference. But I guess I will lean more towards the inspirational story of the poster before. He said his friend got into NYU and Columbia- and I guess most people on this board would agree that the med school application process is always very unpredictable. Also did you call the schools and ask them specifically of some tips and then did they indicate the lack of the com. letter having an affect? just curious? but on a side note i am starting my AMCAS...so wohoooo!!!