Possible reapplication: where did I go wrong?

[throwaway7856]

UPDATE: I got accepted! I'll leave this post up but edited some details for anonymity.

Hi all. I am sitting on 3 (likely 4) waitlists and a fifth school I will hear from in a couple of weeks. While I'm grateful for what I have, I'm afraid I won't be good enough to get off any waitlists and am trying to plan for reapplying. I am looking for feedback/critiques of my application, and opinions on whether I should try again this upcoming cycle or wait until 2024.

This was my application this cycle:

• AMCAS GPA: 3.87, upward trend
• AMCAS sGPA: 3.77, upward trend
• 517 (127/130/128/132)
• 4th quartile CASPER
• Clinical: 1000 hours employed, 150 hours hospital volunteer
• Non-clinical: 400 hours
• Research: 3000+ hours with a few pubs
• Tutoring: 600 hours (4+ years ago)
• Leadership: club in college, nothing major (4+ years ago)_

My analysis of what went wrong:

• Poor interview skills: I wish I knew what I did wrong. I did a mock interview with an adcom and got good feedback. I wore a quality black suit and white shirt for all interviews
• Schools didn’t know what to do with me. I left research behind and threw myself into a clinical job. I had too much research for the non-research schools but wasn’t devoted to research enough for the research-heavy schools
• I didn’t do a lot of non-clinical volunteering between January-May of application year due to a move
• I have a lifelong hobby that was present throughout my application, including my non-clinical volunteering. I wonder if this made adcoms question my devotion to medicine
• 127 on CP

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[PalaceLover]

I see nothing wrong. 5 MD IIs with no Rs is the stuff of dreams for most applicants. Have some faith and continue clinical work. Good luck!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I would not be to harsh on yourself. You had a great track record with the Virginia schools.. We will see when waitlists begin moving.

Did you pass your list of final questions or concerns by that adcom mock interviewer to see if any of them are plausible? My research mentor mindset also asks you what data you have to support your analysis?

 

[M&L]

virginia resident here. Had 3 holds and 2 WL... Till last week of february, when i was accepted to 3 of those schools in one week. And then my top choice (EVMS) a month later. wait, it is still early. VA schools take their time. you are doing great.

 

[throwaway7856]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I am grateful to be in the position that I’m in, but just stressed about starting to reapply and whether I should even try to reapply this upcoming cycle. .

My research mentor mindset also asks you what data you have to support your analysis?

1. I follow Dr. Gray and he stresses the importance of having a coherent story. Maybe I didn’t clearly convey how I went from full time research with pubs to a full time clinic job in an underserved area.
2. A 127 on CP is below the 10th percentile at many schools

The other concerns were from advice on other SDN threads I’ve seen over the years.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

... 1. I follow Dr. Gray and he stresses the importance of having a coherent story. Maybe I didn’t clearly convey how I went from full time research with pubs to a full time clinic job in an underserved area.
2. A 127 on CP is below the 10th percentile at many schools

The other concerns were from advice on other SDN threads I’ve seen over the years.

You got interviews, including with three in-state programs. It's not an inability to have a coherent story in your PS or any of your essays as far as we can see. Did you have to recall this reasoning in interviews?

I agree with @M&L that it's not over for you yet. It's good to plan for a reapplication, but you could be pulled as late as the week of orientation at a program.

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

If you don't get in this cycle, it's 100% because of your interviews. You got 5 IIs, nothing wrong with your app.

My perspective on interviews is that, if you get one you've talked the talk, and the interview is to prove that you can walk the walk. It sounds like either you interviewed poorly or were just middle of the pack and forgetable.

Either way, statistically with 4 waitlists you should get an A. Work on your interviewing for residency.

 

[throwaway7856]

f you don't get in this cycle, it's 100% because of your interviews. You got 5 IIs, nothing wrong with your app.

My perspective on interviews is that, if you get one you've talked the talk, and the interview is to prove that you can walk the walk. It sounds like either you interviewed poorly or were just middle of the pack and forgetable.

Either way, statistically with 4 waitlists you should get an A. Work on your interviewing for residency.

Yes, I feel like this is the cold hard truth, and it's a bitter pill to swallow--I've done well with job interviews in the past but I clearly fell short for med school interviews. Oh well. I'll try to stay hopeful for an A. If I get one, hopefully 4 years will be enough to boost my interview skills for residency.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Yes, I feel like this is the cold hard truth, and it's a bitter pill to swallow--I've done well with job interviews in the past but I clearly fell short for med school interviews. Oh well. I'll try to stay hopeful for an A. If I get one, hopefully 4 years will be enough to boost my interview skills for residency.

For the real job market, you can still have a perfect interview and not get the job.

 

[throwaway7856]

So let's say I fail to get off any waitlists and assume the issue was 5 bad interviews...do I reapply this coming cycle with an additional pub, 1000 more clinical hours, and less than 100 additional non-clinical hours? I feel like I won't have added anything that meaningful, but is that even a problem if my original app was good enough for 5 interviews? Should I just apply to 35ish schools, hope for the best, and do some serious, hardcore interview prep? Or would it be better to wait until 2024?

I am still trying to stay optimistic about an acceptance this cycle but if I am going to reapply this year in a non-rushed fashion I'll soon have to start reaching out for updated LORs, etc.

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

Apply again. Apply to more schools if you want to but imo over 30 you're gonna be half assing stuff.

Do 50 mock interviews before next interview season and keep up your main activities, you'll be fine.

 

[throwaway7856]

Ok everyone, I am officially looking at 5 waitlists and am preparing a reapplication. I would greatly appreciate feedback on my new list as well as input into which DO schools I should apply to.

I've copied and pasted my app again and bolded the things that will be new if I reapply:

• AMCAS GPA: 3.87, upward trend
• AMCAS sGPA: 3.77, upward trend
• 517 (127/130/128/132)
• Clinical:
  • 1000 hours employed plus 1500 more hours
  • 150 hours hospital volunteer
• Non-clinical: 400 hours plus 50 hours w/ an immigrant population
• Shadowing: 50 hours
• Research: 3000+ hours with many posters, a few pubs plus a new pub
• Tutoring: 600 hours (4+ years ago)
• Leadership: club in college, nothing major (4+ years ago)_

 

[chilly_md]

There will be WL movement over the next few months. Applicants have not withdrawn their seats yet since they have till April 30th and are probably waiting to hear back from some schools this month as well. Some of the schools on your list (eg Penn State, Albany etc) will not think you will ultimately matriculate there. I suggest:

UVA
VCU
EVMS
WVU
Georgetown
Mayo
Iowa
UMass
Miami
USF
Rochester
Einstein
Hofstra
Sinai
Cornell
Michigan
Western Michigan
Vanderbilt
Emory
Pitt
Jefferson
Cinci
Case
OSU
Wisconsin Madison
Creighton
Saint Louis
Vermont
Dartmouth
Tufts (Maine track worth looking into)
Northwestern

 

[throwaway7856]

@chilly_md thank you! I am trying to hope for the best while preparing for the worst. @Goro @Faha any DO suggestions? To start I was thinking:

PCOM
WVSOM
LECOM
DMU
Marian

 

[Goro]

@chilly_md thank you! I am trying to hope for the best while preparing for the worst. @Goro @Faha any DO suggestions? To start I was thinking:

PCOM
WVSOM
LECOM
DMU
Marian

Good list. Also consider CUSOM, Touro-NY, NYITCOM.

 

[throwaway7856]

Good list. Also consider CUSOM, Touro-NY, NYITCOM.

Will do thank you!

 

[throwaway7856]

Update: I got an acceptance this week! Thank you to everyone for their help and support. I may have been the bottom of the barrel, but the bottom of the barrel is still in the barrel! I will work on interview skills for residency but for now I'm just grateful to be done with this leg of the journey.