What do you plan to do if you can't get into medical school?

[DeetleMSU]

My advisor asked me this yesterday. My reply "I'll take more science classes, raise my GPA, and find out what prevented me from going to med school the first time around and fix it." She then said what if you still don't get accepted. I told her that I am determined to get into medical school even if I have to apply every year until I am 40 yrs old. They can not keep me out forever!

I felt a little discouraged after I left because she is my pre-med advisor. After a night of rest, I really don't care what she thinks and maybe it's time for a new advisor.

What do you plan to do if you are not accepted to medical school first time around?

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[Quix]

Continue what I am doing now - teaching and conducting research. I'll try again in the Spring if need be.

 

[mshheaddoc]

I had the same run in with my advisor. She pretty much flat out told me that I'm going to need a plan B and her tone made it seem that I didn't have a chance at getting in. I also didn't tell her that I transferred schools because I felt that the current school was the right fit for me ... but whatever.

My plan B is doing research or even my PhD. But I'm like you. I will keep reapplying. I would suggest that after you do a post-bacc, do a SMP. I am doing a MS program while I apply. Its a two year program but its at my #1 (and only choice) school. So if I do well in this program I hope that I have a great shot in getting in. Others have used this technique without finishing the program at the same school.

I suggest you look into do something similar if you don't get in the first time around.

And yes, most of us know pre-med advisors suck sometimes but they are also there for realism. I know my gpa sucks and so does my first year of post-bacc grades, but I think there are other things on my apps and I can explain my sucky first year of post-bacc ... undergrad ... ha. Well I just wasn't ready to explore my knowledge.

Point being, don't rule out DO schools are they are more forgiving of grades, some allo schools do this too but not many to my knowledge.

There are others out there like you

 

[DeetleMSU]

Thanks Mshheaddoc ,

I actually only want to go to DO schools (MSUCOM is my first choice ). My advisor for my major actually interviews students every week for our MD medical school and will be one of my professors next semester. So I'm sure that he would write me an outstanding LOR if I ace all of my classes for the next year and meet with him twice a month for general updates and advice.

I also shadowed a DO a few times who is a professor at MSUCOM. I plan on email him about shadowing him again. I had to stop because I stepped in to caring for my mom full time with her cancer surgeries, chemo, Alzheimer's and fighting to stop my family from placing her into a group home. I believe that he would also give me a LOR.

I have 1.5 years left and 12 science classes to take. Even with caring for my mom, I know that I'm going to make it to Med School. I've even started to study for the June MCAT.

Thanks again

 

[IceMan0824]

And yes, most of us know pre-med advisors suck sometimes but they are also there for realism. I know my gpa sucks and so does my first year of post-bacc grades, but I think there are other things on my apps and I can explain my sucky first year of post-bacc ... undergrad ... ha. Well I just wasn't ready to explore my knowledge.

I agree with mshheaddoc here. It might seem horrible but most pre-med need to bring realistic expectations to students. I know you want to become a doctor, but have you ever consider what you would do "IF" you are never given the chance. If you believe this is your calling in life, then go ahead and try many ways to gain acceptance. Noone can tell you not to apply, but at some point, if you are not gaining acceptance after numerous attempt, then maybe you might have to have a plan B. I believe this is what your pre-med advisor is trying to get you to do.

Having a plan B is not as bad as it seems. For me, I believe it actually makes things a little easier for me....because I know that if things don't go as I planned, then I can finally stop trying to make that sqaure block fit nicely in the round hole, and instead try for the sqaure hole. (I know the analogy suck, but what I am saying is that having a backup plan is not a bad idea, and might save you some restless nights). I know it does for me

 

[Dream2BNMD]

I cannot imagine why a counselor would be so discouraging. I am currently Director of Corporate Sales and I would never say to one of my sales reps, what is your goal this year - oh pick another one. Where is the let me help you be successful attitude? What am I going to do if I am not accepted? Keep applying until I am. Your attitude about changing the things that are broken is the right attitude and something she should have clunge to. So here I am to say if you want it bad enough, go get it, work hard, do what you need to do, and the success of acceptance will be yours!

 

[MD/DO ALMOST]

my advisor gave me the same info/advice- basically find another career choice- BUT, I thought otherwise, and now have been accepted to four medical schools, both D.O/M.D.. Do not underestimate the power of experience that comes with age, and the influence a good MCAT score will have on your former GPA. It shows that you NOW inderstand things differently/ better than before, and that your brain still works as well as all the twenty year olds- hopefully better!

 

[RxnMan]

My advisor asked me this yesterday. My reply "I'll take more science classes, raise my GPA, and find out what prevented me from going to med school the first time around and fix it." She then said what if you still don't get accepted. I told her that I am determined to get into medical school even if I have to apply every year until I am 40 yrs old. They can not keep me out forever!

I felt a little discouraged after I left because she is my pre-med advisor. After a night of rest, I really don't care what she thinks and maybe it's time for a new advisor.

What do you plan to do if you are not accepted to medical school first time around?

I did a bunch of stuff, most of which is in my MDApps profile (follow the link in my signature). The best thing to do is to figure out the most likely reason you didn't get in and use your time to fix that as best you can.

You might be able to contact the deans of admissions where you were rejected and ask them. They may not all give you an answer, but maybe one or two will point you in the right direction. You might ask them how you could best spend your time before the next cycle.

Critically evaluate what they say. If you have a 3.5 and they say do more classes, well, you may not get much bang for your buck that way. If you don't have any clinical experience, now is an excellent time to do so. If you have a year off, maybe do a medical trip to Africa If that's your thing. If you have everything else down (GPA, req'd classes, MCAT>30, clinical exp.) then try your hand at research and earn some $ on the side.

 

[billydoc]

If G-D forbid, after some really serious tries you didn't get in you couldalways go to reputable off-shore schools i.e SGU, ROSS, AUC and SABA, may be SMU if you don't care about practicing in Cali. There are many options in Europe and Israel as well. Not that you shouldn't try U.S first. But if everything still fails you will get in, and you WILL become a doctor. It's been done by others for years and years.

Good luck

 

[Kateb4]

I think that it's pretty standard when people hear that you're applying to med school that they ask you for your backup plan. I've gotten it from just about everyone that I've talked to about it, and no, I'm not that bad of an applicant, most of those people don't even know my GPA/MCAT info!

So, don't be discouraged at all when people ask you that, they just want to make sure that you really are interested in being a doctor. If someone were to answer, Oh, I'll go do something else, then they don't really have the drive. My answer is that if I don't get in the first time, I will try again (hopefully improve my app somehow), and if I don't get in that time I'll try again, and again until I get in!

 

[AlkaIL]

Don't worry. As a non-trad we all get asked for a back-up plan. My advisor asked me for one I think to see if I realized how hard it is to get in. I do realize that, told her I plan to reapply, plan to apply at my local DO school since my GPA there is so much higher since they replace all my retake grades I'll keep applying while I get my MPH.
It is just important to have a timeline. This doesn't make your advisor bad, unless once you share your timeline, backups with her/him, they are still discouraging, then its time to switch. Once mine realized that I had really thought all plans through, she's been encouraging since. Good luck.