Not enough time to study and interview

[Hrycian]

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Hi guys!
Can you share a couple of thoughts on the situation that I have found myself in?
This Spring I have completed my post bac with 3.97 all science GPA, a couple of independent studies and stuff like that. Had a 3.7 Masters of Human relations 3 years ago, 10 years of army service as a medic, bunch of volunteering. This was the good stuff. The bad stuff is in my wacko undergrad 16 years ago. A real mess with more "W" than actual grades. Luckily the Army has a program to bake some BS's. MCAT 24 O, 8s all alongs.
The battle begins:
Applied to every DO school in the nation since I did not want to take any chances. Got 8 interviews so far. Went to 3. The first response is not due in the next couple of weeks. So I keep flying and flying till I will get a positive answer. Sounds like everything is going fine? Wrong!😱
I am enrolled for Biochem and Ecology along with a leftover from the last semester's independent study. Truth is with every interview eating up an average of 3 days, I am running out of breath and my quizzes are a proof.
Meanwhile both professors are saying not to worry and that they believe in me. Thing is that I don't have much faith in myself anymore. It's like swimming in the strong current with both hands tied behind the back. I take the books on a plane, but not much is happening while switching the flights and driving to the hotels at 2 in the mornings.
Today a friend of my told me a horror story: his buddy got accepted into the school, mailed his transcripts and as they saw the last semesters' grades... well he got the good bye letter.
I am pretty scared. After all this work time and money the whole thing is on the line.
Any experiences, advice or suggestions that you guys can share? 😕
Thank you for your time!

 

[Tensyle]

I'm in a similar boat right now. i had interviews during the week before my exams, and the following week i had 6 exams....and it was crazy...i was pulling all-nighters and drinking lots of coffee (i usually dont).

I tried my best to read/study on the plane and in the hotel rooms, but that wasnt much help, just like your situation. How do I handle it? (i have 2 exams tomorrow lol)

First, u have to realize that after you get an acceptance, usually if you get grades C or above, u should be okay. Now, if you send your transcripts in before you get an acceptance, then that maybe a problem.

But in terms of dealing with exams...I seriously just tough it out as much as possible. I keep telling myself that medical school is proally gonna be harder than this, and this is good practice. That pushes me. I also find that trying to cram in as much info as possible for about 40-45 mins, and taking 15 min breaks inbetween helps. I just push myself cuz i wanna go to medical school really badly.

Finally, we all waste TONS of time...and you gotta temporarily give up some stuff that you normally do. For example, I dont get to see my GF as often, I stopped watching my favorite tv show that I was trying to catch up with (24), I havent gone out to clubs/bars for the past 1.5 months (I just consider traveling to interviews as my vacations), I stopped playing my guitar (usually for about an hour a day), and stopped going to the pool/hottub after working out at the gym. It may seem like small bits of time, but added up, its like 3-4 extra hours in a day! I'm sure you know all about time management, but sometimes it just takes someone to point it out i guess.

Keep up your hopes!! dont give up, i'm in the same boat, and im sure lots of poeple are....you're applying to medical school and getting interviews, while not many people have that privilege - life is hard rite now, but its exciting! 🙄

 

[Hrycian]

Well, thanks for the answer!
As far as the little extras to give up... what can I say. I do not watch TV, haven't gone to the gym in centuries and my kids are the only thing happening outside the school. Its just that every interview had to happen on the school day. Week after week. It seems that I go the interview, miss a class, come back right in time for a quizz with a head still buzzing from a seat on top of an airplane propeller and boom! While I can probably wrestle it out with eco, the biochem is a real monster. The thing is that our professor has not taught it ever before and there is a couple or guys who have some serious beckground in the subject. So this is a tough one without missing almost every lecture in the semester.
Question is, would it be smarter to wrap the whole deal quietly before it makes a mess on a transcript and claim exactly what a situation is presenting: every second lecture I am gone away from school or even a study desk?
It is not that I am procrascinating (did I even spell that one right?) on the studies, it is that I lack time catastrophically. I talked to my advisor about it, problem is he has no idea either, since he just got the job and never did it before.

 

[Tensyle]

hmm how would you wrap it up before it gets messy? i mean havent you already indicated that you are taking these courses on your transcripts?

yeah biochem can be a real monster. i remember taking it and there was never enough studying i could do for any given test, so i feel your pain...but i can only imagine what it must be like during interview season.

now, you said you have had 3 interviews....and the semester is almost up...it should end in december right? in that case, you shouldnt have a problem cuz your next interview should be in december or after?

 

[PatriotsForever]

Not going to the gym in centuries...I feel that!

 

[Hrycian]

hmm how would you wrap it up before it gets messy? i mean havent you already indicated that you are taking these courses on your transcripts?

yeah biochem can be a real monster. I remember taking it and there was never enough studying i could do for any given test, so i feel your pain...but i can only imagine what it must be like during interview season.

now, you said you have had 3 interviews....and the semester is almost up...it should end in december right? in that case, you shouldnt have a problem cuz your next interview should be in december or after?

Actually other 5 are in November. Now add the travel and it becomes real cute. Have to start a day before and the return is always a day after, because by the time I am done with the stuff at 1500 hours all of the departing flights have mysteriously disappeared. So in November I am out for 13 days (luckily one is in New York) and miss 5 out of 8 lecture days.
The transcripts that I have sent off to the ACOMAS don't have jack on them now, but they will surely get it if I will send them again...
Its like walking on the egg shells, if I did my "homework" right, I would probably have opted for a independent study at my own pace and a EMT recertification instead.

 

[Tensyle]

Actually other 5 are in November. Now add the travel and it becomes real cute. Have to start a day before and the return is always a day after, because by the time I am done with the stuff at 1500 hours all of the departing flights have mysteriously disappeared. So in November I am out for 13 days (luckily one is in New York) and miss 5 out of 8 lecture days.
The transcripts that I have sent off to the ACOMAS don't have jack on them now, but they will surely get it if I will send them again...
Its like walking on the egg shells, if I did my "homework" right, I would probably have opted for a independent study at my own pace and a EMT recertification instead.

In your position, I would reschedule my remaining 5 interviews, so that 2 are in november, 2 are in december, and 1 in January. That way, you can attend more lectures, and interviewing a bit later isnt really that big of a disadvantage...plus, you have 8 interviews...that means that you should schedule your top priority interviews earlier like in november, and push the later ones off to december and january, with january having the schools that you least want to attend. If it doesnt cost too much to reschedule your flights, i'd defintely suggest spreading out your interviews instead of being choked by biochem.