Reapply after already declining acceptance

[Losat1]

I have a situation that is probably going to get a lot of frustration and backlash from SDN users. Please try to be nice and constructive in your responses, I am looking for thoughtful advice!

This past cycle I was accepted to a couple medical schools. I ended up having a pretty severe panic attack before starting and I made the rash decision to decline my acceptance at the school I chose to go to a few days before class started. Obviously this was a terrible decision and I have never had so much regret in my life. I am currently working on getting my anxiety treated and under control.

It is still my dream to become a doctor. If I reapply in the 2016-2017 cycle is there any chance I will get an acceptance? In other threads people say you are "blacklisted" if you deny an acceptance. I am really hoping it's not that black and white if I can prove to adcoms that my passion for medicine has not changed. Thanks for reading.

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[WedgeDawg]

Adcoms are going to be the people to ask here, but I would say that you probably don't have any real chance of being accepted again.

Sorry.

 

[ndafife]

You are blacklisted at the schools you declined an acceptance to. No chance of getting in there.

I don't really know about other schools that you didnt apply to.

 

[SoCalPipeDreamer]

I think it depends on the reason you gave for not attending?
I applied in the last cycle and gained a late acceptance. I explained that I already had commitments for this year and declined. I now have an interview for the same school for this cycle.

YMMV though

 

[WedgeDawg]

You are blacklisted at the schools you declined an acceptance to. No chance of getting in there.

I don't really know about other schools that you didnt apply to.

Most schools will ask "have you ever been accepted to another medical school in a previous cycle" or something like that. Some schools explicitly won't take people who have gone through a successful MD application cycle, while others implicitly won't.

 

[StudyLater]

"If you're gonna keep playing games this way, I just can't do this anymore. *runs off dramatically*"

^^^^^That's what the school will do. In sappy teen drama form.

 

[johnnytest]

Only adcoms can tell you what you need to hear. The rest of us are just speculating.

 

[StudyLater]

Realistically it's probably doable. But you better come back bearing gifts and promise them you'll never leave them again (make sure to tear up at that point).

 

[Nymphicus]

I would say it would be a very steep, uphill battle.

Doctors (and medical students) face many anxiety-inducing situations. If your past performance indicates you do not handle stressful situations well, to the point where you will sacrifice your "dream and passion" because it somehow became too overwhelming--it's not a good sign.

 

[Losat1]

Thanks for the input. It's what I was expecting but still disappointing. I only applied MD last time, would there be a better chance at DO schools since its a different application?

 

[Nymphicus]

If you still wish to apply to medical school I would recommend the following:

1.) Make sure your anxiety is well managed
2.) Apply broadly to both MD and DO
3.) Ask yourself is there something else you can see yourself happily doing besides medical school

 

[Spector1]

I'd say the chances don't look too good.

 

[Goro]

I suspect that you had your chance and blew it. Why, may I ask, didn't you simply ask for a leave of absence?

If you were accepted to MD schools, then you do have chances with DO schools, because the two don't communicate with each other.

But don't even think about a career in Medicine until your anxiety issues are fully controlled.

This is a very sad case and I wish you well.

I have a situation that is probably going to get a lot of frustration and backlash from SDN users. Please try to be nice and constructive in your responses, I am looking for thoughtful advice!

This past cycle I was accepted to a couple medical schools. I ended up having a pretty severe panic attack before starting and I made the rash decision to decline my acceptance at the school I chose to go to a few days before class started. Obviously this was a terrible decision and I have never had so much regret in my life. I am currently working on getting my anxiety treated and under control.

It is still my dream to become a doctor. If I reapply in the 2016-2017 cycle is there any chance I will get an acceptance? In other threads people say you are "blacklisted" if you deny an acceptance. I am really hoping it's not that black and white if I can prove to adcoms that my passion for medicine has not changed. Thanks for reading.

 

[Noomm]

On the bright side, you probably made someone really happy when they found out that they got off the waitlist!

 

[intangible]

Your stats were clearly good enough to garner multiple acceptances. Apply to other schools; your chances at the same schools are shot.

 

[idontknowwhatnametopick]

Thanks for the input. It's what I was expecting but still disappointing. I only applied MD last time, would there be a better chance at DO schools since its a different application?

Did you apply in Texas last year? If not, that might be an option now. It's also a separate application. I believe they still ask if you've ever applied to med schools in the past though. And it's hard to get in if you're OOS unless your application is really really good.

 

[idontknowwhatnametopick]

While its a separate application, AMCAS collects stats from TMDSAS. I am unsure how linked the Texas schools are linked into the National Acceptance Report but all the schools are members of AAMC and certainly could have access to it

They definitely ask which other schools you are applying to this cycle (including AMCAS schools). I don't know if they ask if you applied to any schools in the past though. Obviously if they do ask the OP should absolutely list the schools from last cycle.

 

[idontknowwhatnametopick]

Asking or not, their automatic system may pull data from AMCAS/National Acceptance report, especially if TMDSAS application has any connection from AMCAS ID. I dont know how MCAT score is transmitted to TMDSAS but it may connect the two

This whole system is so obscure.

 

[gyngyn]

We don't interview previously accepted candidates.

 

[MrLogan13]

Sorry OP, but it looks like your chances are very, very low with a previous acceptance.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Evaluate the reasons behind why medicine is your dream and why alternate possibilities are simply not something you would ever consider before trying to go down the medical path again. And by that I mean, over the course of months, perhaps even a few years if necessary, not in 3-4 weeks. Someone who is capable of getting into multiple MD schools is very capable of alot of things in this world that don't involve medicine.

You really really have to be honest with yourself here with what caused that panic attack and caused you to haphazardly drop medicine all together. I personally have no idea if you are but when you are saying 3 weeks after it happened "I'm over it" and "It's my goal again to pursue medicine", but there are a number of indications a person reading this could believe that you haven't been completely and haven't really fully addressed what caused such hesitation and panic from your part aboutgoing down this path.

 

[deleted718115]

Why does admission process have to be like this? There are many factors that can make some people decline, i.e., tuition, cost, curriculum, etc.
Besides, I heard from other people on SDN who declined acceptances and got into other schools in the next cycle. I don't know whether the schools knew about it in their cases, though, probably did.

 

[gyngyn]

Why does admission process have to be like this? There are many factors that can make some people decline, i.e., tuition, cost, curriculum, etc.
Besides, I heard from other people on SDN who declined acceptances and got into other schools in the next cycle. I don't know whether the schools knew about it in their cases, though, probably did.

We take this process very seriously.
A person who doesn't show up for his wedding may have good reasons too, but a subsequent bride would be foolish not to consider the personal qualities that may be associated with such rash behavior.

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

I have a situation that is probably going to get a lot of frustration and backlash from SDN users. Please try to be nice and constructive in your responses, I am looking for thoughtful advice!

This past cycle I was accepted to a couple medical schools. I ended up having a pretty severe panic attack before starting and I made the rash decision to decline my acceptance at the school I chose to go to a few days before class started. Obviously this was a terrible decision and I have never had so much regret in my life. I am currently working on getting my anxiety treated and under control.

It is still my dream to become a doctor. If I reapply in the 2016-2017 cycle is there any chance I will get an acceptance? In other threads people say you are "blacklisted" if you deny an acceptance. I am really hoping it's not that black and white if I can prove to adcoms that my passion for medicine has not changed. Thanks for reading.

My advice would be to ask for a deferral for one year. However, that ship has already sailed. Sorry your mental health issues reared up at a most inopportune time. Best wishes to you.

 

[deleted718115]

A person who doesn't show up for his wedding may have good reasons too, but a subsequent bride would be foolish not to consider the personal qualities that may be associated with such rash behavior.

This analogy We tend to advice others to not judge your partners based on their pasts

 

[gyngyn]

This analogy We tend to advice others to not judge your partners based on their pasts

Actually, we don't give this advice.
One can generally expect behaviors to be repeated.

 

[StudyLater]

This past cycle I was accepted to a couple medical schools. I ended up having a pretty severe panic attack before starting and I made the rash decision to decline my acceptance at the school I chose to go to a few days before class started.

Oh by the way, for purposes of your answer to why you declined: The bolded never happened.

Obviously this was a terrible decision and I have never had so much regret in my life. I am currently working on getting my anxiety treated and under control

Maybe it wasn't a terrible decision at the time. You're an adult. You can do whatever you want. It's extremely easy (and therefore perfectly normal) to say no to what will be a highly stressful opportunity -- you simply took the path of least resistance, which I think is fairly rational for someone that, at least at the time, felt they really couldn't see themselves doing medicine, or just felt the amount of work and schooling unnecessary to get a great job that they could be happy with. I don't know though. The hilarious thing to me is that once you're in, yes the hard part is starting, but holy crap the uncertainty is completely gone. You're doing it and you're definitively on the path, with no more second guesses about if you're good enough or whatever. See for me, the panic attack stuff is happening now, and I'm absolutely sure it will subside once I finally just freakin' know: I'm definitively gonna be a doc. That's the torturous thing about sitting in UG pre-med purgatory, which you no longer had to worry about at the time you got in. That's just why I kind of thought freaking out was a bit of a weird (yet still understandable) reaction. I will be the exact opposite -- there will be a huge sigh of relief if/when I get my first acceptance.

 

[carol8990]

We don't interview previously accepted candidates.

Gyngyn, is this only if they were accepted to YOUR school or if they were accepted at all?

 

[gyngyn]

We have not interviewed candidates who were previously accepted to any medical school.

 

[deleted718115]

We have not interviewed candidates who were previously accepted to any medical school.

How do you know this? I think it was mentioned on SDN that schools only know about previous acceptances AFTER they make a decision on an applicant?

 

[Doug Underhill]

What if they had to decline for health reasons? Obviously, deferment is an infinitely better solution here, but some schools, like Wake Forest, are really strict about deferment.

Let's say that they were accepted at one of these schools, and needed to defer, and the school said no. Are they still blacklisted?

 

[gyngyn]

How do you know this? I think it was mentioned on SDN that schools only know about previous acceptances AFTER they make a decision on an applicant?

The National Acceptance Report from the previous year.

 

[deleted718115]

After April, EVERY school can see ANY acceptance or matriculation status of ANY applicant. With most schools using AMCAS enabled tools, it may automatically populate their application system via the applicant's AMCAS ID

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/amcas/faqs/305002/canschoolsseeotherschools.html

In April of the application year, medical schools will have access to the National Acceptance Report, which lists every applicant with an acceptance or matriculated action.

But April is way past interview timeframe, isn't it?

 

[gyngyn]

What if they had to decline for health reasons? Obviously, deferment is an infinitely better solution here, but some schools, like Wake Forest, are really strict about deferment.

Let's say that they were accepted at one of these schools, and needed to defer, and the school said no. Are they still blacklisted?

I have not yet seen a case in which a student was not granted a deferral for medical cause.

 

[StudyLater]

@gyngyn do DO schools check the acceptance report?

 

[StudyLater]

@Losat1 was there a reason you didn't simply just defer?

@gyngyn can the medical reason be psych-based or is that a problem?

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn can the medical reason be psych-based or is that a problem?

Medical is medical.
Unless the disorder was associated with an unacceptable behavior, it would fall under a medical LOA or deferral.

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn do DO schools check the acceptance report?

I don't know.
They are not connected to the AMCAS database so I doubt it.

 

[carol8990]

Oh boy...what if a student was accepted to an OOS school two days before classes started and could not possibly relocate (for financial reasons) and be prepared to start and was also not able to get a deferral? Hypothetically speaking...

 

[StudyLater]

Medical is medical.
Unless the disorder were associated with an unacceptable behavior, it would fall under a medical LOA or deferral.

So....say OP's problem comes up and he/she needs to go on leave for some psych-evaluated panic attack disorder. Would you grant this or just drop OP altogether?

Oh boy...what if a student was accepted to an OOS school two days before classes started and could not possibly relocate (for financial reasons) and be prepared to start and was also not able to get a deferral? Hypothetically speaking...

I guess that student needs to hope the school has recorded lectures.

 

[deleted718115]

@gyngyn do DO schools check the acceptance report?

I think Goro just answered that above:

If you were accepted to MD schools, then you do have chances with DO schools, because the two don't communicate with each other.

 

[Lancer]

Oh boy...what if a student was accepted to an OOS school two days before classes started and could not possibly relocate (for financial reasons) and be prepared to start and was also not able to get a deferral? Hypothetically speaking...

Then they should have taken themselves off of the waitlist at the point they realized they could not relocate (for financial reasons)

 

[Goro]

Poor judgment is something we're allergic too.

Why does admission process have to be like this? There are many factors that can make some people decline, i.e., tuition, cost, curriculum, etc.
Besides, I heard from other people on SDN who declined acceptances and got into other schools in the next cycle. I don't know whether the schools knew about it in their cases, though, probably did.

I know of an Admissions dean that does that at his/her school.

One should be prepared to jump on an offer immediately no matter what the timing is. This is why we like people who think things out.

Not hypothetical; they would go on to the next waitlist candidate. Those last minute calls usually include the question of immediate acceptance. One of my recently matriculated students has an MD preceptor who was one of those. He got a call the day orientation started when an accepted student didnt show up. They told him directly you were the first one on the list to actually be home to answer the phone (before cellphones). They apparently went down the list to get those physically close to the school, Several years ago, I had to help a student move in 2 days out of state (though just the next state over) for a last minute spot. If I am not mistaken, they insisted on an answer within 30 minutes.

 

[caffeinemia]

betcha the Caribbean schools would have a spot for the OP. Those places attract poor decision making. Please commence same ol' debate about Caribbean schools - my popcorn is ready.

 

[Losat1]

Thanks everybody for your insight. I understand how having anxiety could be a major hindrance to both medical school and a career as a physician- but I also believe it can be successfully managed. My panic attack was mostly situational. I chose to go to a different school in July. I got extremely overwhelmed by my rash decision and limited time to relocate thousands of miles away. I handled the situation horribly and essentially threw everything I worked so hard for away. I've always wanted to be a doctor so it is extremely difficult for me to think this is the end of the road...

The National Acceptance Report from the previous year.

If I did apply again (which is not looking too hopeful), I would not start for two years. It seems like one of the main issues is schools seeing I have been accepted before on this report. But would they really be looking at the report from two years ago or does this report pull up all acceptances from every year?

 

[gyngyn]

If I did apply again (which is not looking too hopeful), I would not start for two years. It seems like one of the main issues is schools seeing I have been accepted before on this report. But would they really be looking at the report from two years ago or does this report pull up all acceptances from every year?

We can.

 

[musicalfeet]

We take this process very seriously.
A person who doesn't show up for his wedding may have good reasons too, but a subsequent bride would be foolish not to consider the personal qualities that may be associated with such rash behavior.

Love this analogy. If I knew someone I was currently dating had "left his bride at the altar", I'd probably break it off right away...because it shows me that their first inclination at a sign of trouble is to run, rather than face and deal with it. Same holds for medicine I suppose.

 

[carol8990]

Thanks everybody for your insight. I understand how having anxiety could be a major hindrance to both medical school and a career as a physician- but I also believe it can be successfully managed. My panic attack was mostly situational. I chose to go to a different school in July. I got extremely overwhelmed by my rash decision and limited time to relocate thousands of miles away. I handled the situation horribly and essentially threw everything I worked so hard for away. I've always wanted to be a doctor so it is extremely difficult for me to think this is the end of the road...



If I did apply again (which is not looking too hopeful), I would not start for two years. It seems like one of the main issues is schools seeing I have been accepted before on this report. But would they really be looking at the report from two years ago or does this report pull up all acceptances from every year?

I think you will never know unless you try, and it sounds like some schools may not write you off immediately if they do know before interviewing you that you were previously accepted. Anxiety IS a medical condition and IS manageable. If you've clearly demonstrated your commitment to medicine in other ways and have shown that you can be successful in other high stakes situations (good MCAT, steady undergrad GPA, etc.), I wouldn't give up if I were you. It's a long hard process and nobody is perfect. There are a lot of near-perfect candidates out there and some schools might choose them and only them and not take the risk on you, but I really wouldn't give up!! Just move forward and find ways to demonstrate better judgment over your time off. And apply to many schools!!