Reapplicants: where do you find the motivation?

[prznpremed]

How do you do it again? I'm effing depressed. I just got rejected off of one of my waitlists (I didn't even know they did that till August) and have two more that don't seem very promising. I'm headed to the Georgetown SMP, but to do that you need to apply again, and to apply again you need to be motivated. I'm having a hard time with my essay because I'm so disheartened. I feel like I've gotten the wind knocked out of me repeatedly by this process and it is SO humbling to pick yourself up and do it again. Truthfully, I would like to take a year off and regroup and remember why I want this so badly, because sometimes I forget. I've spent so much time wanting it, checking my email, calling admissions offices... If someone asked me why I want to be a doctor I'd have to stop and think for a bit b/c that feeling has been replaced with desperation. What can I do to start this SMP with some good feeling instead of all the rejection? I know we have a few reapplicants around SDN and for the most part, they seem excited and up for the challenge again. Please... any advice?

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[bwells46]

How do you do it again? I'm effing depressed. I just got rejected off of one of my waitlists (I didn't even know they did that till August) and have two more that don't seem very promising. I'm headed to the Georgetown SMP, but to do that you need to apply again, and to apply again you need to be motivated. I'm having a hard time with my essay because I'm so disheartened. I feel like I've gotten the wind knocked out of me repeatedly by this process and it is SO humbling to pick yourself up and do it again. Truthfully, I would like to take a year off and regroup and remember why I want this so badly, because sometimes I forget. I've spent so much time wanting it, checking my email, calling admissions offices... If someone asked me why I want to be a doctor I'd have to stop and think for a bit b/c that feeling has been replaced with desperation. What can I do to start this SMP with some good feeling instead of all the rejection? I know we have a few reapplicants around SDN and for the most part, they seem excited and up for the challenge again. Please... any advice?

Go out, have a good time, go to some parties, do some feel good volunteering with kids in a hospital, and join a new gym.

Remind yourself how great it feels to be alive and how much better it will feel when you're finally able to do what you've always dreamed about.

Then, buckle down, get A's in your SMP, and sit back while acceptances roll in like credit card offers.

 

[Shpamme]

This is going to sound awful.. and it doesn't work for everyone by any means. What I ended up doing was telling myself it probably wasn't going to happen (it was my second time applying this year), and then I lined up something else for the following year in case it didn't happen (e.g. I lined up a job). That way, I had the peace of mind knowing during application year that if it didn't work out I'd have at least something lined up--and it took a LOT of the edge off. Then I told myself that since this was going to be my last shot at it, I would give it my absolute all--no holds, no shame, nothing. I'd use all my networking skills, make this my full time job at least till May. Every day I called admissions offices, wrote letters, wrote more letters.. and surprisingly, it worked.

Hang in there.. I know its tough but hard work will pay off in the end. Luck isn't the only component to success.. And at the end of your next application, they will see how incredibly persistent you are. In fact at my interviews a couple people brought it up.. saying essentially "wow, you must want this pretty bad to retake the MCAT and go through the process again."

A very good friend of mine actually applied four times.. it was the year she stopped feeling so personally invested in it that she got in. She made contingency plans to be a writer before her fourth application. She thinks the chance to destress and unwind really helped her perform well on the interviews, and helped her peace of mind as she went through the process.


You can do this.. and you have a lot of people on these forums that you can always turn to for support.

And keep in mind, this cycle is not over yet. See this post.. it really, really kept me going when I had almost no energy. I posted it everywhere...bathroom mirror, above my bed, in my closet, in my car. And I highlighted the part about how he wanted it bad..
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=106811

Good luck!

 

[Bengalswillwin]

Yeah, but his case was too extreme

 

[greg1184]

I am stuck on one waitlist now, but I am reapplying anyway.

My motivation is knowing that my primary problem with my application is my MCAT, and that I am more than capable to improve that. Plus, it give me the opportunity to do a second degree in something interesting and out of the pre-med box. I am doing a major in religious studies on my year off. Plus I get to see my friends (the ones that haven't graduated yet) for another year.

Most importantly, I get a do-over to get everything on my application right. I am a year wiser and get to learn from my mistakes. Hopefully I get in to medical school with a bang.


The key is making something POSITIVE out of the situation.

 

[DrVanNostran]

4 year failure here, the SDN resident failure. My motivation, it has been my dream to become a physician. If I don't get in this year, I will try again.

 

[armybound]

I get the motivation by knowing I improved my application and thus have a better chance.

Not to mention the job market around here really sucks, so I need to do something to get out of here.

 

[MEG@COOL]

How do you do it again? I'm effing depressed. I just got rejected off of one of my waitlists (I didn't even know they did that till August) and have two more that don't seem very promising. I'm headed to the Georgetown SMP, but to do that you need to apply again, and to apply again you need to be motivated. I'm having a hard time with my essay because I'm so disheartened. I feel like I've gotten the wind knocked out of me repeatedly by this process and it is SO humbling to pick yourself up and do it again. Truthfully, I would like to take a year off and regroup and remember why I want this so badly, because sometimes I forget. I've spent so much time wanting it, checking my email, calling admissions offices... If someone asked me why I want to be a doctor I'd have to stop and think for a bit b/c that feeling has been replaced with desperation. What can I do to start this SMP with some good feeling instead of all the rejection? I know we have a few reapplicants around SDN and for the most part, they seem excited and up for the challenge again. Please... any advice?

Yeah Im reapplying this cycle. Mostly Im just pretty bitter about it. I dont feel humbled at all. This process has just been a life lesson to me that ass kissing gets you farther in life than anything else. Knowing this will now allow me to be more successful this cycle. Additionally, Im doing a post bac at the NIH in bethesda MD. This will be an enjoyable activity that will keep me occupied for a year.

 

[TCIrish03]

Short answer: for the same reasons I decided I wanted to get back into medicine in the first place.

Long answer: Going from being a big fish in a small pond in HS, to going to a top university with everyone else as good or better than I, kicked my a$$ pretty good. Hubris, which made me do the same things in HS (i.e, studying just for grades) didn't float, my grades sucked, and I dropped premed. Luckily, I found myself in a new major with some great mentors that allowed me to re-evaluate where my talents were. In the end, I found myself back in medicine (does this story sound familiar), took the classes I needed after I graduated. I was also fortunate to land myself in the research side of things, with some excellent faculty mentors.

What keeps me going is that I was realistic going into my 2nd attempt, and I did it with a plan. I didn't go into it with any delusions of grandeur, and I don't think that anything is automatic in life anymore. I knew my initial grades were going to be a hurdle, and while I probably should not have applied in 2005, I know that every year my application is stronger on paper. What's more important though, is that I approach every experience as a learning one, and I don't just mean the classes. It sounds corny, but the more I learn about life, the more I learn about myself, and I know I am best suited at being a doctor. If after enough tries and the med schools still don't think so, I have some other plans to fall back on, but would still make me happy.

 

[GuzzyRon]

How do you do it again? I'm effing depressed. I just got rejected off of one of my waitlists (I didn't even know they did that till August) and have two more that don't seem very promising. I'm headed to the Georgetown SMP, but to do that you need to apply again, and to apply again you need to be motivated. I'm having a hard time with my essay because I'm so disheartened. I feel like I've gotten the wind knocked out of me repeatedly by this process and it is SO humbling to pick yourself up and do it again. Truthfully, I would like to take a year off and regroup and remember why I want this so badly, because sometimes I forget. I've spent so much time wanting it, checking my email, calling admissions offices... If someone asked me why I want to be a doctor I'd have to stop and think for a bit b/c that feeling has been replaced with desperation. What can I do to start this SMP with some good feeling instead of all the rejection? I know we have a few reapplicants around SDN and for the most part, they seem excited and up for the challenge again. Please... any advice?

I sympathize with your situation. You need to realize that sometimes it takes more than one blow for the hammer to knock the nail into the wood.

 

[MEG@COOL]

I sympathize with your situation. You need to realize that sometimes it takes more than one blow for the hammer to knock the nail into the wood.

Not everyone cums the time they have sex.

 

[drjenndo]

How do you do it again? I'm effing depressed. I just got rejected off of one of my waitlists (I didn't even know they did that till August) and have two more that don't seem very promising. I'm headed to the Georgetown SMP, but to do that you need to apply again, and to apply again you need to be motivated. I'm having a hard time with my essay because I'm so disheartened. I feel like I've gotten the wind knocked out of me repeatedly by this process and it is SO humbling to pick yourself up and do it again. Truthfully, I would like to take a year off and regroup and remember why I want this so badly, because sometimes I forget. I've spent so much time wanting it, checking my email, calling admissions offices... If someone asked me why I want to be a doctor I'd have to stop and think for a bit b/c that feeling has been replaced with desperation. What can I do to start this SMP with some good feeling instead of all the rejection? I know we have a few reapplicants around SDN and for the most part, they seem excited and up for the challenge again. Please... any advice?

.

 

[Tropicana100]

It's tough, but try to find something meaningful to do in the meantime. Like volunteer work or a job in an area that interests you, while you're waiting. Sitting in front of your comp all day, browsing facebook, youtube, and SDN will not help .

 

[variablistic]

To knock off a quotation from a great movie.

"Because I choose to."

Personally, I'm getting motivation from being told no the first time. I'm not accustomed to failing, and I'm not about to let it happen again. Thus, I'm motivated. Yeah, it's long and arduous, but so is medical school, and residency, and depending on what you do afterwards, maybe even some of your shifts, but we hope not.

We put ourselves completely out there in our essays and especially the interview, and it's hard, but I'm going to apply as many times as it takes me.

 

[etf]

my motivation comes from knowing that i have the potential to be a fantastic physician, and that i just need to work a little harder to convince the admissions folks.

 

[MChitty]

I think it's hard and it's frustrating, especially when everyone's asking you. I gave myself a week to mope...just be pissed off at the process, complain to anyone that would listen, sulk, cry, hit a wall, whatever. And then I just let it go and focused everything on reapplying. I'm on a waitlist right now, but honestly, besides the occasional update, I've tried to push it from my mind because if it happens, it happens.

I guess I'm excited to reapply in a sense. I applied very late last year and though I was fortunate enough to get two interviews, I'm excited to really give myself a 'fighting chance' to get into school. Obviously if I get accepted this year, I will be more than excited to attend, but at the same time, I feel like my hands were tied completely because of the late application. If I end up in this same situation next year, at least I can focus on aspects of my application rather than just wondering what would've happened if I had actually turned in my application early. So that's where I am at.

If you think a year off would help, I think you should do it. I feel like with the sea of applicants, the adcom members are really going to be able to pick out those ones that seem to be going through this process begrudgingly. Besides, this process is long and sucky enough on its own. I couldn't imagine forcing myself through it.

 

[Orthodoc40]

If you think a year off would help, I think you should do it. I feel like with the sea of applicants, the adcom members are really going to be able to pick out those ones that seem to be going through this process begrudgingly. Besides, this process is long and sucky enough on its own. I couldn't imagine forcing myself through it.

I agree with this - if you would benefit from a break, there's no harm in that at all. Med school will always be there. A friend of mine took 4 application cycles.

Nothing else much to add. I reapplied this year, and decided that if I didn't get in anywhere, I was done with it. I planned on applying to PA programs or anything else. This year, I added DO schools to my list because my feeling is that I would rather go to a great DO school in the US than have to move out of the country to go to any school. My point is, you have to be willing to go where EVER you can get in. Just decide to put no restrictions on where you're willing to land up. This is how I got in, this is how my friend (above) finally got in. Yes, I'd rather stay near home, but guess what? My state school is full of itself, and so I won't be able to stay near home. Oh well. It worked out for me this year, but part of me is thinking those PA programs may not be such a bad idea after all!

 

[sendwich]

don't lose the hope! have a relaxing summer (or try to), meet some good friends at georgetown, study your butt off, and give all that you have this next cycle cus you can only win!! i'm sorry about the waitlist thing, but if you've been waitlisted at multiple schools at this point, that means schools see somethign in you that they like!!! doing well in the smp should give you the extra "oomph" when it comes to applying this year!!!!

good luck!!!!

 

[prznpremed]

I really appreciate the response guys. I was definitely at a low point and it helps to know that other people have gone through this and been successful.

 

[sweetkc]

It's tough, but try to find something meaningful to do in the meantime. Like volunteer work or a job in an area that interests you, while you're waiting. Sitting in front of your comp all day, browsing facebook, youtube, and SDN will not help .

that sounds like a typical day for me...except my list would include gmail to see if schools i am waitlisted on have sent me nething

 

[RxnMan]

I really appreciate the response guys. I was definitely at a low point and it helps to know that other people have gone through this and been successful.

Yup. It took me three times, and dozens of rejections, but eventually I got my acceptance. It was a matter of either trying until I got to do what I wanted, or always wondering what could have been.

 

[etf]

something happened today that will have a negative effect on my application for this year. i've been feeling really crappy about it, and it was like a huge wave of de-motivation hit me. i started feeling like it was going to be tough to press on when it feels like everyone is trying to stack more odds against me. but then i realized there really isn't anything else i want to do with my life other than practice medicine. so onward i go.