Scenario: Would you go to the worst medical school you applied to?

[boltedbicorne]

Please read before voting:
Scenario: We all have some soul searching to go though in this process of the medical school applications. Let's say you interview at many different great medical schools, and your worst medical school/a school that becomes your bottom choice. While you're at this interview during the day you see all sorts of redflags: the curriculum style is totally different from what you expect and what generally engages students, the hospital system is defunct and falling apart, the med school doesn't care about its students/provides them no resources, the tuition is astronomically high, the area is very dangerous, and/or any other of your the characteristics you consider to be absolutely mortifying are all there and in your face. You still finish interview day and do really well on the interview with both the student and faculty at this school.

Fast-forwarding a few months, you get rejections and are a stuck on never-ending waitlists for all of the other top choices, except one, you are accepted to your worst/bottom choice out of all the schools you applied to. Do you go there? What is your thought process? Is going to your bottom choice better than the hardship of another application cycle or would you rather throw your application into the wind once more and apply again knowing that you know the process way better than before?

Personally, I would go to the second look day and then decide. I'd probably turn them down, but the prospect of applying again makes this dilemma even more complex.

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[Kevindurant35]

You will not get in anywhere the second time around once you've been accepted somewhere the first time you applied.

 

[Planes2Doc]

If you didn't want to go there, then why did you apply in the first place?

 

[gettheleadout]

If you go through that scenario you need to either withdraw soon after interviewing, or accept that you may end up attending that school.

 

[lmn]

You're stupid if you apply to a school you don't like and aren't willing to go to and/or if you go to interview day and learn you don't like that school and aren't willing to go there and don't withdraw and then wait to decide that "you're too good" for that school once accepted already.

 

[halodos]

Please read before voting:
While you're at this interview during the day you see all sorts of redflags: the curriculum style is totally different from what you expect and what generally engages students, the hospital system is defunct and falling apart, the med school doesn't care about its students/provides them no resources, the tuition is astronomically high, the area is very dangerous, and/or any other of your the characteristics you consider to be absolutely mortifying are all there and in your face...

Personally, I would go to the second look day and then decide. I'd probably turn them down, but the prospect of applying again makes this dilemma even more complex.

I would find it very difficult to judge all of what you said from one interview day, especially if the school is going to present its best face to you. Besides, I've learned that med school is what you make of it, and if you don't think you can succeed at a particular med school that you chose to apply to, then I don't know if you'll succeed at any med school.

 

[M12B]

You should not apply to ANY school unless you would be willing to go there if it was your only acceptance, because it could very well be your only acceptance. Turning down an acceptance to apply again the following year is an application death sentence, no school would accept you in the second cycle knowing you turned down your only acceptance the year before.

Curriculum, hospital systems, student life, tuition/financial aid, neighborhood/location, school mission, graduation requirements etc. are all things that can and should be researched before you apply.

 

[boltedbicorne]

If you didn't want to go there, then why did you apply in the first place?

there are a lot of complex factors that can influence one's decision. A lot of people may have the mindset that any med school is good enough, but what happens when they end with "any medical school"?

 

[mehc012]

I would absolutely go, because if it were SO BAD that I could not imagine going, I would withdraw after the interview and save myself the trouble.
If it's not bad enough to make me withdraw, it's good enough to attend if I get in.

 

[SkipJunior]

there are a lot of complex factors that can influence one's decision. A lot of people may have the mindset that any med school is good enough, but what happens when they end with "any medical school"?

are you also including international medical schools like the University of Queensland-Ochsner program?

 

[mehc012]

are you also including international medical schools like the University of Queensland-Ochsner program?

Depends on whether the person would apply to them in the first place. I wouldn't apply, so only US schools are currently factored into my answer.

 

[milski]

Very dangerous area? In the USA?

 

[Planes2Doc]

Very dangerous area? In the USA?

I thought pre-meds love these schools because they are all about helping the underserved? How about IU School of Medicine Northwest in Gary, Indiana. Or what about Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey to name a few?

 

[zzxxzz]

Fast-forwarding a few months, you get rejections and are a stuck on never-ending waitlists for all of the other top choices, except one, you are accepted to your worst/bottom choice out of all the schools you applied to. Do you go there? What is your thought process? Is going to your bottom choice better than the hardship of another application cycle or would you rather throw your application into the wind once more and apply again knowing that you know the process way better than before?

Personally, I would go to the second look day and then decide. I'd probably turn them down, but the prospect of applying again makes this dilemma even more complex.

I am not 100% on this, but I think that if you decline admission to a medical school and apply again the next cycle, no school will accept you. Schools talk to each other.

 

[milski]

I thought pre-meds love these schools because they are all about helping the underserved? How about IU School of Medicine Northwest in Gary, Indiana. Or what about Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey to name a few?

Are they in an active combat zone? Is there an active volcano erupting at the moment? These are the types of things that I would consider very dangerous. Areas with higher crime are certainly problematic but there are people living there and most of them die of natural causes.

 

[Make Or Break]

What kind of thread is this. Are you seriously asking this question OP?

 

[boltedbicorne]

What kind of thread is this. Are you seriously asking this question OP?

It's a survey about a hypothetical scenario that I wanted to see other's thought processes on.

 

[darklabel]

I don't get it. Why would you turn down an MD acceptance just to wait a year for a better school that may never come? If you were rejected the first time, why would the second time be any different?

As said, medical school is what you make of it. It's always ideal to get into the best school possible, but for a lot of people, their last choice was their only option, but are thankful for at least having the chance to be an MD. Even going to your last choice, a lot of options are still open to you as you work hard towards residency applications. Going through as a re applicant and as the amount of people applying and competition increases each year just makes the whole thing daunting with absolutely no guarantees.

 

[JPA178]

Getting accepted means you get to be a doctor. If you get accepted somewhere, don't attend, and then decide to reapply, you will not get in anywhere. That's why it's important to only apply to schools you'd be happy attending.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

You should not apply to ANY school unless you would be willing to go there if it was your only acceptance, because it could very well be your only acceptance. Turning down an acceptance to apply again the following year is an application death sentence, no school would accept you in the second cycle knowing you turned down your only acceptance the year before.

Curriculum, hospital systems, student life, tuition/financial aid, neighborhood/location, school mission, graduation requirements etc. are all things that can and should be researched before you apply.

I don't think it's fair to say this.

There are definitely things that you can/do learn on the interview day that dramatically change your opinion of a program.

My pre-interview ranking of preferred schools was not identical to my post-interview ranking.

But as others have said - if you feel that negatively about a program after you interview there, you should send them an email withdrawing your application as soon as you've reached the decision not to attend.

 

[Afford]

I wouldn't know what to do in another gap year. I would go to any medical school. Although, my worst school hasn't even given me an interview. :/

 

[SkipJunior]

I wouldn't know what to do in another gap year. I already don't like my 45-hour per week job+1-2 hour commute daily. I would go to any medical school. Although, my worst school hasn't even given me an interview. :/

tcom?

 

[Afford]

tcom?

No I didn't send my primary to them. I didn't want to finish another secondary. :/

 

[ridethecliche]

I thought pre-meds love these schools because they are all about helping the underserved? How about IU School of Medicine Northwest in Gary, Indiana. Or what about Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey to name a few?

Seen the recent news about chicago lately? It's not doing so hot in terms of shooting.

Some of the best programs are in the not so great areas, especially for certain kinds of surgery (trauma for instance).

 

[M12B]

There are definitely things that you can/do learn on the interview day that dramatically change your opinion of a program.

My pre-interview ranking of preferred schools was not identical to my post-interview ranking.

Good point. I agree, my ranking of preferred schools has definitely changed a lot during the cycle as well. I guess I would edit it to say you shouldn't waste money on schools you already know you aren't interested in based on Pre-application research. And post-interview, if you change your mind about a school and know you don't want to go there, I would agree that withdrawing is the best option. Much better than declining your only acceptance.

 

[raiderette]

I thought pre-meds love these schools because they are all about helping the underserved? How about IU School of Medicine Northwest in Gary, Indiana. Or what about Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey to name a few?

IU Gary campus has actually been voted the safest of all IU campuses based on police reports and incident reports. Most med students live in nearby communities such as Hobart, Merrillville, Portage and Valparaiso where it is safe and quiet. Even large parts of Gary are safe. The biggest problem with the Gary campus, imho, is that there is no trauma center.

 

[cactus8910]

What kind of thread is this. Are you seriously asking this question OP?

OP starts a lot of threads based around questions that are weird/stupid and/or have an obvious answer.

 

[Aerus]

there are a lot of complex factors that can influence one's decision. A lot of people may have the mindset that any med school is good enough, but what happens when they end with "any medical school"?

They go to it or they don't become a doctor.

 

[NYCdude]

When can you safely withdraw from a school before it counts against you? Pre-interview?

 

[Aerus]

When can you safely withdraw from a school before it counts against you? Pre-interview?

Pre-acceptance.

 

[OllieDog]

OP starts a lot of threads based around questions that are weird/stupid and/or have an obvious answer.

That's because he is the reincarnation of mrh125.

At any rate, OP, if you really can't see yourself attending a school after you go there for your interview, because of the students, or the educational philosophy, or whatever trips your trigger, please do yourself a favor and withdraw your application. That way if you need to reapply, your acceptance won't be held against you.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

That's because he is the reincarnation of mrh125.

If true...kill it. Kill it with fire.

 

[SkipJunior]

If true...kill it. Kill it with fire.

mrh125 was one crazy guy, a beast in the classical sense of the word. The only SDN member he seemed to be scared of was @Mr.Happy and I have no idea why.

 

[blueharbor]

That's because he is the reincarnation of mrh125.

At any rate, OP, if you really can't see yourself attending a school after you go there for your interview, because of the students, or the educational philosophy, or whatever trips your trigger, please do yourself a favor and withdraw your application. That way if you need to reapply, your acceptance won't be held against you.

Finally! I've been waiting for somebody else to notice!

 

[IslandStyle808]

You will not get in anywhere the second time around once you've been accepted somewhere the first time you applied.

This is not entirely correct. There have been people in the past who withdrew an acceptance and got in the following time. However, your chances diminish greatly by taking this risk. So you are right in that aspect.

 

[Goro]

Throw in U Chicago, Yale and JHU!

I thought pre-meds love these schools because they are all about helping the underserved? How about IU School of Medicine Northwest in Gary, Indiana. Or what about Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey to name a few?

To cut Bicorne some slack, s/he did hypothesize that it was on interview day that you found out all sort of really bad stuff about the school.

I don't think s/he's gotten to that level. Yet.

That's because he is the reincarnation of mrh125.

 

[j306c954]

Even if it is termed a "bad" medical school, medical school is medical school. What I've been told by some of my friends currently in medical school that it is not where you go to medical school that ultimately matters, but it is where you do your residency.

 

[AMEHigh]

If I learned of some major red flags during an interview, I would absolutely withdraw my application after the interview and not attend even if I had gotten rejected from other schools.

I have a similar plan for residency interviews coming up. If I pick up on a major red flag during the interview process, I'm not going to rank a program.

However, I'd think long and hard about what those red flags are and consider doing a second look and talking to some current students before withdrawing my application.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

I have a similar plan for residency interviews coming up. If I pick up on a major red flag during the interview process, I'm not going to rank a program.

However, I'd think long and hard about what those red flags are and consider doing a second look and talking to some current students before withdrawing my application.

I'd be very careful about this.

It's easy to say you won't rank a program ahead of time.

The options dwindle rapidly if you don't match, and you may in retrospect find that you'd wished you'd ranked that program in spite of its red flags, because a categorical position in a program with red flags far beats what is leftover in the SOAP/scramble.

I didn't rank one program. I matched, but knowing what I know now from seeing friends/colleagues not match - if I were doing it over again I'd rank that program.

 

[AMEHigh]

I'd be very careful about this.

It's easy to say you won't rank a program ahead of time.

The options dwindle rapidly if you don't match, and you may in retrospect find that you'd wished you'd ranked that program in spite of its red flags, because a categorical position in a program with red flags far beats what is leftover in the SOAP/scramble.

I didn't rank one program. I matched, but knowing what I know now from seeing friends/colleagues not match - if I were doing it over again I'd rank that program.

Like I said, it'd have to be a major red flag. I'm definitely about the last person that's going to be picky about ranking programs. I applied to A LOT of programs, so I'll be happy mostly anywhere. But if there is a major red flag with a program after the interview and further investigation, I'll definitely consider not ranking. But the hypothetical major red flags that I can think of in my mind are likely not going to happen (at least I hope!) so hopefully I won't even have to worry about it.

 

[boltedbicorne]

OP starts a lot of threads based around questions that are weird/stupid and/or have an obvious answer.

If you think they're stupid or weird or have an obvious answer, you're not thinking at all or actually reading what I'm posting. This thread actually fueled a really interesting discussion and that's all I'm aiming for or a good thoughtful discussion.

I thought pre-meds love these schools because they are all about helping the underserved? How about IU School of Medicine Northwest in Gary, Indiana. Or what about Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey to name a few?

I love this post so much.

 

[darkjedi]

If you think they're stupid or weird or have an obvious answer, you're not thinking at all or actually reading what I'm posting.

 

[lnvictus]

.

 

[boltedbicorne]

ok gramps.

 

[claduva94]

ok gramps.

 

[kewlboy88]

So, the take-home lesson here is IF you go to a school to interview and you realize it's nothing like you thought it would be (based on your prior research, talking to other people, or you realize that you couldn't live in that city for four years) - you should withdraw immediately rather than wait to be accepted? In other words, if you would rather reapply than have to attend that school, you should withdraw your application immediately after the interview?

 

[cupcakesandcadavers]

some schools also asked on secondaries if you've ever been accepted as well (or from what i can remember)
you probably need a really good explanation for that. i would withdraw if i hated it.

 

[Ace Khalifa]

So far, I've interviewed at my top choice and 2 others that are also really good for me in terms of fit. So yes, I would still go to the "worst" one if my top choice didn't accept me.

 

[lmn]

So, the take-home lesson here is IF you go to a school to interview and you realize it's nothing like you thought it would be (based on your prior research, talking to other people, or you realize that you couldn't live in that city for four years) - you should withdraw immediately rather than wait to be accepted? In other words, if you would rather reapply than have to attend that school, you should withdraw your application immediately after the interview?

I wouldn't say to necessarily withdraw if it was just unlike what you thought it would be like, I would say withdraw if there is absolutely no way you can suck it up and deal with it for 4 years with the promise that essentially you will get to become a doctor. You have to decide if you want to just suck it up and become a doctor, or if you want to gamble the chance that it may be the only school that would accept you and that it is entirely possible that you won't get any other acceptances (that cycle or subsequent ones) and that you may not get the chance to become a doctor.

 

[miszfifi820]

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