What now?

[Default]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I am writing this post and hopefully all of the SDN enlightenment will help in my case as it has in so many other great responses. I am writing also partially in frustration because I am kind of lost on how to proceed. I applied a little late the first time (late September) and got rejections all around without a single interview. Second round came and went with a little more success, two interviews and two waitlists. Now as I am about to turn in my round three AMCAS, hopefully you might have some suggestions. My abbreviated resume is something like this:
2 years as a missionary in Costa Rica
Fluent in Spanish
3 years as an electrician
3.42 UG GPA, 3.5 UG BPCM , Double major in Bio and Chem., 4.0 Org. Chem. Masters GPA
1.5 UG research + internship at a pharmaceutical.
1 year Volunteered teaching science and math in a local 5th grade classroom
EMT plus IV cert and clinical rotations
1 yr (so far) volunteering in the ED
Various hours shadowing different physicians in throughout the hospital
So now my question is what next? I have one year left in my masters program but I am becoming less and less happy there as my committee continues to add more and more requirements which could delay my masters even further. Should I continue on and try to push through and finish the masters? Or should I try to get more research clinical experience? I applied to 13 schools this year with several as backups to no avail. Should I apply more broadly still?
I know I want to get in to medical school. I can’t imagine doing anything else. Even when I was working as an electrician, I knew that med school is where I always wanted to be. So now I am trying to formulate a strategy on how to make sure I get in. My school doesn’t have any pre-med counseling so any help is appreciated.

 

[dragonfly99]

I think you should finish the master's degree now that you started it.
Otherwise it looks bad on your resume that you didn't finish. It's only a master's degree...how much longer can it take to finish. 1 year?

What was your MCAT score?

Yes, I think you need to apply to more schools.

Who wrote your LOR's? Do you have one from a physician?

Although you say you have ER volunteer experience, I'm wondering if you need more hours. Med schools look for a certain number of hours...if you only started say 1 year ago, maybe you didn't have enough health care experience at the time you applied.

Have you tried DO schools?

 

[postbacca]

I am writing this post and hopefully all of the SDN enlightenment will help in my case as it has in so many other great responses. I am writing also partially in frustration because I am kind of lost on how to proceed. I applied a little late the first time (late September) and got rejections all around without a single interview. Second round came and went with a little more success, two interviews and two waitlists. Now as I am about to turn in my round three AMCAS, hopefully you might have some suggestions. My abbreviated resume is something like this:
2 years as a missionary in Costa Rica
Fluent in Spanish
3 years as an electrician
3.42 UG GPA, 3.5 UG BPCM , Double major in Bio and Chem., 4.0 Org. Chem. Masters GPA
1.5 UG research + internship at a pharmaceutical.
1 year Volunteered teaching science and math in a local 5th grade classroom
EMT plus IV cert and clinical rotations
1 yr (so far) volunteering in the ED
Various hours shadowing different physicians in throughout the hospital
So now my question is what next? I have one year left in my masters program but I am becoming less and less happy there as my committee continues to add more and more requirements which could delay my masters even further. Should I continue on and try to push through and finish the masters? Or should I try to get more research clinical experience? I applied to 13 schools this year with several as backups to no avail. Should I apply more broadly still?
I know I want to get in to medical school. I can’t imagine doing anything else. Even when I was working as an electrician, I knew that med school is where I always wanted to be. So now I am trying to formulate a strategy on how to make sure I get in. My school doesn’t have any pre-med counseling so any help is appreciated.

Sounds like you have great EC's and life experience.

What did you score on the MCAT? If you did fairly well on this I don't see a problem with you receiving at least a couple acceptances.

Since this is your third shot at applying, I would apply as broadly as possible - add as many schools as possible and consider some DO's too. I'm not sure how a fourth try would be looked upon.

Best of luck and see you in Med School!

 

[Default]

I got a 34O on the mcat.

As for DO's, never considered it just because after to talking to DMU, it just didnt seem to fit. And as far as the masters, I am trying to do my best to finish this upcoming year, but with recent additions, my committee is trying to make me stay on for another semester at least. I could push my way through,its just hard to stay motivated. I love O Chem, the program itself is just kinda painful ( low budget, small school, limited research options, etc...)

As for LOR's one was a teacher I TA'd anatomy for, Another was my PI, another from the Graduate Coordinator, and last from my PI at my internship. No doctor's as of yet, but im working on finding which Physician in the ED would be best for my LOR.

 

[MSmentor018]

I got a 34O on the mcat.

As for DO's, never considered it just because after to talking to DMU, it just didnt seem to fit. And as far as the masters, I am trying to do my best to finish this upcoming year, but with recent additions, my committee is trying to make me stay on for another semester at least. I could push my way through,its just hard to stay motivated. I love O Chem, the program itself is just kinda painful ( low budget, small school, limited research options, etc...)

As for LOR's one was a teacher I TA'd anatomy for, Another was my PI, another from the Graduate Coordinator, and last from my PI at my internship. No doctor's as of yet, but im working on finding which Physician in the ED would be best for my LOR.

stats and background looks solid....at least interviews if not acceptances somewhere. maybe not where you'd like to go but somewhere. all ivy league schools? check out US news/wr for numerical data on schools and apply broader.....next year. definitely finish your masters. you're already half way and it'd look bad on your app if you didn't. you might want to get that physician LOR. get other opinions before cutting the DO option out. I'd wouldn't make a life altering career decision based on one person. go back and look at your PS, can it be polished? interview skills improved? there must be something.....do whatever it takes to get yourself ready for the next round. good luck!

 

[QofQuimica]

First, finish the MS. You have to sit out this year anyway, so you might as well have something to show for it. Being unhappy with one year left to get your degree is a flimsy reason to quit. Accept the need to push on through the program while you're unhappy now, because there's plenty more of that in your immediate future. You will be unhappy at various points while you're in medical school; everyone is. But most people keep going and don't quit med school.

Second, think seriously and honestly about what you might have done wrong this year. If you're not sure, try contacting a few of the schools that rejected you for advice on how to improve your app. Take the advice they give you and follow it, especially if you plan to reapply to those schools. Believe me, at my school we pay attention to whether reapplicants follow the advice they were given the previous year.

Finally, definitely do apply to more schools, and consider adding DO schools also. Make sure you apply to all of your state schools and several other schools that take people from your state. Don't reject all DO schools sight unseen just because you didn't like one. Reapplying over and over is taxing in terms of finances, time, and the ego-bashing. Do what is necessary to make this year be your year. Hope this helps, and best of luck. 🙂

 

[NTF]

I'd bet $2 that you're in CA. and you'd do well to follow the advice in this thread. Best wishes!

 

[Default]

no, Im from CO, not Cali. Q - I do think you are right, I will stick with the masters. Any suggestiions on where to go for PS help? I worked over it last year with a pre-med advisor at another larger school which helped, but I am always willing to improve until I make it in. oh and as for revamping, does it need to be completely different from last year or should I focus on touch ups?

Oh and why do I have to wait this year out?

 

[quiz]

I would write a new ps or unless you make major changes to it. If you apply to the same schools they will ask you what have you done in the last year, what have you done differently. A friend left his the same and they asked him if why he did not change his PS. logid is it didn't get you in the first time, submitting the same thing might not get you in the second.

 

[QofQuimica]

no, Im from CO, not Cali. Q - I do think you are right, I will stick with the masters. Any suggestiions on where to go for PS help?

I got the diversity office at one of my state schools to help me. Also a researcher I knew who was an adcom at one of my state schools. Oh, and I had a few people on SDN read it too. Every year there is a list of people willing to read PS in the preallo forum.

oh and as for revamping, does it need to be completely different from last year or should I focus on touch ups?

I haven't read your PS, so I don't know. That's one of the things you should ask the schools who rejected you when you contact them.

Oh and why do I have to wait this year out?

Because now the earliest you can possibly matriculate is next summer. If you didn't finish your MS, what alternative plans do you have for spending the year between now and August 2010 when you will hopefully matriculate?

 

[efex101]

I think that you are not applying to enough schools and maybe the ones you applied to may have been "reach" schools. Your stats seem pretty solid and you have plenty of EC's. Call ALL the schools you have applied to and ask for some guidance....see if they will give you some insight into WHY you did not get accepted. Good luck!