rejecting away app acceptances! need help! thank you!

[JoseyCali123]

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hi everyone,

found out i got into 9 aways after applying to 9... yikes some are tip top academic centers... still humbled with this whole process... how do I reject some of the aways without sounding rude and burning bridges?

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

I'm not very involved with pre-Grad Med Ed, but I do know that even if there is one way that is better than an other, delaying telling them will be the worst thing to do. If we were expecting a dozen sub-Is and I where telling med students from our home program that there wasn't any more room and then half a dozen show up, I would be very unhappy. So, congratulations with your embarrassment of riches. This isn't your fault, but it will be fairly soon if you hog all of these.

How about writing them apologizing with the truth;
"I was worried I wouldn't get enough rotations and I never dreamed I would get all I applied for. After sorting out the logistics of costs, where and when all of these are, I'm sorry I will have to turn down your kind offer. This isn't based solely on my interest in your program so I hope you will consider me during the next application season."

Anyway, this is my guess, someone who knows more will easily displace my suggestion. I'm sure other students are envious.

 

[JoseyCali123]

TYVM for the help! I ended up turning down 6 aways today and will be doing 3 aways. I hope this helps other people. I did not expect this.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Good job and way to be a good human being.

 

[psychattending]

There is no such thing as acceptance into an away elective. Medical schools decide to participate in the process or not. If there are openings then away students are allowed to do the elective. I would encourage you and other people to not start abusing the system, like signing up for 9 of them is. This is not supposed to be a way to up the application game. If it starts turning into that, then schools will likely start going down the path of stoping them, which would be unfortunate to those who are using the system appropriately.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

I do hate the term "audition rotation". Rotations are for learning. If you think they entitle you to an interview, just remember that medical schools give rotations almost no information about what kind of student you are. Getting an away rotation says almost nothing about how competitive you will be compared to the average applicant at that school. Having said that, away rotations do give you a good feel for a place and it is hard not to see the reality when you are there for a few weeks.

 

[JoseyCali123]

@psychattending Unfortunately for many applicants, we pretty much to apply to 3 spots for 1 time slot. Sometimes, some of us (like myself) get lucky but I have friends who were rejected for all of their 12 application applications. I'm not trying to be selfish but you have to understand that psychiatry is no longer how it was 5 years ago.

 

[psychattending]

@psychattending Unfortunately for many applicants, we pretty much to apply to 3 spots for 1 time slot. Sometimes, some of us (like myself) get lucky but I have friends who were rejected for all of their 12 application applications. I'm not trying to be selfish but you have to understand that psychiatry is no longer how it was 5 years ago.

The point of the post was to point out that lining up tons of away electives is abusive. Th point of an away elective is for those who want to get an in-depth look at a specific program that is of high interest to them. It is not meant to be a way to up the application process. Trying to game the system will only result in us having to change the system to the detriment of all. The vast majority of AMGs get a training slot. Those who do not almost always have some type of red flag. The original poster applied to for electives at some top programs in the country. Thus, the person likely is not in any danger of not matching if those schools are indeed in his/her range and is thus abusing the system. If he/she is not a strong applicant, then that person is not at all targeting the correct programs and is wasting both the program's time and his/her time.

 

[Merely]

Agreed you should be applying and rotating at programs of interest not trying to game the system as the doc above pointed out...

 

[JoseyCali123]

The point of the post was to point out that lining up tons of away electives is abusive. Th point of an away elective is for those who want to get an in-depth look at a specific program that is of high interest to them. It is not meant to be a way to up the application process. Trying to game the system will only result in us having to change the system to the detriment of all. The vast majority of AMGs get a training slot. Those who do not almost always have some type of red flag. The original poster applied to for electives at some top programs in the country. Thus, the person likely is not in any danger of not matching if those schools are indeed in his/her range and is thus abusing the system. If he/she is not a strong applicant, then that person is not at all targeting the correct programs and is wasting both the program's time and his/her time.

I would like to have you explain why my friends (N=5) with 250's with NO red flag who applied for aways at mid-tier programs had gotten rejected but I (215) and another (230) got accepted to those programs? So if you can provide applicants with a formula on what to apply, I'd appreciate it. So how does one be safe? FYI, again, my friends with 250's got rejected for all 12 of their aways. Our school pays for up to 12 aways. Thanks.

 

[JoseyCali123]

Agreed you should be applying and rotating at programs of interest not trying to game the system as the doc above pointed out...

I would like to have you explain why my friends (N=5) with 250's with NO red flag who applied for aways at mid-tier programs had gotten rejected but I (215) and another (230) got accepted to those programs? So if you can provide applicants with a formula on what to apply, I'd appreciate it. So how does one be safe? FYI, again, my friends with 250's got rejected for all 12 of their aways. Our school pays for up to 12 aways. Thanks.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

12 aways? Isn't that the majority of rotations? I wasn't aware that places charge schools for rotations.

 

[psychattending]

I would like to have you explain why my friends (N=5) with 250's with NO red flag who applied for aways at mid-tier programs had gotten rejected but I (215) and another (230) got accepted to those programs? So if you can provide applicants with a formula on what to apply, I'd appreciate it. So how does one be safe? FYI, again, my friends with 250's got rejected for all 12 of their aways. Our school pays for up to 12 aways. Thanks.

Simple, people are starting to get sick of the abuse. I suspect that the program felt that somebody with a 250 and no red flags likely had zero interest in a mid-tier program and was just wasting their time. Again the point of doing an away rotation is to see if the program is a good fit for you, if you are truly unsure of it. I would say that pretty much nobody should be doing 2 away rotations and only a few should be doing an away rotation.

 

[JoseyCali123]

Simple, people are starting to get sick of the abuse. I suspect that the program felt that somebody with a 250 and no red flags likely had zero interest in a mid-tier program and was just wasting their time. Again the point of doing an away rotation is to see if the program is a good fit for you, if you are truly unsure of it. I would say that pretty much nobody should be doing 2 away rotations and only a few should be doing an away rotation.

But my friends are from the area? lol and wrote specifically on why the program? I just need need help understanding on what a 250 step 1 applicant would do at that point. Also, we need to do multiple rotations to graduate.

 

[JoseyCali123]

12 aways? Isn't that the majority of rotations? I wasn't aware that places charge schools for rotations.

Unfortunately, that's how medical school function now... there's increased competition to get rotations and you have to pay for it too.

 

[Beepboop]

But my friends are from the area? lol and wrote specifically on why the program? I just need need help understanding on what a 250 step 1 applicant would do at that point. Also, we need to do multiple rotations to graduate.

What I saw last year when I was applying for aways and what I heard from different program coordinators was that a lot of away rotations are on a first come first serve basis and sometimes they do not even look at your full application. It's great to do aways because it gives you a chance to shine at a place that might not have looked you otherwise but, as others have said, it in no way guarantees you an interview.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

Unfortunately, that's how medical school function now... there's increased competition to get rotations and you have to pay for it too.

Frightening. With this set up, a small amount of investigation into easy rotations could make half of your medical education almost worthless.