so the trend i generally see when someone asks what are my chances is to apply broadly.
well what happens if you are mediocre and can NOT apply broadly?!?!
we are geographically limited due to my dh's job here in chicago. i am applying to mcw and am toying around with uw but other than that i do not know what else to do??
do i just prepare myself to go thru this again and again and again?? i honestly do not know how many more app cycles i have left in me.
we have talked about (briefly) possibly applyingto some east coast osteo schools as nyc is the only other option job wise for my dh but again i do not know how that woudl swing as we just bought our house 2 yrs ago and the market here is currently rather blah.
so what do i do? do i start calling now and saying what can i do to be a better applicant??
I understand your dilemma. If I had children, I would under no circumstances leave them, even to fulfill the dream of going to medical school. Anyone who would say that it means I did not show a true desire to become a doc is an ignorant and self centered jerk. When you have a child, you owe them your life. I have encountered many women who were forced to be separated from a child/children because of their careers. Many of them end up having dysfunctional relationships with their children.
That being said, what is it that you can do? Here's is what I think you need to do to become a better applicant.
You need to put your best foot forward with the schools which are feasible for your family. When you apply, make sure your application is the best it can possibly be. Unfortunately, when it comes to trying to get an interview, it is all about the numbers. After you interview, it pretty much boils down to their gestalt impression of you.
If you have MCATs under 30, retake the exam. However, it looks like crap to take it too many times without significant improvement, so make sure you are doing well on practice exams before you sit for it. I would even consider delaying an application if you need the time for improvement. Someone in this forum has noted how difficult it is to improve a verbal score; however, medical schools already know that. Improving your B and P score will help as long as you V is at least a 6-7.
Make sure you have great letters of recommendation. If necessary, take one or two competitive advance life science course, and do what it takes to get one of the highest marks in the class. There is no better letter that you can get than from a professor who teaches hundreds and hundreds of cut-throat premeds who can say, "Achieved [one of] the highest marks in the class... attended office hours frequently where she asked intelligent questions and proved herself to be both personable and mature ... in the top 5% of students I have encountered..." Don't kill yourself by taking too many classes. Just take one or two classes at a time so you can do well in them.
You mentioned you were in Chicago. One of the most famous and excellent osteopathic schools is in Chicago. DO's make excellent physicians, and are n practical terms not different from MDs. Also, osteopathic schools are terrific about non-traditional applicants. Do your best to court them. Find a DO whom you can shadow and can ask for an excellent letter. Learn about OMM and be able to discuss it intelligently (and positively -- avoid the controversies surrounding the subject).
During the interview, tell them about your strong ties to the community. Stay in touch with the schools during the application process, even after your interview with letters that update them on your recent achievements and continued strong interest in their program. It's very important that you actually have something to say in those letters. If you are not taking other classes in which you are getting good grades (which you can update them on), then be able to write about medically related research or volunteer work.
Good luck.
