Did you apply 3 times before gaining admission? How many years between your first cycle and the successful cycle. Were you successful in being admitted to a US MD school, DO school, or off-shore school? Please tell your tale.
oh i love this thread!
Yes, i was accepted on my third try. all back to back to back
1). First year: took MCAT before taking organic chemistry II or biochemistry (i was an idiot. no idea why i thought that was a good idea). Got 498 on MCAT (of course). Had about 300 clinical hours, veteran status, 3.6 GPA, but nothing more. Applied to 4 schools across the country that showed up as lowest MCAT and GPA schools (now i understand, - bad idea, because a lot of them are for local residents and would never ever accept out of state). Of course was flat out rejected by all. Decided to go back to school for second Bachelor's degree in something science related.
2) Second year: took MCAT twice more (still havent done organic chemistry II or biochem - i was stationed overseas, and simply did not have access to normal schools). I really wanted to get in somewhere ASAP. Meanwhile, i got out of the military at that point, and i was stressed out about being able to support myself being out of school. Got 504 and 506 on MCAT, applied to 10 MD schools (no DO). My clinical hours were up to 500, but no other changes. After failing that cycle everyone i know started telling me that i needed to choose a different career. Switched my major from biology to biochemistry and math (loved both, and i knew i would be happy going PhD in biochemistry route with applied math, for example).
3) Third year - discovered SDN. Spent hours here. Realized how wrong i was about EVERYTHING i did up to that point. In October 2017 my brother tragically dies in the middle of the semester.... Meanwhile,i finished biochemistry and organic chemistry, studied over winter break, took MCAT in January. Studying for MCAT with that recent loss, having students that i was responsible for as a learning assistant, and working full time was the toughest thing i have ever done.... When i Got 511 on MCAT after all that i told myself that if i could pull through that, i can get into medical school. By then i had about 500 clinical hours as a provider (i was working full time while doing to school full time). In january i got a new job in addiction treatment facility (ppl told to not do this because i just lost my brother, but honestly, i found it inspirational instead and healing, in a way) (by the time i matriculated i had over 3000 clinical hours, or something like that). Also got a position as a learning assistant in chemistry department for 3 semesters in a row. After getting my scores back at the end of february, i made an anonymous post here in the questions section, asking honestly if i had a chance (majority of ppl believe that 4 MCAT attempts is a death sentence).
@LizzyM - you were actually the one who told me that it is risky, but can be done, and suggested some additional schools that i could put on my list. I applied to 35 schools, - very broadly.
I knew i needed research and volunteering (dont forget - i already had clinical, and veteran status), - i found a volunteering spot in homeless shelter (just did 40 hours). And i applied for a research position in NIH (summer). I submitted by application literally 30 min after the applications were open, and it took them only 24 hours to verify it. During june i started working on secondaries, while waiting for the schools to send them out. By the time i started getting secondaries from schools, they were pretty much ready. Every school got their application back within 1-5 hours of sending it out to me. Then waiting started.... didnt hear anything till October (started by senior year that fall). Seeing people here getting interviews and acceptances before i even got one interview was so discouraging... Then got 6 interview invites that trickled through the year: 2 in October, 1 November, 1 December, 1 January, and one more that i canceled (work conflict). By end of February i was on 2 WLs, and pending decisions from the rest... No acceptances. I started looking into Master's programs, and decided that maybe i needed to stop. Then, last week of February, i got 3 acceptances in one week (i was actually crying). Decided on ETSU (loved that school so much, Amazing people, amazing town). Then, at the end of April (23rd) got a call from EVMS (my all-time first choice) that i got off the WL (my instate school). I sent a long warm apologizing letter to ETSU, graduated with BS in Chemistry in May, quit my job in addiction treatment, broke up with my partner (not because of school, that was all brewing for a while), packed up my "zoo" ( i have a lot of animals) and moved to Norfolk in July. The rest is history.
As an immigrant, veteran, someone who experienced violence, hunger (like, starvation hunger), who does not have family here, etc etc etc getting accepted to medical school against all odds felt like a miracle (because of which i was struggling with horrible imposter syndrome the first semester of medical school, - i am fine now). And honestly, I owe
@LizzyM everything, because
LizzyM was the first person who told me that it was possible. After i heard that, i did not listen to any more negativity and kept pushing forward. Btw,
@LizzyM - out of my 4 acceptances and 1 WL, 3 schools were actually suggested by you. I would have never even considered them.
@Goro was the person who taught me HOW to do it from famous "reinvention" thread. And
@gyngyn who was there for ongoing advice as well. Honestly i owe three of you EVERYTHING. literally. I have so much gratitude for what you guys do, which is why i try to give back, and offer encouragement and helpful information for pre-meds.
so, thats my story. Now, just a year later, it all seems so far and so unreal, but i am very grateful that i did not gave up.
Important points though: 1) i DID have a plan B, 2) i did listen to ppl, but still made my own decisions, - so instead of blindly doing what people told me i filtered it through my own mind, if it makes any sense.
