What you know vs. Who you know...

[DrSuga]

How many of you are using "personal connections" to get interviews?

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[aisha]

i wish i had any personal connections.. but it doesnt matter unless u know someone on the adcom. i dont think it really helps if my sis is a resident at a university hosptial or my bro in law has been a res. at one school and a fellow in another.. that really doesnt help..

 

[ssd]

there is no such thing as a sure thing. i had some "connections" last year, but here i am trying to finish my secondaries for this year. even if you know somebody on the adcom, you aren't guaranteed anything. no single person can ensure that you get it, but all it takes is one person to ensure that you don't get in.

 

[sz]

I have no, nada, zipo connections in med schools .... but I do know one person who used his connection to get into a top name school. By the way .. this myth about having to know someone on the adcom is just that ... a myth. the person I'm talking about used a connection who was not on the adcom but was a faculty member at the med school.

 

[johnthestreak]

i'm trying to pull as many strings and as many connections as possible!!! it does help, and anyone that says otherwise is telling an untruth.

 

[SMW]

The doc I shadowed, who wrote a LOR for me, knows the people on my state adcom. Is that a "personal connection"? I think they're going to interview everyone who meets some sort of minimum qualifications anyway.

 

[DrSuga]

johnthestreak--I totally agree!! most of my connections (members of adcoms at top 10 schools) have helped me get interview invites quickly after submitting secondaries. it beats having to wait for the committee to decide if you are "worthy" of an interview or not!

 

[aisha]

if thats the case, i am gonna ask my UPenn and MCP connection TODAY

 

[md2be06]

Looks like I'm at a competitive disadvantage here as I don't personally know any members of any adcom. Even if I did, I would feel awkward about asking them to give me special consideration. There's just something about getting accepted on your own merits that's really appealing to me. I just wouldn't want to be in med school wondering if the adcom would have selected me had I not known so and so. That's just my $.02.

 

[Scooby Doo]

I sent flowers to all the adcoms at the schools....I then signed it with my AAMC ID number. It went off really well.
They all invited me for interviews right away.

Stanford, well...I sent them just one rose...the others I had sent a dozen. That's why they rejected me...
Live and learn I guess...

 

[HairlessHeart]

Certainly, you can get interviews and acceptances without personal connections. I tend to believe, however, that when you have personal connections, your "connection" is putting their reputation on the line, and so their decision to speak on your behalf is made carefully. I imagine that adcomms are aware of which of their members or medical school faculty tend to be haphazard with their recommendations. Although, I admit that I'm an optimist when I say that the "buddy-buddy" system is only a very limited part of the process.

 

[aisha]

Scooby-- u are kidding, right???

 

[racergirl]

I have no connections. Well that's not quite true. I work in the lab of a faculty member at my state school, but I didn't ask him for anything. He didn't even know I was applying to med school until I told him about my interview. I didn't ask him for a letter of rec either. Instead I asked the research associate I work directly under. We work closely together every day, so I figured he'd write a stronger letter (and I think I was right).

No one in my family is or has been involved in medicine, so no connections there, either!

 

[DrSuga]

sadly enough i'm kidding too, though i wish i had connections with adcom members!! i figured most people would argue that getting in on your own merit was better and i was right! glad to see we are honest people who work hard and will hopefully be rewarded.

 

[aisha]

Should we send flowers to the adcom after interviews?

 

[nochaser]

Have a friend that knows an adcom member, but not trying to make that connection. Going through this process on my own. Feels better this way, but if I don't get in, I'll probably regret it.

 

[praying4MD]

Originally posted by aisha:
•Should we send flowers to the adcom after interviews? •

After my tactics, *they* usually send ME flowers. hehe.

 

[Scooby Doo]

aisha - no

praying4md - Yea, after your tactics they also send you the bill for the hotel stay!

j/k!

 

[choker]

from what i understand, a connection is most useful for getting off a waitlist, but that's what i've heard. frankly, after going through this whole process and putting everything i am into it, i am going to pull every string i can find. i know you are all going to give me crap, but come on, a connection can't get you into anywhere you don't deserve to go to. the whole process is ridiculously arbitrary anyway; it just rocks the boat a little in your favor. maybe it's because im from nyc and all my friends are econ majors, but from what i've seen, connections make the world go around. i've been screwed over and hurt way way too many times out of what i deserve not to take advantage of every single resource and trick i have in me. sorry to say this guys, but i've lost my pride long ago; im calling everyone i know that could possibly help me, and i really suggest you guys do the same.

 

[kobe8]

Nochaser, don't believe for one minute that your friend is not using his/her connection to help their chances. I don't care how close you two are. They just didn't want you to see them as getting in on anything but their own merit.

 

[kobe8]

Oh yeah, Aisha, flowers may be overkill and may do more harm than good. A simple thank you letter or card soon after the interview (you want them to still remember your meeting) should suffice.

 

[SMW]

I think she was kidding a la the Scoob! Weren't you, aisha?

 

[Scooby Doo]

When sending flowers...be sure to choose a variety of colors.
Don't choose all red! or all white!
Because this will show a LACK of "diversity" and this is not what most medical schools want. Give them some variety. Also, choose colors that have not been seen very much. Choose flowers that are blue with yellow streaks and purple dots in them. This way, they will remember you as unique. I sometimes opt for the singing telegram as well to deliver candy with the flowers. As far as what song they sing...I think that doesn't matter too much. However, I might have stiff opposition to this point with people like Praying4md and morninglight. They are sappy and like romantic songs so they will be choosing older songs. I personally feel some good hard Godsmack or AFI will work just as well. BUT, it's up to you...Oh, with the stuffed animal...if the school has a football team (undergrad), then be sure to coincide them. Like if it's a bear...then send a bear...if it's a slug, send a slug...they'll like that a lot!
Wow, I have too much time on my hands right now....

 

[SMW]

I think the flowers should definitely be in the school's colors -- or at least ones that will coordinate nicely with them!

 

[Mystique]

HaHaHaHa!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope I stop laughing reeaaalll soon!!!! This is just too whack!!!!! OUCH, now I hurt from laughing...I need to leave this screen..............................

 

[nochaser]

Kobe8, my friend IS actually using the connection, and offered to introduce me to that person, and I chose not to.

 

[lilninja]

I think the whole "connection" question is a tough one to answer. Everyone wants to be successful based entirely on merit, and as a naive undegrad, I joined that school of thought - if I am good enough at whatever it is, I will be successful. And for the most part, that is true. However, sometimes a foot in the door is not possible without a nudge in your direction. I have grappled with the idea of not wanting to compromise my beliefs about brown-nosing and undeserving sneakiness, and I don't think I would ever pull those kinds of strings. But many people I have spoken with - advisors, even admissions committee officers - have told me that there is such a large number of applications, and so many qualified applicants for medical school, that it is impossible to know what everyone is like even after interviewing them. Therefore, if there is some kind of personal reference, ie. oh, I know so-and-so, and they're a great person, I think they would do well in medical school, it certainly helps to distinguish that person from an equally qualified applicant that nobody knows. It is that way everywhere, especially when you are looking for a career. You don't have to ask everyone to vouch for you, but if you know people who would honestly put in a good word for you, then why not?

 

[aisha]

why are u guys messing with my head. I was seriously thinking of sending them flowers ..

 

[SMW]

Good point, lilninja.

 

[Trek]

One word....strippers. The next word...accepted. The last words- you're all welcome. --Trek

 

[racergirl]

OK I'm sure you're joking, but I'm rather dense sometimes so in case you're not...

Aisha, for God's sake DO NOT SEND FOWERS

send cash.

 

[aisha]

hey racer!

how much do u suggest? do i send it to my interviewers only or every person in the adcom.

 

[SMW]

Aisha, I love your signature quote.