SDN Formula for success

[Om3ga3]

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Seems like the general advice that everybody on here seems to give.

Clinical volunteering + Nonclinical volunteering + Research + Leadership + Unique Activity + Shadowing + 3.7 GPA + 30 MCAT = Medical School

Love how it makes us all so neurotic.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Seems like the general advice that everybody on here seems to give.

Clinical volunteering + Nonclinical volunteering + Research + Leadership + Unique Activity + Shadowing + 3.7 GPA + 30 MCAT = Medical School

Love how it makes us all so neurotic.

cool story bro

 

[NickNaylor]

In the words of my good friend Drake, "I'm tryna do better than good enough."

 

[veyep]

Seems like the general advice that everybody on here seems to give.

Clinical volunteering + Nonclinical volunteering + Research + Leadership + Unique Activity + Shadowing + 3.7 GPA + 30 MCAT = Medical School

Love how it makes us all so neurotic.

I think the interview process is worth a lot int the acceptance process. If they don't like you no matter what you have done, it will be difficult to get accepted. It can make you or break you! Absolutely, an essential part!

 

[235009]

Seems like the general advice that everybody on here seems to give.

Clinical volunteering + Nonclinical volunteering + Research + Leadership + Unique Activity + Shadowing + 3.7 GPA + 30 MCAT = Medical School

Love how it makes us all so neurotic.

you probably don't need both clinical and nonclinical volunteering. research is definitely optional, if you have no interest in doing it you don't have to. not sure what a "unique activity" means but very few things you can do are truly unique. it isn't hard to get accepted with a GPA that is less than 3.7, especially if you have a difficult major or go to a competitive school. As someone else said the interview is very important but being able to tell a story in your application and presenting yourself well in your PS and secondary essays is also crucial.

 

[gettheleadout]

you probably don't need both clinical and nonclinical volunteering. research is definitely optional, if you have no interest in doing it you don't have to. not sure what a "unique activity" means but very few things you can do are truly unique. it isn't hard to get accepted with a GPA that is less than 3.7, especially if you have a difficult major or go to a competitive school. As someone else said the interview is very important but being able to tell a story in your application and presenting yourself well in your PS and secondary essays is also crucial.

At least one user on SDN got rejected pre-interview by Mayo for lack of non-clinical volunteering. Just saying.

 

[gravitywave]

I think the interview process is worth a lot int the acceptance process. If they don't like you no matter what you have done, it will be difficult to get accepted. It can make you or break you! Absolutely, an essential part!

overall, the interview is less important than people tend to think it is. interviews are more like playing a lottery than anything else..... which is why the best way to control for the randomness is to buy as many tickets as possible 😉

 

[EphemeralRose3]

Seems like the general advice that everybody on here seems to give.

Clinical volunteering + Nonclinical volunteering + Research + Leadership + Unique Activity + Shadowing + 3.7 GPA + 30 MCAT = Medical School

Love how it makes us all so neurotic.

What would be a unique activity?
I need some examples, please.

 

[transfec]

At least one user on SDN got rejected pre-interview by Mayo for lack of non-clinical volunteering. Just saying.

I fail to understand how he could know that for sure.

 

[veyep]

overall, the interview is less important than people tend to think it is. interviews are more like playing a lottery than anything else..... which is why the best way to control for the randomness is to buy as many tickets as possible 😉

I was in our graduate program admission committee and it was very improtant for us! I don't know about other schools though!

 

[gettheleadout]

I fail to understand how he could know that for sure.

He got a phone call from the Dean of Admissions.

Second comment down:
http://www.mdapplicants.com/profile.php?view=viewprofile.discussion&psr=1&id=8383

 

[Catalystik]

What would be a unique activity?
I need some examples, please.

Some uncommon examples I recall: dragon boating, flame dancer, knitting afghans for soldiers, becoming a master of grandma's dumpling recipe, medieval reinactment involvement, fencing as a sport, mastering tying fishing flies, cake decorating business.

 

[Frazier]

He got a phone call from the Dean of Admissions.

Second comment down:
http://www.mdapplicants.com/profile.php?view=viewprofile.discussion&psr=1&id=8383

Awkward phone call...

Applicant:Hello?

Dean: Hello! This is the Dean! How are you today?

Applicant: ***thinks in head: omgzzz the dean is calling me - I am in. I am in! Commences fist-pumping.***

Dean: I have some news for you.

Applicant: Yes? Yes? Go on, please!😀😀😀

Dean: Turns out you never volunteered at a homeless shelter. You are rejected. Goodbye. *click*

Applicant: 😀.....🙂......😳......😱.......😕.....🙁

 

[wanderer]

overall, the interview is less important than people tend to think it is. interviews are more like playing a lottery than anything else..... which is why the best way to control for the randomness is to buy as many tickets as possible 😉

👍. It's a shame how much rides on whether or not you click with a random interviewer. You just have to try your best.

Edit - That is among the strangest MDapps I have seen. Pre-interview rejections from NYU, Cornell, Mt. Sinai, (and Michigan), but interviews at Harvard, Columbia, and 5 UCs.

 

[familyaerospace]

Some uncommon examples I recall: dragon boating, flame dancer, knitting afghans for soldiers, becoming a master of grandma's dumpling recipe, medieval reinactment involvement, fencing as a sport, mastering tying fishing flies, cake decorating business.

If you only knew how many medieval reenactors there are!

It's not rare to do it a few times, but it's rarer that people keep up with it. But that is what I am putting for my hobby since it spanned most of the past 20 years of my life.

 

[Ursa]

Awkward phone call...


Applicant: 😀.....🙂......😳......😱.......😕.....🙁

hahahahaha best emoticon sequence ever!

 

[PreMedder]

Awkward phone call...

Applicant:Hello?

Dean: Hello! This is the Dean at Mayo School of Medicine! How are you today?

Applicant: ***thinks in head: omgzzz the dean is calling me - I am in. I am in! Commences fist-pumping.***

Dean: I have some news for you.

Applicant: Yes? Yes? Go on, please!😀😀😀

Dean: Turns out you never volunteered at a homeless shelter. You are rejected. Goodbye. *click*

Applicant: 😀.....🙂......😳......😱.......😕.....🙁

Hahaha 👍

 

[Narmerguy]

Seems like the general advice that everybody on here seems to give.

Clinical volunteering + Nonclinical volunteering + Research + Leadership + Unique Activity + Shadowing + 3.7 GPA + 30 MCAT = Medical School

Love how it makes us all so neurotic.

Sounds about right. This really makes an applicant competitive for most medical schools in the country, I think we all recognize someone could get in with less. Notch the GPA to 3.8+ and the MCAT to 33+ and you'll have a decent chance at the tippity top as well.

 

[NickNaylor]

Awkward phone call...

Applicant:Hello?

Dean: Hello! This is the Dean at Mayo School of Medicine! How are you today?

Applicant: ***thinks in head: omgzzz the dean is calling me - I am in. I am in! Commences fist-pumping.***

Dean: I have some news for you.

Applicant: Yes? Yes? Go on, please!😀😀😀

Dean: Turns out you never volunteered at a homeless shelter. You are rejected. Goodbye. *click*

Applicant: 😀.....🙂......😳......😱.......😕.....🙁

I love you Frazier.

 

[gravitywave]

Sounds about right. This really makes an applicant competitive for most medical schools in the country, I think we all recognize someone could get in with less. Notch the GPA to 3.8+ and the MCAT to 33+ and you'll have a decent chance at the tippity top as well.

i think it's also worth noting that probably half of people at tippity top schools have 3.8 > GPA > 3.6 the real variables there appear to be 1) stratospheric MCAT, 2) meaningful research experience, and 3) an extra dose of dragon boating.

 

[panasonic52]

i think it's also worth noting that probably half of people at tippity top schools have 3.8 > GPA > 3.6 the real variables there appear to be 1) stratospheric MCAT, 2) meaningful research experience, and 3) an extra dose of dragon boating.

Just the dragon boating probably wouldn't do. You would have to have dragon boating AND flame dancer under your belt

 

[Catalystik]

If you only knew how many medieval reenactors there are!

I do know. This hobby is huge in my area and they get injured regularly despite the padding (tibial fracture from a sword thrust, anyone?). But I've never run into one IRL who was premed.

 

[Catalystik]

an extra dose of dragon boating.

I love it.

 

[familyaerospace]

I do know. This hobby is huge in my area and they get injured regularly despite the padding (tibial fracture from a sword thrust, anyone?). But I've never run into one IRL who was premed.

I've never run into premeds at any of the events, but I know a lot of actual doctors in my group.

I once saw a woman in full armour jump from a bridge in the middle of a battle, didn't see that there were people under her, and when she was landing someone hit her in the leg with a rattan sword. Broke it in like three places. (That would be her leg, not the rattan. The rattan sword was fine.) Took about an hour for the ambulance to arrive. I can't imagine what they thought when they picked up the patient.

 

[ibelieve87]

Awkward phone call...

Applicant:Hello?

Dean: Hello! This is the Dean at Mayo School of Medicine! How are you today?

Applicant: ***thinks in head: omgzzz the dean is calling me - I am in. I am in! Commences fist-pumping.***

Dean: I have some news for you.

Applicant: Yes? Yes? Go on, please!😀😀😀

Dean: Turns out you never volunteered at a homeless shelter. You are rejected. Goodbye. *click*

Applicant: 😀.....🙂......😳......😱.......😕.....🙁

Thank you for good lolz. I don't even know why this is so funny but it is. Props to you.

 

[Dianyla]

Nah, you've got it all wrong. Here's the formula.

1. Post a lot on SDN.
2. ?
3. Acceptance!

 

[Geneticist]

Why do some schools care about teaching experience? For the leadership aspect or...?

 

[gravitywave]

Why do some schools care about teaching experience? For the leadership aspect or...?

well, given that every level of medical training involves helping teach the people behind you...

 

[Geneticist]

well, given that every level of medical training involves helping teach the people behind you...

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Could you elaborate?

 

[Frazier]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Could you elaborate?

Abridged version: Lessons flow down the stream. In other words, very rarely will an attending learn something [pertaining to further their medical education] from a med student in comparison to vice versa.

Attending > Chief Resident > Regular Residents > Med Students

 

[Overload]

I'm quite curious if SDN holds a list of possible suicides of rejected members during each application cycle...

😀

 

[gravitywave]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Could you elaborate?

first year med students are taught formally by PhDs, attendings, residents and 3rd and 4th year med student TAs. 3rd/4th year students are being taught by residents in addition to attendings. interns are taught by chiefs, the list goes on. sharing your knowledge with your junior colleagues is a fundamental part of being in the medical education environment. all med schools like it when people enter this environment with at least some experience in what all that entails.

i think i read it here on this site: medicine requires you to be able to do your job, teach it to the person below you, and to do the job of the person above you if they don't show up.

 

[Geneticist]

Oh, I see. Hmm...guess I better start looking for some tutoring jobs...

 

[235009]

first year med students are taught formally by PhDs, attendings, residents and 3rd and 4th year med student TAs.

here TAs (when present) are exclusively 2nd years....which makes sense since they probably know/remember the 1st year material better than 3rd/4th years and actually have time to do the job

 

[NickNaylor]

I'm quite curious if SDN holds a list of possible suicides of rejected members during each application cycle...

😀

...what?

 

[RogueUnicorn]

I'm quite curious if SDN holds a list of possible suicides of rejected members during each application cycle...

😀

how is that funny?

 

[gettheleadout]

I'm quite curious if SDN holds a list of possible suicides of rejected members during each application cycle...

😀

I'm quite curious if you think before you speak...

 

[IHOPness]

Yikes.

 

[gravitywave]

here TAs (when present) are exclusively 2nd years....which makes sense since they probably know/remember the 1st year material better than 3rd/4th years and actually have time to do the job

i would have thought 4th years would have more time than 2nd years - the seniors here have things chiiilllllll...... plus TA-ing is an elective - they're earning credit and when they're doing it, it's really all that they do (except ERAS/interview stuff at those times)

3rd years, no not so much - oops. no 3rd year TAs here, but there are programs where the 1st years get hooked up with a 3rd year for clinical correlation type stuff. it's still a teacher/student style relationship.

 

[nolookpass]

What was the most activities you guys juggled while keeping up with schoolwork. I'm starting my clinical experience this semester at a hospital and was wondering if I should look for a lab as well? How did you juggle research, volunteering, and school?

 

[g8orlife]

Awkward phone call...

Applicant:Hello?

Dean: Hello! This is the Dean at Mayo School of Medicine! How are you today?

Applicant: ***thinks in head: omgzzz the dean is calling me - I am in. I am in! Commences fist-pumping.***

Dean: I have some news for you.

Applicant: Yes? Yes? Go on, please!😀😀😀

Dean: Turns out you never volunteered at a homeless shelter. You are rejected. Goodbye. *click*

Applicant: 😀.....🙂......😳......😱.......😕.....🙁

bahahahahahaha!!!! I was imagining that exact dialogue just before I saw your post!

 

[GooseWing]

How did you juggle research, volunteering, and school?

This was my first semester that involved clinical (hospital) volunteering, officer positions in 2 clubs, and research (even though i only started in december) and it was actually the best semester I've ever had in my life!
You can totally make it happen. I've found that stuff always ends up being easier than it sounds. You just have to get started.

 

[familyaerospace]

What was the most activities you guys juggled while keeping up with schoolwork. I'm starting my clinical experience this semester at a hospital and was wondering if I should look for a lab as well? How did you juggle research, volunteering, and school?

You really don't want to know.

My craziest semester, and I do mean craziest semester, for amount of pure academic work involved me overloading my credit hours (all 400 and 500 level courses), working three part time jobs (one was anthropology TA/research, one was pure psychology research, and one was working in the film industry), performing my own aerospace research, held two national level offices in a professional organization, and had an infant at home. The research alone was pure insanity. It was different fields in different universities in different states. Thank god for the internet and telecommuting. I'm convinced to this day that the professors felt sorry for me and that is why I earned the grades I did. After *that* semester, nothing phased me anymore. I would not ever recommend doing what I did. Every night I went to bed twitching because of the stress.

 

[Geneticist]

You really don't want to know.

My craziest semester, and I do mean craziest semester, for amount of pure academic work involved me overloading my credit hours (all 400 and 500 level courses), working three part time jobs (one was anthropology TA/research, one was pure psychology research, and one was working in the film industry), performing my own aerospace research, held two national level offices in a professional organization, and had an infant at home. The research alone was pure insanity. It was different fields in different universities in different states. Thank god for the internet and telecommuting. I'm convinced to this day that the professors felt sorry for me and that is why I earned the grades I did. After *that* semester, nothing phased me anymore. I would not ever recommend doing what I did. Every night I went to bed twitching because of the stress.

Wow, I could never imagine putting up with that type of schedule.

This semester I'm working on undergraduate research in genetics (go figure), volunteering at a local hospital once a week, volunteering at a soup kitchen on the weekends, taking 18 credits, and dealing with a clingy girlfriend. Sadly, the first thing I would consider cutting from my schedule is the girlfriend. Yeah, that desperate... 🙁

 

[GooseWing]

Sadly, the first thing I would consider cutting from my schedule is the girlfriend. Yeah, that desperate... 🙁

You better hope she doesn't secretly lurk on SDN!
Hah seriously though it sounds like you have your priorities straight, lots of people would let their relationship dominate and risk their grades/future for someone they're just going to end up breaking up with (99% of the time).