Potential interview conflicts with military training

[ngpremed]

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Hello everyone. I've been posting on the military medicine forums, but I have an issue about which I would like some input from med school adcoms and/or faculty.

I am commissioning in the Army National Guard through ROTC this spring, and I'm also applying this upcoming cycle. The issue is that I will have to attend more training (BOLC) during the November-February time frame, which falls right in the middle of interview season. During this training it is highly unlikely that I will be able to take time off to attend interviews. As of now it may or may not be possible to delay this training by a few months, but it being the Army I'm not going to count on that happening. Right now I'm just hoping that most of my interviews will be before November.

For someone in my situation, would it be appropriate to contact the schools I am applying to and inform them of this conflict? Would the schools take it into consideration when giving out interviews? I just don't want to severely hurt my chances of being accepted from having to wait until March or later to interview. Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[HomeSkool]

During this training it will be impossible for me to take time off to attend interviews.

Fixed that for you.

Contact your assignment officer. Explain your situation and ask if BOLC could be done at a different time. Explain that this timing could have major implications for your career. Don't get your hopes up too high.

If you're unable to get slotted to a different BOLC class, reach out to the schools to which you apply. Schools are generally favorable toward military personnel.

Get your applications done EARLY.

And accept that this may all just force a change to your timing. There are worse things.

 

[ngpremed]

Fixed that for you.

Contact your assignment officer. Explain your situation and ask if BOLC could be done at a different time. Explain that this timing could have major implications for your career. Don't get your hopes up too high.

If you're unable to get slotted to a different BOLC class, reach out to the schools to which you apply. Schools are generally favorable toward military personnel.

Get your applications done EARLY.

And accept that this may all just force a change to your timing. There are worse things.

Thanks. My state's OSM wants us to start BOLC by the end of the year. I may try talking to them again to see if I can be an exception, but like you said I won't get my hopes up. That's why I wanted to see if the schools are more likely to be accommodating, since I don't think the Army is known for being very good with that. And yes, I will definitely try to get my secondaries submitted as early as possible.

If I reached out to schools about this issue, would they get a negative impression that I'm just trying to cut the interview waiting line? Or would they generally be understanding and perhaps either give me an earlier interview or just straight up inform me of rejection earlier?

 

[HomeSkool]

If I reached out to schools about this issue, would they get a negative impression that I'm just trying to cut the interview waiting line? Or would they generally be understanding and perhaps either give me an earlier interview or just straight up inform me of rejection earlier?

You've got a legit reason for the scheduling issue (UCMJ violations are kinda not good), so I doubt they'd think you're just trying to jump the line. To answer the rest of your question, I will defer to the learned @Goro.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using SDN mobile

 

[Goro]

Thanks. My state's OSM wants us to start BOLC by the end of the year. I may try talking to them again to see if I can be an exception, but like you said I won't get my hopes up. That's why I wanted to see if the schools are more likely to be accommodating, since I don't think the Army is known for being very good with that. And yes, I will definitely try to get my secondaries submitted as early as possible.

If I reached out to schools about this issue, would they get a negative impression that I'm just trying to cut the interview waiting line? Or would they generally be understanding and perhaps either give me an earlier interview or just straight up inform me of rejection earlier?

It might be worth contacting a few Admissions deans to see what they have to say. If you get a positive vibe, then ask some more deans, and check then apply to those schools. Uniformed Services University/Hebert should be at the top of your list. If you're shut out, then aim for next cycle. med schools aren't going anywhere.

And many thanks for your service to our country.

 

[ngpremed]

It might be worth contacting a few Admissions deans to see what they have to say. If you get a positive vibe, then ask some more deans, and check then apply to those schools. Uniformed Services University/Hebert should be at the top of your list. If you're shut out, then aim for next cycle. med schools aren't going anywhere.

And many thanks for your service to our country.

Just for another view of this; while you will be past applications and secondary, I always believe it is a risk to apply while you have a known conflict on your schedule. As @Goro suggests contacting the schools. But if you dont get a positive vibe back from them, I would seriously consider delaying the application until the following cycle

Thanks for the advice. I'll try contacting a few schools about this when I am applying. What are the chances I can get at least a few interviews before November, assuming I apply to 20-25 schools? When do most applicants receive the majority of their interviews? If there's a good chance that I can get at least a few, then I think it may still be worth applying this cycle. I'm already taking one gap year, and I'd rather not take another if I don't need to.

 

[Goro]

What are the chances I can get at least a few interviews before November, assuming I apply to 20-25 schools?

Impossible to answer without knowing your stats, state of residence and school list.

When do most applicants receive the majority of their interviews?

Depends upon the school, how many applicants they get. There's chart of this, floating somewhere round on SDN. I think it's too late int he cycle for you too apply, as most classes have been filled. By the time your app gets in, you'd be, at best interviewing for a spot on the wait list. Again, med schools aren't going anywhere, and, in fact, by the time you apply, more will have opened their doors.

I'd like to hear what the wise @Gastrapathy has to say about your situation as well!

 

[xffan624]

Hello everyone. I've been posting on the military medicine forums, but I have an issue about which I would like some input from med school adcoms and/or faculty.

I am commissioning in the Army National Guard through ROTC this spring, and I'm also applying this upcoming cycle. The issue is that I will have to attend more training (BOLC) during the November-February time frame, which falls right in the middle of interview season. During this training it is highly unlikely that I will be able to take time off to attend interviews. As of now it may or may not be possible to delay this training by a few months, but it being the Army I'm not going to count on that happening. Right now I'm just hoping that most of my interviews will be before November.

For someone in my situation, would it be appropriate to contact the schools I am applying to and inform them of this conflict? Would the schools take it into consideration when giving out interviews? I just don't want to severely hurt my chances of being accepted from having to wait until March or later to interview. Thanks in advance for any advice!

The question that nobody is asking is how will service in the guard impact your ability to attend medical school? If interviewing to medical school is a full time job, medical school itself is even moreso. Training one weekend a month and two weeks a year might be doable in the first year and maybe second year, but it's probably not going to fly in third year.

 

[ngpremed]

What are the chances I can get at least a few interviews before November, assuming I apply to 20-25 schools?

Impossible to answer without knowing your stats, state of residence and school list.

When do most applicants receive the majority of their interviews?

Depends upon the school, how many applicants they get. There's chart of this, floating somewhere round on SDN. I think it's too late int he cycle for you too apply, as most classes have been filled. By the time your app gets in, you'd be, at best interviewing for a spot on the wait list. Again, med schools aren't going anywhere, and, in fact, by the time you apply, more will have opened their doors.

I'd like to hear what the wise @Gastrapathy has to say about your situation as well!

Stats are 3.8/519, Michigan resident. ECs are pretty typical (hospital and community volunteering, shadowing, etc.) but maybe a little weaker than average. I may not have as many hours since ROTC took up so much of my extra time. I'm hoping that ROTC and being a commissioned officer by the time I apply will at least be a unique leadership EC that I can talk extensively about.

I haven't made a school list yet, but I'm thinking 20-25 schools with all MI schools, other OOS friendly mid tier schools, and maybe ~4-5 top tier schools sprinkled in there.

Also, if you could point me in the direction of that interview chart you mentioned that would be great! I think that will help me decide whether or not it's worth applying next cycle.

 

[ngpremed]

The question that nobody is asking is how will service in the guard impact your ability to attend medical school? If interviewing to medical school is a full time job, medical school itself is even moreso. Training one weekend a month and two weeks a year might be doable in the first year and maybe second year, but it's probably not going to fly in third year.

I'll be placed on a medical student designation where, from what I understand, there would be less drilling than normal. I've read some posts here from people who are currently or have gone through this same thing. I understand it may be a more difficult path, but I've always wanted to serve in the military and this is the best way for me and my goals that I've found.

 

[Trollest]

Stats are 3.8/519, Michigan resident. ECs are pretty typical (hospital and community volunteering, shadowing, etc.) but maybe a little weaker than average. I may not have as many hours since ROTC took up so much of my extra time. I'm hoping that ROTC and being a commissioned officer by the time I apply will at least be a unique leadership EC that I can talk extensively about.

I haven't made a school list yet, but I'm thinking 20-25 schools with all MI schools, other OOS friendly mid tier schools, and maybe ~4-5 top tier schools sprinkled in there.

Also, if you could point me in the direction of that interview chart you mentioned that would be great! I think that will help me decide whether or not it's worth applying next cycle.

You have a strong app my friend. I doubt they will keep your app in the pile until January granted you apply early.

 

[xffan624]

I'll be placed on a medical student designation where, from what I understand, there would be less drilling than normal. I've read some posts here from people who are currently or have gone through this same thing. I understand it may be a more difficult path, but I've always wanted to serve in the military and this is the best way for me and my goals that I've found.

Will you be an Army physician after graduation or do another job? How long is your obligation? Does it extend into residency? Maybe it's the former active duty snob in me coming out, but I never felt like the service was real until I deployed. Serving in the guard on light duty while in medical school doesn't seem like fulfilling a life goal of serving in the military, but that's just my opinion I guess.

 

[ngpremed]

Will you be an Army physician after graduation or do another job? How long is your obligation? Does it extend into residency? Maybe it's the former active duty snob in me coming out, but I never felt like the service was real until I deployed. Serving in the guard on light duty while in medical school doesn't seem like fulfilling a life goal of serving in the military, but that's just my opinion I guess.

Yes, I do plan on staying as a physician in the Guard after residency, and I'd be more than willing to deploy if I'm called on to do so. I have the standard ROTC obligation now which will extend into residency, and I'll probably end up taking additional med school stipends which will extend my obligation further. I truly appreciate your service, but I guess we'll have to disagree that only people who deploy have "actually served". I know quite a few people who enlisted/commissioned in the past few years even on active duty who have not had the chance to deploy, and also veterans who joined during peacetime. I think no less of their service than the service of someone like you who did deploy.

 

[ngpremed]

I think found the interview invite tracker that @Goro mentioned. From looking at the data, if I start my training in November, about 65-75% of IIs will have been given out by then. Based on my stats that I listed in a previous post, is there a reasonably high chance that I'll get most of my IIs by then?

 

[Goro]

I think found the interview invite tracker that @Goro mentioned. From looking at the data, if I start my training in November, about 65-75% of IIs will have been given out by then. Based on my stats that I listed in a previous post, is there a reasonably high chance that I'll get most of my IIs by then?

This is impossible to predict without knowing your stats and extracurriculars.

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

I think found the interview invite tracker that @Goro mentioned. From looking at the data, if I start my training in November, about 65-75% of IIs will have been given out by then. Based on my stats that I listed in a previous post, is there a reasonably high chance that I'll get most of my IIs by then?

Something that’s important to note is that when IIs are given will be different from when IIs are attended - for example, I had received all but one of my IIs by mid October, but the interviews themselves were scheduled all the way from September through late February. Different schools schedule at different speeds, so it’s really hard to predict

 

[ngpremed]

This is impossible to predict without knowing your stats and extracurriculars.

I posted some of my stats previously, but here are some more details:

3.8 cGPA, similar sGPA (haven't calculated yet), 519 MCAT (131/129/129/130)
Ethnicity/gender: white male
State of residency: Michigan
~170 hospital volunteering hours, ~80 nonclinical (a lot of these are community service events performed with my ROTC program)
~40 shadowing hours (ER, anesthesiology, primary care)
1000+ ROTC hours, multiple leadership roles 3rd and 4th year
Club officer for ROTC extracurricular clubs
Will commission as a Second Lieutenant at the end of April. If I can list projected hours on my application, probably 500-1000 hours depending on drill, AT, and including 4 months of BOLC

 

[Goro]

You're golden!