Reapplying after turning down an acceptance

[vasovist]

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Has anyone had any success reapplying to medical schools after turning down an acceptance?

I applied in Summer 2011 and ended up with one acceptance. However, I turned that acceptance down since I was heavily involved with research at the time, and decided to defer any matriculation to medical school until after I completed my PhD. I am now looking to apply by Summer 2014. My uGPA is below average (3.6), MCAT is above average (38P), and my PhD was productive (independently funded, publications, talks, patents) and was fortunately in a translational field which allowed me to keep up with clinical volunteering.

But ultimately will my status as a reapplicant hurt me? I will be applying to many schools that I had never applied to during my first application (all of my state schools and more).

 

[Lys Ile Glu Leu]

Curious: why'd you apply the first time rather than waiting to apply until after you finished all the other biz? Nice MCAT, btw!

 

[vasovist]

Curious: why'd you apply the first time rather than waiting to apply until after you finished all the other biz? Nice MCAT, btw!

A mistake I made when I was young and dumb. I completed my MS by the time I had applied and never intended to do more graduate work with my mentor after that. However, my research turned a major corner that year and ended up turning into a first author pub and two talks. The momentum I had going into a potential dissertation project was too large to ignore.

This, combined with the spectacular mentorship I was receiving from my advisor (supportive of my decision to apply to medical school after completing my PhD, never leaving me shortchanged with pubs and talks, keeping me on track at every stage of my dissertation project) convinced me to stay on for just a few more years to finish up. After hearing the horror stories of graduate students in PhD programs (graduating after >8 years, seeing their mentor once a week, no pubs), I learned there is a certain sweet spot when it comes to finding a mentor to complete a PhD with.

This was a difficult decision for me to make. I am hoping to convey my passion for academic medicine (physician-scientist, translational research, all that jazz) and how my PhD experience contributed to that passion in my application, but I am hoping I won't be "blacklisted" because of being a reapplicant.

 

[Lys Ile Glu Leu]

To be clear, I'm a premed heading into school this Fall. With that said, your motivation will be less in question granted your story and career so far. There might be some room for doubt regarding your conviction (then and now), but that's easily answerable in a good PS that addresses all relevant issues. Blacklisted? I'll say I doubt it. Just convince them that you knew your time is now and that you're absolutely sure you'll go ahead with it if offered the chance.

 

[rain4venus]

It seems like what people say about re-applicants is that they have to have improved their application since the first time around. I would say getting a PhD counts as an improvement! It makes you stand out and also (from my grad school experience) shows that you can handle school-related stress plenty well. Plus you've got lots of extra research experience. I suppose there may be some question as to why you would turn down a med school acceptance if you're really committed to medicine, but I think if you explain it as you did above, that you had great momentum towards your PhD and thought it might be a once in a lifetime kind of chance to finish it, whereas you hoped to be able to start med school once it was completed, then most people would be able to understand something like that.

Presumably your MCAT is from your 2011 application, yes? I think MCAT scores expire after three years (though I don't know if that's school-specific or an AAMC thing or what), so you'll have to take it again - hopefully you'll do just as well!

 

[Lys Ile Glu Leu]

To be clear, I'm a premed heading into school this Fall. With that said, your motivation will be less in question granted your story and career so far. There could (doubtful, however) be some room for concern regarding your conviction (then and now), but that's easily answerable in a good PS that addresses all relevant issues. Blacklisted? I wouldn't expect it. Just convince them that you know your time is now and that you're absolutely sure you'll matriculate (not anywhere in particular, mind you) if offered the chance.

 

[Pattycake25]

Has anyone had any success reapplying to medical schools after turning down an acceptance?

I applied in Summer 2011 and ended up with one acceptance. However, I turned that acceptance down since I was heavily involved with research at the time, and decided to defer any matriculation to medical school until after I completed my PhD. I am now looking to apply by Summer 2014. My uGPA is below average (3.6), MCAT is above average (38P), and my PhD was productive (independently funded, publications, talks, patents) and was fortunately in a translational field which allowed me to keep up with clinical volunteering.

But ultimately will my status as a reapplicant hurt me? I will be applying to many schools that I had never applied to during my first application (all of my state schools and more).

Being a reapplicant who once turned an acceptance will immediately flag your application. BUT, you actually seem to have a very good explanation. You could not have reasonably expected your research to "turn that corner" at the time you applied, and it sounds as though even requesting a one-year deferral wouldn't have resolved the clash. I think you absolutely have a great chance here, maybe even at the school you turned down! If you rejected the acceptance quickly, it would be a good idea to bring that up, but otherwise, just make sure you get your story out there in your AMCAS. I think it could be incorporated into your personal statement.