Switching Medical Schools

[Sports111]

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Long time poster - anonymous account here.

I am currently at a medical school and I hate it. Just really dislike the environment here. It's terrible and I feel as if I am being dragged down. However, I love medicine.

Obviously a transfer is very hard, however, I'd be willing to enter the whole process again and apply to other medical schools - perhaps even a more prestigious school. I was wondering.. is this possible? Can I apply to other medical schools while I am currently in medical school?

 

[FIREitUP]

Long time poster - anonymous account here.

I am currently at a medical school and I hate it. Just really dislike the environment here. It's terrible and I feel as if I am being dragged down. However, I love medicine.

Obviously a transfer is very hard, however, I'd be willing to enter the whole process again and apply to other medical schools - perhaps even a more prestigious school. I was wondering.. is this possible? Can I apply to other medical schools while I am currently in medical school?

what makes you think any other school would be different? no, you can't apply to other schools, but you can try to transfer. without a compelling reason your chances are pretty slim.

 

[Sports111]

no, you can't apply to other schools.

really? is there a rule prohibiting me from doing so?

 

[Sports111]

just out of curiosity, why do you hate the school? how does it drag you down?

school is student spanish heavy. Lots of the students speaking in spanish. I have nothing against spanish, just medical school is hard enough, and I feel as though the community isn't too warm to non-hispanics. Likewise, the curriculum is a mess. Not preparing us for Step like it should. Heavy on minutiae when general concepts should initially be the focus then you can add on some minutiae.

few other things, but i'm trying to keep my anonymity

 

[el_duderino]

This is at a US allopathic school? The school itself is Spanish-heavy?

 

[Sports111]

This is at a US allopathic school? The school itself is Spanish-heavy?

school is student spanish heavy (ie: lots of hispanic peeps). yah US allo

 

[Sports111]

there was a thread on this, but there dont seem to be conclusive answers in it, other than your chances would be really low. transferring really only works for spousal or family emergencies. in any case other schools would look down upon you because you accepted this school, knowing (or should have known) that it has a spanish focus. im sorry man i wouldnt want to be in your place either. id feel like an outside.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/re-applying-after-matriculating.732736/

thanks skiier. interesting thread. I might email a few schools and see what they have to say.

 

[michiganpsych08]

I doubt that you would be able to transfer. I had a compelling reason to transfer (my mother was dying) and I still couldnt transfer to a medical school back home. Most schools don't allow you to transfer until after you have taken step and I had only finished my 1st year so I couldn't transfer to most school based off this alone. The other schools said I could re-apply all over but that meant retaking the MCAT, getting letter of recommendations, the whole 9 yards. Who is to say I would have gotten into that specific school? It just seems like a gamble and I didn't take it. I ultimately took time off to take care of my mother and eventually returned to medical school

 

[Sports111]

The other schools said I could re-apply all over but that meant retaking the MCAT, getting letter of recommendations, the whole 9 yards.

Thanks, really sums up what I was wondering.

I ultimately took time off to take care of my mother and eventually returned to medical school

great to hear, hope your mother is still going strong.

 

[Shjanzey]

Get married to someone at your school of choice, transfer after 2nd year.

 

[Tired]

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[Sports111]

Get married to someone at your school of choice, transfer after 2nd year.

my friend did this to get US citizenship as he was Canadian. married some new york chick.. divorced 5 years later... still friends they are

You involvement with the portions of your school that are dragging you down will decrease substantially after the end of your pre-clinical years. Not sure where you're at year-wise, but having felt similarly (for very different reasons) during my MS1/2 years, I can tell you that MS3 on was like a brand new start and giant breath of fresh air.

thanks for the input. ill need to re-evaluate a few things in the coming weeks

 

[qw098]

I know of a guy who switched from a Carribean school to a Canadian school. I think he was M2 when he did the switch (reapplied not a transfer).

 

[Serous Demilune]

You involvement with the portions of your school that are dragging you down will decrease substantially after the end of your pre-clinical years. Not sure where you're at year-wise, but having felt similarly (for very different reasons) during my MS1/2 years, I can tell you that MS3 on was like a brand new start and giant breath of fresh air.

God I so hope you're right. Coming up on my last day of MS2 this week and I want to pull my pants down and moon my entire school on the way out.

 

[HumbleMD]

That's cute you think you can transfer to a more prestigious med school. You won't. Why would they accept you this time? Spanish will be practical. Get over yourself or get out of medicine. Guess what are on steps 1 and 2? Minutiae.

 

[Tired]

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[Lord Boko]

my friend did this to get US citizenship as he was Canadian. married some new york chick.. divorced 5 years later... still friends they are

Anonymous account? You can't fool me Yoda!

 

[22031 Alum]

I was the same way. You stop having to see your classmates nearly as much. Academic faculty rarely do much clinical work. Physical location is different. Methods of assessment change radically.

I'm not saying MS3 was great. It wasn't. Especially the hell that is Ob/Gyn. But at least it feels somewhat more... I'm not sure the right word. Familiar. Reasonable. Worthwhile. Something like that.

It sounds like med school really really sucked for you. 🙁

 

[Tired]

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[Tired]

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[ZuluHotel]

Long time poster - anonymous account here.

I am currently at a medical school and I hate it. Just really dislike the environment here. It's terrible and I feel as if I am being dragged down. However, I love medicine.

Obviously a transfer is very hard, however, I'd be willing to enter the whole process again and apply to other medical schools - perhaps even a more prestigious school. I was wondering.. is this possible? Can I apply to other medical schools while I am currently in medical school?

A guy in our class reapplied during M1 and got into a comparable top 10 school. But his wife had just matched derm there, and he is the kind of guy who could probably get in anywhere (everybody loves him, super smart, significant research career prior). My understanding is that it is pretty hard (but not impossible) to reapply and start over at a new school. It helps to have a good reason, and "I don't like my school" probably won't impress anyone. I sympathize with you, but you should probably just suck it up amigo. It will get better.

 

[sazerac]

school is student spanish heavy (ie: lots of hispanic peeps). yah US allo

OP, if you retook the MCAT, and got an equivalent score, would you be competitive at your more desirable schools?

 

[darklabel]

In case it wasn't clear, this is my "It gets better moment."

It gets better. Way better, especially if you match to your top choice specialty.

No one was around to tell me that when I was in my preclinical years. I didn't find SDN until my MS4 year. My classmates were largely very well-suited to my school and loved it. I felt very alone, with all the cliche emotional connotations that carries.

So if you're an arrogant, overly-aggressive, hyper competitive jerk like I was as an early med student, thinking about dropping out because you feel like you want to die every time you walk into a classroom, take a breath, things are gonna get better really soon.

For all the negativity I read around here sometimes, I appreciate this post. Living far away and coming up to the end of MS1, I'm glad to hear this. I'm not hypercompetitive/, but the idea of being away from the school and seeing my class every day as if I'm reliving high school sounds amazing.

 

[qw098]

It gets better. Way better, especially if you match to your top choice specialty.

This guy got in derm

 

[Shjanzey]

For all the negativity I read around here sometimes, I appreciate this post. Living far away and coming up to the end of MS1, I'm glad to hear this. I'm not hypercompetitive/, but the idea of being away from the school and seeing my class every day as if I'm reliving high school sounds amazing.

Do you guys make yourself go to lecture or something? I rarely see classmates except for required activities. Preclinical gives you so much flexibility, I am just failing to see the point.

 

[Serous Demilune]

Do you guys make yourself go to lecture or something? I rarely see classmates except for required activities. Preclinical gives you so much flexibility, I am just failing to see the point.

It's demoralizing to be forced to work with people you don't like on trivialities like TBL and feelings class (foundations of clinical medicine or wtvr).

 

[ChEMD]

It's demoralizing to be forced to work with people you don't like on trivialities like TBL and feelings class (foundations of clinical medicine or wtvr).

When you don't like that many people in your class, they might not be the problem...not really directed at you, but rather anyone who constantly complains about their classmates.

 

[22031 Alum]

Do you guys make yourself go to lecture or something? I rarely see classmates except for required activities. Preclinical gives you so much flexibility, I am just failing to see the point.

Not every school has super flexible preclinical years. Some have mandatory lecture attendance, lots have mandatory PBL/TBL sessions. It can be easy to get stuck with people you don't mesh with.

 

[Serous Demilune]

When you don't like that many people in your class, they might not be the problem...not really directed at you, but rather anyone who constantly complains about their classmates.

Yup that does seem to be the mantra on here. It's wrong though.

 

[ChEMD]

Yup that does seem to be the mantra on here. It's wrong though.

What do you mean?

 

[Eokpar02]

Long time poster - anonymous account here.

I am currently at a medical school and I hate it. Just really dislike the environment here. It's terrible and I feel as if I am being dragged down. However, I love medicine.

Obviously a transfer is very hard, however, I'd be willing to enter the whole process again and apply to other medical schools - perhaps even a more prestigious school. I was wondering.. is this possible? Can I apply to other medical schools while I am currently in medical school?

Why would you be willing to do this? What makes you think the other schools will be different? If you love medicine you can get through whatever trivial contemporary roadblock. Leaving medical school to reply seems like a harsh solution to a minor problem.

 

[22031 Alum]

What do you mean?

I think the point is sometimes you can find yourself in a group of people who really are all annoying. However, I think that's relatively rare. In most cases, if every single person you interact with is a problem, you are most likely the problem. With OP, I'm leaning towards the latter situation. Classmates who dare to be Hispanic*? Pre-clinical instructors who focus on minutiae?? The horrors!! OP would likely be unhappy at any other school.



*I'm curious which US allo school is majority Hispanic to the point that pre-clinical students just walk around speaking Spanish to each other all day.

 

[Serous Demilune]

I think the point is sometimes you can find yourself in a group of people who really are all annoying. However, I think that's relatively rare. In most cases, if every single person you interact with is a problem, you are most likely the problem. With OP, I'm leaning towards the latter situation. Classmates who dare to be Hispanic*? Pre-clinical instructors who focus on minutiae?? The horrors!! OP would likely be unhappy at any other school.



*I'm curious which US allo school is majority Hispanic to the point that pre-clinical students just walk around speaking Spanish to each other all day.

The Puerto Rican ones I'm guessing. People who have a hard time socially in med school are demonized on here. It is not a typical environment at all. I don't understand why not being able to fit in with a bunch of super competitive college kids and sycophants is a problem. That being said, you should be able to find at least a small group of sane people you can tolerate and marvel with at the insanity surrounding you.

 

[Keladry]

I think the point is sometimes you can find yourself in a group of people who really are all annoying. However, I think that's relatively rare. In most cases, if every single person you interact with is a problem, you are most likely the problem. With OP, I'm leaning towards the latter situation. Classmates who dare to be Hispanic*? Pre-clinical instructors who focus on minutiae?? The horrors!! OP would likely be unhappy at any other school.



*I'm curious which US allo school is majority Hispanic to the point that pre-clinical students just walk around speaking Spanish to each other all day.

My thoughts exactly.

Plus, dude, try learning a little Spanish and asking some of the students to talk with you. I guarantee that you'll find a dozen people who think it's fantastic (and adorable) that you're trying to learn Spanish and are willing to help. You can make friends while learning a new skill. Unless, of course, literally every single other med student at your school is a horrible meanie.

 

[22031 Alum]

The Puerto Rican ones I'm guessing. People who have a hard time socially in med school are demonized on here. It is not a typical environment at all. I don't understand why not being able to fit in with a bunch of super competitive college kids and sycophants is a problem. That being said, you should be able to find at least a small group of sane people you can tolerate and marvel with at the insanity surrounding you.

Let's not pretend that OP, or anyone else who has social issues in med school, is the sole beacon of normal in a sea of sycophants. First, the very fact that they've earned medical school acceptances means they had to be willing participants in the game to some degree. Secondly, I don't think I'll ever be convinced that the average medical school class is fundamentally different from a given group you'd encounter in any other situation. There's a mix of cutthroat, friendly, awkward, etc. medical students just like there's a mix of cutthroat, friendly, and awkward accountants or software engineers or whatever.

 

[Serous Demilune]

meh

 

[W19]

Is OP attending one of the schools in PR? I just don't get why that school has predominantly Spanish students...

 

[ChEMD]

The Puerto Rican ones I'm guessing. People who have a hard time socially in med school are demonized on here. It is not a typical environment at all. I don't understand why not being able to fit in with a bunch of super competitive college kids and sycophants is a problem. That being said, you should be able to find at least a small group of sane people you can tolerate and marvel with at the insanity surrounding you.

See, it's attitudes like this that make me think you're the problem. You seem so quick to judge everyone else and use negative words to describe them, when in all reality you probably haven't even tried to get to know them. In my experience, regardless of initial impressions, whenever you actually sit down and try to talk to someone in med school, you will usually realize that they are just a normal, nice person. Sure they might have different interests than you and may have a very different personality, but that doesn't mean you can't still be friends, at least when at school. All it takes is a little effort. It's the people that can't get past their initial judgements and aren't willing to put in that effort that seem to have the problem with everyone.

 

[petyr_baelish]

Is OP attending one of the schools in PR? I just don't get why that school has predominantly Spanish students...

It could be UCSD.

 

[Serous Demilune]

See, it's attitudes like this that make me think you're the problem. You seem so quick to judge everyone else and use negative words to describe them, when in all reality you probably haven't even tried to get to know them. In my experience, regardless of initial impressions, whenever you actually sit down and try to talk to someone in med school, you will usually realize that they are just a normal, nice person. Sure they might have different interests than you and may have a very different personality, but that doesn't mean you can't still be friends, at least when at school. All it takes is a little effort. It's the people that can't get past their initial judgements and aren't willing to put in that effort that seem to have the problem with everyone.

Yup it's two sides of the same coin. It doesn't bother me that you think this, because I've come to terms with how to deal with my situation in school. But when people come on here depressed because they have a difficult time adjusting socially to the new atmosphere, the sharks start to circle. It's gross.

 

[ChEMD]

Yup it's two sides of the same coin. It doesn't bother me that you think this, because I've come to terms with how to deal with my situation in school. But when people come on here depressed because they have a difficult time adjusting socially to the new atmosphere, the sharks start to circle. It's gross.

I'm not trying to attack anyone here, I just think it's unfortunate that people end up feeling so socially outcasted in med school because it doesn't have to be that way.

 

[Red Lobster Actual]

It could be UCSD.

Despite the location of UCSD to Tijuana the demographics are pretty in line with the rest of the medical schools in the country.

 

[22031 Alum]

Yup it's two sides of the same coin. It doesn't bother me that you think this, because I've come to terms with how to deal with my situation in school. But when people come on here depressed because they have a difficult time adjusting socially to the new atmosphere, the sharks start to circle. It's gross.

Having a difficult time adjusting, and deciding that every single person is an ultra-competitive sycophant (which is statistically unlikely if nothing else), are two different things.

 

[Serous Demilune]

Having a difficult time adjusting, and deciding that every single person is an ultra-competitive sycophant (which is statistically unlikely if nothing else), are two different things.

You feel superior by fitting in, I feel superior by setting myself apart. What the f*ck is the difference in the end? It's just school.

 

[22031 Alum]

You feel superior by fitting in, I feel superior by setting myself apart. What the f*ck is the difference in the end? It's just school.

When did I say it was about feeling superior? Going through life with a need to define who is superior and who is inferior sounds like a way to go through life unhappy. Good luck with the rest of school, I hope things get better for you.

 

[Tired]

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[Stagg737]

I don't think I'll ever be convinced that the average medical school class is fundamentally different from a given group you'd encounter in any other situation. There's a mix of cutthroat, friendly, awkward, etc. medical students just like there's a mix of cutthroat, friendly, and awkward accountants or software engineers or whatever.

Maybe not, but I'd imagine the degree to which there are cutthroat/arrogant asshats varies from school to school. I see almost none at the school I'm at, and it's more that they're a little full of themselves than being cutthroat. In contrast, I went to a social event that another school put on when I was in my gap years and the majority of people I interacted with honestly seemed like awful people. It made me seriously question what they values of that med school were and I didn't bother applying there. Not saying that's typical, but different places probably do have varying degrees of certain traits or demographics.

 

[Redpancreas]

school is student spanish heavy. Lots of the students speaking in spanish. I have nothing against spanish, just medical school is hard enough, and I feel as though the community isn't too warm to non-hispanics. Likewise, the curriculum is a mess. Not preparing us for Step like it should. Heavy on minutiae when general concepts should initially be the focus then you can add on some minutiae.

few other things, but i'm trying to keep my anonymity

First year (which I'm assuming you're in) isn't designed to prepare you for Step 1 especially if you're in a course-based curriculum that goes by subject like anatomy, histo, physio, etc. This is the most popular and misguided complaint of first year medical students in a traditional curriculum (included myself) have.

I carried a similar attitude you had during the initial part of medical school, but then realized it is what it is. All medical schools test minutiae. i see it as the favorite criticism pre-clinical curriculum complaint at students at my school (I'm on curriculum committee and have a general interest on this topic so I've talked to a lot of people).

One thing I'd recommend is to flip through first aid. Don't study it. Just look at it and realize that it's simply a book full of details. It's the one thing that I'd say dramatically improved my motivation to put my heart into the first year. What you'll realize is that those incredibly tiny minutiae like that fact that astrocytes take up NH3 and serve as foot processes compose the entirety of the step 1 book. Like medical school in first year is all about just about learning all these little fact nuggets. Many will rear their ugly head in pathophysiology so it's best trying to get aquianted with them now.

Remember when you learnt addition? It was just a rote process. Same goes for all those rules in organic chemistry. However, once you were being tested and asked to apply those principles (what 2nd/3rd year are apparently about) you'll have wished you took M1 more seriously regardless of how detailed you thought it was. This is the cycle I see at my school judging by talking to upperclassman.

 

[W19]

My problem is kind of different from that of the OP... I am thinking about leaving med school and go PA. Med school is too damn hard! This last block of neuroscience and immunology is killing me. Why two difficult and critical subjects have be taught is 5 weeks is beyond me. I am finding myself studying 10 hours+/day just to keep my head above water. I feel like if I have to study that much to get Cs, maybe I shouldn't be here in the first place... If 2nd year is going to be worst according to some MS2, I might as well pack up after that block and call it a day.

 

[FIREitUP]

My problem is kind of different from that of the OP... I am thinking about leaving med school and go PA. Med school is too damn hard! This last block of neuroscience and immunology is killing me. Why two difficult and critical subjects have be taught is 5 weeks is beyond me. I am finding myself studying 10 hours+/day just to keep my head above water. I feel like if I have to study that much to get Cs, maybe I shouldn't be here in the first place... If 2nd year is going to be worst according to some MS2, I might as well pack up after that block and call it a day.

studying gets significantly less after preclinical years, which are in no way representative of medicine at all. quitting med school and going PA is an option, but you might be dissappointed and have many what-if moments.