Utterly shocked and confused

[OchemOficionado]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Sorry to thread-jack, but I thought if you applied and checked that you were awaiting a new MCAT score on AMCAS most schools would wait til the new score posted to review your app? If I recall correctly that's how it worked when I applied 2 years ago.

I ask because I have a friend in a remarkably similar position, and I advised him to submit now and try to get complete even before the new score posted. That way when the score posts his app would already be complete without having to jump through any other hoops.

Was I wrong?

Schools have no obligation to wait for a new score. They may go with what they see at the time. You friend should have submitted to a throwaway school to get verified. EDIT: (I think LizzyM said that many times the second score never happens any how.)

 

[cactusman]

Sorry to thread-jack, but I thought if you applied and checked that you were awaiting a new MCAT score on AMCAS most schools would wait til the new score posted to review your app? If I recall correctly that's how it worked when I applied 2 years ago.

I ask because I have a friend in a remarkably similar position, and I advised him to submit now and try to get complete even before the new score posted. That way when the score posts his app would already be complete without having to jump through any other hoops.

Was I wrong?

They will wait sometimes but there's no guarantee (I'm guessing they're less likely to wait for OP since he already has one). They have to push through thousands of apps and it's more work to set them aside when there are many other students who could fill that seat.

 

[IcedAmericano]

A DO school wouldn't automatically accept you with those stats...Have some gratitude that there is an alternative option given your MCAT.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Schools have no obligation to wait for a new score. They made go with what they see at the time. You friend should have submitted to a throwaway school to get verified.

They will wait sometimes but there's no guarantee (I'm guessing they're less likely to wait for OP since he already has one). They have to push through thousands of apps and it's more work to set them aside when there are many other students who could fill that seat.

Great thanks for the info. Luckily he hasn't actually sent any secondaries yet. Wouldn't it work to just get/write the secondaries and not submit them until the new score posts?

 

[OchemOficionado]

Great thanks for the info. Luckily he hasn't actually sent any secondaries yet. Wouldn't it work to just get/write the secondaries and not submit them until the new score posts?

I'd imagine that's ok. Except with schools that screen prior to sending secondaries.

 

[JJRousseau]

The best Gastroenterologist where I did residency was a DO.
People in the real world don't care about the initials after your name. Do you do a good job, yes or no?

My MCAT was 2-3 points lower than I wanted for my state school, I applied DO, and got acceptances. I was going to grow up to be a doctor, huge sigh of relief. I later got into my public/state school that costed substantially less so I went with that.

But if you want to be a doctor, I don't see why you don't take DO seriously other than ignorant pre-med stigma.

I think it would be a super tough road going DO if you wanted to be a physician-scientist. But maybe that is changing...


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[gyngyn]

I think it would be a super tough road going DO if you wanted to be a physician-scientist. But maybe that is changing...

It's even harder to go MSTP with a 503 MCAT...

 

[efle]

OP, if I was in your position, I personally would do as you are planning and retake, aiming to hit complete by mid-Sept. You need to prewrite everything, get your AMCAS transcripts verified at a throwaway, make sure LoRs are all sent in etc so that you will be able to receive and return secondaries in a matter of days to hit complete ASAP.

 

[JJRousseau]

Total agreement on that.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

EDIT: reply to @gyngyn's comment.

 

[kairos93]

.

 

[kairos93]

Thank you all for the advice. I think I've finally come to terms with what happened and am able to accept the situation and move on. I found a solution to my dilemma and will focus on achieving that rather than dwelling on the past. As for DO, I'll reiterate that I have nothing against it. Anyway, I appreciate the criticism I've received on this thread and know that it comes from a good place. Thank you again for listening.

 

[altblue]

I just want to say that I have nothing against DO. I would gladly choose it if I could and maybe my personal situation would change such that I can take up the DO alternative. It is a great option, and I actually admire the more holistic aspect of DO treatment. This is not a pre-med stigma issue. If I could, I would explain so you understand me, but I know SDN won't really care about all that. My explanation will be misconstrued as an excuse. So I'm not going to attempt it; PM if you really need to know. DO=MD=Doctor. I know that, I respect that. This is something else I currently don't have a solution to and hence, why I'm hesitant about DO.

Oh it's probably a pretty terrible one.

 

[dcmorgan96]

You guys are unnecessarily harsh. He's obviously heard the criticism and made a decision. I don't see any point in making some of these comments.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

PLEASE DON'T QUOTE

Okay, now that the tears have subsided, I'm writing to ask for some help. First off, I'm not a troll (I created this account today just to ask this question but I've been on SDN and Reddit many times). I read a lot of the threads, but sadly I couldn't find an answer to my situation and I am not sure if there will even be one 🙁

I got my MCAT scores back and scored a 503. I don't know what happened...I used to think people were lying when they said this, but now I get what they mean. I scored 7-10 points below my AAMC FLs.

First off, I did fairly well on AAMC stuff (510 FL 1, 511 FL 2, 516 Sample Exam, 84% P/S Section Bank, 78% B/B Section Bank, 76% CARS Q-pack 1, 80% CARS Q-pack 2, 90% Physics Q-pack, 80% GChem. Q-pack, 84% B/B Q-pack 1, 87% B/B Q-pack 2).

I was shooting for at least a 508, but I ended up getting a 127 C/P, 123 CARS, 126 B/B and 127 P/S.
I have never reached a 123 on CARS ever (my lowest practice score was always a 126, and I usually got 127-128 on CARS...my sample test CARS score was even a 96%).

I'm not going to whine anymore about how terrible this is...we can all see that right here. I am worried about what happens next. Here is a little about my situation:

I want to apply this cycle and am aiming for any MD school (there are legit reasons why I can't apply DO; I can PM in case you need to know, but right now MD is the goal). I am ORM and from VA. I have a 3.8 GPA and pretty good ECs with above average hours. Please let me know and I can list them if it will help; I just didn't want to make this thread even longer if it isn't needed.

I have taken 3 gap years...I really cannot take any more (also for reasons I can PM). My AMCAS is ready to submit next week, and I have everything else in (LORs, transcripts).

Do you want to be a doctor or not? It doesnt seem like you want to be a doctor from your post.

 

[altblue]

You guys are unnecessarily harsh. He's obviously heard the criticism and made a decision. I don't see any point in making some of these comments.

Making decisions and essentially refusing to justify them can leave you pretty open to harsh criticism.

I'm trying for a score for MD and would retake for it, but my reasons are related to specialty competitiveness and not being especially interested in OMM. Those are alright reasons to prefer MD.

Based on their posts I don't think OP has a basic level of nuance in their understanding of MD vs. DO. If they did, there would be no shame in revealing why they had this preference, hence my remark...

 

[edgerock24]

I just want to say that I have nothing against DO. I would gladly choose it if I could and maybe my personal situation would change such that I can take up the DO alternative. It is a great option, and I actually admire the more holistic aspect of DO treatment. This is not a pre-med stigma issue. If I could, I would explain so you understand me, but I know SDN won't really care about all that. My explanation will be misconstrued as an excuse. So I'm not going to attempt it; PM if you really need to know. DO=MD=Doctor. I know that, I respect that. This is something else I currently don't have a solution to and hence, why I'm hesitant about DO.

Why does everyone have to PM you just to find out why you can't apply to DO schools?

You made this thread. Give everyone all the significant information so you can get the best feedback possible.

Sent from my SM-G930V using SDN mobile

 

[kairos93]

Why does everyone have to PM you just to find out why you can't apply to DO schools?

You made this thread. Give everyone all the significant information so you can get the best feedback possible.

Sent from my SM-G930V using SDN mobile

I'm not forcing anyone to PM me, that's their choice. The original Q is not about why no DO; it's about how I can still maximize my chances at MD. And as @Toutie mentioned, I received all the advice possible about that. It's up to me now. I don't think there is any more advice that can be given even if I do explain why no DO on this thread. So there's no point in writing a further novel of my personal experiences...esp to people that have jumped to conclusions about me and my intentions. Yeah, I made this thread, and I got the relevant feedback. I have a way to overcome it, and that's what I'll be focusing on now.

 

[candbgirl]

Just a FYI, if people jumped to conclusions it's your fault. If you don't share relevant info people will fill in the blanks.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[Goro]

Cut the OP some slack, kids. S/he PM';d me and I can understand their reasons for not wanting to go down the DO path. I agree that it would have been better for OP to explain, since the rationale is an innocuous one.

Oh it's probably a pretty terrible one.

You guys are unnecessarily harsh. He's obviously heard the criticism and made a decision. I don't see any point in making some of these comments.

Do you want to be a doctor or not? It doesnt seem like you want to be a doctor from your post.

Making decisions and essentially refusing to justify them can leave you pretty open to harsh criticism.

I'm trying for a score for MD and would retake for it, but my reasons are related to specialty competitiveness and not being especially interested in OMM. Those are alright reasons to prefer MD.

Based on their posts I don't think OP has a basic level of nuance in their understanding of MD vs. DO. If they did, there would be no shame in revealing why they had this preference, hence my remark...

 

[aymar]

I've been following this thread and now I am really intrigued... how did the OP get banned so quickly?

 

[cactusman]

I've been following this thread and now I am really intrigued... how did the OP get banned so quickly?

Nooo... I wanted to PM to find out why no DO.

But often a ban happens quickly because OP had already been banned before, or the account itself is another TOS violation (e.g. for multiple people).