Medical Previously held an acceptance last cycle, needed to withdraw due to pandemic, guidance to reapply

[Goro]

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At the end of the 2019-2020 cycle, I had CTE'd to a school and withdrawn from all others. After this occurred, a series of personal and financial events caused by the pandemic lead to the need to withdraw from the school. They would not allow a deferral. I have asked AAMC how this could affect my future reapplication and they gave me generic information about the traffic rules and that other schools cannot see past applications - ie. stuff available on their website. What I want to confirm is that since the multiple acceptance report is no longer produced, the only schools who will know I was previously accepted are 1) the schools which had previously accepted me 2) schools which waitlisted me and 3) schools which explicitly ask about previous acceptances on their secondary, correct? They are the only ones who would have access to the previous cycle's results, and at that they will already know I never matriculated anywhere?

If this comes up at an interview I am not too worried about explaining it as I feel I was justified in the choice I made, however I worry about the notion of 'blacklisting' ie. not even getting to the interview stage. All of the threads about this are 2018 and older, so the report still existed at that time. I think I am correct, I would just like some confirmation from those who can actually see the 'traffic rules' from the ADCOM side of things.

For any prompt in a secondary that asks "Have you been accepted elsewhere?"

Just tell the truth.

 

[AlteredScale]

I certainly intend on that. I won't necessarily be avoiding schools that specifically ask, but given that most do not ask - will there be any concern about the previous acceptance coming back to bite me? ie. Will schools that don't ask in their secondary be none-the-wiser?

Also, thank you for responding. Cute cat

I doubt it if there's not a way that they can tell you were accepted.

 

[Goro]

So what are you going to do.....not apply because you fear you have some mythical scarlet letter on your app?

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Just apply, tell the truth, and stop worrying about this. How is this going to change anything?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Contact the school that sent you the acceptance. If they have no deferral policy, they would best understand and may be sympathetic. No guarantees but you might as well ask.

 

[Goro]

That is my primary concern - at what point do I “Tell the truth” other than on secondaries which ask? This is not a question on the primary, most schools don’t ask about it on the secondary, and I am not just going to provide unprompted information that may be viewed negatively.

My concern is that I won’t even have the opportunity to explain.

if nobody asks you about it, it won't be an issue

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

You most likely won't be asked about it. Again, I really think you're overthinking this.

 

[Goro]

May I ask what makes you say it likely won’t be brought up? It just seems everyone says “if you have a previous acceptance then it is a major red flag” or “you’ll be blacklisted.” I really don’t want to over think it and I appreciate the response.

It's not as black-and-white as studentdoctor.net makes it out to be!

 

[lord999]

If you lie and are caught, there are consequences. I actually am a bit concerned with your line of thought. If asked, you are to answer truthfully but also I would attach a statement about the circumstances of your nonacceptance and how they do not apply at present (if accepted, the circumstances of my withdrawal last cycle are not applicable to this).

 

[Goro]

I absolutely will be truthful if asked, I just don't want to be asked lol Thank you for the suggestion, that is definitely a great idea, why I did not matriculate and why I would now.

@Goro Thank you for the reassurance. Would you tell someone with a previous acceptance to confidently apply where they would like just with the caveat they may or may not be asked about it? I am beginning to rationalize that since schools can ask this on their secondaries, if they don't ask they may not know or they don't care...

We have already told you to apply and don't look back . Yet you keep coming back to this as if it's some great moral failing.

I'm beginning to wonder if you are unteachable. This is a trait that gets people fired from residency.