Not A ReApp but About to Be :(

[kinstrategy]

Hi all,

I graduated in 2008 and am working since then at a cancer center in clinical trials. Like many pre-meds, I always wanted to be a doctor. My home is NYC and that is (at least, the tri-state is) where I'd like to do residency/practice.

I am interested very much in academic medicine, however, I don't think I can get into that field and with that I list my credentials:

-3.37 uGPA (an F, D, C, C+ retaken to a B+, A, A, and C+ in orgo is not retaken)
-25R, then 26Q in the same year
-Great recommendations (DO, MD, professors, assistant director at old job)
-300 hours internship at hospital
-micro research, presentations (no publications with my name on it)
-working in clinical trials for 2 years
-travel experience, music, writing, performance at university talent shows

I applied to 11 MD, 4 DO (both late in the process); and 3 Carrib-MD.
I got 2 DO interviews (1 waitlist at NYCOM, 1 at LECOM, still waiting to hear back)
I got into all 3 med schools: AUA, Ross, SGU (SGU appealed most to me, and I submited deposit for me. I am past the deadline for Ross, and AUA I rejected).

I want to rotate where I can improve my chances of working in my home. But as last resort, I am open to moving to other cities or staying within tri-state area.

I heard +/- about education at LECOM and ability to specialize. I don't think they do rotations in the City...
I heard +/- about SGU that it is tough to live in the Carrib and a serious culture shock. But MOST SCARY to me is the super high total cost of education. (130K in gov. loans and 100+k in private loans). That is really tough for me to accept because you have to return as an FMG and the price tag is very high for an FMG competing against my friends who are now in med schools and are all wondering where I been these past few months.

I was thinking of doing a master's and reapplying. But I am already 2 years out and that F on my transcript won't go away.

I am really confused now and am reconsidering my career path, although it is very difficult to do because being a doctor has always been my dream.

Please help!!

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[ronaldo23]

Hi all,

I graduated in 2008 and am working since then at a cancer center in clinical trials. Like many pre-meds, I always wanted to be a doctor. My home is NYC and that is (at least, the tri-state is) where I'd like to do residency/practice.

I am interested very much in academic medicine, however, I don't think I can get into that field and with that I list my credentials:

-3.37 uGPA (an F, D, C, C+ retaken to a B+, A, A, and C+ in orgo is not retaken)
-25R, then 26Q in the same year
-Great recommendations (DO, MD, professors, assistant director at old job)
-300 hours internship at hospital
-micro research, presentations (no publications with my name on it)
-working in clinical trials for 2 years
-travel experience, music, writing, performance at university talent shows

I applied to 11 MD, 4 DO (both late in the process); and 3 Carrib-MD.
I got 2 DO interviews (1 waitlist at NYCOM, 1 at LECOM, still waiting to hear back)
I got into all 3 med schools: AUA, Ross, SGU (SGU appealed most to me, and I submited deposit for me. I am past the deadline for Ross, and AUA I rejected).

I want to rotate where I can improve my chances of working in my home. But as last resort, I am open to moving to other cities or staying within tri-state area.

I heard +/- about education at LECOM and ability to specialize. I don't think they do rotations in the City...
I heard +/- about SGU that it is tough to live in the Carrib and a serious culture shock. But MOST SCARY to me is the super high total cost of education. (130K in gov. loans and 100+k in private loans). That is really tough for me to accept because you have to return as an FMG and the price tag is very high for an FMG competing against my friends who are now in med schools and are all wondering where I been these past few months.

I was thinking of doing a master's and reapplying. But I am already 2 years out and that F on my transcript won't go away.

I am really confused now and am reconsidering my career path, although it is very difficult to do because being a doctor has always been my dream.

Please help!!

I would go to LECOM if you get in. It is a good school with a solid match list. Time is money, especially if you are 2 years out already from college. That said, I wouldn't take the SGU acceptance, as it is more of a financial risk (committing 200K+ of debt to only a 70-75% chance of actually matching into a residency). If LECOM doesn't work out, I think if you apply early to more DO schools next cycle you will have a good shot, or if you retake the mcat and get above a 30, a solid shot at some MD schools also...

 

[faith2]

LECOM good matching and you can stay in America!!!!!!!!!!!

I would go to LECOM if you get in. It is a good school with a solid match list. Time is money, especially if you are 2 years out already from college. That said, I wouldn't take the SGU acceptance, as it is more of a financial risk (committing 200K+ of debt to only a 70-75% chance of actually matching into a residency). If LECOM doesn't work out, I think if you apply early to more DO schools next cycle you will have a good shot, or if you retake the mcat and get above a 30, a solid shot at some MD schools also...

 

[lovemesomeTJ]

Um, I'm just gonna put it out there. I'm 5 years out of school, going on 6, and I'm still alive. If this is what you want then you need to go and get it. You've only been out of school for 2 years, you've only tried your hand at getting into school once, and now you're already considering other options when you've yet to hear from a school? I have to ask if you really want to do medicine if you could flee the idea so quickly.

That said, I think you should work to stay in the United States. And quit focusing on match and all of that stuff. Yes, that's what getting into medical school is building up towards, but if you REALLY want something and you follow in a path that has shown that not many people who have taken it get what you want, then it is up to YOU to go out, be the true trailblazer, and get it. Don't say, "Oh, no one at LECOM has matched into this residency," say, "No one at LECOM has matched into this residnecy YET, but I plan to be that one even if I have to chop my leg off to do it." Most likely you will not have to chop off your leg, but you WILL have to study hard, do REALLY well on your boards, impress residency directors to the point where they want to take you home for dinner. Not impossible...you're just going to have to work extra hard.

So what I'm trying to say is, don't worry about matching right now, because you haven't gotten into medical school yet. Work on your post-decision waitlist, focus on LECOM, but even before that, decide if you really want to do this. If there's something else you can see yourself doing then do it. Because after getting in, it only gets worse.

Good luck.

 

[dragonfly99]

My comment is to ask you if you really want to do this. Are you academically committed? I have some degree of worry about someone with 3.37 and a 25/26 MCAT being able to stomach the academics in medical school. After you get in, it only gets harder. Med school will kick your a--. It pretty much kicks everyone's a--. They will throw so much crap at you that you have to memorize. It is unreal. I think you need to figure out the academic issues first - why couldn't you do better on the MCAT? Why was your GPA so low? Can you fix those issues, or are you just not cut out to sit in a classroom for years on end and learn all this massive amount of science and other stuff you'll HAVE to know to pass the board exams to even get out of med school, much less residency.

I think you should retake organic chem. If you can't hack at least a B+ (I think A/A- in your situation) then I would worry that you're really going to be able to stomach med school. It wasn't uncommon for us to have 6 hrs/day lecture and then have to go home at night and memorize all that crap. And we didn't get "reading days" before exams to study, like we did in undergrad. I'm not saying don't do it. I'm saying it's really, really freakin' hard.

I think I'm against you going to SGU or anywhere else until you've explored these issues. I think it would be an expensive gamble. And it sounds like you're still young, maybe 24. SGU will still be there in 1-3 semesters if you decide to go down there, and they'll still take you.

I don't know anything about LECOM, but I think DO schools can be a good option for people, particularly if they have good clinical experience but their numbers are a little shaky for US MD schools. It would likely be a safer bet than bailing for the Caribbean.