What should I do for next year?

[ajm422]

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My application cycle isn't looking good, so I'm considering my future. Here is my background.

25 year old white male
Graduated from good state university May 2009
Mechanical Engineering B.S.
Mathematics B.S.

AMCAS GPA: 3.30/3.56/3.44 (BCPM/AO/TOTAL)
MCAT: 33Q (12 verbal/11 physical/10 bio)

Research: GREAT: Postbac IRTA at NIH from 2010-current, two publications in high impact journal with lots of abstracts and presentations at conferences

Community service: OK: Various volunteering jobs like packing food boxes and Habitat Humanity. My application could be stronger here.

Medical volunteering: GOOD: 2 years' worth of volunteering in hospitals

Shadowing: OK: 3 doctors (PCP, ICU, and radiological surgeon), roughly 25 combined hours

LORs: WEAK: One amazing letter from my PI at NIH, one good letter from mechanical engineering professor, one good letter from clinical volunteer social worker

Extras: OK: Lots of outdoors time, leader in a few minor organizations at school, jazz guitar

Context: I submitted my apps horrifyingly late - I was AMCAS confirmed in late August and some secondaries didn't get in until December. I was dealing with depression and serious finanical concerns at the worst possible time and my application was seriously derailed.

So far, I've had no interview invites, no rejections. Pure silence. If I were to reapply this year for 2014, I've taken steps to improve my application. I've taken some postbac courses in biochemistry and endocrinology and I could get a good science letter of recommendation. I've also spent more time shadowing, I'll have another publication or two by summmer, and I'll have all my apps in on 6/1. Especially since I won't be taking a late May MCAT again. Can you tell me what my best options are?

1. Caribbean
2. D.O. (really don't want to - I'd like to conduct research)
3. Reapply
4. SMP

Thanks in advance, SDN. This has been a really hard year on me. Most of it is my fault, and I own up to that. I've worked out my issues and I have a great support system now. I just want to position myself the best way possible going forward, since it's highly unlikely I'll be getting in this year.

 

[circulus vitios]

Caribbean: $250k for an unknown chance of practicing medicine in the US. Even at the best Caribbean schools, it's probably a terrible idea with the impending "residency slot cliff."

DO: Research in which specialty? You can still do research in most specialties as a DO but if you want to do research in some ultra-competitive specialty then you really need to be more realistic because there's a slim chance that it's going to happen with even with "MD" after your name.

Reapply: I have no idea where you applied but your GPA is terrible. Unfortunately, admissions committees don't care about how difficult your major was. You can reapply but you might be wasting another year of your life and thousands of dollars on applications and interviews.

SMP: $50-100k for an 80% chance of getting into medical school after 2 cycles at the best SMP programs. Expensive as hell and if you screw up you're never going to medical school in the US.

 

[113]

I know a few people that were accepted MD with stats in your range. I'd be interested in seeing your school list.

Avoid Carib if at all possible. Your late submission handicapped your app.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

 

[appleman123]

My application cycle isn't looking good, so I'm considering my future. Here is my background.

Context: I submitted my apps horrifyingly late - I was AMCAS confirmed in late August and some secondaries didn't get in until December. I was dealing with depression and serious finanical concerns at the worst possible time and my application was seriously derailed.

save everyone the sob story. continue your research or get a paid healthcare job and reapply NEXT YEAR (i.e not the immediate cycle following this one). What will be important is getting an exit interview from schools that rejected you (most schools will atleast give you tips on how to improve). This way you actually have a solid year to improve your app before applying.

and also, APPLY EARLY. like first day early. be neurotic. be hungry. you'll get in to a USA MD. don't settle for carribean and definitely not DO. fdat!

 

[sinombre]

Kind of a difficult situation... it's hard to say if it would be better to reapply or go with an SMP. Doing well in an SMP would probably significantly up your chances, because other than your GPA the rest of your app is pretty awesome.

 

[ajm422]

save everyone the sob story. continue your research or get a paid healthcare job and reapply NEXT YEAR (i.e not the immediate cycle following this one). What will be important is getting an exit interview from schools that rejected you (most schools will atleast give you tips on how to improve). This way you actually have a solid year to improve your app before applying.

and also, APPLY EARLY. like first day early. be neurotic. be hungry. you'll get in to a USA MD. don't settle for carribean and definitely not DO. fdat!

Thanks for the advice. How do I secure an exit interview from schools that reject me?

 

[Geebeejay]

My application cycle isn't looking good, so I'm considering my future. Here is my background.

25 year old white male
Graduated from good state university May 2009
Mechanical Engineering B.S.
Mathematics B.S.

AMCAS GPA: 3.30/3.56/3.44 (BCPM/AO/TOTAL)
MCAT: 33Q (12 verbal/11 physical/10 bio)

Research: GREAT: Postbac IRTA at NIH from 2010-current, two publications in high impact journal with lots of abstracts and presentations at conferences

Community service: OK: Various volunteering jobs like packing food boxes and Habitat Humanity. My application could be stronger here.

Medical volunteering: GOOD: 2 years' worth of volunteering in hospitals

Shadowing: OK: 3 doctors (PCP, ICU, and radiological surgeon), roughly 25 combined hours

LORs: WEAK: One amazing letter from my PI at NIH, one good letter from mechanical engineering professor, one good letter from clinical volunteer social worker

Extras: OK: Lots of outdoors time, leader in a few minor organizations at school, jazz guitar

Context: I submitted my apps horrifyingly late - I was AMCAS confirmed in late August and some secondaries didn't get in until December. I was dealing with depression and serious finanical concerns at the worst possible time and my application was seriously derailed.

So far, I've had no interview invites, no rejections. Pure silence. If I were to reapply this year for 2014, I've taken steps to improve my application. I've taken some postbac courses in biochemistry and endocrinology and I could get a good science letter of recommendation. I've also spent more time shadowing, I'll have another publication or two by summmer, and I'll have all my apps in on 6/1. Especially since I won't be taking a late May MCAT again. Can you tell me what my best options are?

1. Caribbean
2. D.O. (really don't want to - I'd like to conduct research)
3. Reapply
4. SMP

Thanks in advance, SDN. This has been a really hard year on me. Most of it is my fault, and I own up to that. I've worked out my issues and I have a great support system now. I just want to position myself the best way possible going forward, since it's highly unlikely I'll be getting in this year.

Late app probably killed you....apply early and broadly next time, whenever that is. And don't use depression as a crutch.

 

[sinombre]

Thanks for the advice. How do I secure an exit interview from schools that reject me?

I think you just have to contact the schools individually, since every school does things differently.