what gets you pumped up about your 1st choice

[SesameStreetDoc]

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I'm applying broadly, and regularly look through the school-specific threads of the schools I'm applying to. In those threads, I see a handful of people who are totally stoked to go to their particular 1st choice. Not just excited, but pumped/stoked/freaking-out to get into XYZ school.

It just makes me curious, what gets you over that hump? What takes it from "excited to go to any med school" to "crapping my pants to go to THIS school"?

(and which school is it?)

 

[Iliketoytles]

I'm applying broadly, and regularly look through the school-specific threads of the schools I'm applying to. In those threads, I see a handful of people who are totally stoked to go to their particular 1st choice. Not just excited, but pumped/stoked/freaking-out to get into XYZ school.

It just makes me curious, what gets you over that hump? What takes it from "excited to go to any med school" to "crapping my pants to go to THIS school"?

(and which school is it?)

For me it'd be any texas school (so for DO, it would be TCOM). The TX in-state tuition is really great, and it's close to home... can't beat that. 🙂 Unfortunately I'm still waiting for interview invites from all the TX schools... hope they come soon.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

yeah, i am definitely "crap my pants" excited for DMU.

 

[DrWily]

For me, I'd be excited to get into any medical school, but I'm also pumped for a certain few due to a variety of reasons: clinical rotations, location, school prestige, etc.

Why wouldn't you have a few top choices if you're applying broadly? Surely you have ranked the schools in order of what you would like to attend, whether consciously or subconsciously. Most people get excited when they get interviews at places they really see themselves at for the next four years.

 

[scummie]

For me it'd be any texas school (so for DO, it would be TCOM). The TX in-state tuition is really great, and it's close to home... can't beat that. 🙂 Unfortunately I'm still waiting for interview invites from all the TX schools... hope they come soon.

DID NOT accept me. Whatever. Can't touch this.

I think what makes people go 😍 for a school is knowing they have a shot there. It's like drinking hot chocolate. You get warm and happy, little misty-eyed.

Beaches, location, cost, residency matching. Whatever floats your boat. It all depends on your priorities. Of course, an acceptance makes a school a whole lot more appealing.

 

[DrMaximus]

DID NOT accept me. Whatever. Can't touch this.

I think what makes people go 😍 for a school is knowing they have a shot there. It's like drinking hot chocolate. You get warm and happy, little misty-eyed.

Beaches, location, cost, residency matching. Whatever floats your boat. It all depends on your priorities. Of course, an acceptance makes a school a whole lot more appealing.

Yep, I completely agree with this.

Though two of the draws for LMU-DCOM to me is that it's close to home and it's in proximity to snowboarding.👍

 

[ManBroDude]

Yep, I completely agree with this.

Though two of the draws for LMU-DCOM to me is that it's close to home and it's in proximity to snowboarding.👍

Snowboarding? In Tennessee?! Pshh yea right 🙄

(a google search later reveals one hill 😱)

 

[JeetKuneDo]

Rotations and I'll say it....... MATCH LISTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SesameStreetDoc]

Why wouldn't you have a few top choices if you're applying broadly?

Yes, I do have a few top choices. I was just curious about what floats others' boats. 🙂

 

[ISUBird100]

DMU!!

Location. I like that Des Moines is in a rural area, but not TOO rural.
Fairly large class size
Solid reputation

Gosh, I'd love to go here!

 

[DrMaximus]

Snowboarding? In Tennessee?! Pshh yea right 🙄

(a google search later reveals one hill 😱)

Haha. Easy. We work with what we have here. Besides, I'm talking about the ones in North Carolina. But no, nowhere near the west, I know.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

DMU!!

Location. I like that Des Moines is in a rural area, but not TOO rural.
Fairly large class size
Solid reputation

Gosh, I'd love to go here!

I was under the impression that DMU was in the heart of Des Monies or in a suburb...

 

[ISUBird100]

I was under the impression that DMU was in the heart of Des Monies or in a suburb...

Yeah I may have used the wrong wording to describe its location lol. I used the term "rural" since it's in Iowa. Either way, I'd rather be in Des Moines than in the heart of a big city!

 

[seap3]

I was under the impression that DMU was in the heart of Des Monies or in a suburb...

DMU campus is very close to downtown. The metro area is about 550K.

But it's also true that the area can have a "rural" feeling. Both my kids schools are next to corn fields.

 

[LifeTake2]

Well for starters the ability to not move since #1 is a mile from my house

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

The school I WAS excited about rejected me, and then when I inquired as to why, they sent me a LAME email (said I hadn't taken biochem, I have 11 sem credits of it, asked me if I knew the difference between DO/MD, I quoted my application in response, asked if I'd shadowed a DO, I again quoted my application, etc) and then I was not so excited about them, and was rather seething about it... At any rate I was excited because of their wilderness medicine track, and because of location... Since I am saying something not positive, I'll let you all figure out which school it is...

Additionally, now I'm happy to just be given the chance to interview anywhere, and I'll go where I can, and be excited about it... 😉

 

[drgioiadds]

The possibility of living close to family and being part of a great school with tremendous alumni support!

 

[CajunMedic]

LECOM-B is the one that makes me the most giddy

Mainly due to the location and the PBL curriculum. My wife and I love Florida, plus the area has a great Ambulance service there that she can work for.

PBL seems to be the best thing for me, it really fits my learning style.

 

[SLC]

For me it was the unique curriculum, one that gives me an instant real world clinical application for every thing I learn. I also liked the early clinical exposure, the smattering of high ranking professors, and the emphasis on underserved work (my school makes it a central focus of our training). I also really like that my classmates treat each other like family. A lot of schools are pretty cutthroat with people jockeying to be at the top 10 in the class, my school really drives it into us that we're all colleagues and that we need to work together.

Anyway, I couldn't be any happier about the school I'm attending.

 

[lkthlttr]

I don't have only one first choice, I have several. And they all have something different to offer that would make me really excited to gain an acceptance from them. There are schools where I wouldn't have to move out of my current apartment, there are other schools that are in cities that I would love to live in. One school has a unique mentoring/support system that I think would really help when times get tough during med school and another has a research program that I would really like to participate in. But bottom line is that any of the schools I applied to will lead me to my dream of becoming a doctor and that is what really gets me pumped.

 

[stefspets]

For me it was the unique curriculum, one that gives me an instant real world clinical application for every thing I learn. I also liked the early clinical exposure, the smattering of high ranking professors, and the emphasis on underserved work (my school makes it a central focus of our training). I also really like that my classmates treat each other like family. A lot of schools are pretty cutthroat with people jockeying to be at the top 10 in the class, my school really drives it into us that we're all colleagues and that we need to work together.

Anyway, I couldn't be any happier about the school I'm attending.

Your school is my #1, and basically for all the reasons you listed. I visited for a day (been there a couple times, but this particular day got to hang out with students) and there was so much passion and excitement for the program that it was contagious. I've been to other schools for premed events but none felt like this one. We'll see how interviews go but at the moment I can't really see myself anywhere else.

 

[Kalamazoo]

I am excited about my top choice because of it's proximity to home and the prospect of doing rotations/residency where I currently work as a nurse's aid. (It's a great hospital and I can really see myself working here for the rest of my life). I also really like how the curriculum is set up and the teachers/students/staff all seem very friendly.

 

[CopToEM]

Greatest advice I was ever given: "The best medical school in the nation is the one who accepts you."