[POLL] Most difficult aspect of getting into Medical School?

[Marjan Islam]

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I say, MCAT EASILY!

 

[redlight]

i was going to do a poll like this a few weeks ago

a few extra things i had included paying for the processes, getting good lors/knowing profs, etc

and i separated PS and essays from traveling/interviewing, etc.

 

[BlueElmo]

Can't say, each process has been tough.

 

[greatnt249]

I would have voted, but there was no option for "getting the interview invite." Everything else is in your control but the interview invite and post-interview decision.

 

[Marjan Islam]

I guess I DID group things a little too strictly, is there a way to EDIT the poll? I can edit my first post, but I can't figure out how to for the poll. These are all great add-ons!

 

[oaklandguy]

I think this is very subjective, if you get a great MCAT score the application cycle and keeping sanity will be a lot easier... This really just depends on the person, some people can get 4.0Gpa's really easy while others can get 40S MCAT scores without studying. I mean it's all up to the specific person.

 

[ZeusonRoids]

As a medical student...I can say the hardest part for me was EASILY (in this order)
1. Figuring out which school to attend (I struggled for months...I know bad problem to have but when you are faced with a school you love in a great location that costs $250k and a school you were not too excited about that costs $140k...I promise you that you will start losing sleep...especially from March to May 14th. Even after I made the decision I was still wondering if I had made the right choice)

2. Applying for financial aid/getting health clearances/getting registered (sounds easy but it was actually very frustrating)

3. Personal Statement & secondaries (Had to make sure everything was perfect and had to come up with interesting ways to write)

4. MCAT --the period of time while you are waiting for the scores to be released

5. MCAT --the studying part

6. Maintaining the GPA in undergrad

7. Medical Volunteering and ECs -- This part was fun AND easy!!! This is why we are getting into medicine guys! If you never had fun doing these things I dont really know why you are getting into medicine. If you ever found anything you did not like you should have stopped doing it and found something you did like to do. For instance lots of my friends enjoyed doing research...but I would rather cut my face with a blunt object...so I never did research and found many other things that allowed me to explore science and medicine.

 

[JJMrK]

I said MCAT just because that is the limiting factor of my application. They're all tough though.

 

[DntStopBelievin]

the hardest part is feeling like your not up to par with neurotic SDN students LOL! all the money spent on MCAT prep, applications etc. and keeping up with the whole application thing.

 

[YeOldeMan]

This poll was not totally complete.
I'm totally ballin with the research...but have almost no volunteering or serious club stuff.

 

[2014MD]

Great Poll.

 

[BlueElmo]

I can't believe how few of us voted for the fact that each part of this whole process is almost equally tough.

 

[Marjan Islam]

BUMP!

So far its almost a tie, I wanna see if there's a clear winner if we get more votes!

 

[calnation]

Balancing ECs is the hardest part. Sucks up so much time that you could otherwise use to vegetate and give your brain a break.

 

[buffywannabe]

I think inteviewing is the hardest part for me. Or at least it must be since i got multiple interviews other years and was always rejected.

 

[longhorn09]

Definitely the interview and the randomness of the selection criteria!!!

 

[Narmerguy]

Balancing ECs is the hardest part. Sucks up so much time that you could otherwise use to vegetate and give your brain a break.

That's pretty true. You're forced to push yourself to the limit to prove you can handle heavy time loads/commitments. Though in the end you may prove you can do it, perhaps you didn't want to so early in life in the first place. I personally wish I could be commended for being able to have a relaxed, good natured opinion about everything...

 

[longhorn09]

I would say "pre-med" is the toughest major in college...you always have to push yourself beyond the edge

Oh wait! Pre-med is not even a major😱

 

[LiveUninhibited]

Definitely the interview. I understand that being able to communicate orally is important, but I'm really uncomfortable talking about myself. I stumble on questions like, "Tell me about your family," lol. I'd much rather talk about ethical issues, but those are a minor part of interviews. 🙁

 

[Uisa]

I always sit here asking myself "what if I had a better GPA". My GPA isn't terrible but it's about .2 lower than the average of ppl who get into med school. Damn it, all the more pressure to do well this year (junior year) plus do well on the MCAT...

hate to be complaining on a forum like this because I know everyone is working their tail's off, but come on give me a break for once