Problem with applying

[Sekiray]

Ok guys, honestly I have a problem and I was wondering if anybody could offer me help without making fun or saying something obvious and sarcastic.

As a kid I always wanted to be a doctor. But I was influenced by something a bit childish. It was because of a book written by a very famous author. And now I am a senior in an UC school, with good grades and a good MCAT score, but with little extra curricular in terms of clinical related stuff.
I volunteered at the ER department in a hospital for a year, but without experiencing too many exciting things. Yes, basically it was boring. (it wasnt a trauma center so the worst thing there was broken legs and arms.)
I do research, but I can't really discuss it intelectually because I get used as the lab bitch cleaning and entering stupid mutation data. I also do not have any letters of rec right now. I never had the guts to talk to a professor except at review sessions for a midterm/final. My GSI for biochemistry said he will write one cosigned with a professor. Maybe I can get another one from a science prof but, it will for sure not be anything spectacular.

And also, I don't have any life changing experiences (such as relatives being cured by a super doc) because I have not shadowed a doctor. So right now its probably better not to go into medicine, but my parents are forcing me to go. they've always pushed me to do it ever since I said I wanted to be one as a kid. My personal statement will not be good because I really don't have great reasons like many of you guys here. Im going to graduate and do something productive for a year, but since I have to apply in June, im really lost. With the competitive nature of getting into medical school, it just seems like my grades/scores are worthless.

So what I want to know is. Did anyone get into schools with a crappy PS, and soso LORs? Or Do I still have some hope? Am I just tripping balls? Im really lost and am stressed out everyday because of it. Thanks for reading this.

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[ChocolateKiss]

So right now its probably better not to go into medicine, but my parents are forcing me to go. they've always pushed me to do it ever since I said I wanted to be one as a kid. My personal statement will not be good because I really don't have great reasons like many of you guys here. .

Don't go to med school for your parents.

 

[madonna]

Ok guys, honestly I have a problem and I was wondering if anybody could offer me help without making fun or saying something obvious and sarcastic.

As a kid I always wanted to be a doctor. But I was influenced by something a bit childish. It was because of a book written by a very famous author. And now I am a senior in an UC school, with good grades and a good MCAT score, but with little extra curricular in terms of clinical related stuff.
I volunteered at the ER department in a hospital for a year, but without experiencing too many exciting things. Yes, basically it was boring. (it wasnt a trauma center so the worst thing there was broken legs and arms.)
I do research, but I can't really discuss it intelectually because I get used as the lab bitch cleaning and entering stupid mutation data. I also do not have any letters of rec right now. I never had the guts to talk to a professor except at review sessions for a midterm/final. My GSI for biochemistry said he will write one cosigned with a professor. Maybe I can get another one from a science prof but, it will for sure not be anything spectacular.

And also, I don't have any life changing experiences (such as relatives being cured by a super doc) because I have not shadowed a doctor. So right now its probably better not to go into medicine, but my parents are forcing me to go. they've always pushed me to do it ever since I said I wanted to be one as a kid. My personal statement will not be good because I really don't have great reasons like many of you guys here. Im going to graduate and do something productive for a year, but since I have to apply in June, im really lost. With the competitive nature of getting into medical school, it just seems like my grades/scores are worthless.

So what I want to know is. Did anyone get into schools with a crappy PS, and soso LORs? Or Do I still have some hope? Am I just tripping balls? Im really lost and am stressed out everyday because of it. Thanks for reading this.

dont do it unless you yourself want to.
i was in similar situation last year. decided to go md in february. my letters are coming from my last quarters profs. you have another 2 quarters ahead of you, get to know your profs. mb you can through in some more clinical stuff before june. your PS does not have to include anything out of the ordinary, you dont have to have a death or spectacular recovery to have a good statement. if becoming a doctor is what YOU really want, talk about it, reasons, plans, motivation... start thinking about it now, the more time you have the better thoughtout it can be, this way it wont be crappy.
try to get a book with sample essays to get some ideas of what you need to write.
good luck

 

[NapeSpikes]

So what I want to know is. Did anyone get into schools with a crappy PS, and soso LORs? Or Do I still have some hope?

None of that matters because you don't even want to go into medicine. I would think you would be hoping NOT to get in.

 

[Jaider]

As a kid I always wanted to be a doctor. But I was influenced by something a bit childish. It was because of a book written by a very famous author.

Was the book Doctor DeSoto by William Steig?

That's my favorite kids book of all time. I almost mentioned it in one of my essays but thought that would be lame. Plus, he's technically a dentist.

Anyway... what was the book? Me wuv books.

 

[big_smiles]

SO if you want to apply, get to know your professors this term, and write a kick-ass personal statement. Ask many people to review it so it won't be crappy.
It's the first thing they see of you - -it has to shine.
Ask people at school to review it, professors, etc. I had a professor on an graduate admissions committee look at mine, about 10 friends, 3 other professors, and I re-wrote it probably 10 times. It takes time.
Have motivation. And mentioning a book depends on the context. If there is a good quote, maybe use it, but you probably won't have to.
good luck

 

[tacrum43]

Ok guys, honestly I have a problem and I was wondering if anybody could offer me help without making fun or saying something obvious and sarcastic.

As a kid I always wanted to be a doctor. But I was influenced by something a bit childish. It was because of a book written by a very famous author. And now I am a senior in an UC school, with good grades and a good MCAT score, but with little extra curricular in terms of clinical related stuff.
I volunteered at the ER department in a hospital for a year, but without experiencing too many exciting things. Yes, basically it was boring. (it wasnt a trauma center so the worst thing there was broken legs and arms.)
I do research, but I can't really discuss it intelectually because I get used as the lab bitch cleaning and entering stupid mutation data. I also do not have any letters of rec right now. I never had the guts to talk to a professor except at review sessions for a midterm/final. My GSI for biochemistry said he will write one cosigned with a professor. Maybe I can get another one from a science prof but, it will for sure not be anything spectacular.

And also, I don't have any life changing experiences (such as relatives being cured by a super doc) because I have not shadowed a doctor. So right now its probably better not to go into medicine, but my parents are forcing me to go. they've always pushed me to do it ever since I said I wanted to be one as a kid. My personal statement will not be good because I really don't have great reasons like many of you guys here. Im going to graduate and do something productive for a year, but since I have to apply in June, im really lost. With the competitive nature of getting into medical school, it just seems like my grades/scores are worthless.

So what I want to know is. Did anyone get into schools with a crappy PS, and soso LORs? Or Do I still have some hope? Am I just tripping balls? Im really lost and am stressed out everyday because of it. Thanks for reading this.

If you don't want to go into medicine, then don't do it. While I don't think anyone can be 100% sure about it, it doesn't sound like you're anywhere close to that.

Can you really imagine doing what a doctor does for 30+ years after you graduate? Maybe you should find a doctor to shadow in a specialty that sounds more interesting to you than the ER. Personally, I thought the ER was great. You really shadowed there a whole year and didn't see anything exciting? Not even an MI?

Anyway, with a luke warm PS and LORs but great numbers, you might get into some schools, but if medical school isn't what you want, it's just going to be miserable.

 

[Sekiray]

THanks guys.
Its not that I dont want to go into medicine. But I just dont have the drive like you guys because I guess im feeling insecure about my application when reading stats on mdapplicants.com and so forth. People with millions of things on their EC list just scares me. Does everyone get to know a professor?? In my school, due to the 500 ppl in my premed classes or most sciecne classes, I cannot seem to get to approach them. ANd it would be very hard to believe that every medical student knew a professor? Or maybe my school is just abnormal. Its not that I am going o write a crappy PS. Im just comparing it to what I would probably see from the top students and thinking how bad it might be when compared side to side. Is this just a lack of confidence?

And I know my parents shouldnt be the factor, but that is an issue I cannot control. I know you guys can call it whatever, and i appreciate you guy's opinions, but that is something beyond my control. I just have to go to medicine. And I guess like some of you said, I still have some time left to polish some stuff up. My mistake was starting the freshmen year with bad grades, and having to go through hell to bring it up to a good level but in sacrifice for lots of ECs I shoulda done.

I guess I wanted to know how many people are actually confident about their application? And IM talking about when you compare your self to some of the amazing people here or on mdapplicants or elsewhere? Or is this just an illusion??

 

[Law2Doc]

And I know my parents shouldnt be the factor, but that is an issue I cannot control. I know you guys can call it whatever, and i appreciate you guy's opinions, but that is something beyond my control. I just have to go to medicine.

The application stuff isn't the issue, your motivations for going to medicine is. Medicine is particularly hard and unbearable for those who go into it for the wrong reasons. Your reason is pretty much the worst I have seen on SDN. That's not just my opinion -- if you mentioned that reason in an interview or on your PS, you would be outright rejected. Clearly if you were gung ho about going into medicine out of your own volition (from the childhood book or whatever), you would have busted a move and lined up an LOR or two, and perhaps gotten a bit more clinical exposure. The fact that your only clinical exposure was "boring", and you haven't tried to see anything else doesn't make you seem particularly interested, and makes me sure you have no idea what you are getting into. This is not a decision you just do to make your folks happy. It is 4 years of school, plus 3+ years of training. It will involve a massive amount of time and will basically preclude you from a lot of other things in life during those years. Time to grow up and start making adult decisions for yourself. If it's medicine YOU want, that's fine. But if it's medicine your parents want, it might be time to stand on your own two feet.

 

[silas2642]

THanks guys.
Its not that I dont want to go into medicine. But I just dont have the drive like you guys because I guess im feeling insecure about my application when reading stats on mdapplicants.com and so forth. People with millions of things on their EC list just scares me. Does everyone get to know a professor?? In my school, due to the 500 ppl in my premed classes or most sciecne classes, I cannot seem to get to approach them. ANd it would be very hard to believe that every medical student knew a professor? Or maybe my school is just abnormal. Its not that I am going o write a crappy PS. Im just comparing it to what I would probably see from the top students and thinking how bad it might be when compared side to side. Is this just a lack of confidence?

And I know my parents shouldnt be the factor, but that is an issue I cannot control. I know you guys can call it whatever, and i appreciate you guy's opinions, but that is something beyond my control. I just have to go to medicine. And I guess like some of you said, I still have some time left to polish some stuff up. My mistake was starting the freshmen year with bad grades, and having to go through hell to bring it up to a good level but in sacrifice for lots of ECs I shoulda done.

I guess I wanted to know how many people are actually confident about their application? And IM talking about when you compare your self to some of the amazing people here oor on mdapplicants or elsewhere? Or is this just an illusion??

It's okay not to be overly confident about your application; don't let mdapplicants get you down because some of the posters probably buff their resume and the majority of the posters represent the minority. It's not all about stats, anyway. Which brings us to the lack of clinical experience. I would start shadowing a doctor as soon as possible for two reasons: first, it shows adcoms that you have a pretty good idea what you're getting into, and two, you can see if this is really something you want to do or something that you're trying to convince yourself that you want to do. It also helps if you can get a doctor to write you a letter of recommendation stating that you would be a future asset to the medical community.

Forget your parents. If this is not the road for you, then you are going to be the most miserable and spiteful person in the world. Don't go into medicine unless your heart is truly in it for the right reasons. Good luck.

 

[ND2005]

So right now its probably better not to go into medicine, but my parents are forcing me to go. they've always pushed me to do it ever since I said I wanted to be one as a kid. My personal statement will not be good because I really don't have great reasons like many of you guys here.

One of my interviewers was a dean emeritus of the school. We were talking a bit about how their waitlist procedures work, and he said they usually end up pulling a couple of people off the list AFTER the fall semester begins.

He said the reason for this is that year-in, year-out, there will always be people who drop out of med school as soon as the going gets tough. When he was dean and this happened, those people almost always came to him with the same explanation: their parents wanted them to be doctors.

Don't be one of those people.

Take time to find out if this is really something YOU want. You feel your ECs aren't strong enough right now? Then go shadow a doc for the spring. Volunteer more in a hospital, or talk to the volunteer coordinator at the hospital you did work at about getting more responsibility. Learn more about medicine, and find out if this is really the path you want to be on.

 

[riceman04]

THanks guys.
Its not that I dont want to go into medicine. But I just dont have the drive like you guys because I guess im feeling insecure about my application when reading stats on mdapplicants.com and so forth. People with millions of things on their EC list just scares me. Does everyone get to know a professor?? In my school, due to the 500 ppl in my premed classes or most sciecne classes, I cannot seem to get to approach them. ANd it would be very hard to believe that every medical student knew a professor? Or maybe my school is just abnormal. Its not that I am going o write a crappy PS. Im just comparing it to what I would probably see from the top students and thinking how bad it might be when compared side to side. Is this just a lack of confidence?

And I know my parents shouldnt be the factor, but that is an issue I cannot control. I know you guys can call it whatever, and i appreciate you guy's opinions, but that is something beyond my control. I just have to go to medicine. And I guess like some of you said, I still have some time left to polish some stuff up. My mistake was starting the freshmen year with bad grades, and having to go through hell to bring it up to a good level but in sacrifice for lots of ECs I shoulda done.

I guess I wanted to know how many people are actually confident about their application? And IM talking about when you compare your self to some of the amazing people here or on mdapplicants or elsewhere? Or is this just an illusion??

So what were you doing the last three years if you were not doing any EC's? You have no confidence in yourself and seem like you have pretty much given up in trying to get involved with anything and in trying to think about who you can ask to write a letter of rec. If you really wanted to go to med school you would do everything in your power to ensure that between now and May (June for most UC's) you get to know your professors and find something outside of studying that interests you.

Stop moping and man up!

 

[NapeSpikes]

Is this just a lack of confidence?

And I know my parents shouldnt be the factor, but that is an issue I cannot control. I know you guys can call it whatever, and i appreciate you guy's opinions, but that is something beyond my control. I just have to go to medicine.

Sekiray, this lack of confidence doesn't seem to be about your application. You are severely lacking in something else if you feel you HAVE to go into medicine.

 

[thinknofu3]

Also keep in mind something a lot of people often forget - there are tons of careers in healthcare that don't involve being an MD. And you can find any kind of work you want, whether it's patient contact, or the business end, etc. You can make good money much faster, and have an easier lifestyle all while working in the healthcare field (a good example is becoming a PA, which is only 2 years of school). Have you ever thought about any of that stuff?

I would second the other opinions that say, if you are not 110% absolutely, complete sure that you couldn't be happy doing anything besides medicine, you should not go into medicine. Unhappy doctors are the worst.

 

[BlinkyCat]

THanks guys.
Its not that I dont want to go into medicine. But I just dont have the drive like you guys because I guess im feeling insecure about my application when reading stats on mdapplicants.com and so forth. People with millions of things on their EC list just scares me. Does everyone get to know a professor?? In my school, due to the 500 ppl in my premed classes or most sciecne classes, I cannot seem to get to approach them. ANd it would be very hard to believe that every medical student knew a professor? Or maybe my school is just abnormal. Its not that I am going o write a crappy PS. Im just comparing it to what I would probably see from the top students and thinking how bad it might be when compared side to side. Is this just a lack of confidence?

And I know my parents shouldnt be the factor, but that is an issue I cannot control. I know you guys can call it whatever, and i appreciate you guy's opinions, but that is something beyond my control. I just have to go to medicine. And I guess like some of you said, I still have some time left to polish some stuff up. My mistake was starting the freshmen year with bad grades, and having to go through hell to bring it up to a good level but in sacrifice for lots of ECs I shoulda done.

I guess I wanted to know how many people are actually confident about their application? And IM talking about when you compare your self to some of the amazing people here or on mdapplicants or elsewhere? Or is this just an illusion??

I did way less in terms of ECs compared to you, but it didn't stop me from applying or doubting my own decisions for going to med school... Don't take this the wrong way, but do you think you're looking for flaws in your own application in order to perhaps give yourself reason to maybe backout in the future knowing subconsciously that you don't really want to go to med school in the first place? Just a thought..

 

[BooMed]

It seems like you really don't want to be a doctor, or if you do, you aren't ready to go to med school yet.

What do you like to do and what are you passionate about? What kind of jobs can you see yourself doing for the next 30 years or so?

 

[75969]

Have you mentioned this to your parents? Why dont you throw something out at them....like, 'wow, today....blah blah blah happened and i think i might be interested in ____ (instead of medicine).

Your parents might just want you to be happy and feel like you have the support you need....or might think you will regret not doing it.

***Btw, I think that MOST people have doubt in their application (and potential abilities)....it is natural to be unsure of the unknown.