happycroissant
Full Member
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2022
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Hey folks, I wanted to share my story and provide a bit of optimism and hope for y'all.
In 2018, I applied to about 20 MD programs with a 3.9 GPA, 511 MCAT, solid research hours, and a good number of clinical and non-clinical volunteer hours. As a first-time applicant without any family or close friends in the medical field, I made a lot of first-timer mistakes (I didn't pre-write secondaries, included too many schools above my stats, didn't tailor my school list to mission fits, etc.). I completed less than half the secondaries I received because I was so overwhelmed by them and didn't receive any interviews. The process left me gutted.
I took several years to work on myself, gain clinical experience, and decide if the medical field was right for me. During that time, I recovered from a brutal injury, worked retail, worked in an operating room of a community hospital, built relationships, retook the MCAT, and ultimately realized that I was still passionate about medicine.
I reapplied last year with the same GPA as above, but this time I had a 524 MCAT and robust clinical and volunteer experiences. I added 2 mid-author publications, hundreds of hours of teaching, hundreds of hours of leadership, and hundreds of hours of nonclinical volunteering at animal shelters and community outreach to my application. Because I took the time to develop myself and focus on my passions outside of medicine, my application told a more comprehensive story.
Last year, I applied to 23 MD programs and received 3 interviews (all at T-15s). Those 3 interviews turned into 3 waitlists, 2 of which turned into acceptances (I withdrew from the 3rd waitlist). This application cycle was brutal for so many months as I waited on good news, and because I was not accepted off any waitlists until May, I was preparing to reapply for a third time.
I still can't quite believe that I will be in medical school in a few weeks and I am definitely counting my blessings. I hope that my story can be an inspiration or a tidbit of hope in a sometimes (maybe often) challenging process. I hope that you also take the time to develop yourself and enjoy your life, despite the stress of preparing to apply and the application cycle itself.
I am now 28 years old and feel grateful for those extra few years that I had between college and medical school. Sure, I missed out on a few years of "attending earnings." But this is my story, and I am damn proud of the challenges that I've overcome to be here. I hope that you, too, can own your story and can look in the mirror with pride, remembering how far you've come and how much you've grown. Best of luck to you all. 💛
In 2018, I applied to about 20 MD programs with a 3.9 GPA, 511 MCAT, solid research hours, and a good number of clinical and non-clinical volunteer hours. As a first-time applicant without any family or close friends in the medical field, I made a lot of first-timer mistakes (I didn't pre-write secondaries, included too many schools above my stats, didn't tailor my school list to mission fits, etc.). I completed less than half the secondaries I received because I was so overwhelmed by them and didn't receive any interviews. The process left me gutted.
I took several years to work on myself, gain clinical experience, and decide if the medical field was right for me. During that time, I recovered from a brutal injury, worked retail, worked in an operating room of a community hospital, built relationships, retook the MCAT, and ultimately realized that I was still passionate about medicine.
I reapplied last year with the same GPA as above, but this time I had a 524 MCAT and robust clinical and volunteer experiences. I added 2 mid-author publications, hundreds of hours of teaching, hundreds of hours of leadership, and hundreds of hours of nonclinical volunteering at animal shelters and community outreach to my application. Because I took the time to develop myself and focus on my passions outside of medicine, my application told a more comprehensive story.
Last year, I applied to 23 MD programs and received 3 interviews (all at T-15s). Those 3 interviews turned into 3 waitlists, 2 of which turned into acceptances (I withdrew from the 3rd waitlist). This application cycle was brutal for so many months as I waited on good news, and because I was not accepted off any waitlists until May, I was preparing to reapply for a third time.
I still can't quite believe that I will be in medical school in a few weeks and I am definitely counting my blessings. I hope that my story can be an inspiration or a tidbit of hope in a sometimes (maybe often) challenging process. I hope that you also take the time to develop yourself and enjoy your life, despite the stress of preparing to apply and the application cycle itself.
I am now 28 years old and feel grateful for those extra few years that I had between college and medical school. Sure, I missed out on a few years of "attending earnings." But this is my story, and I am damn proud of the challenges that I've overcome to be here. I hope that you, too, can own your story and can look in the mirror with pride, remembering how far you've come and how much you've grown. Best of luck to you all. 💛
