The "Fauci Effect" and its impact on applicants (not applications)

[r2med]

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Add this as well, as per same article, only 5% of Stanford applicants didn't have MCAT score, yet 50% spike in applications, from a school point of view that is same as 45% increase in applicants, excluding 'MCAT blind' factor. So the magic number 40% will dip to 33% as medical seats are static for this cycle applicants.

Wow.

 

[KnightDoc]

Those several thousand are what I summarized as "stupid". I really doubt that many people just rushed in hoping for the best. But to your last point, because the admission system is crazy, it is most certainly possible that some or many of these so-called applied just like that people would have found a spot that would have otherwise gone to someone who has been preparing for a while.

Aamc should conduct a survey. Any aamc peeps on Sdn?

I hear you. We'll have to agree to disagree on this. I don't know if anyone from AAMC lurks or participates here (I haven't seen it, so I don't think so), but there really is no way to survey this ("Did you throw in a last minute applications after COVID year plans fell through?" ).

I think a lot of people did rush in, hoping for the best because they don't know what they are doing (hadn't been planning for it for years) and see economic instability and lack of opportunity during the pandemic. I doubt several thousand strong apps suddenly materialized.

Again, if they did, we are all going to see a ton of screaming here in the spring, because if 40% of 10,000 are accepted (and that's just to mirror normal numbers -- if all 10,000 are not "stupid," that would represent half of next year's incoming class!!! 😎), they will be displacing 20% of the 22,000 who would have otherwise been accepted who were not last minute applicants.

If that happens, it will not go unnoticed on SDN. Since people who have been engaged for years are probably far more likely to be SDN participants than last minute applicants, we will likely see a huge spike in people freaking out about failed cycles if 4,000 people who would have been accepted last year are not this year, because they are displaced by 40% of the huge spike in applicants represented by last minute applicants. JMHO. We'll see soon enough!! The good news is that this won't directly impact either of us, since you already have 2 As (of course, it could hurt you at schools where you don't already have an A, but at least you know you have good options and won't be a reapplicant!) and I didn't apply this cycle!! 😎

 

[Goro]

So we think there are ~10k "stupid" applicants that don't know there are pre-reqs? How did this go past the aamc verification?

Re: gap year, let's understand from the sdn population how many were originally planning to apply next year but applied early.

Based upon my own school, plus the Adcoms of SDN I've asked about this, I estimate The number of apllicants who have no business applying to med school run anywhere from 10-50%!

These are people who should only be on campus as a standardized patient, or a cadaver.

 

[r2med]

Based upon my own school, plus the Adcoms of SDN I've asked about this, I estimate The number of apllicants who have no business applying to med school run anywhere from 10-50%!

These are people who should only be on campus as a standardized patient, or a cadaver.

Wow. I must have missed those threads. Will search now. But question- is that unique to this Year? I guess every year there are people like that, no?

 

[r2med]

I hear you. We'll have to agree to disagree on this. I don't know if anyone from AAMC lurks or participates here (I haven't seen it, so I don't think so), but there really is no way to survey this ("Did you throw in a last minute applications after COVID year plans fell through?" ).

I think a lot of people did rush in, hoping for the best because they don't know what they are doing (hadn't been planning for it for years) and see economic instability and lack of opportunity during the pandemic. I doubt several thousand strong apps suddenly materialized.

Again, if they did, we are all going to see a ton of screaming here in the spring, because if 40% of 10,000 are accepted (and that's just to mirror normal numbers -- if all 10,000 are not "stupid," that would represent half of next year's incoming class!!! 😎), they will be displacing 20% of the 22,000 who would have otherwise been accepted who were not last minute applicants.

If that happens, it will not go unnoticed on SDN. Since people who have been engaged for years are probably far more likely to be SDN participants than last minute applicants, we will likely see a huge spike in people freaking out about failed cycles if 4,000 people who would have been accepted last year are not this year, because they are displaced by 40% of the huge spike in applicants represented by last minute applicants. JMHO. We'll see soon enough!! The good news is that this won't directly impact either of us, since you already have 2 As (of course, it could hurt you at schools where you don't already have an A, but at least you know you have good options and won't be a reapplicant!) and I didn't apply this cycle!! 😎

Would we not have heard by now in any of the threads?

 

[Goro]

Wow. I must have missed those threads. Will search now. But question- is that unique to this Year? I guess every year there are people like that, no?

Every year. And you see people like this post in SDN about not getting any IIs.

Then you dive deeper and it turns out they're barely viable for DO, yet applied only to Harvard/Stanford class schools.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Those several thousand are what I summarized as "stupid". I really doubt that many people just rushed in hoping for the best. But to your last point, because the admission system is crazy, it is most certainly possible that some or many of these so-called applied just like that people would have found a spot that would have otherwise gone to someone who has been preparing for a while.

Aamc should conduct a survey. Any aamc peeps on Sdn?

Stupid applicants, that’s going too far! Good number of premeds especially if they go to tough schools like UCB lack volunteering hours recommended here and would have taken the gap year in normal circumstances. Lot of those applied now with an expectation that schools will be lenient on that and applying. Nothing wrong with being hopeful and taking a shot.

 

[r2med]

Every year. And you see people like this post in SDN about not getting any IIs.

Then you dive deeper and it turns out they're barely viable for DO, yet applied only to Harvard/Stanford class schools.

Did not have time to search for the threads about 10-50% unqualified applications. But question is whether this year it is far higher than previous.

 

[r2med]

Stupid applicants, that’s going too far! Good number of premeds especially they go to tough schools like UCB lack volunteering hours recommended here and would have taken the gap in normal circumstances. Lot of those applied now with an expectation that schools will be lenient on that and go more. Nothing wrong with being hopeful and taking a shot.

Sorry did not mean to use the word stupid in a derogatory manner. I just meant if they knew that they are not competitive, they would not have applied. It costs a lot of time, energy, and money to apply. And not getting II or really costs mental fatigue.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Sorry did not mean to use the word stupid in a derogatory manner. I just meant if they knew that they are not competitive, they would not have applied. It costs a lot of time, energy, and money to apply. And not getting II or really costs mental fatigue.

Let them worry about it lol. There are people who claim they got Stanford interview with zero research hours and some claim they got with very few volunteering hours and then some schools have big difference between 10% and 90% gpa and MCAT. So all these give hope to to applicants. Blame the holistic process not applicants.

 

[KnightDoc]

Would we not have heard by now in any of the threads?

Nope. The vast majority of Rs will come in the spring, either as outright Rs or as WLs that never turn into As. And, I'm talking about people getting nothing, because they are being displaced by the last minute applicants. Nobody will know that they are shut out until it's all over, since just about everyone still has many schools they haven't heard from, even if they have no IIs and are expecting the worst.

 

[r2med]

Nope. The vast majority of Rs will come in the spring, either as outright Rs or as WLs that never turn into As. And, I'm talking about people getting nothing, because they are being displaced by the last minute applicants. Nobody will know that they are shut out until it's all over, since just about everyone still has many schools they haven't heard from, even if they have no IIs and are expecting the worst.

I meant would we not have heard about people saying "I was not planning on applying now, but did due to the COVID"? You have been very clear that you took the reverse decision. I am sure people, if they are on SDN, would have said so, at least to some extent. I do not remember seeing any (not that I go into many threads)

 

[KnightDoc]

Stupid applicants, that’s going too far! Good number of premeds especially they go to tough schools like UCB lack volunteering hours recommended here and would have taken the gap in normal circumstances. Lot of those applied now with an expectation that schools will be lenient on that and go more. Nothing wrong with being hopeful and taking a shot.

Sounds like me, but I realized too many people had the expected hours for the schools to be lenient, and I believe too deeply in the reapplicant stigma to be hopeful and take a shot. This is the same justification people use to take the MCAT before they are ready, and it seems like they NEVER have a surprise to the upside when they do that! 😎

 

[KnightDoc]

Did not have time to search for the threads about 10-50% unqualified applications. But question is whether this year it is far higher than previous.

Don't know exactly how to define "far higher," but I am pretty sure they will be disproportionately represented in the pool of last minute applicants (those who were not planning on applying prior to March 2020 but ended up applying anyway).

 

[KnightDoc]

I meant would we not have heard about people saying "I was not planning on applying now, but did due to the COVID"? You have been very clear that you took the reverse decision. I am sure people, if they are on SDN, would have said so, at least to some extent. I do not remember seeing any (not that I go into many threads)

You are correct, people are not advertising it, but it clearly happened. Applicants did not increase 18% organically, out of nowhere, coincidentally during a time of economic upheaval and a global pandemic, pursuant to a plan hatched before last March for no particular reason at all. There are decades of history involving AMCAS applications that suggests that didn't happen. It's entirely possible those people really don't know what they are doing, are not plugged into the community, and, even if they found SDN and lurk here, aren't comfortable posting.

 

[r2med]

Do we know any stats on how much of the 18% increase is US versus International, fee paying versus FAP etc?

 

[HopeP]

Do we know any stats on how much of the 18% increase is US versus International, fee paying versus FAP etc?

Generally in global crisis international applications dips across all US programs, don't think medicine is an exception to that.
Also FAP category applicants are generally worst impacted by economy or any other form of national crisis. Again, suspect FAP applicants didn't go up by same margin as 18%, gotta admit, don't have numbers to back up the claim.

 

[r2med]

Generally in global crisis international applications dips across all US programs, don't think medicine is an exception to that.
Also FAP category applicants are generally worst impacted by economy or any other form of national crisis. Again, suspect FAP applicants didn't go up by same margin as 18%, gotta admit, don't have numbers to back up the claim.

Hmm. I thought that the general understanding was that economic hits are proportional to academic applications. I understand with international not trending high due to inability to afford, but why would there not be more FAP?

 

[Goro]

Do we know any stats on how much of the 18% increase is US versus International, fee paying versus FAP etc?

I'm not privy to this info. @Med Ed?

 

[HopeP]

Hmm. I thought that the general understanding was that economic hits are proportional to academic applications. I understand with international not trending high due to inability to afford, but why would there not be more FAP?

FAP part: Covid crisis has disproportionately hit that segment of population, which makes it obviously less inclined to participate than in normal circumstances. Again it is a theory, any data would help to differentiate.

 

[r2med]

FAP part: Covid crisis has disproportionately hit that segment of population, which makes it obviously less inclined to participate than in normal circumstances. Again it is a theory, any data would help to differentiate.

Sorry for my ignorance. But I thought economic crisis makes people go into academics because the other options are no good. If FAP population was hit hard, more should have taken the academics route, no? And the applications are at no cost to them, so why not? I thought that might explain the increase in applicants to an extent.

 

[HopeP]

Sorry for my ignorance. But I thought economic crisis makes people go into academics because the other options are no good. If FAP population was hit hard, more should have taken the academics route, no? And the applications are at no cost to them, so why not? I thought that might explain the increase in applicants to an extent.

Economic impact on applicants: As posted in earlier posts with various data points and charts, last 2 economic downturns (Internet/tech buble and housing bubble) didn't result in more applicants, in fact it is either remain flat or dipped. If that history is the judge, I don't see 18% spike in applicants is due to current economic environment.

 

[r2med]

Economic impact on applicants: As posted in earlier posts with various data points and charts, last 2 economic downturns (Internet/tech buble and housing bubble) didn't result in more applicants, in fact it is either remain flat or dipped. If that history is the judge, I don't see 18% spike in applicants is due to current economic environment.

Would some moderator let me know if it is ok for me to open a poll in pretty much every school-specific thread asking for people to enter their details on whether they intended to apply this year and applied or not?

 

[LizzyM]

I think it is EXTREMELY unlikely that 4,000 highly competitive applicants (40% of 10,000) suddenly materialized out of nowhere due to COVID to displace 4,000 other applicants who have been planning this cycle for years. JMHO, but I'm pretty sure I'm right. 😎

Think about it -- whose gap year plans were disrupted? Seniors, that's who.

also over 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers who were repatriated in the Spring.... Many of them may have decided to apply in June 2020 rather than 2021 or 2022 (after their service woud have been over).

 

[r2med]

also over 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers who were repatriated in the Spring.... Many of them may have decided to apply in June 2020 rather than 2021 or 2022 (after their service woud have been over).

Wow - that's a good stat. Many of those 7000 will be well-qualified, right? Also, is this a this-year-only phenomenon or do these repatriations happen every year?

 

[Maimonides1]

Much to prove the idealistic activism behind this year historic surge in applications to US medical schools, here is a NPR Radio Boston audio recording with Dr. Fauci flattering response to his new fame..!!

 

[LizzyM]

Wow - that's a good stat. Many of those 7000 will be well-qualified, right? Also, is this a this-year-only phenomenon or do these repatriations happen every year?

Some may be qualified. Everyone in the field was brought back to the states in the spring. Typically, those 7,000 would have been coming back a few hundred per month over 2 years time.

Also keep in mind that those who might have considered serving for 2 years then applying to med school in 2022 did not leave this summer-fall and so may have chosen to apply earlier than originally planned.

 

[HopeP]

Some may be qualified. Everyone in the field was brought back to the states in the spring. Typically, those 7,000 would have been coming back a few hundred per month over 2 years time.

Also keep in mind that those who might have considered serving for 2 years then applying to med school in 2022 did not leave this summer-fall and so may have chosen to apply earlier than originally planned.

That gives me a hope that subsequent cycles will be back to norms, ~52K.

 

[r2med]

That gives me a hope that subsequent cycles will be back to norms, ~52K.

Or technically, future should be less, right? Because those people decided to apply this year!

 

[HopeP]

Or technically, future should be less, right? Because those people decided to apply this year!

Or, significant of ~66% rejected will be re-applicants in coming years.. It may take 2-3 cycles to fully absorb the fall out effects from this spike.

 

[r2med]

Or, significant of ~66% rejected will be re-applicants in coming years.. It may take 2-3 cycles to fully absorb the fall out effects from this spike.

That is true.

 

[Startingover123]

18% is number of applicants, which is what is not understandable

Are we sure applicants are really up?

 

[KnightDoc]

Are we sure applicants are really up?

Absolutely. All of AAMC's 2020-21 data refers to the last cycle. They are publishing it now because it was recently compiled, but it all relates to the cycle that just ended in August. I have no idea why they mislabel it, but they do that consistently across every table on their website. If you look, you'll see that famous GPA/MCAT grid also contains data through 2020-21, and you KNOW it doesn't include this year's data because acceptance decisions for this cycle were not released and compiled by AAMC by the published date of 10/27/20! We are smack in the middle of this cycle, and that data won't be published until next fall!! 🙂

 

[Startingover123]

Absolutely. All of AAMC's 2020-21 data refers to the last cycle. They are publishing it now because it was recently compiled, but it all relates to the cycle that just ended in August. I have no idea why they mislabel it, but they do that consistently across every table on their website. We are smack in the middle of this cycle, and that data won't be published until next fall!! 🙂

Ah thanks for clarifying!

 

[r2med]

Are we sure applicants are really up?

That's what aamc claims in an article Applications to medical school are at an all-time high. What does this mean for applicants and schools?

 

[KnightDoc]

Ah thanks for clarifying!

If it helps, this is blurb AAMC includes at the bottom of their GPA/MCAT grid:

Each academic year includes applicants and matriculants that applied to enter medical school in the fall of the given year. For example, academic year 2020‐2021 represents the applicants and matriculants that applied to enter medical school during the 2020 application cycle.

It makes no sense and is totally confusing to the rest of us, but this explains it!! 😎

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

Did not have time to search for the threads about 10-50% unqualified applications. But question is whether this year it is far higher than previous.

Like Goro mentioned, a lot of people who have no business applying to med school do do so EVERY year. No research, just vibes (and cash to waste). I do think there's a good chance that the number of these applicants has risen this year. Economic crisis may have contributed to this as well as people being inspired by frontline workers. I'm not saying all the new rush applicants will be unqualified, but there's always a few.

I meant would we not have heard about people saying "I was not planning on applying now, but did due to the COVID"? You have been very clear that you took the reverse decision. I am sure people, if they are on SDN, would have said so, at least to some extent. I do not remember seeing any (not that I go into many threads)

Not every med school applicant is on SDN. Quite a few have been warned off or have never heard of the place. A lot of applicants don't use any forums at all. There's a good chance that a majority of the new rush of applicants have probably never been on med forums.

 

[r2med]

Like Goro mentioned, a lot of people who have no business applying to med school do do so EVERY year. No research, just vibes (and cash to waste). I do think there's a good chance that the number of these applicants has risen this year. Economic crisis may have contributed to this as well as people being inspired by frontline workers. I'm not saying all the rush new applicants will be unqualified, but there's always a few.

Not every med school applicant is on SDN. Quite a few have been warned off or have never heard of the place. A lot of applicants don't use any forums at all. There's a good chance that a majority of the new rush of applicants have probably never been on med forums.

But hearing from none seemed interesting

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

But hearing from none seemed interesting

At the beginning of the pandemic there were a lot of threads where people discussed how Covid would affect their applications. People seemed to have prepared plans then . People seemed to have lacked some vital components at the start of the pandemic and asked questions rather than just jump into things. They searched for other ways to fulfill those requirements. People on here (for the most part) seem to want to be fully prepared for application cycles. No-one seemed eager to rush incomplete applications because of Covid.

 

[KnightDoc]

But hearing from none seemed interesting

Maybe you'll find these threads interesting as well. 😎

People were speculating about this cycle being easier as far back as March. Just because someone didn't come on SDN and post "I wasn't going to apply before COVID, but I decided at the last minute to throw in a half-assed application just to see what happens" doesn't mean thousands of people didn't do so, either knowingly or unknowingly.

Just read below and realize that, while hindsight is always 20-20, one highly respected adcom openly speculated that the entire cycle might be cancelled while many people thought it would be easier than usual, and at least one adcom correctly predicted that applications would spike. It's pure speculation now that we know the numbers are way up whether a few, some, or many of the incremental applications over prior years are people returning from Peace Corps tours who were always planning on applying anyway, or whether they are a bunch of people who thought it was a good idea because the MCAT was shortened and some schools were thought to be waiving it, so they took a shot.

Also, other than idle speculation, what's the difference at this point? Your apps are in, you have a few As, and whatever else is going to happen with your cycle is going to happen regardless of the quality of the increased pool.

Comparing the effects of COVID-19 on the 2020/2021 cycle vs the 2021/2022 cycle

With fewer applicants, fewer opportunities for extra curricular activities, and fewer MCAT retakes, it seems like a given that this upcoming applicant pool will be weaker overall than an average year. The opposite seems true for the 2021/2022 cycle: more applicants next year, more time for...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Difficulty of this cycle vs next

Since there's just so many delays with MCAT and getting in hours, will this cycle starting in June/July be relatively easier? Furthermore, since more people will probably wait to apply next cycle, will it be relatively harder?

forums.studentdoctor.net

Will this cycle be more competitive with the 50% increase of applicants due to covid-19

Looks like there was a 50% increase in the number of people who started their application this year compared to last year and over 78k registered for the MCAT on Thursday (the day we were glued to our computers for 10hrs). Are we looking at a very competitive cycle?

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[HopeP]

Like Goro mentioned, a lot of people who have no business applying to med school do do so EVERY year. No research, just vibes (and cash to waste). I do think there's a good chance that the number of these applicants has risen this year. Economic crisis may have contributed to this as well as people being inspired by frontline workers. I'm not saying all the new rush applicants will be unqualified, but there's always a few.

All other explanations comparing to previous cycle doesn't hold ground including economy, no business to apply to med school.
So far only 2 reasons were sound reasonable, 'MCAT Blind' factor and peace corps facts from @LizzyM

Not every med school applicant is on SDN. Quite a few have been warned off or have never heard of the place. A lot of applicants don't use any forums at all. There's a good chance that a majority of the new rush of applicants have probably never been on med forums.

Sentiment is not heard any social media so far my knowledge. I guess zoomers are more careless than boomers.

 

[LBfutureMD]

Lots of folks have been speculating that the increase in *applications* is due to Zoom interviews and the time to put in more applications. But this new article also notes that *applicants* are up 18 percent(!!!) this year over last year. (a normal rise is 3%) Med Schools Are Seeing A Surge Of Applications. It's Called The 'Fauci Effect'

So it's not your imagination....this is a tough year beyond all others.

In the same article, a student was interviewed and he stated that now more than ever he wanted to become a doctor because “he wanted to be in the frontlines if another pandemic surged”.
From that being said, as a current applicant myself and a hospital employee I want to make sure that those who are being influenced by the ‘fauci effect’ are being influenced for the right reasons. One, the medical school process is not glamorous, it is hard and very complicated. Making yourself slightly different amongst students from all over the United states makes you doubt your capacity numerous times. Two, attending medical school it’s definitely not easy, I haven’t experienced it yet and although I look forward to it I fear because it is mentally and physically exhausting. I have had various encounters with 3rd and 4th year medical students at my place of work which is a teaching hospital and all they can say is “brace yourself, and make sure you have a great support system”.

Now, actually working in the medical field although it is rewarding— there are many sacrifices you have to make. During these past months I was preparing myself to graduate school, take my MCAT, apply to medical school( which is more than just submitting an app) and working in one of the states with the highest number of infected population, NYC (westchester county). Seeing as my hospital was at full capacity as we tried to renovate other units of the hospital to fit more patients was one of the saddest things to first witness. From that things obviously didn’t get better. The ER went from being the ER to becoming the second ICU. Code 99, which in my hospital means patient in need of resuscitation was being said by the operator every 5 minutes. The morgue filled at capacity and doctors writing cause of death “covid-19” is still something that we can not surpass.
As current and future physicians we go to school for 8+ years and then something like this happens and you know NOTHING. All you can do is help and make the patients comfortable. I know the sacrifices about what it actually takes to be a physician, now my question to those who are being influenced because you think it’s nice. Do you know what it takes to be one ?
Sometime not all that matters are grades. It matters that you know the ultimate sacrifices that come along with this wonderful profession.
To conclude, I’m not trying to downplay those who want to come into this field but make sure this is what you actually want to do !

stay safe future doctors,

Regards, LBFUTUREMD!

 

[LBfutureMD]

Lots of folks have been speculating that the increase in *applications* is due to Zoom interviews and the time to put in more applications. But this new article also notes that *applicants* are up 18 percent(!!!) this year over last year. (a normal rise is 3%) Med Schools Are Seeing A Surge Of Applications. It's Called The 'Fauci Effect'

So it's not your imagination....this is a tough year beyond all others. Hi

In the same article, a student was interviewed and he stated that now more than ever he wanted to become a doctor because “he wanted to be in the frontlines if another pandemic surged”.
From that being said, as a current applicant myself and a hospital employee I want to make sure that those who are being influenced by the ‘fauci effect’ are being influenced for the right reasons. One, the medical school process is not glamorous, it is hard and very complicated. Making yourself slightly different amongst students from all over the United states makes you doubt your capacity numerous times. Two, attending medical school it’s definitely not easy, I haven’t experienced it yet and although I look forward to it I fear because it is mentally and physically exhausting. I have had various encounters with 3rd and 4th year medical students at my place of work which is a teaching hospital and all they can say is “brace yourself, and make sure you have a great support system”.

Now, actually working in the medical field although it is rewarding— there are many sacrifices you have to make. During these past months I was preparing myself to graduate school, take my MCAT, apply to medical school( which is more than just submitting an app) and working in one of the states with the highest number of infected population, NYC (westchester county). Seeing as my hospital was at full capacity as we tried to renovate other units of the hospital to fit more patients was one of the saddest things to first witness. From that things obviously didn’t get better. The ER went from being the ER to becoming the second ICU. Code 99, which in my hospital means patient in need of resuscitation was being said by the operator every 5 minutes. The morgue filled at capacity and doctors writing cause of death “covid-19” is still something that we can not surpass.
As current and future physicians we go to school for 8+ years and then something like this happens and you know NOTHING. All you can do is help and make the patients comfortable. I know the sacrifices about what it actually takes to be a physician, now my question to those who are being influenced because you think it’s nice. Do you know what it takes to be one ?
Sometime not all that matters are grades. It matters that you know the ultimate sacrifices that come along with this wonderful profession.
To conclude, I’m not trying to downplay those who want to come into this field but make sure this is what you actually want to do !

stay safe future doctors,

Regards, LBFUTUREMD!

 

[Redpancreas]

I don't think I've seen a more obviously lazy perspective. Full disclosure... I haven't been following this thread but recently saw this piece by NPR highlighted on my google homepage and came here to rant.

1.) If such a "Fauci Effect" were true, we would be seeing the effects of it in the years to come, not immediately. You can't just be like, oh hey, I see COVID on TV, I want to be a doctor too. As we all know, it takes an early intention and years of planning to put yourself in a position to have a successful medical school application. Seeing Dr. Fauci on TV literally added 0 applications to the pool.

2.) They cite increased applications to Boston University as evidence of the effect. It doesn't take a genius to figure out why BU has so many applications this year. For one, the school was notoriously overapplied to given that it's a decent program in a city young professionals want to live in. Now factor in the COVID effect - everyone is overapplying given the virtual interviews and worry and it's easy to see why Boston is seeing even more overapplying than it usually does.

3.) That story/picture of that premedical student interested in Infectious Disease is cringe. Hey...maybe he's actually been interested in ID like the article says. Normally I wouldn't question that but when the basic premise of the article is off, you can't help but wonder. I just hope he doesn't come to regret interview if he chooses to apply to something like Dermatology in a few years.

 

[LizzyM]

This is journalism.... Fauci is a household name and a lightening rod. A feel-good story about how he is reportedly serving as a role model for kids applying to medical school, and with data backing up the anecdote that someone is applying to medical school to be the investigator of the next pandemic, it is not something to get upset over, in some ways it is what passes for clickbait on NPR. 😉 There are plenty of people who have all the pre-reqs for medical school but who decide to go to law school, or to work. This year, the data show us, is a bit different. It remains to be seen whether the "excess" applications compared with years past will be at the top of the staircase, the bottom, or distributed throughout. You've got to be in the top 19,000 of the national pool to get a seat, and to have applied wisely so as not to be in individual pools where you are out ranked by stronger applicants. How "top" and "strong" are defined varies by school and is hard to define ("holistic review"). End of story.

 

[Osteosaur]

also consider that with other job opportunities looking bleak in covid, maybe healthcare looks more stable?

i just dont even see how media presentation of COVID makes medicine look glamorous. if anything it means not getting into medical school, getting an MPH, and throwing **** at the wall to see what sticks and being worshipped for it is the way to go....

 

[Fawna]

Do we know any stats on how much of the 18% increase is US versus International, fee paying versus FAP etc?

Exactly. I am surprised no one has mentioned that FAP benefits were expanded this year. I know someone that qualified for FAP and applied to multiple schools with a 20th percentile MCAT. Even applying to schools with hard MCAT cutoffs. This person would likely have been dissuaded if they had to pay out of pocket for applications and secondaries.

i also think potential applicants had more time on their hands (no school or jobs for many) and had more time to research and complete FAP and/or applications in the spring. AAMC even reported record applications started in May.

 

[HopeP]

Exactly. I am surprised no one has mentioned that FAP benefits were expanded this year. I know someone that qualified for FAP and applied to multiple schools with a 20th percentile MCAT. Even applying to schools with hard MCAT cutoffs. This person would likely have been dissuaded if they had to pay out of pocket for applications and secondaries.

i also think potential applicants had more time on their hands (no school or jobs for many) and had more time to research and complete FAP and/or applications in the spring. AAMC even reported record applications started in May.

What you said makes sense for increase in applications. Report states, 18% increase is in applicants, not applications.

 

[harmony14]

What you said makes sense for increase in applications. Report states, 18% increase is in applicants, not applications.

Aren’t those the same? I maybe be wrong but each applicant can only submit one application, so those terms are definitely interchangeable.

 

[HopeP]

Aren’t those the same? I maybe be wrong but each applicant can only submit one application, so those terms are definitely interchangeable.

They are same if you talk from a medical school perspective only as an applicant can only submit one application to that school. I never heard from AMCAS that there were 900K applicants in 2019-20 cycle.