Should I wait or study?

[Mr. MD or DO]

Hi, I've just graduated from college and currently applying to osteopathic schools (LECOM, NYCOM, PCOM, NECOM, NJCOM). Due to my poor stats (3.58 overall, 3.49sci and 24mcat), I've been rejected by 30 med schools last year when I applied to 30 allopathic schools. But I'm happy for that complete failure because only thorugh that, I came to know about osteopathic medicine whose philosophy parrelells with mine. However, very honestly, I get so tempted now and then to retake the mcat and reapply to those schools i got rejected from. I believe if i study mcat for a year, i could ace it. But the time doesn't allow me to do that if I'm going to wait hopefully for interviews/acceptance from osteopathic school because i need to start studying now. Can someone tell me if i have a shot at DO schools or should I just concentrate on studying for mcat now til april 2002 and take the mcat then. I want to enroll in a mcat prep course which starts in Jan 2002, so I really don't wanna take the risk of waiting for DO's response while not enrolling in the prep course. If you can please shed some lights on when students usually get interviews and when they get the notice of acceptance or rejection, I would greatly appreciate it.

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[bluphilosopher]

What poor stats? Your average gpa is higher than the average of accepted applicants to med school with room to spare. Your MCATS need only a point and only a point in each section to be competitive to most MD schools.
For DO schools, you're perfect.

My advice to you would be to apply June 1st ( this Friday) to the DO schools and perhaps some MD schools too. Forward all your recommendations and what not after you've done your primary, but send everything as soon as possible. Chances are you'll be accepted before January if everything pans out. After which you may feel free to take the MCAT prep class, if you deem it necessary .

Don't worry so much about the MCAT now. It's easy to get caught up in all the paranoia and feel the need to actively do something, no matter how futile. The next April MCAT is almost a year away relax and concentrate on your task at hand, getting into medschool.

Also, look at what you said.

But I'm happy for that complete failure because only thorugh that, I came to know about osteopathic medicine whose philosophy parrelells with mine.

However, very honestly, I get so tempted now and then to retake the mcat and reapply to those schools i got rejected from. I believe if i study mcat for a year, i could ace it.

If this is the case, what are you worrying about. Your goals are to be a physician not to prove that that you can prove yourself worthy of a handful of schools that you don't even want to attend. If you must show that you can slay the MCAT, then you can always buy a sample test and take it at your leisure. Don't hold yourself up over it. No physician will ever dwell on it are ask another physician about, unless they are really insecure are just plain weird. Heck, in matter of importance, I am willing to bet that all three of the boards(USMLE or COMLEX) are more important, by far, to the medical world.

If money is your problem, then you may be better off focusing your finances on the admission process instead of the prep class. With diligence and intelligence ( which you obviously have) you can improve your MCAT scores by virtue of independant study from a $50 dollar book.

Take heed, if your numbers are skewed a certain way (10,9,4) then you may be better off applying now and studing for the August MCAT. The DO schools process allows extra time.

In good faith
bluphilosopher
PCOM 2005

PS. Every one of your stats is higher than mine. And all the people that I know that are currently preparing to attend osteopathic school. And I'm the only URM out of the group that I'm refering too.

" If you concentrate all your effort on 'can't', then you'll be to burned out for 'can'.
Bluphilosopher

 

[Mr. MD or DO]

Thanks for your advice. I already made up my mind to apply only to those 5 DO schools. The reason for my concerns about mcat score is that it might haunt me for the further steps in my life. You know how certain numbers follow you for the rest of your life.
ANyway, about the timing...My friend got accepted to DO schools by late october, is it common? (not early assurence)
If I apply as soon as possible and everything goes smoothly, when is the interview usually given? sep or oct? and how long does it take for acceptance/rejection after the interview?
ALso, do adcoms usually require personal essays for the secondary application?
thanks for your help.

 

[bluphilosopher]

Originally posted by Mr. MD or DO:
•Thanks for your advice. I already made up my mind to apply only to those 5 DO schools. The reason for my concerns about mcat score is that it might haunt me for the further steps in my life. You know how certain numbers follow you for the rest of your life.
ANyway, about the timing...My friend got accepted to DO schools by late october, is it common? (not early assurence)
If I apply as soon as possible and everything goes smoothly, when is the interview usually given? sep or oct? and how long does it take for acceptance/rejection after the interview?
ALso, do adcoms usually require personal essays for the secondary application?
thanks for your help.•

You're so very welcome!

After you enter medical school, you will see that everyone is on equal footing regardless of what they did to get there. After acceptance, that's it. You are back to square one. Residencies won't care. Patients won't care. Noone will care about your MCAT scores. Well, except for a handful of your classmates who feel the need to flaunt there scores to you.
If you get everything in before June is over, it isn't uncommon to receive an interview in October are maybe earle November.
Here's how my app schedule went for my school of choice
Mid July..... all paperwork in
Mid Nov...... Interview
December 21.. School mailed acceptance

I didn't receive the actual acceptance letter until Christmas day, when I finally made it home for vacation. Talk about a present to remember .

However, you have a jump on me. Remember waiting one week to send everything can delay your status by a month. So don't slowpoke around! Don't refine essays or try to get the perfect reccomendation from the perfect person. Send in everything and supplement later. If you knew all that, ignore me.

And it's not uncommon for someone to receive their acceptance letter in October, so long as they are a strong applicant. ( Beleive it or not. You are!) However, if the schools aren't exactly sure of you, then your app will just keep recycling in their system until they make up their mind, can't find anybody better, or give you the big thumbs down . Note: it all depends on the school. Some or better organized and/or faster than others.
Pretty much all secondaries will have an essay component. And keeping in the osteopathic spirit this essay is normally very short and concise. ( If you write your life biography, I garauntee it won't be read) The questions they want you to base your essay on is normally in the format of "Why this school? Why osteopathic medicine?" and sometimes, " What can you do to enhance to enhance this school/profession. Schools try different things each year, so don't get to Gung Ho writing essays just yet.
Trst me when I say, your only issue may be preparing for the interview or getting a little bit of shadowing or volunteer experience ( if you haven't already), before your interview. Other than that you'll be fine. Just relax enjoy what is more than likely your last year of freedom.

In good faith
bluphilosopher
PCOM 2005

PS. If at any time you just can't get the ants out of your pants, try looking up the " most interesting questions" for each of your schools at www.interviewfeedback.com . This way you can get some practice in.

 

[Hskermdic]

Mr. MD or DO,
Your stats do look pretty good. I would contact a few of the MD school who rejected you and ask them why, or ask them how you could improve your application. That way maybe you could improve your application for the DO schools. For example maybe on of your letters of reccomendation isn't as good as maybe you expected, maybe you didn't come off well in your interview etc. I really don't know I am just throwing out ideas. Maybe they won't tell you anything but as long as you are polite and professional what could it hurt.
As for finding out acceptance, I don't know anything about the schools you are applying to but I know at KCOM you often find out on the Thursday after you interview if you are accepted or not.

 

[innerpower]

Mr. MD or DO

Just out of curiosity, how many interviews did you have?

 

[Mr. MD or DO]

I had only one interview and about 3-4 holds for interview). I already called up for the reason of rejection. They said I was lacking in Volunteer work and leadership when I did 500+ hours of volunteering and I was a founder of school volunteer center and participated in many student organization at my school. They said nothing wrong with the stats except the mcat score. But then again I had 3.63overall and 3.53 sci when a applied to those allopathic schools.

 

[ewagner]

Personally I think you should work on your MCAT a bit. It sounds like you are an intelligent person, but work on the MCAT apply to BOTH allopathic and osteopathic and then decide.
CHOOSE THE BEST PROGRAM...regardless of allopathic or osteopathic.
This is a life choice you are making, and fair comparisons (interviews at allopathic and osteopathic schools) are needed.

I wish you well.

 

[Izlamic M]

were those 30 schools state schools that you were not a resident of, or private schools? I did pretty much the same thing - first year applied to allopathic, was rejected and then took a year to study and learned so much about osteopathy that the following year I only applied to DO schools and my state allopathic school. Good luck.

 

[Mr. MD or DO]

I applied everywhere, from state schools which only comprised of 4 (NY) and other state schools in PA, boston, virginia....
I'm on the same boat as you are, but i feel like i should study MCAT now as If i was rejected from osteopathic schools. If I wait til the final decision well after the interview...it will ne already to winter, maybe November or december. I know studying for mcat trying to raise more than 5-6 points requires more than 3-4 months. I need at least one whole year to just study for mcat, but now I'm in a situation, caught up by the unforseen future outcome (from osteopathic school's rejection or acceptance) and the immediate need to study for MCAT as a safety.

 

[Krazed_Medic]

wow, everything sounds pretty good. This is just me, but I think with scores like that and a gpa like that, I would go ahead and apply. You have excellent volunteer experience and leadership qualities it seems. Good luck with your decision.

 

[bluejay]

Hey Mr. MD or DO:

I have stats very similar to yours and I had great success during the application process to both MD and DO schools. Something that really helped me (I think) is that, with the help of my pre-med advisory committee, I thought long and hard about why I wanted to be a physician and learned how to express why I would be a good candidate. During my interviews, I was able to convince the interviewers of my confidence in myself and the profession. Try to show your confidence and knowledge of the profession very clearly in your personal statement and essay questions. These admissions committees see sooooo much blah blah blah on the apps. Think of a way to stand out; think of a way to modestly show that you will be a good humanitarian, scientist, clinician, etc. Think of a way to make your application memorable. Then, use these details to further impress at your interview. (Just let me add that it is very, very important to be sincere and honest, however).

In a nutshell:
Your stats are average, but sufficient. My advise is to make yourself seem more appealing by working on your ability to communicate your quality as a candidate by learning to speak and write confidently about why you are the guy/gal they want! I think this factor was my #1 ally in the app/interview process. It made me, a very average student when it came to "the numbers" a very competitive applicant.